[Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[David]

I have been back home in the humid concrete jungle for 24 hours.  I just
started to reminisce my very brief visit to the NSS Convention.

I can see how those cavers who plan far ahead and get there early will have
a fun relaxing time.  However, many of those people do laborous task, and
some all week long.   There are a lot of tedious unappreciated task, like
organizing registration, made even harder by clueless people like me, who
show up unannounced at the last minute, totally unprepared, dazed and
confused.

I met lots of people before and at The Howdy Party.  For example:. Jacqui
Thomas, Steve and Joanne Stokowski ( not related to Gloria Vanderbuilt ),
John Moses, Maureen Handler, Bob Richard, Carolina Shrewsbury, and the
ever-so lovely Ellen Hofler, Sarah Gayle who still looks 24, the ever-so
talented Howard Cobb, and world-famous  speleobartender Jody Bailey, Linda
Starr, and supercaver M.O.S..   I even had a heartwarming conversation with
Jim Kennedy, who is one of maybe ten people on Earth that knows how many
marbles I really have.

There were people that I had hoped of seeing at the convention.   But that
did not happen.

I had also hoped to make new friends.   I guess I am now just too much of a
curmudgeon and a hermit.


I spent today, Friday, all day, frantically doing all the things that I had
hoped to do last week before leaving town in order to go to the
convention.  There just does not seem to be enough time in the day anymore.


One very unexpected odd thing that happened to me while I was gone, was
that my lady-friend allegedly missed me and developed feelings for me, and
insisted on a promotion to "girlfriend." I was too exhausted to defend
myself.  Someone please shoot me now.

D.L.
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[Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[David]

Myself and GHG Alumni member, Kenny McGee just had dinner, Monday, March
25th, in memory of old friends and made a toast to Bill Russell.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5iktu0wgrk3jcwx/KennyMcGee-DavidLocklear.jpg?dl=0

It has been about 6 months since we had seen each other.

He is 73, and I am almost 55.

He is recovering from a wrist injury.  He said his wife, Carol. is doing
fine and that she is still operating a tiny lapidary business.

He and Carol, and Charles Fromen and Charles son, Carl Philip Fromen and
myself had done a caving trip together at Grutas del Precipicio in 1991.


As you can see, I am living proof that eating an
extreme-processed-sugar/gluten/margarine/Crisco-shortening/white-rice/soda-pop
regime will ruin your health irreversibly.I failed at fighting those
food temptations.  However, I have never partaken in desserts, nor eat
ice-cream, nor candy, nor buttered-popcorn, nor smoked, nor drank.   Dr.
Pepper is my only bad habit.   I have been substuting it by drinking Ginger
Beer.

D.L.
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Re: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing - part 1 of 3

[Michael Harris via Texascavers]

It must have been a very fuzzy memory because 1989 was 28 years ago.

Mike Harris

On Dec 24, 2017 5:26 PM, "Mark Minton via Texascavers" <
texascavers@texascavers.com> wrote:

> Rolf Adams was a fantastic caver and all around really nice guy. I had the
> pleasure of caving with him several times, including at Cueva Cheve in
> 1989. There is a photo of Rolf, Noel Sloan and me on the cover of the NSS
> history book "Caving in America". We were supposed to represent "modern"
> cavers, as compared to the other photo on the cover showing cavers from
> 1940. Ironically, at that time none of the three of us were NSS members.
> Rolf was Australian and not a member; I had not yet joined, and Noel's
> membership had lapsed. (The book is no longer available from the NSS, but
> it is on eBay:  of-the-National-Spelelogical-Society-1991-/151917519053>.)
>
>
> Mark Minton
>
> mmin...@caver.net
>
> On Sun, 24 Dec, 2017 at 5:11 PM, David via Texascavers <
> texascavers@texascavers.com> wrote:
>
> To: CaveTex
> Cc: dlocklea...@gmail.com
> A personal story from David Locklear from December of 1989.
> ( a very fuzzy memory from 18 years ago)
>
> I have ever told this whole story - at least not in detail - just in parts.
>
> Background:   Australian caver Rolf Adams ( who would later drown in
> Florida scuba training for a caving expedition ) was hanging out in Austin
> semi-permanently caving full-time..  He had finished his math studies at a
> university in Australia and had climbed El Capitan and sone lots of
> caving.He was the most technical caver that I had ever met, and I
> assumed he could lead or climb as good as Alejandro Villagomez.   He and I
> had caved previously once over Thanksgiving in The El Cielo, mostly
> ridgewalking camping, swimming and taking in the Huastecan culture.
>
> [ Sidenote:   I actually sincerely believed his name was Wallaby Adams
> until reading his obituary in the NSS News two years later. ]
>
> In November of 89, I was laid-off from a civil engineering company where I
> worked drafting on mylar with ink pens. and Leroy set roads ( new suburban
> boulevards ).   I had never been laid off.   In those days, unlike today, I
> was a total moron, and I had no earthly idea what it meant to be laid off.
>  In my case, I had an extreme stroke of luck ( for once ) in that when I
> arrived at The Texas Unemployment Office, my bosse's boss was in line right
> next to me.
>
> So I left Houston and went to the UT Grotto meeting.   ( In those days,
> still being an A.S.S. caver, I referred to it as the "t.u. Grotto." )
>
> Rolf was there with his girlfriend from Australia.  He introduced her as
> Dr. Anne Gray.She was a cute blonde with long frizzy hair about 25
> years old.   [I think this might be her on Facebook
>
> https://www.facebook.com/anne.gray.144 ]
>
> Rolf announced he was heading on a ridgewalking adventure near Tehuacan,
> Puebla in search of the highest cave entrance in the western hemisphere.
>
> I think our remote spot is now a tourist site:
>
> San Bernardino Lagunas
> Vicente Guerrero, Puebla, Mexico
>
> https://goo.gl/maps/Zer3ueTFVt32
>
> Some Austin cavers found a tiny yellow beat-up Datsun pickup with
> camper-shell on the back.
>
> Rolf was content to have me tag along, but unknown to me, his girlfriend
> had possibly been wanting a simple quite trip with just the two of them.
>  She did not know me at all, like Rolf did.  And she and I never hit it
> off.   In hindsight, I should have bailed on them, at some point before
> reaching Puebla.
> But they had no business travelling alone like that where they were going.
>
> Maybe to be continued
>
> Feel free to correct me, or add to Part One, if you knew Rolf or Anne.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
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> texascavers@texascavers.com/
> http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
>
>
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Re: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing - part 1 of 3

[Mark Minton via Texascavers]

Rolf Adams was a fantastic caver and all around really nice guy. I had the 
pleasure of caving with him several times, including at Cueva Cheve in 1989. 
There is a photo of Rolf, Noel Sloan and me on the cover of the NSS history 
book "Caving in America". We were supposed to represent "modern" cavers, as 
compared to the other photo on the cover showing cavers from 1940. Ironically, 
at that time none of the three of us were NSS members. Rolf was Australian and 
not a member; I had not yet joined, and Noel's membership had lapsed. (The book 
is no longer available from the NSS, but it is on eBay: 
.)



Mark Minton
mmin...@caver.net


On Sun, 24 Dec, 2017 at 5:11 PM, David via Texascavers 
 wrote:
 

To: CaveTex
Cc: dlocklea...@gmail.com
A personal story from David Locklear from December of 1989.
( a very fuzzy memory from 18 years ago)



I have ever told this whole story - at least not in detail - just in parts.


Background:   Australian caver Rolf Adams ( who would later drown in Florida 
scuba training for a caving expedition ) was hanging out in Austin 
semi-permanently caving full-time..  He had finished his math studies at a 
university in Australia and had climbed El Capitan and sone lots of caving.    
He was the most technical caver that I had ever met, and I assumed he could 
lead or climb as good as Alejandro Villagomez.   He and I had caved previously 
once over Thanksgiving in The El Cielo, mostly ridgewalking camping, swimming 
and taking in the Huastecan culture.   


[ Sidenote:   I actually sincerely believed his name was Wallaby Adams until 
reading his obituary in the NSS News two years later. ]


In November of 89, I was laid-off from a civil engineering company where I 
worked drafting on mylar with ink pens. and Leroy set roads ( new suburban 
boulevards ).   I had never been laid off.   In those days, unlike today, I was 
a total moron, and I had no earthly idea what it meant to be laid off.   In my 
case, I had an extreme stroke of luck ( for once ) in that when I arrived at 
The Texas Unemployment Office, my bosse's boss was in line right next to me.


So I left Houston and went to the UT Grotto meeting.   ( In those days, still 
being an A.S.S. caver, I referred to it as the "t.u. Grotto." )


Rolf was there with his girlfriend from Australia.  He introduced her as Dr. 
Anne Gray.    She was a cute blonde with long frizzy hair about 25 years old.   
[I think this might be her on Facebook 


https://www.facebook.com/anne.gray.144 ]


Rolf announced he was heading on a ridgewalking adventure near Tehuacan, Puebla 
in search of the highest cave entrance in the western hemisphere.


I think our remote spot is now a tourist site:



San Bernardino Lagunas
Vicente Guerrero, Puebla, Mexico


https://goo.gl/maps/Zer3ueTFVt32


Some Austin cavers found a tiny yellow beat-up Datsun pickup with camper-shell 
on the back.


Rolf was content to have me tag along, but unknown to me, his girlfriend had 
possibly been wanting a simple quite trip with just the two of them.   She did 
not know me at all, like Rolf did.  And she and I never hit it off.   In 
hindsight, I should have bailed on them, at some point before reaching Puebla.
But they had no business travelling alone like that where they were going.


Maybe to be continued


Feel free to correct me, or add to Part One, if you knew Rolf or Anne.









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[Texascavers] Just reminiscing - part 1 of 3

[David via Texascavers]

A personal story from David Locklear from December of 1989.
( a very fuzzy memory from 18 years ago)


I have ever told this whole story - at least not in detail - just in parts.

Background:   Australian caver Rolf Adams ( who would later drown in
Florida scuba training for a caving expedition ) was hanging out in Austin
semi-permanently caving full-time.  He had finished his math studies at a
university in Australia and had climbed El Capitan and sone lots of
caving.He was the most technical caver that I had ever met, and I
assumed he could lead or climb as good as Alejandro Villagomez.   He and I
had caved previously once over Thanksgiving in The El Cielo, mostly
ridgewalking camping, swimming and taking in the Huastecan culture.

[ Sidenote:   I actually sincerely believed his name was Wallaby Adams
until reading his obituary in the NSS News two years later. ]

In November of 89, I was laid-off from a civil engineering company where I
worked drafting on mylar with ink pens. and Leroy set roads ( new suburban
boulevards ).   I had never been laid off.   In those days, unlike today, I
was a total moron, and I had no earthly idea what it meant to be laid off.
 In my case, I had an extreme stroke of luck ( for once ) in that when I
arrived at The Texas Unemployment Office, my bosse's boss was in line right
next to me.

So I left Houston and went to the UT Grotto meeting.   ( In those days,
still being an A.S.S. caver, I referred to it as the "t.u. Grotto." )

Rolf was there with his girlfriend from Australia.  He introduced her as
Dr. Anne Gray.She was a cute blonde with long frizzy hair about 25
years old.   [I think this might be her on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/anne.gray.144 ]

Rolf announced he was heading on a ridgewalking adventure near Tehuacan,
Puebla in search of the highest cave entrance in the western hemisphere.

I think our remote spot is now a tourist site:

San Bernardino Lagunas
Vicente Guerrero, Puebla, Mexico


https://goo.gl/maps/Zer3ueTFVt32

Some Austin cavers found a tiny yellow beat-up Datsun pickup with
camper-shell on the back.

Rolf was content to have me tag along, but unknown to me, his girlfriend
had possibly been wanting a simple quite trip with just the two of them.
 She did not know me at all, like Rolf did.  And she and I never hit it
off.   In hindsight, I should have bailed on them, at some point before
reaching Puebla.
But they had no business travelling alone like that where they were going.

Maybe to be continued

Feel free to correct me, or add to Part One, if you knew Rolf or Anne.
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Re: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[Marvin and Lisa via Texascavers]

David,

 

It was good to see you at TCR and I enjoyed reading your perspective on the 
event. I agree with your endorsement of the young guitarist/keyboard player. 
Good work, Dillon, and the rest of the band.

 

Marvin Miller

 

From: Texascavers [mailto:texascavers-boun...@texascavers.com] On Behalf Of 
David via Texascavers
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2017 4:20 PM
To: CaveTex <texascavers@texascavers.com>
Cc: David <dlocklea...@gmail.com>
Subject: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing

 

>From David Locklear

 

 

( Part One is a venting rant.  Part Two is about my experience at TCR, so 
please skip Part One, or just hit Delete al ltogether to save you from 5 
minutes of your life that you will never get back. )

 

PART ONE

___

 

I am on I-10 passing the town Schulenburg heading due east for The Concrete 
Valley ( or as some call it,  "The Concrete Plateau." )

 

Like many attendees of TCR, I just spent 36 hours immersed in a bizarre 
non-concrete environment ( although there was a tiny concrete path ).  There at 
Paradise Canyon, I was subjected to warm-fuzzy feelings some call 
"cheerfulness."I am still in a state of shock much like an astronaut coming 
back to Earth.   Some people believe this cheerfulness-thing is nurturing. But 
the side-effects from this shock will be far more intense tomorrow when I have 
to face the really unusual problems at work head-on like a 2-by-6 across the 
face, added on to the fiery-fuel of the increasing toxic environment at my 
estranged-wife's house.   [ Sidenote ( please skip ):  As I am typing this 
report, she just started texting me that I am crazy-evil for stealing her tiny 
Christmas nativity-scene, and for me to never speak to her again.   Of course I 
have never touched it in 22 years, and have not seen it since she packed it 
away in February and threw it in her bizarre mountain of clutter ( that some 
might call feminine knick-knacks ).  And she hasn't even lifted a pinky to look 
for it, before getting all psychotic wacko. ]   

 

But I digress.

 

Plan A was to sleep there tonight, and try to briefly visit with my daughter.   
 But it looks like now, I will have to conjure up a Plan B out of a magic hat.

 

 

PART TWO

___

 

So I just made a pit-stop and was reminiscing about all that cheerfulness at 
TCR.

 

That was the most fun I have had in about 5 years.  I have a new favorite 
rock-and roll band - The Gary Franklin Band.  Their new young 
guitarist/keyboardist, herein known worldwide as, "The Maestro of Rock and 
Roll," simply blew the roof off the Paradise Lodge porch.  Then he teased us 
with a chord from " Sweet Madam Blue."

 

It appeared many attendees enjoyed the mud-wrestling.   

 

I thought the food was great. (  I do not think you can expect gourmet food at 
a volunteer low-budget mass feed )

 

The weather Friday and Saturday was about 2 degrees too hot in the day and 4 
degrees too hot at night.  But that made swimming more enticing especially at 
night, and the air-conditioned restrooms felt even more luxurious.  The weather 
Sunday was awesone for camping.

 

Numerous cavers went above the call of duty to make the event better than it 
normally is.  Among them were Don Arburn.  I can only guess that for his crew, 
TCR is a 5 day event.

 

Here are some highlights:

 

For one, The President of the National Speleological Society was available 24/7 
to discuss a wide variety of topics.   And he was busy, thru the NSS also had a 
booth of volunteers.

 

GFB performed two awesome sets of bluesy old rock-and-roll and there were ample 
opportunities to twerk, shake and jump and do cartwheels or hula-hoop or the 
lambada to the groovy music had you wanted to do so.  I really dug Gary's 
baratone twist on the sound.  I felt it was similar to "Puddles Pity Party," 
but was grittier and more bluesy.  Saj Zappitello killed it on the trumpet for 
"The Vehicle."

 

Mr. Passmore, "The Godfather of Speleo-VR," let anyone go virtual caving 
off-trail in NBC.  There is no doubt he is on to something none of us 
Earthlings can comprehend.

 

The Hot-Tub/Sauna tradition continued on with a new generation of 
naked-partying cavers.  I missed all that this year.

 

The Viking Parade was a surprising hoot and the kids enjoyed it, especially 
those in the parade.

 

Bob Bell from Fredericksburg brought a keg of awesome beer from the failing 
Pedernales MicroBrewery.  That was the best keg beer I have ever ever had.

 

Several old-timers graced us with their presence.  Including most of the 
healthy members of the Society of Underground Cavers, Karstologist and 
Speleologist.

 

Watching S.U.C.K.S. take a group photo was both an inspiration to me, and a 
moment in life to reflect on the passing of the baton.

 

It was impossible to see and do everything and talk with everybody.  I missed 
the activities around the vertical ropework.  

Re: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[Crystal Datri via Texascavers]

"The quiet area" you speak of was very sparse.  When I pulled in, there
were maybe three or four other campers, all spaced quite far from each
other.  It was a very quiet area until you parked your cot 15 feet outside
of my window and woke my baby up before 6AM.

It did not help to see your ass.

I hate you.

Crystal Datri

On Sun, Oct 15, 2017 at 4:20 PM, David via Texascavers <
texascavers@texascavers.com> wrote:

> From David Locklear
>
>
> ( Part One is a venting rant.  Part Two is about my experience at TCR, so
> please skip Part One, or just hit Delete al ltogether to save you from 5
> minutes of your life that you will never get back. )
>
> PART ONE
> ___
>
> I am on I-10 passing the town Schulenburg heading due east for The
> Concrete Valley ( or as some call it,  "The Concrete Plateau." )
>
> Like many attendees of TCR, I just spent 36 hours immersed in a bizarre
> non-concrete environment ( although there was a tiny concrete path ).
> There at Paradise Canyon, I was subjected to warm-fuzzy feelings some call
> "cheerfulness."I am still in a state of shock much like an astronaut
> coming back to Earth.   Some people believe this cheerfulness-thing is
> nurturing. But the side-effects from this shock will be far more intense
> tomorrow when I have to face the really unusual problems at work head-on
> like a 2-by-6 across the face, added on to the fiery-fuel of the increasing
> toxic environment at my estranged-wife's house.   [ Sidenote ( please skip
> ):  As I am typing this report, she just started texting me that I am
> crazy-evil for stealing her tiny Christmas nativity-scene, and for me to
> never speak to her again.   Of course I have never touched it in 22 years,
> and have not seen it since she packed it away in February and threw it in
> her bizarre mountain of clutter ( that some might call feminine
> knick-knacks ).  And she hasn't even lifted a pinky to look for it, before
> getting all psychotic wacko. ]
>
> But I digress.
>
> Plan A was to sleep there tonight, and try to briefly visit with my
> daughter.But it looks like now, I will have to conjure up a Plan B out
> of a magic hat.
>
>
> PART TWO
> ___
>
> So I just made a pit-stop and was reminiscing about all that cheerfulness
> at TCR.
>
> That was the most fun I have had in about 5 years.  I have a new favorite
> rock-and roll band - The Gary Franklin Band.  Their new young
> guitarist/keyboardist, herein known worldwide as, "The Maestro of Rock and
> Roll," simply blew the roof off the Paradise Lodge porch.  Then he teased
> us with a chord from " Sweet Madam Blue."
>
> It appeared many attendees enjoyed the mud-wrestling.
>
> I thought the food was great. (  I do not think you can expect gourmet
> food at a volunteer low-budget mass feed )
>
> The weather Friday and Saturday was about 2 degrees too hot in the day and
> 4 degrees too hot at night.  But that made swimming more enticing
> especially at night, and the air-conditioned restrooms felt even more
> luxurious.  The weather Sunday was awesone for camping.
>
> Numerous cavers went above the call of duty to make the event better than
> it normally is.  Among them were Don Arburn.  I can only guess that for his
> crew, TCR is a 5 day event.
>
> Here are some highlights:
>
> For one, The President of the National Speleological Society was available
> 24/7 to discuss a wide variety of topics.   And he was busy, thru the NSS
> also had a booth of volunteers.
>
> GFB performed two awesome sets of bluesy old rock-and-roll and there were
> ample opportunities to twerk, shake and jump and do cartwheels or hula-hoop
> or the lambada to the groovy music had you wanted to do so.  I really dug
> Gary's baratone twist on the sound.  I felt it was similar to "Puddles Pity
> Party," but was grittier and more bluesy.  Saj Zappitello killed it on the
> trumpet for "The Vehicle."
>
> Mr. Passmore, "The Godfather of Speleo-VR," let anyone go virtual caving
> off-trail in NBC.  There is no doubt he is on to something none of us
> Earthlings can comprehend.
>
> The Hot-Tub/Sauna tradition continued on with a new generation of
> naked-partying cavers.  I missed all that this year.
>
> The Viking Parade was a surprising hoot and the kids enjoyed it,
> especially those in the parade.
>
> Bob Bell from Fredericksburg brought a keg of awesome beer from the
> failing Pedernales MicroBrewery.  That was the best keg beer I have ever
> ever had.
>
> Several old-timers graced us with their presence.  Including most of the
> healthy members of the Society of Underground Cavers, Karstologist and
> Speleologist.
>
> Watching S.U.C.K.S. take a group photo was both an inspiration to me, and
> a moment in life to reflect on the passing of the baton.
>
> It was impossible to see and do everything and talk with everybody.  I
> missed the activities around the vertical ropework.   You have to get here
> on Thursday night and stay later on Sunday to try to do it all.
>
> There were several 

Re: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[Louise Power via Texascavers]

Nobody cares. Take my name off your damned list!



From: Texascavers <texascavers-boun...@texascavers.com> on behalf of David via 
Texascavers <texascavers@texascavers.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2017 2:20 PM
To: CaveTex
Cc: David
Subject: [Texascavers] Just reminiscing

>From David Locklear


( Part One is a venting rant.  Part Two is about my experience at TCR, so 
please skip Part One, or just hit Delete al ltogether to save you from 5 
minutes of your life that you will never get back. )

PART ONE
___

I am on I-10 passing the town Schulenburg heading due east for The Concrete 
Valley ( or as some call it,  "The Concrete Plateau." )

Like many attendees of TCR, I just spent 36 hours immersed in a bizarre 
non-concrete environment ( although there was a tiny concrete path ).  There at 
Paradise Canyon, I was subjected to warm-fuzzy feelings some call 
"cheerfulness."I am still in a state of shock much like an astronaut coming 
back to Earth.   Some people believe this cheerfulness-thing is nurturing. But 
the side-effects from this shock will be far more intense tomorrow when I have 
to face the really unusual problems at work head-on like a 2-by-6 across the 
face, added on to the fiery-fuel of the increasing toxic environment at my 
estranged-wife's house.   [ Sidenote ( please skip ):  As I am typing this 
report, she just started texting me that I am crazy-evil for stealing her tiny 
Christmas nativity-scene, and for me to never speak to her again.   Of course I 
have never touched it in 22 years, and have not seen it since she packed it 
away in February and threw it in her bizarre mountain of clutter ( that some 
might call feminine knick-knacks ).  And she hasn't even lifted a pinky to look 
for it, before getting all psychotic wacko. ]

But I digress.

Plan A was to sleep there tonight, and try to briefly visit with my daughter.   
 But it looks like now, I will have to conjure up a Plan B out of a magic hat.


PART TWO
___

So I just made a pit-stop and was reminiscing about all that cheerfulness at 
TCR.

That was the most fun I have had in about 5 years.  I have a new favorite 
rock-and roll band - The Gary Franklin Band.  Their new young 
guitarist/keyboardist, herein known worldwide as, "The Maestro of Rock and 
Roll," simply blew the roof off the Paradise Lodge porch.  Then he teased us 
with a chord from " Sweet Madam Blue."

It appeared many attendees enjoyed the mud-wrestling.

I thought the food was great. (  I do not think you can expect gourmet food at 
a volunteer low-budget mass feed )

The weather Friday and Saturday was about 2 degrees too hot in the day and 4 
degrees too hot at night.  But that made swimming more enticing especially at 
night, and the air-conditioned restrooms felt even more luxurious.  The weather 
Sunday was awesone for camping.

Numerous cavers went above the call of duty to make the event better than it 
normally is.  Among them were Don Arburn.  I can only guess that for his crew, 
TCR is a 5 day event.

Here are some highlights:

For one, The President of the National Speleological Society was available 24/7 
to discuss a wide variety of topics.   And he was busy, thru the NSS also had a 
booth of volunteers.

GFB performed two awesome sets of bluesy old rock-and-roll and there were ample 
opportunities to twerk, shake and jump and do cartwheels or hula-hoop or the 
lambada to the groovy music had you wanted to do so.  I really dug Gary's 
baratone twist on the sound.  I felt it was similar to "Puddles Pity Party," 
but was grittier and more bluesy.  Saj Zappitello killed it on the trumpet for 
"The Vehicle."

Mr. Passmore, "The Godfather of Speleo-VR," let anyone go virtual caving 
off-trail in NBC.  There is no doubt he is on to something none of us 
Earthlings can comprehend.

The Hot-Tub/Sauna tradition continued on with a new generation of 
naked-partying cavers.  I missed all that this year.

The Viking Parade was a surprising hoot and the kids enjoyed it, especially 
those in the parade.

Bob Bell from Fredericksburg brought a keg of awesome beer from the failing 
Pedernales MicroBrewery.  That was the best keg beer I have ever ever had.

Several old-timers graced us with their presence.  Including most of the 
healthy members of the Society of Underground Cavers, Karstologist and 
Speleologist.

Watching S.U.C.K.S. take a group photo was both an inspiration to me, and a 
moment in life to reflect on the passing of the baton.

It was impossible to see and do everything and talk with everybody.  I missed 
the activities around the vertical ropework.   You have to get here on Thursday 
night and stay later on Sunday to try to do it all.

There were several cavers from Houston area, mostly only those still actively 
caving.   Don and Syd Formanek, myself, Charles and Adriana Fromen ( Adriana is 
drom Brazil )

[Texascavers] Just reminiscing

[David via Texascavers]

>From David Locklear


( Part One is a venting rant.  Part Two is about my experience at TCR, so
please skip Part One, or just hit Delete al ltogether to save you from 5
minutes of your life that you will never get back. )

PART ONE
___

I am on I-10 passing the town Schulenburg heading due east for The Concrete
Valley ( or as some call it,  "The Concrete Plateau." )

Like many attendees of TCR, I just spent 36 hours immersed in a bizarre
non-concrete environment ( although there was a tiny concrete path ).
There at Paradise Canyon, I was subjected to warm-fuzzy feelings some call
"cheerfulness."I am still in a state of shock much like an astronaut
coming back to Earth.   Some people believe this cheerfulness-thing is
nurturing. But the side-effects from this shock will be far more intense
tomorrow when I have to face the really unusual problems at work head-on
like a 2-by-6 across the face, added on to the fiery-fuel of the increasing
toxic environment at my estranged-wife's house.   [ Sidenote ( please skip
):  As I am typing this report, she just started texting me that I am
crazy-evil for stealing her tiny Christmas nativity-scene, and for me to
never speak to her again.   Of course I have never touched it in 22 years,
and have not seen it since she packed it away in February and threw it in
her bizarre mountain of clutter ( that some might call feminine
knick-knacks ).  And she hasn't even lifted a pinky to look for it, before
getting all psychotic wacko. ]

But I digress.

Plan A was to sleep there tonight, and try to briefly visit with my
daughter.But it looks like now, I will have to conjure up a Plan B out
of a magic hat.


PART TWO
___

So I just made a pit-stop and was reminiscing about all that cheerfulness
at TCR.

That was the most fun I have had in about 5 years.  I have a new favorite
rock-and roll band - The Gary Franklin Band.  Their new young
guitarist/keyboardist, herein known worldwide as, "The Maestro of Rock and
Roll," simply blew the roof off the Paradise Lodge porch.  Then he teased
us with a chord from " Sweet Madam Blue."

It appeared many attendees enjoyed the mud-wrestling.

I thought the food was great. (  I do not think you can expect gourmet food
at a volunteer low-budget mass feed )

The weather Friday and Saturday was about 2 degrees too hot in the day and
4 degrees too hot at night.  But that made swimming more enticing
especially at night, and the air-conditioned restrooms felt even more
luxurious.  The weather Sunday was awesone for camping.

Numerous cavers went above the call of duty to make the event better than
it normally is.  Among them were Don Arburn.  I can only guess that for his
crew, TCR is a 5 day event.

Here are some highlights:

For one, The President of the National Speleological Society was available
24/7 to discuss a wide variety of topics.   And he was busy, thru the NSS
also had a booth of volunteers.

GFB performed two awesome sets of bluesy old rock-and-roll and there were
ample opportunities to twerk, shake and jump and do cartwheels or hula-hoop
or the lambada to the groovy music had you wanted to do so.  I really dug
Gary's baratone twist on the sound.  I felt it was similar to "Puddles Pity
Party," but was grittier and more bluesy.  Saj Zappitello killed it on the
trumpet for "The Vehicle."

Mr. Passmore, "The Godfather of Speleo-VR," let anyone go virtual caving
off-trail in NBC.  There is no doubt he is on to something none of us
Earthlings can comprehend.

The Hot-Tub/Sauna tradition continued on with a new generation of
naked-partying cavers.  I missed all that this year.

The Viking Parade was a surprising hoot and the kids enjoyed it, especially
those in the parade.

Bob Bell from Fredericksburg brought a keg of awesome beer from the failing
Pedernales MicroBrewery.  That was the best keg beer I have ever ever had.

Several old-timers graced us with their presence.  Including most of the
healthy members of the Society of Underground Cavers, Karstologist and
Speleologist.

Watching S.U.C.K.S. take a group photo was both an inspiration to me, and a
moment in life to reflect on the passing of the baton.

It was impossible to see and do everything and talk with everybody.  I
missed the activities around the vertical ropework.   You have to get here
on Thursday night and stay later on Sunday to try to do it all.

There were several cavers from Houston area, mostly only those still
actively caving.   Don and Syd Formanek, myself, Charles and Adriana Fromen
( Adriana is drom Brazil ), and Ray Hertel.   And a girl I have met, but
can't remember her name at the moment.   Also, Dr. Peter Druschke and his
lovely family.

It was good to see Ray Hertel volunteering at registration.   He has been
with GHG for at least 10 years.  If he never was awarded the Chuck Steuhm
Award, then he certainly deserves to receive it late.

It is always great to see and chat with cavers that I first met from 1985
to 1987.
( Which was about 70