texascavers Digest 28 Aug 2008 13:41:24 -0000 Issue 597

[texascavers-digest-help]

texascavers Digest 28 Aug 2008 13:41:24 -0000 Issue 597

Topics (messages 8832 through 8844):

Wind farms put pressure on bats
        8832 by: Stefan Creaser

Wind Turbines Give Bats the "Bends," Study Finds
        8833 by: Lee H. Skinner

Presentation by Orion and Jan Knox, Wednesday, 11:58 AM on Mongolia
        8834 by: Geary Schindel

Putting cave maps into Google Map..
        8835 by: Ted Samsel

upcoming Colorado Bend State Park project
        8836 by: Jim Kennedy

Bat Communication
        8837 by: Minton, Mark

another hollywood cave movie ?
        8838 by: David

Nevada Barr's "Blind Descent"
        8839 by: Louise Power
        8840 by: Patrick Shaw
        8841 by: quinta.clearwire.net
        8842 by: Ted Samsel
        8844 by: CaverArch

TCMA lapsed membership
        8843 by: Ron Ralph

Administrivia:

To subscribe to the digest, e-mail:
        <texascavers-digest-subscr...@texascavers.com>

To unsubscribe from the digest, e-mail:
        <texascavers-digest-unsubscr...@texascavers.com>

To post to the list, e-mail:
        <texascavers@texascavers.com>


----------------------------------------------------------------------

--- Begin Message ---

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7581990.stm

----------------------------------------------
Stefan Creaser          stefan.crea...@arm.com
ARM Inc.                Phone: (512)314-1012
Austin, Tx              http://www.arm.com

-- 
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this email and any attachments are 
confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, 
please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to any 
other person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the information in any 
medium.  Thank you.

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message --- Wind turbines <http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/environment/alternative-energy/wind-power-profile.html> can kill bats without touching them by causing a bends-like condition due to rapidly dropping air pressure, new research suggests. Scientists aren't sure why, but bats are attracted to the turbines, which often stand 300 feet (90 meters) high and sport 200-foot (60-meter) blades.

The mammals' <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals.html> curiosity can result in lethal blows by the rotors, which spin at a rate of about 160 miles (260 kilometers) per hour.

But scientist Erin Baerwald and colleagues report that only about half of the bat corpses they found near Alberta, Canada <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_canada.html>, turbine bases showed any physical evidence of being hit by a blade.

A surprising 90 percent showed signs of internal hemorrhaging�evidence of a drop in air pressure near the blades that causes fatal damage to the bats' lungs with a condition called barotrauma.

In humans, the condition is related to the bends and can affect divers and airplane passengers during ascents and descents.

See more in the full article at
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080825-bat-bends.html

Lee Skinner

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

While this is not necessarily caving related, the presentation is by
Orion and Jan Knox so I thought some of you would be interested in
attending.

 

Geary

 

Edwards Aquifer Philosophical Society -

aka brown bag luncheon

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 11:58: AM

Edwards Aquifer Authority

1615 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, TX

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Orion and Jan Knox will make a
presentation titled: Walking in the Footsteps of Chinggis Khaan,
Trekking the Altai Tavan Bogd Mountains of Western Mongolia

 

Orion and Jan are world travelers, adventurers, and world class
photographers.  They will be making a multimedia presentation on their
recent travels to Mongolia which is scheduled to play at the Texas State
Museum this spring.  Here is a great opportunity to meet Orion and Jan
in a small group setting and here there presentation on a part of the
world rarely visited by westerners.  

 

The presentation will be held on Wednesday, August 27 from 11:58 AM to
12:58 PM at the Edwards Aquifer Authority's Conference Center.   This
will be an informal presentation so please feel free to bring your lunch
and a friend.  Seating is based on availability.  For directions, please
feel free to call our receptionist at 210-222-2204.  The Edwards Aquifer
Authority is located at 1615 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, TX 78215

 

Thank you,

 

Geary Schindel

Chief Technical Officer

Edwards Aquifer Authority

 

 

 

Walking in the Footsteps of Chinggis Khaan

Trekking the Altai Tavan Bogd Mountains of Western Mongolia

Orion & Jan Knox

Abstract

 

Having previously made a three hundred mile trek in the Himalayan
Mountains of Nepal, followed the Silk Road across the width of China
then across the Karakorum Mountains into Northern Pakistan and visited
Bangkok, Thailand, Jan and I were intrigued by a Wilderness Travel trip
to Mongolia.  Mongolia is located between Western Russia and
Northeastern China. It is bounded on the south by the Gobi desert, on
the west by the glacier covered Altai Mountains and on the north by
Siberia. It contains some of the most remote and beautiful land
imaginable. 

Mongolia is noted for its paleontology with some of the world's best
dinosaur discoveries having been made in the Gobi Desert starting in the
1920s by Roy Chapman Andrews. We visited the Flaming Cliffs, site of
many of his digs. Mongolia's human history begins almost 500,000 years
ago and it is thought by some to be the origin of Native Americans who
crossed the Bering Strait during the Ice Age. For centuries Mongolia was
populated by a loose confederation of rival clans until Chinggis Khaan
arrived on the scene near the end of the 12th century. Chinggis, by
persuasion or brute force united the Mongols and established his domain
over much of Asia as far west as Eastern Europe. In more recent history,
Mongolia was part of the Soviet Union until 1996 when the country
elected a non-communist party for the first time in 75 years.

Our trip started in Ulaanbaatar, the capitol, where we visited Buddhist
Monasteries, Museums and attended an incredible performance of
traditional music and dance.

Leaving Ulaanbaatar, we next flew some 750 miles to Olgii, Mongolia's
westernmost provincial capitol. From there we made a six day, 260 mile
loop by a combination of four wheel drive vehicles and hiking. We
visited a world heritage rock art site, hiked in Mongolia's highest
mountain range, and visited Kazakh nomads who live in the valleys once
traveled by Chinggis Khaan.

Our final stop was the Gobi desert where we visited the Flaming Cliffs,
ice filled canyons and desert sand dunes.

 

 

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

I haven't  tried this, but the guy who did this shows how to put a map of a UK cave (Swildon's Hole) into GoogleMap. Dunno if this is easy or not.. T.   http://www.bdcc.co.uk/GoogleCrunch/Crunch.htm http://home.infionline.net/~tbsamsel/

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

The weekend of September 12-14 marks the start of a new project season at 
Colorado Bend State Park (CBSP) in San Saba County, Texas.  This TSA-sponsored 
Project is helping document information on the caves and karst of the Park to 
aid in management and future research.  Currently there are approximately known 
200 caves in the Park, but we find a new one every couple of trips or so.  
 
The Project is open to all cavers, dues-paying TSA members or not (although we 
STRONGLY urge you to join and support your state-wide caving organization!).  
Cavers of all experience levels are welcome, as there are a wide variety of 
caves at the Park and a large number of tasks to be done.  There will be a 
specific set of objectives for this weekend, so make sure you see me and sign 
up for a team upon arrival.
 
We will be camping in the plush Cavers Camp, at the end of the first dirt road 
(right-hand turn) IMMEDIATELY inside the Park entrance gate.  Easy to find, 
even in the dark!  Bring your own camping gear, including water, food, and a 
means to prepare it.  There MAY be a group fire if there is no county-wide burn 
ban.  Please camp in the grassy areas BEFORE you get to the campfire area.  
Feel free to drive right up to whatever spot you pick.  There are a lot of nice 
ones a little further back in the trees if you like your privacy.
 
All cavers should come prepared to work.  Project weekend are not for tourist 
trips.  We have a variety of tasks to be accomplished, including mapping, 
writing narrative descriptions, photodocumentation, digging, and biologizing.  
Bring your own gear, including vertical gear if you are vertically competent 
and plan to do any of the vertical caves in the Park.
 
There is no need to sign up in advance, just show up at Caver Camp before 9 
a.m. on Saturday (at the latest).  I will be there early Friday to make sure 
everything is organized.  Remember that $2 will be collected from every 
participant as a Project fee, as per TSA policy.  There will be no other 
charges, including Park admission or camping fees.
 
Dogs are tolerated if they are well-behaved and kept under control.  Park rules 
indicate that they are to be on leash at all times.
 
If teams complete their objectives early Saturday, there will be opportunities 
to swim at Spicewood Springs, and easy 1/2 mile or so walk from the developed 
area near Park headquarters.  If not, plan to stay awhile Sunday and just relax!
 
Let me know if there are specific questions.  Otherwise, I hope to see you 
there!
 
Jim "Crash" Kennedy
TSA-CBSP Project Coordinator

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

       From NMCaver:  Bats Take Turns 'Shutting Up' When Flying in Groups:  
<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,410661,00.html>

Mark Minton

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

http://www.joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=13553

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

I don't know how many of you are mystery fiction fans, but Nevada Barr is one 
of the best and probably the only one in her specific genre--mysteries taking 
place in National Parks. In 1993, she published Track of the Cat, the first of 
fourteen novels with Anna Pigeon, a park ranger, as her protagonist. This novel 
took place in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, her second posting with the 
Park Service.
 
In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place 
in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP:
 
Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns 
National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely 
fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the 
cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award.
 
Dale Pate was her escort through the Park. The book, a tense murder mystery, 
was excellent and provided me with more than a couple of empathetic moments 
(flashes of claustrophobia). All of her books are good. As another federal 
employee and former Carlsbad Caverns employee, I can tell by what she says and 
how she says it that she is NPS. If you like mysteries, you'll like this 
series--even though they don't take place in caves.

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message --- Yes indeed - a fine tale, and I was amazed that in the whole book I don't think the words "spelunker" or "spelunking" appear once!

Louise Power wrote:

I don't know how many of you are mystery fiction fans, but Nevada Barr is one of the best and probably the only one in her specific genre--mysteries taking place in National Parks. In 1993, she published /Track of the Cat/, the first of fourteen novels with Anna Pigeon, a park ranger, as her protagonist. This novel took place in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, her second posting with the Park Service. In 1998, she published /Blind Descent, /her sixth in the series,/ /which took place in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP: /*Blind Descent*, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award./ Dale Pate was her escort through the Park. The book, a tense murder mystery, was excellent and provided me with more than a couple of empathetic moments (flashes of claustrophobia). All of her books are good. As another federal employee and former Carlsbad Caverns employee, I can tell by what she says and how she says it that she is NPS. If you like mysteries, you'll like this series--even though they don't take place in caves.

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

If you liked this one you will like the other park mystery books by Nevada Barr.
Quinta 

In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place 
in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP:
 
Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns 
National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely 
fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the 
cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award.

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

Carl Hiassen ought to do a Florida cave diving "mystery". Visualize Skink in a wetsuit. Skink for President! T. -----Original Message----- From: qui...@clearwire.net Sent: Aug 27, 2008 10:11 PM To: Patrick Shaw , Louise Power , Texas Cavers Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Nevada Barr's "Blind Descent" If you liked this one you will like the other park mystery books by Nevada Barr. Quinta    In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP:   Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award. http://home.infionline.net/~tbsamsel/

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

Nevada Barr is not just an excellent writer.  She is a wonderful speaker, as 
well, and it will be well worth the time of any fan to attend an event at which 
she speaks.  I had the second such opportunity at the signing for her latest 
book, Winter Study, at "Murder by the Book," the Houston independent mystery 
bookstore.  (The first was a lunch event hosted by the store after the 
publication of Blind Descent.)  There was a caving connection in the talk that 
I had to write up for the Greater Houston Grotto mailing list that I will share 
with the Texas list now that her name has come up:

"I attended the Nevada Barr signing for her new Anna Pigeon mystery at Murder 
by the Book last night, and it was delightful.  Ms. Barr was an actress before 
becoming a National Park Service law enforcement ranger like Anna, and this 
experience helps her to be a very funny, talented, and completely at ease 
speaker, as well as a writer.  But apart from that, I must report on the 
cave-associated aspect of her visit to Houston!  Some years ago she met and 
befriended an astronaut named Chapman (I think) and his wife when Barr and 
Chapman both spoke at an educational function in Georgia.  They have visited 
periodically and remained in contact via phone and e-mail, and consider 
themselves close friends.  He and his wife had spent time with Nevada on this 
visit, but came to the book talk for a special reason.  Mr. Chapman (also a 
talented speaker) was a member of a late 1990s astronaut class that was 
nicknamed the "penguins" because they were "all dressed up, with no place to 
go, and they would never fly."  Well, happily, he was finally able to fly for 
about 150 days on the International Space Station recently.  

He contacted Nevada before lift-off to say that he wanted to indulge in an 
astronaut perk and take something into space for her.  It would have to be 
something small, light, and very personal to her.  She selected something 
appropriate and Mr. Chapman chose the book signing to publicly present this 
personal treasure to her.  This item of great meaning, but light weight, was a 
black bat finger puppet from Carlsbad Caverns National Park that she had been 
given while there to research Blind Descent, her Lechugilla-centered Anna 
Pigeon novel.  The astronaut's seven-year-old daughter had named the bat 
"Flaps," so he was accompanied by an official NASA certificate authenticating 
Flaps' record-breaking bat flight.  (Ms. Barr, at my request, inscribed her new 
book as "From Nevada Barr and Flaps," and then added a cute bat sketch of her 
own creation.  She had included my NSS number in the inscription for Blind 
Descent at the earlier event.)

Ms. Barr answered questions after her brief, but hilarious lecture.  A question 
about Blind Descent provoked her most detailed answer, and gave insight into 
the average reader's reaction to her vivid descriptions of caving.  The 
questioner praised her ability to describe how one moves through a cave, and 
voiced the chills (outweighing the thrills) that most non-cavers probably felt 
on reading these sections.  Nevada is a self-described claustrophobic, so the 
real-life caving experiences (culminating in a trip in Lech) that constituted 
her typical hands-on research for this book were very difficult for her.  She 
said that she came to enjoy the sensations of physical movement through caves, 
and of course appreciated the beauty of cave formations, but that her 
claustrophobia always kept her ill at ease.  Ranger Pigeon felt this same 
distress, which introduced another level of tension into the novel.  Writing 
about the subterranean world so effectively rekindled this discomfort in Ms. 
Barr that she had to abandon her original intention to have the entire novel 
take place underground: she simply found the prospect too nerve-wracking.  
While we cavers crave the very environment she finds so unnerving, I certainly 
admire Ms. Barr's courage in subjecting herself to such disconcerting 
experiences, both in real life and inside her own mind.  She, like Anna, is one 
tough lady in a charming package. "

Roger Moore, 
Greater Houston Grotto

In a message dated 08/27/08 19:33:28 Central Daylight Time, pat_s...@telus.net 
writes:
Yes indeed - a fine tale, and I was amazed that in the whole book I don't think 
the words "spelunker" or "spelunking" appear once!

Louise Power wrote: 
I don't know how many of you are mystery fiction fans, but Nevada Barr is one 
of the best and probably the only one in her specific genre--mysteries taking 
place in National Parks. In 1993, she published Track of the Cat, the first of 
fourteen novels with Anna Pigeon, a park ranger, as her protagonist. This novel 
took place in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, her second posting with the 
Park Service.
 
In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place 
in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP:
Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns 
National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely 
fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the 
cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award.
 
Dale Pate was her escort through the Park. The book, a tense murder mystery, 
was excellent and provided me with more than a couple of empathetic moments 
(flashes of claustrophobia). All of her books are good. As another federal 
employee and former Carlsbad Caverns employee, I can tell by what she says and 
how she says it that she is NPS. If you like mysteries, you'll like this 
series--even though they don't take place in caves.

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

Dear member of the Texas Cave Management Association,

 

Your membership in the association may have lapsed. We would like to invite
you to renew and to consider making a donation to one of our cave preserves,
cave acquisition, or one of our many projects. Please go to
http://tcmacaves.org/financial/lapsed.html for a list of lapsed members. If
your name does not appear, you are in good standing.

 

You may mail in your dues or you may renew online at:
http://www.tcmacaves.org/financial/membership.html or if you would like to
renew in person at the Texas Cave Reunion this October, see Ron Ralph.

 

Thank you for your generous support as a member of the Texas Cave Management
Association.  Your membership, your contribution in time and money has been
vital in sustaining the organization. The 21st century is presenting many
new challenges for the protection of the caves and karst of Texas. With
expanding development, there are many opportunities for the conservation,
study, and management of caves.  Volunteers have been and will continue to
be the biggest source of 'revenue' for the TCMA.  However, there are costs
incurred in cave ownership and management that just can't be met without
funds. Additional information on TCMA giving opportunities, including
project photos, is available on our web site at
http://www.tcmacaves.org/index.html 

 

Again, thank you for your support.  We could not have done it without you
and we look forward to your continued involvement.

 

Database Committee

 

--- End Message ---