Lessee...
I estimate 60 ft. for Sheldon.
Another 60 ft. for the climbing tower at SERA.
80 ft. for Sherwood Mtn. Pot.
120 ft. for O'Shaughnessy Pit.
TOTAL: 320 ft. as of 7-13-05.
30 ft. in Fern Cave on 11-12-05
So it's 350 ft. now.
July 13, 2005
July 10, 2005
Sinking Cove Pulldown - July 3rd 2005
Howdy. I did something for the first time July 2nd, a Saturday night - a thru trip in a cave with 4 rappels en route. This is called the 'pulldown trip' in a cave in TN named Sinking Cove. However it isn't really a pulldown, because the drops are pre-rigged. Thus, we didn't have to carry rope, and descend down it doubled, and then pull the ropes down after us. Still... it was a hardcore trip.
We started to the entrance around 7 pm. I was told to wear as little as possible because the hike to the entrance is uphill, and the top half of the cave is warm. Thus I wore polypro pants, my cordura caving bibs, a NRS neoprene bra, and my kneepads.
I asked if I should wear my elbow pads, and was told by a guy named Shane that they weren't necessary. This is the last time, ever, that I am going to be talked out of wearing knee or elbow pads. My arms were bare during the entire trip, and this morning they are cut, scraped, and bruised. Very attractive. My family was appalled yesterday when I showed up for my brother's bbq. It looks like I was in a fight, which I badly lost.
Our group was Shane, David the trip leader, me, a man whose name I can't remember, and his two teenaged sons. The boys were cocky at first but by the end of the trip they were rather subdued in their demeanor. I think the fact that they were in shortie wetsuits with no elbow OR knee pads might have contributed. We also had a guy with us who I think is named Alan, who routed back to camp once he got to the entrance. He had changed his mind for whatever reason. I know he had done the trip before.
The first part of the trip involves four drops. The second part involves a low-air water crawl, and some swimming, so I brought my shorty wetsuit to change into after the drops.
After a steep 20 minute walk up a trail to the entrance, we had to climb down into it. This was kind of dicey. You have to hug a boulder and slide around it, above around a 15 ft. drop. I didn't like it.
Then we went down through some breakdown rocks, and through a little hole, to the first rope. It was a 56 ft. drop, very pretty. Then we went through a water carved passage that curved and dipped and was lovely. The walls are smooth from torrents of water coursing through over time.
My rappelling device is a BMS micro-rack. In fact all of us on the trip used micro-racks except one of the boys who used a figure-8. That is only the second time I've seen a caver use a figure-8.
The other three drops were also easy, and progressively shorter; the only 'interesting' moment was having to descend down a canyon by means of wedging yourself in the canyon itself and sort of controling your fall with the friction of your body. My elbow pads were sorely missed here.
The canyon appears to be around 20 ft. deep, but there is a hole nearby that goes another 60 ft.; I was advised not to drop my gear pack here because it was never to be found again.
After the last rigged drop I changed out of my climbing harness and bibs and into the shorty wetsuit. I had to carry my harness and bibs out in my cave pack, and since it is not a drybag closure I had to drain water out of it repeatedly because it would get ridiculously heavy. Now I know better for next time.
Anyway, right there we had to go through a tight crawl. This crawl is a filter for bigger persons who wisely opt not to do the pulldown trip due to the crawl. It was not too long, but it was very unpleasant. The floor of the crawl is rough, and I really tore up my arms in the crawl.
The secret to such crawls is to be patient and go slow. It is a real test of one's tendency towards claustrophobia. Well, I passed the test, again, but was helped by Shane's insistence on talking through the whole thing. Helped keep my mind off of the unpleasantness of it all. Shane, who had told me I didn't need my elbow pads, apologized over and over for telling me that. I kept telling him, "Wow, this really sucks; it would be soooo much nicer if I had my elbow pads"... got to really give him some shit... Anyway, we got through that, and to a little sandbar that you could sit up in. The stream bed passes by right there so what you do is take off your helmet, push it ahead of you, and use the wetsuit buoyancy to sort of float you, lay down in the water, and push along the stream passage with your - you guessed it - arms. However the floor of the stream passage was not as rough as the previous crawl. And it would have been easier in some ways if the water wasn't so low. When the water is up you can really just float. You take your helmet off because there is not room for your head above water with a helmet on. In the midst of this stream passage is an 'ear dip' - your only option is to turn your head so your nose stays out of the water, and crawl forward. During 'normal' water levels I was told it's a 'suck the ceiling' kind of experience. I decided during this part that my battery belt was catching on everything so I reached down and unclasped it from my waist - it drifted off and unhooked from my head light and was gone. I yelled back that I had lost my Tag-light battery belt and right then it floated right into Shane's face so he snagged it. I was stuck with using my backup, a UK 1w LED flashlight (that thing rocks, btw) but had another snafu. Prior to our trip I was attaching my gear together and I had run out of duck tape, so I had tried to secure the flashlight to my helmet grommet holes with paracord, and my knots came undone, so I ended up holding the flashlight with my right hand, my helmet with my left hand, and scooting through in the water with my arms.
I think this water passage went on for about 200 ft. After I got out of the water our guide David re-affixed my flashlight with some better knots, Shane came up with my big light's battery belt, and we went on.
There was one more 10ft. climbdown that, if it wasn't such a pain in the ass to put on all of that climbing gear again, and if we had had a rope, it would be appropriate to rig. There is a handline there which was more than useless. I found out how useless because I put all my weight on the handline and it just zipped through my gloves. I landed on my left ankle and was worried I had twisted it, but it's fine. Shane told us someone had broken his back there, so it's named after this person as, 'So and So's Downfall'. I have even thought that the next time I do this trip I'll bring an etrier to leave at that spot. It'd be my donation... the rigging ropes on the four drops are donated and replaced every year, btw.
Anyway, from there to the exit is an hour's worth of sloshing through water, and climbing on breakdown, but it's big borehole passage. Nearing the lower entrance the water gets progressively deeper until at the very end you must swim. Nice, because the water is very cold (not as cold as the Nantahala IMHO, in my wetsuit and polypro pants it was fine) and then you're out in the July heat.
This trip took us around 3 hours total.
Today I'm heading to the NSS convention in Hunstville. It's nice that it is only 2 hours or less away from my home, so I can come home and rest if I need to.
I tried to take pictures of Sinking Cove cave but being a wet cave it was very humid, so they didn't come out. Oh well.
This whole trip illustrated how much difference proper gear can make to a trip. Don't forget your elbow pads!
We started to the entrance around 7 pm. I was told to wear as little as possible because the hike to the entrance is uphill, and the top half of the cave is warm. Thus I wore polypro pants, my cordura caving bibs, a NRS neoprene bra, and my kneepads.
I asked if I should wear my elbow pads, and was told by a guy named Shane that they weren't necessary. This is the last time, ever, that I am going to be talked out of wearing knee or elbow pads. My arms were bare during the entire trip, and this morning they are cut, scraped, and bruised. Very attractive. My family was appalled yesterday when I showed up for my brother's bbq. It looks like I was in a fight, which I badly lost.
Our group was Shane, David the trip leader, me, a man whose name I can't remember, and his two teenaged sons. The boys were cocky at first but by the end of the trip they were rather subdued in their demeanor. I think the fact that they were in shortie wetsuits with no elbow OR knee pads might have contributed. We also had a guy with us who I think is named Alan, who routed back to camp once he got to the entrance. He had changed his mind for whatever reason. I know he had done the trip before.
The first part of the trip involves four drops. The second part involves a low-air water crawl, and some swimming, so I brought my shorty wetsuit to change into after the drops.
After a steep 20 minute walk up a trail to the entrance, we had to climb down into it. This was kind of dicey. You have to hug a boulder and slide around it, above around a 15 ft. drop. I didn't like it.
Then we went down through some breakdown rocks, and through a little hole, to the first rope. It was a 56 ft. drop, very pretty. Then we went through a water carved passage that curved and dipped and was lovely. The walls are smooth from torrents of water coursing through over time.
My rappelling device is a BMS micro-rack. In fact all of us on the trip used micro-racks except one of the boys who used a figure-8. That is only the second time I've seen a caver use a figure-8.
The other three drops were also easy, and progressively shorter; the only 'interesting' moment was having to descend down a canyon by means of wedging yourself in the canyon itself and sort of controling your fall with the friction of your body. My elbow pads were sorely missed here.
The canyon appears to be around 20 ft. deep, but there is a hole nearby that goes another 60 ft.; I was advised not to drop my gear pack here because it was never to be found again.
After the last rigged drop I changed out of my climbing harness and bibs and into the shorty wetsuit. I had to carry my harness and bibs out in my cave pack, and since it is not a drybag closure I had to drain water out of it repeatedly because it would get ridiculously heavy. Now I know better for next time.
Anyway, right there we had to go through a tight crawl. This crawl is a filter for bigger persons who wisely opt not to do the pulldown trip due to the crawl. It was not too long, but it was very unpleasant. The floor of the crawl is rough, and I really tore up my arms in the crawl.
The secret to such crawls is to be patient and go slow. It is a real test of one's tendency towards claustrophobia. Well, I passed the test, again, but was helped by Shane's insistence on talking through the whole thing. Helped keep my mind off of the unpleasantness of it all. Shane, who had told me I didn't need my elbow pads, apologized over and over for telling me that. I kept telling him, "Wow, this really sucks; it would be soooo much nicer if I had my elbow pads"... got to really give him some shit... Anyway, we got through that, and to a little sandbar that you could sit up in. The stream bed passes by right there so what you do is take off your helmet, push it ahead of you, and use the wetsuit buoyancy to sort of float you, lay down in the water, and push along the stream passage with your - you guessed it - arms. However the floor of the stream passage was not as rough as the previous crawl. And it would have been easier in some ways if the water wasn't so low. When the water is up you can really just float. You take your helmet off because there is not room for your head above water with a helmet on. In the midst of this stream passage is an 'ear dip' - your only option is to turn your head so your nose stays out of the water, and crawl forward. During 'normal' water levels I was told it's a 'suck the ceiling' kind of experience. I decided during this part that my battery belt was catching on everything so I reached down and unclasped it from my waist - it drifted off and unhooked from my head light and was gone. I yelled back that I had lost my Tag-light battery belt and right then it floated right into Shane's face so he snagged it. I was stuck with using my backup, a UK 1w LED flashlight (that thing rocks, btw) but had another snafu. Prior to our trip I was attaching my gear together and I had run out of duck tape, so I had tried to secure the flashlight to my helmet grommet holes with paracord, and my knots came undone, so I ended up holding the flashlight with my right hand, my helmet with my left hand, and scooting through in the water with my arms.
I think this water passage went on for about 200 ft. After I got out of the water our guide David re-affixed my flashlight with some better knots, Shane came up with my big light's battery belt, and we went on.
There was one more 10ft. climbdown that, if it wasn't such a pain in the ass to put on all of that climbing gear again, and if we had had a rope, it would be appropriate to rig. There is a handline there which was more than useless. I found out how useless because I put all my weight on the handline and it just zipped through my gloves. I landed on my left ankle and was worried I had twisted it, but it's fine. Shane told us someone had broken his back there, so it's named after this person as, 'So and So's Downfall'. I have even thought that the next time I do this trip I'll bring an etrier to leave at that spot. It'd be my donation... the rigging ropes on the four drops are donated and replaced every year, btw.
Anyway, from there to the exit is an hour's worth of sloshing through water, and climbing on breakdown, but it's big borehole passage. Nearing the lower entrance the water gets progressively deeper until at the very end you must swim. Nice, because the water is very cold (not as cold as the Nantahala IMHO, in my wetsuit and polypro pants it was fine) and then you're out in the July heat.
This trip took us around 3 hours total.
Today I'm heading to the NSS convention in Hunstville. It's nice that it is only 2 hours or less away from my home, so I can come home and rest if I need to.
I tried to take pictures of Sinking Cove cave but being a wet cave it was very humid, so they didn't come out. Oh well.
This whole trip illustrated how much difference proper gear can make to a trip. Don't forget your elbow pads!
June 11, 2005
Paddling And Caving Tally, 2005
January 1st - Cartecay River for the Chili Run.
January 15th - Attaplex Cave.
January 22nd - Talucah Cave.
Februrary 12th - Camp's Gulf Cave.
March 5th - Mulberry Fork of the Warrior River.
March 20th - The Ocoee, Slice N' Dice park-and-play spot.
March 25th - Birmingham Grotto Guntersville Getaway
April 3rd - Clear Creek, Barnett to Jett, at flood stage.
April 16th - Mulberry Fork, low water with Panda and DB.
April 23rd - Hatchet Creek
April 24th - Coosa River, Jordan dam to Corn Creek.
April 30th - Blue Springs Cave.
May 1st - Sherwood Mtn. Pot.
May 13th-15th SERA Cave Carnival.
May 21st - Heff Fest, Nolichucky lower section for a race.
May 28th - The Nantahala Ferebee to above the Falls.
May 29th - Chattooga Section .5 of 4 (Bull Sluice bridge to Woodall). Level 1.4.
June 4th - 5th Hiwassee both days.
June 18th - Class on the Nantahala with Juliet of Endless River Adventures.
June 19th - Hiwassee with K1chik, Gauleyguide, and his friend Grant.
June 25th - Rolling Practice, Oak Mtn. Lake.
July 3rd - Sinking Cove Cave, pulldown trip
July 4th - 8th - NSS 2005 Convention, Huntsville, Al.
July 5th - Rebelay training, Grissiom HS gym, 2005 NSS Convention.
July 6th - O'Shaughnessy Pit, 120', Monte Sano state park, Huntsville Al.
July 7th - Shelta Cave, brief trip, Huntsville Al.
July 8th - Cleanup at sink above Natural Bridge Cave, Al.
July 16th - Bangor Cave, brief visit to the entrance to Green's Well, Survey of entrance to Maxwell Cave.
July 17th - Mulberry Fork. Level 1.5 ft. on the bridge.
July 23rd - Hiwassee, level one generator (yuck!)
July 24th - Hiwassee, normal level (two generators), from above Oblique Ledges to takeout.
July 30th - Locust Fork, Level 2.7, Hwy 79 bridge to Swann Covered Bridge. Trip Report
July 31st - Coosa, Level 6,000 cfs. Trip Report
August 6th - Guffey Cave
August 7th - Coosa, Level 8,000 cfs.
August 14th - Coosa, Level was supposed to be 4,000 but I think it was 10,000!
August 20th - Snail Shell Cave.
August 27th - Hiwassee normal level.
August 28th - Hiwassee normal level, put on at Towee Creek.
September 4th - Coosa Level 4,000 cfs.
September 5th - Oak Mtn. Lake.
September 10th - Oak Mtn. Lake. Handpaddling.
September 11th - Coosa level 6,000 cfs. Handpaddling. Trip Report
September 17th - Hiwassee normal level. Handpaddling.
September 18th - Hiwassee normal/low level. More than 1 but less than two generators? Is that possible? Handpaddling.
September 23rd - Marathon Run, the entire Gauley River.
October 1st - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling.
October 2nd - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling. Trip Report written by K1chik.
October 28th - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling.
October 30th - Nantahala River, Ferebee to above the falls, Handpaddling. PICTURES here.
Trip Reports here, here (shudder), and here.
November 12 - Fern Cave, to Helectite Heaven. Pictures here.
November 13 - Oak Mtn. Lake. Handpaddling And with a Paddle.
November 26th - Coosa, level 2,000 cfs.
December 31st - Toccoa, level 357 cfs.
January 15th - Attaplex Cave.
January 22nd - Talucah Cave.
Februrary 12th - Camp's Gulf Cave.
March 5th - Mulberry Fork of the Warrior River.
March 20th - The Ocoee, Slice N' Dice park-and-play spot.
March 25th - Birmingham Grotto Guntersville Getaway
April 3rd - Clear Creek, Barnett to Jett, at flood stage.
April 16th - Mulberry Fork, low water with Panda and DB.
April 23rd - Hatchet Creek
April 24th - Coosa River, Jordan dam to Corn Creek.
April 30th - Blue Springs Cave.
May 1st - Sherwood Mtn. Pot.
May 13th-15th SERA Cave Carnival.
May 21st - Heff Fest, Nolichucky lower section for a race.
May 28th - The Nantahala Ferebee to above the Falls.
May 29th - Chattooga Section .5 of 4 (Bull Sluice bridge to Woodall). Level 1.4.
June 4th - 5th Hiwassee both days.
June 18th - Class on the Nantahala with Juliet of Endless River Adventures.
June 19th - Hiwassee with K1chik, Gauleyguide, and his friend Grant.
June 25th - Rolling Practice, Oak Mtn. Lake.
July 3rd - Sinking Cove Cave, pulldown trip
July 4th - 8th - NSS 2005 Convention, Huntsville, Al.
July 5th - Rebelay training, Grissiom HS gym, 2005 NSS Convention.
July 6th - O'Shaughnessy Pit, 120', Monte Sano state park, Huntsville Al.
July 7th - Shelta Cave, brief trip, Huntsville Al.
July 8th - Cleanup at sink above Natural Bridge Cave, Al.
July 16th - Bangor Cave, brief visit to the entrance to Green's Well, Survey of entrance to Maxwell Cave.
July 17th - Mulberry Fork. Level 1.5 ft. on the bridge.
July 23rd - Hiwassee, level one generator (yuck!)
July 24th - Hiwassee, normal level (two generators), from above Oblique Ledges to takeout.
July 30th - Locust Fork, Level 2.7, Hwy 79 bridge to Swann Covered Bridge. Trip Report
July 31st - Coosa, Level 6,000 cfs. Trip Report
August 6th - Guffey Cave
August 7th - Coosa, Level 8,000 cfs.
August 14th - Coosa, Level was supposed to be 4,000 but I think it was 10,000!
August 20th - Snail Shell Cave.
August 27th - Hiwassee normal level.
August 28th - Hiwassee normal level, put on at Towee Creek.
September 4th - Coosa Level 4,000 cfs.
September 5th - Oak Mtn. Lake.
September 10th - Oak Mtn. Lake. Handpaddling.
September 11th - Coosa level 6,000 cfs. Handpaddling. Trip Report
September 17th - Hiwassee normal level. Handpaddling.
September 18th - Hiwassee normal/low level. More than 1 but less than two generators? Is that possible? Handpaddling.
September 23rd - Marathon Run, the entire Gauley River.
October 1st - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling.
October 2nd - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling. Trip Report written by K1chik.
October 28th - Nantahala River, minus falls. Handpaddling.
October 30th - Nantahala River, Ferebee to above the falls, Handpaddling. PICTURES here.
Trip Reports here, here (shudder), and here.
November 12 - Fern Cave, to Helectite Heaven. Pictures here.
November 13 - Oak Mtn. Lake. Handpaddling And with a Paddle.
November 26th - Coosa, level 2,000 cfs.
December 31st - Toccoa, level 357 cfs.
SWIM TALLY, 2005
1. Screaming Left Turn, Chattooga Section 3.5, May 30th, level: 1.4. Due to: operator error. Not going far enough left in that left turn!
2. Three Chutes Rapid, Hiwassee River, June 4th, level: two generators. Due to: massively vertical ender with moon-walk on foot blocks. And carping on roll attempt.
3. Thread The Needle, Hiwassee River; June 19th, carped on roll attempt after failed stern squirt.
4. Put-In, Mulberry Fork, July 17. Tried to roll while under someone else's boat. Don't ask.
5. 360 spot, Coosa River, July 31st. Missed roll.
6. Below 360 spot, Coosa River, August 7. Missed roll.
7. At Coosa Put-in. September 11th. Missed handpaddle roll.
8. At lunchstop on the Hiwassee. September 17th. Missed handpaddle roll.
9. and 10. Gauley River. Swam out of raft at Pillow rapid and Sweet's Falls.
11. Toccoa, One For The Road rapid. Carped on roll attempt. What a way to end a year!
2. Three Chutes Rapid, Hiwassee River, June 4th, level: two generators. Due to: massively vertical ender with moon-walk on foot blocks. And carping on roll attempt.
3. Thread The Needle, Hiwassee River; June 19th, carped on roll attempt after failed stern squirt.
4. Put-In, Mulberry Fork, July 17. Tried to roll while under someone else's boat. Don't ask.
5. 360 spot, Coosa River, July 31st. Missed roll.
6. Below 360 spot, Coosa River, August 7. Missed roll.
7. At Coosa Put-in. September 11th. Missed handpaddle roll.
8. At lunchstop on the Hiwassee. September 17th. Missed handpaddle roll.
9. and 10. Gauley River. Swam out of raft at Pillow rapid and Sweet's Falls.
11. Toccoa, One For The Road rapid. Carped on roll attempt. What a way to end a year!
March 6, 2005
hey now.
Hey. Went to Sharon Lewis' building downtown and saw several bands, and celebrated my friend Heather Spencer's birthday. Great band - Trees with Bells, my friend Opal (or is it Katie now?) South is the cellist.
Thoughts - thinking about renting a space from Sharon, setting up my big ol' Marshall half-stack, and having - gasp - a practice room, at least for a couple o' months.
I haven't been able to practice through the Marshall since I quit the Ticks (and thus lost practice space) in 1997. The cabinet is in my kitchen and the head is in my bedroom. The power cord is lost somewhere in the mess. But damn, the thing just ROCKS. I promise.
Thoughts - thinking about renting a space from Sharon, setting up my big ol' Marshall half-stack, and having - gasp - a practice room, at least for a couple o' months.
I haven't been able to practice through the Marshall since I quit the Ticks (and thus lost practice space) in 1997. The cabinet is in my kitchen and the head is in my bedroom. The power cord is lost somewhere in the mess. But damn, the thing just ROCKS. I promise.
February 15, 2005
February 15 2005
I am bored.
Seriously, fundamentally, I am bored. It's not that I do not have things that I do. I am busy most weekends. But I don't have a goal right now. I am meandering purposeless like a little flatwater stream whereas I prefer plummeting through a rock canyon like a whitewater creek.
Thus, right now I am watching movies.
You must understand. I haven't lived with a TV since June of 1996. I watch movies on my computer. I've never been a big fan of movies. I might see two movies a year in the theater, but several of my friends are movie nuts and watch tons and tons of them, at the theater and at home. So I am going to ask them what movies I should rent, because I have no idea what's out there.
Not that watching movies gives me any relief from my purposelessness. It's just something to fill the space, the empty space, that is my life.
Seriously, fundamentally, I am bored. It's not that I do not have things that I do. I am busy most weekends. But I don't have a goal right now. I am meandering purposeless like a little flatwater stream whereas I prefer plummeting through a rock canyon like a whitewater creek.
Thus, right now I am watching movies.
You must understand. I haven't lived with a TV since June of 1996. I watch movies on my computer. I've never been a big fan of movies. I might see two movies a year in the theater, but several of my friends are movie nuts and watch tons and tons of them, at the theater and at home. So I am going to ask them what movies I should rent, because I have no idea what's out there.
Not that watching movies gives me any relief from my purposelessness. It's just something to fill the space, the empty space, that is my life.
January 29, 2005
Pasta with faves and ricotta
Pasta with faves, ricotta, and fennel – straight from my mom.
Green faves
If in a can, have to shell them.
But if in a jar, you can see that they are small, green, and no shell – prob. from
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until clear.
Pour faves in that and simmer.
Cook ditalini pasta in the water. Drain the pasta when done and save some of the water – don’t drain it dry, leave it moist.
Dump the faves in the pasta pot, turn the stove back on, add some good ricotta a tablespoon at a time, as much as you want, and then leave it on the stove a bit because the ricotta is cold (from the fridge) and when it’s all warm, it’s done!
Serve with ricotta salata if you have it or parmesan.
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