Re: [Texascavers] 2019 NSS Convention Quick Trip Report
On another note, Dave Belsky received the Outstanding Service Award, Dr. Ralph Ewers from Kentucky received the Honorary Member Award, and Stan Allison received the Lew Bicking Award. Dave and Tracy Jackson received the Group Conservation Award for Cave Sim. Rod Dennison receive the Steve Hudson Award presented by the NCRC. RD Milhollin was named a Fellow of the society along with a number of other folks. Geary Schindel _ From: Texascavers On Behalf Of Geary Schindel Sent: Monday, June 24, 2019 10:35 AM To: 'texascavers@texascavers.com' Subject: [Texascavers] 2019 NSS Convention Quick Trip Report Folks, The NSS Convention was excellent and even though David L. didn't mention me, I did stop for a moment, shake his hand, and run off to another meeting. Much of my time was spent in the Board of Governors meeting on Monday and Friday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, I was with Benjy Von Cramon helping present our session on the 3D Photorealistic model of a nice Texas Cave. We had a very good turnout both days. On Wednesday, I went caving with the Junior Speleological Society and had a great time in Lost Creek Cave. It had been many years since I was in the cave. Really nice trip, the kids did great. We had the fellows reception one night and another meeting with the NSF on another night. The Photo Salon was excellent and well attended on Thursday night. On Friday night, the NSS Awards Banquet was held and finished up about 10 minutes before a major wind and rain storm hit. Two tornadoes touched down some ways north and south of Cookeville with some minor damage. There was a lightening strike in or near the campground. The large circus tent set up at the campground survived but many other tents were damaged. I think there were more than 1,100 people attending the event for the full week. The campground facilities seemed to be very nice but Sue and I had gotten a hotel room which was a good call. The campground was about 15 minutes from Cookeville High School where the sessions were held. The high school was in great shape and was a great venue for the meeting. The only complaint I heard was that it was very cold (I had heard that there was an advisory that ice may form in some of the hallways). We've decided at next year's convention to announce the new fellows of the society on Monday but still present them with their certificates on Friday at the Awards Banquet. This will give the new fellows an opportunity to bask in the glory for the entire week. Great selection of caves available for the event including Camps Gulf, Blue Springs, Lost Creek, Rumbling Falls and many more. There were lots of Texans present at the convention including Guin and Colin (and the young'un (and he is quite the smiler and may have had the best time of all), Galan, Drew, Preston and Sheri, Mike Harris, David Locklear, Bill Bentley, Jacquie Thomas and many others. There were storms almost every day including the Monday evening Howdy Party and the Friday banquet. No one was hurt during the storms. The stands at the campground/fairground were storm shelters and I think that many folks took shelter under the concrete stands and continued to party on - at least on Friday night. Once the storms passed, folks went to the party barn. We didn't attend the Terminal Syphons but I heard the music was great again this year. Camping was cool but wet. Maureen Handler and Frank Bogle and staff did a great job. It was very well organized and executed. It was in a wonderful part of the country and great to be back in Tennessee, land of 10,000 caves. Geary Schindel << File: ATT1.txt >> ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] 2019 NSS Convention Quick Trip Report
Folks, The NSS Convention was excellent and even though David L. didn't mention me, I did stop for a moment, shake his hand, and run off to another meeting. Much of my time was spent in the Board of Governors meeting on Monday and Friday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, I was with Benjy Von Cramon helping present our session on the 3D Photorealistic model of a nice Texas Cave. We had a very good turnout both days. On Wednesday, I went caving with the Junior Speleological Society and had a great time in Lost Creek Cave. It had been many years since I was in the cave. Really nice trip, the kids did great. We had the fellows reception one night and another meeting with the NSF on another night. The Photo Salon was excellent and well attended on Thursday night. On Friday night, the NSS Awards Banquet was held and finished up about 10 minutes before a major wind and rain storm hit. Two tornadoes touched down some ways north and south of Cookeville with some minor damage. There was a lightening strike in or near the campground. The large circus tent set up at the campground survived but many other tents were damaged. I think there were more than 1,100 people attending the event for the full week. The campground facilities seemed to be very nice but Sue and I had gotten a hotel room which was a good call. The campground was about 15 minutes from Cookeville High School where the sessions were held. The high school was in great shape and was a great venue for the meeting. The only complaint I heard was that it was very cold (I had heard that there was an advisory that ice may form in some of the hallways). We've decided at next year's convention to announce the new fellows of the society on Monday but still present them with their certificates on Friday at the Awards Banquet. This will give the new fellows an opportunity to bask in the glory for the entire week. Great selection of caves available for the event including Camps Gulf, Blue Springs, Lost Creek, Rumbling Falls and many more. There were lots of Texans present at the convention including Guin and Colin (and the young'un (and he is quite the smiler and may have had the best time of all), Galan, Drew, Preston and Sheri, Mike Harris, David Locklear, Bill Bentley, Jacquie Thomas and many others. There were storms almost every day including the Monday evening Howdy Party and the Friday banquet. No one was hurt during the storms. The stands at the campground/fairground were storm shelters and I think that many folks took shelter under the concrete stands and continued to party on - at least on Friday night. Once the storms passed, folks went to the party barn. We didn't attend the Terminal Syphons but I heard the music was great again this year. Camping was cool but wet. Maureen Handler and Frank Bogle and staff did a great job. It was very well organized and executed. It was in a wonderful part of the country and great to be back in Tennessee, land of 10,000 caves. Geary Schindel <>___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] 2019 NSS Convention
I guess I will have to break from my hiatus to mention that the NSS Convention officially starts in less than 6 days, but to those at the pre-convention camp and those prepping the convention site, the convention has already started for them.Many cavers will likely start setting up camp this Friday night. http://nss2019.subworks.com/ http://nss2019.subworks.com/images/2019_NSS_Color_Logo_Final_6272018_SM_NC.png Sunday the 16th, ( the day before the convention is the traditional Geology field trip, but this year features a second option - The Hydrology Field Trip ) Geology Field Trip 8:00am-5:00pm: Trip Leader: Sid Jones, John Hoffelt and Chris Kerr: Geology Field Trip(Full day), 8:00am-5:00pm (Cost:$80, includes box lunch-specify vegetarian/vegan,etc., 39 person limit) Hydrology Field Trip Ben Miller, Brian Ham and Nick Crawford (Full Day), 8:00am-5:00pm (Cost:$80, includes box lunch-specify vegetarian/vegan,etc., 47 person limit) CaveSim.com claims they will be there. There should be some good caving opportunities next week in Tennessee, especially if you are able to go on the Saturdays before and after the convention. ( and you are willing to put up with all the de-contamination protocols ) [Sidenote:I love going to NSS Conventions, and ironically one of the major reasons, I chose a miserable life as a self-employed person, was so that one week out of the year, I could just say to myself, "ph*ck it, and get in the car and drive to the convention."It is even forged into my pre-nuptial agreement. But the realities of like, just kept kicking me in the tail. I am so buried at work, that I just want to toss my cookies.I still owe thousands of dollars from my Sequoia breaking down on the way home from the Rio Rancho Convention. ] In theory, I could go for 3 days, and call it my birthday present for my 55th birthday, but it would just mess up so many things at work right now. This convention will be sort of a start to a new era, as quiet a few old-timers left us recently.The internet and tablets and smartphones ( and selfies ) will be more prominent this year.But ironically, it does not look like social media will have the impact it did a few years ago. Many attendees will likely keep their activities confined to their Facebook friends. Ref: https://visitcookevilletn.com/national-speleological-society-2019-caving-convention?fbclid=IwAR3C4QQOD7YxO_8mILMk2TIwMLkTc70KStLgtTVo1xuPOhFfLN-XnuawYnk ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
