Re: [Texascavers] Soak your rope?

[Mark Minton via Texascavers]

Frank, et al.

  Sorry for the late response. I've been in Huautla for the past three weeks.

  I was always of the pre-soak your rope camp myself, for exactly the
reasons stated. However when we recently inquired of PMI about that
practice, they recommended against it. PMI said that every time a rope
gets wet it loses some of its strength. That said, I think the
advantages of preshrinking may outweigh the slight loss of strength,
especially for a rope that may get wet repeatedly in a cave anyway. In
any event, I thought I'd share the official view.

Mark Minton
mmin...@caver.net

>Thanks Chris, Jerry and Nancy for your quick and informative responses.
>I’m a “pre-soak your rope” believer now!
>-Frank Binney
>
>From: Texas Cavers 
>Reply-To: Texas Cavers 
>Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 12:19 PM
>To: Texas Cavers 
>Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Soak your rope?
>
>its a really good way to avoid having a long rope soak and shrink itself
>on a cave trip as happened in Mexico when our brand new first drop rope
>lost 10 % (as advertised)  of its length while we were cave camping. 
good >news was that I headed out early, noticed how little rope was at
the >bottom of drop and had Don B add a safety onto it.  scary news was:
that >knot was 60 feet in the air when the rest came out.
>
>nancy
>On Apr 14, 2015, at 1:55 PM, Frank Binney via Texascavers
> wrote:
>>
>> Is soaking and drying a new caving rope prior to use now the recommended
>> procedure?
>>I don’t remember this as a protocol from back in the day, but someone
>>suggested presoaking to a young caver friend out here who recently bought
>>1200 ft of static rope for a Golondrinas trip.
>>Perhaps it’s a way to pre-shrink and/or stiffen the rope for easier
>>ascending?
>>-Frank Binney

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Re: [Texascavers] Drone flying and caves

[Fritz Holt via Texascavers]

Thanks, Lyndon. 
Fritz Holt

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 28, 2015, at 12:54 PM, Lyndon Tiu via Texascavers 
>  wrote:
> 
> Oct. 15 to 18, 2015.
> 
> --
> Lyndon Tiu
> 
>> On Apr 28, 2015 12:53 PM, "Fritz Holt via Texascavers" 
>>  wrote:
>> Charles,
>> What are the dates and location for this years TCR? Others may also want to 
>> hear this again.
>> Fritz Holt
>> fritz...@gmail.com
>> 713-818-2496
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> > On Apr 27, 2015, at 1:33 PM, Charles Goldsmith via Texascavers 
>> >  wrote:
>> >
>> > Sounds good, I had planned to bring it to get aerial footage, much
>> > like I did at TSA.
>> >
>> > On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 12:12 PM, Kurt L. Menking via Texascavers
>> >  wrote:
>> >> Charles,
>> >>
>> >> Bring it to TCR this year.  There is a cavy looking lead high up in the 
>> >> cliff that the owner has seen coyotes coming and going.  He wants us to 
>> >> check it out.  We could do the drone first, then try to reach it from 
>> >> above.
>> >>
>> >> Kurt
>> >>
>> >> -Original Message-
>> >> From: Texascavers [mailto:texascavers-boun...@texascavers.com] On Behalf 
>> >> Of Charles Goldsmith via Texascavers
>> >> Sent: Monday, April 27, 2015 12:35 PM
>> >> To: Cavetex
>> >> Subject: [Texascavers] Drone flying and caves
>> >>
>> >> I had a couple of people approach me about drones and caving this weekend 
>> >> at the TSA convention.  I did not get names from people, and anytime 
>> >> there is alcohol involved, I'm not going to remember who.
>> >>
>> >> If you are interested in drone flying and more specifically if you have a 
>> >> trip or project that can benefit from me assisting with my drone, contact 
>> >> me off-list.  I'll gladly assist as I can for any projects.
>> >>
>> >> Where I can see the drone helping is with ridge walking, checking out 
>> >> high leads in caves (that have enough room for the drone to maneuver) and 
>> >> also checking out leads on cliff faces.  It can potentially be used to 
>> >> check out pits before dropping into one, depending on the size/nature of 
>> >> the pit.
>> >>
>> >> While it does pretty good in wind, that's a factor that has to be taken 
>> >> into account, as well as obstacles.  We'll also have to keep it away from 
>> >> any bats, since it's a bit noisy and we don't want to disturb them.  It 
>> >> might be useful in scaring off other varmits to move them away from an 
>> >> entrance (snakes, etc).
>> >>
>> >> Charles Goldsmith
>> >> wo...@justfamily.org
>> >> ___
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Re: [Texascavers] Drone flying and caves

[Fritz Holt via Texascavers]

Thanks, Don. June and I plan to be there after having missed last month's 
convention. 
Fritz Holt
fritz...@gmail.com
713-818-2496

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 28, 2015, at 1:04 PM, Don Arburn via Texascavers 
>  wrote:
> 
> Paradise Canyon October 15, 16, 17 & 18.
> 
> 
> --Don
> 
>> On Apr 28, 2015, at 12:52 PM, Fritz Holt via Texascavers 
>>  wrote:
>> 
>> Charles, 
>> What are the dates and location for this years TCR? Others may also want to 
>> hear this again. 
>> Fritz Holt
>> fritz...@gmail.com
>> 713-818-2496
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Apr 27, 2015, at 1:33 PM, Charles Goldsmith via Texascavers 
>>>  wrote:
>>> 
>>> Sounds good, I had planned to bring it to get aerial footage, much
>>> like I did at TSA.
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 12:12 PM, Kurt L. Menking via Texascavers
>>>  wrote:
 Charles,
 
 Bring it to TCR this year.  There is a cavy looking lead high up in the 
 cliff that the owner has seen coyotes coming and going.  He wants us to 
 check it out.  We could do the drone first, then try to reach it from 
 above.
 
 Kurt
 
 -Original Message-
 From: Texascavers [mailto:texascavers-boun...@texascavers.com] On Behalf 
 Of Charles Goldsmith via Texascavers
 Sent: Monday, April 27, 2015 12:35 PM
 To: Cavetex
 Subject: [Texascavers] Drone flying and caves
 
 I had a couple of people approach me about drones and caving this weekend 
 at the TSA convention.  I did not get names from people, and anytime there 
 is alcohol involved, I'm not going to remember who.
 
 If you are interested in drone flying and more specifically if you have a 
 trip or project that can benefit from me assisting with my drone, contact 
 me off-list.  I'll gladly assist as I can for any projects.
 
 Where I can see the drone helping is with ridge walking, checking out high 
 leads in caves (that have enough room for the drone to maneuver) and also 
 checking out leads on cliff faces.  It can potentially be used to check 
 out pits before dropping into one, depending on the size/nature of the pit.
 
 While it does pretty good in wind, that's a factor that has to be taken 
 into account, as well as obstacles.  We'll also have to keep it away from 
 any bats, since it's a bit noisy and we don't want to disturb them.  It 
 might be useful in scaring off other varmits to move them away from an 
 entrance (snakes, etc).
 
 Charles Goldsmith
 wo...@justfamily.org
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Re: [Texascavers] It all started with Geary

[Geary Schindel via Texascavers]

Folks,

Just to be clear, I believe  Mr. Bennett Lee used a certain amount of artistic 
license when he wrote his article.

I’m not saying that anything he wrote was factually wrong, but maybe there was 
some emphasis on certain aspects that might not have been warranted but that’s 
what makes a good story.

And to address any rumors, No, I was not wearing an apron at the Dairy Queen. 
However, they did make me wear a hair net – see, someone thinks I have hair.

Geary

From: Texascavers [mailto:texascavers-boun...@texascavers.com] On Behalf Of via 
Texascavers
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2015 10:58 AM
To: texascavers@texascavers.com
Cc: texascavers@texascavers.com
Subject: Re: [Texascavers] It all started with Geary

I like your story better.

Jerry.

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2015, at 8:38 AM, via Texascavers 
mailto:texascavers@texascavers.com>> wrote:
The latest NSS news features a well written article about a "deteriorating 
trip". Therein it is written that our own Geary S is a worrywort who is scared 
of bugs and lightning and therefore took refuge in a church. I would strongly 
counsel my fellow cavers not to tempt fate in such a manner.

Once upon a time, and a long ago time it was, I set out hitchhiking with Lema 
my beautiful but deranged wife to be and a large shaggy white dog. Out plan was 
to circumnavigate North America in a counterclockwise route including both 
Canada and Mexico, all of which came to pass over the following year.

We had barely begun and had already been arrested by a cop in Pennsylvania who 
would not believe that we really wanted to see America because we weren't 
riding a Greyhound bus. At the border my beloved cooterfied our stash and thus 
prevented a second arrest. A few days later we found ourselves stranded on the 
prairie somewhere north of Bumfluck Canada.

As a tropical traveler I believe I can speak with some authority in regard to 
mosquitos. I have experienced the bugs of Belize, have made the mistake of 
being out after dark in the Everglades, and am presently suffering swarms of 
gallinippers right here in Weazelworld. The gallinipper is large enough to 
stand flat footed and fornicate with a turkey. These were as nothing compared 
to the mosquitos of the potholed Canadian prairie. We were hysterical and even 
resorted to standing in the road stopping traffic in an unsuccessful attempt to 
get a ride. All the while the gloom gathered.

At long last a kindly old farmer stopped to give us a lift in his pickup. 
Directly ahead we beheld the most terrifying sky I have ever seen, a solid wall 
of greenish black. The farmer was certain a tornado was coming so he turned on 
his radio. The announcement was dire, "Attention, attention! All persons in the 
listening area must immediately take shelter. Place your head between your legs 
and kiss your ass goodbye".

He asked where we planned to sleep, a question for which we had no answer. In 
fact we didn't even have a tent. He was very concerned for our safety and would 
have given us shelter were it not for the fact that his wife would never allow 
hippies into their home. Then he remembered an abandoned church not too far 
away and dropped us off hoping that we would at least be dry until we were 
swept away by the tornado.

The scene closely resembled the famous painting "Christina's world" by Andrew 
Wyeth in which a forlorn woman in gingham sprawls on the ground gazing at a 
desolate unpainted ramshackled house surrounded by an endless sea of grass cut 
off from both civilization and all hope. The old wooden church was tall and 
narrow with a steeply sloped roof to shed snow. It was raised above the ground 
on rudely constructed piers of rock (an important detail). It is hard to 
imagine where they found the rocks. The building was uninsulated but contained 
a huge old potbellied stove, the metal chimney of which protruded from the roof.

We made it inside just as the storm broke then laid our sleeping bags on the 
floor to snuggle up while the wind howled and rain and hail pelted the metal 
roof. Lema had her feet up on the stove and I had my head on her stomach when 
the lightning bolt hit the chimney. We were not grounded due to the stone piers 
and therefore did not get instantaneously incinerated. It was however a wake up 
call. From this I learned the dangers of attending church and haven't been back 
since.

Sleazeweazel
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Re: [Texascavers] It all started with Geary

[via Texascavers]

I like your story better.

Jerry.

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2015, at 8:38 AM, via Texascavers  wrote:

> The latest NSS news features a well written article about a "deteriorating 
> trip". Therein it is written that our own Geary S is a worrywort who is 
> scared of bugs and lightning and therefore took refuge in a church. I would 
> strongly counsel my fellow cavers not to tempt fate in such a manner.
>  
> Once upon a time, and a long ago time it was, I set out hitchhiking with Lema 
> my beautiful but deranged wife to be and a large shaggy white dog. Out plan 
> was to circumnavigate North America in a counterclockwise route including 
> both Canada and Mexico, all of which came to pass over the following year.
>  
> We had barely begun and had already been arrested by a cop in Pennsylvania 
> who would not believe that we really wanted to see America because we weren't 
> riding a Greyhound bus. At the border my beloved cooterfied our stash and 
> thus prevented a second arrest. A few days later we found ourselves stranded 
> on the prairie somewhere north of Bumfluck Canada.
>  
> As a tropical traveler I believe I can speak with some authority in regard to 
> mosquitos. I have experienced the bugs of Belize, have made the mistake of 
> being out after dark in the Everglades, and am presently suffering swarms of 
> gallinippers right here in Weazelworld. The gallinipper is large enough to 
> stand flat footed and fornicate with a turkey. These were as nothing compared 
> to the mosquitos of the potholed Canadian prairie. We were hysterical and 
> even resorted to standing in the road stopping traffic in an unsuccessful 
> attempt to get a ride. All the while the gloom gathered.
>  
> At long last a kindly old farmer stopped to give us a lift in his pickup. 
> Directly ahead we beheld the most terrifying sky I have ever seen, a solid 
> wall of greenish black. The farmer was certain a tornado was coming so he 
> turned on his radio. The announcement was dire, "Attention, attention! All 
> persons in the listening area must immediately take shelter. Place your head 
> between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye".
>  
> He asked where we planned to sleep, a question for which we had no answer. In 
> fact we didn't even have a tent. He was very concerned for our safety and 
> would have given us shelter were it not for the fact that his wife would 
> never allow hippies into their home. Then he remembered an abandoned church 
> not too far away and dropped us off hoping that we would at least be dry 
> until we were swept away by the tornado.
>  
> The scene closely resembled the famous painting "Christina's world" by Andrew 
> Wyeth in which a forlorn woman in gingham sprawls on the ground gazing at a 
> desolate unpainted ramshackled house surrounded by an endless sea of grass 
> cut  off from both civilization and all hope. The old wooden church was tall 
> and narrow with a steeply sloped roof to shed snow. It was raised above the 
> ground on rudely constructed piers of rock (an important detail). It is hard 
> to imagine where they found the rocks. The building was uninsulated but 
> contained a huge old potbellied stove, the metal chimney of which protruded 
> from the roof.
>  
> We made it inside just as the storm broke then laid our sleeping bags on the 
> floor to snuggle up while the wind howled and rain and hail pelted the metal 
> roof. Lema had her feet up on the stove and I had my head on her stomach when 
> the lightning bolt hit the chimney. We were not grounded due to the stone 
> piers and therefore did not get instantaneously incinerated. It was however a 
> wake up call. From this I learned the dangers of attending church and haven't 
> been back since.
>  
> Sleazeweazel
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[Texascavers] It all started with Geary

[via Texascavers]

The latest NSS news features a well written article about a "deteriorating  
trip". Therein it is written that our own Geary S is a worrywort who is 
scared  of bugs and lightning and therefore took refuge in a church. I would 
strongly  counsel my fellow cavers not to tempt fate in such a manner.
 
Once upon a time, and a long ago time it was, I set out hitchhiking with  
Lema my beautiful but deranged wife to be and a large shaggy white dog. Out 
plan  was to circumnavigate North America in a counterclockwise route 
including both  Canada and Mexico, all of which came to pass over the following 
year. 
 
We had barely begun and had already been arrested by a cop in Pennsylvania  
who would not believe that we really wanted to see America because we 
weren't  riding a Greyhound bus. At the border my beloved cooterfied our stash 
and thus  prevented a second arrest. A few days later we found ourselves 
stranded on the  prairie somewhere north of Bumfluck Canada. 
 
As a tropical traveler I believe I can speak with some authority in regard  
to mosquitos. I have experienced the bugs of Belize, have made the mistake 
of  being out after dark in the Everglades, and am presently suffering 
swarms of  gallinippers right here in Weazelworld. The gallinipper is large 
enough to  stand flat footed and fornicate with a turkey. These were as nothing 
compared to  the mosquitos of the potholed Canadian prairie. We were 
hysterical and even  resorted to standing in the road stopping traffic in an 
unsuccessful attempt to  get a ride. All the while the gloom gathered. 
 
At long last a kindly old farmer stopped to give us a lift in his pickup.  
Directly ahead we beheld the most terrifying sky I have ever seen, a solid 
wall  of greenish black. The farmer was certain a tornado was coming so he 
turned on  his radio. The announcement was dire, "Attention, attention! All 
persons in the  listening area must immediately take shelter. Place your head 
between your legs  and kiss your ass goodbye". 
 
He asked where we planned to sleep, a question for which we had no answer.  
In fact we didn't even have a tent. He was very concerned for our safety 
and  would have given us shelter were it not for the fact that his wife would 
never  allow hippies into their home. Then he remembered an abandoned church 
not too  far away and dropped us off hoping that we would at least be dry 
until we were  swept away by the tornado.
 
The scene closely resembled the famous painting "Christina's world" by  
Andrew Wyeth in which a forlorn woman in gingham sprawls on the ground gazing 
at  a desolate unpainted ramshackled house surrounded by an endless sea of 
grass cut  off from both civilization and all hope. The old wooden church was 
tall and  narrow with a steeply sloped roof to shed snow. It was raised 
above the ground  on rudely constructed piers of rock (an important detail). It 
is hard to imagine  where they found the rocks. The building was uninsulated 
but contained a huge  old potbellied stove, the metal chimney of which 
protruded from the roof.
 
We made it inside just as the storm broke then laid our sleeping bags on  
the floor to snuggle up while the wind howled and rain and hail pelted the 
metal  roof. Lema had her feet up on the stove and I had my head on her 
stomach when  the lightning bolt hit the chimney. We were not grounded due to 
the 
stone piers  and therefore did not get instantaneously incinerated. It was 
however a wake up  call. From this I learned the dangers of attending church 
and haven't been back  since.
 
Sleazeweazel___
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