texascavers Digest 3 Jan 2014 22:27:10 -0000 Issue 1907
Topics (messages 23205 through 23209):
Re: NSS luminary talks
23205 by: PRESTON FORSYTHE
Longhorn Caverns SP Project Rides Off Into The Sunset
23206 by: Mark Alman
23207 by: Lyndon Tiu
23208 by: Jon Cradit
23209 by: Natasha Glasgow
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--- Begin Message ---
These talks have become a convention highlite for us and are not to be missed.
But, if you did the downloads will be entertaining and educational.
Thank you Geary.
Preston
________________________________
From: Mixon Bill <bmixon...@austin.rr.com>
To: Cavers Texas <texascavers@texascavers.com>
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 12:45 PM
Subject: [Texascavers] NSS luminary talks
I've finally gotten around to watching downloads of the three hour-long
"luminary talks" given at the NSS convention last summer. This is a series of
lectures organized for the first time in 2012 by Geary Schindel. I recommend
all six of them. Instead of spending a lot of time binging on "The Walking
Dead" or some such, download them from
https://secure.caves.org/luminaries/index.shtml
In theory they are in the "members only" secure area on the NSS web site that
you have to log in to from the home page at caves.org, but it seems that the
URL above works for anybody. It only takes a couple of minutes each to download
the MP4 files, except for Dwight Deal's, which takes longer. The web site
claims it's ~100 MB like the rest, but the file is actually 487 MB. Don't try
to run more than one download simultaneously; the NSS server does not deal well
with that.
>From a strictly entertainment point of view, those by Roger Brucker and Texan
>Dwight Deal are probably best, but all have a lot of interesting history of
>caving and the NSS. -- Mixon
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--- Begin Message ---
Merry Christmas and Happy 2014, y'all!
I have had a few inquiries as to the status of the Longhorn Caverns SP Project.
At this point, I have decided to put it in the "Completed" or, at least, "On
Hiatus" state of things.
The TPWD folks, the concessionaire at the park, and the project folks had a "to
do" list at the park and, to the best of my knowledge, all have been completed.
This past spring, the TPWD crews did a superb job on repairing the dangerous
trail areas in the cave, replacing and, in some cases, installing new
handrails, repainting other handrails, and an excellent job of cleaning up
after themselves. This, after switching all of the lighting in the cave from
incandescent to LED the winter and spring before.
The Project had a very long laundry list and it has been completed, as well,
except for additional mapping in the back areas of the cave, near the Crownover
entrance. This entrance still remains inaccessible, due to a new landowner and
permissions to access the cave via this passageway have yet to be resolved.
Hopefully, someday, the additional survey points and data collected by the
various surveys will be added to the Longhorn Caverns map and we will have a
completed and thorough idea of the total length and lay of the cave! I would
love to be able to present this completed map to the park, someday!
Highlights of the Project leader list include improvements and restoration of
the Lovers Lane area, and removal of dead fall, cedar, and other unsightly
underbush in the sinkhole near the Visitors Center, and pushing leads in the
Lumbago Alley section. Numerous other smaller projects were completed and I'd
rather not list them all or bore you with them here.
Some of the folks I would like to thank, in no particular order, are: Lyndon
Tiu, Gerry Geletzke, Natasha Glasgow, Daniel Ramirez, Bill Larson, Edwin Lehr,
George-Paul Richman, Mallory Mayeux, Andrew Alman, Allison Alman, Chris Franke,
Leslie Bell, Jim Sheets, and a cast of hundreds of others who have come out to
help and my feeble memory can't recall!
Some of the groups I'd like to offer a HUGE thank you are the Aggie
Speleological Association and the Greater Houston Grotto.
The Aggies, especially, were the hardest working, most enthusiastic, and
hardest partying bunch I have ever been associated with and the success of this
project, Pre and Post ICS, would not have been possible without their
participation!
Finally, I would like to thank ALL of the Boy Scout Troops that have come out
to volunteer and to camp. They performed a huge service to the park,plus, a
BUNCH of new youth received their first taste of caving and many have gone off
to become more involved.
(Why more cavers prefer to NOT work with Scout and other youth groups is beyond
me! They are a great resource of labor and deep pool of potential new cavers.
Refusal to work with them has puzzled me for 18 years and y'all know who you
are!)
In closing, to all of you who have come out to help on the project since 2008,
either for just one weekend or for several weekends, I salute and thank you!
I will always remember the fun times, hard work, evening meals (at the Park or
at The Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls), and the stargazing and camaraderie up
in the Observation Tower on Saturday nights!
To those of you who never made it out, y'all missed a VERY special project!
If it gets resurrected or a special task at the park comes along, I'll be sure
to let y'all know!
Thanks and hats off!
Mark Alman
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Salute to you too Mark for being our fearless leader. For starting the
project back in 2008, for negotiating cave and camping access and for
organizing project work that got many cavers old and new into caving those
many fun weekend work trips.
I would like to mention that part of the work at Longhorn involved digging
at the Crownover entrance to allow groups from the ICS 2009 to go on a
one-way trip through the cave. The multi-weekend digs were a huge success
and we brought many groups through the cave during ICS 2009. Many of those
who went through had one common thing to say after the trip: "We have never
been this muddy before!" Of course they were happy to say that.
I have many good memories of the project. Till next time.
On Fri, Jan 3, 2014 at 3:54 PM, Mark Alman <texascav...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Merry Christmas and Happy 2014, y'all!
>
> I have had a few inquiries as to the status of the Longhorn Caverns SP
> Project.
>
> At this point, I have decided to put it in the "Completed" or, at least,
> "On Hiatus" state of things.
>
> The TPWD folks, the concessionaire at the park, and the project folks had
> a "to do" list at the park and, to the best of my knowledge, all have been
> completed.
>
> This past spring, the TPWD crews did a superb job on repairing the
> dangerous trail areas in the cave, replacing and, in some cases, installing
> new handrails, repainting other handrails, and an excellent job of cleaning
> up after themselves. This, after switching all of the lighting in the cave
> from incandescent to LED the winter and spring before.
>
> The Project had a very long laundry list and it has been completed, as
> well, except for additional mapping in the back areas of the cave, near the
> Crownover entrance. This entrance still remains inaccessible, due to a new
> landowner and permissions to access the cave via this passageway have yet
> to be resolved.
>
> Hopefully, someday, the additional survey points and data collected by the
> various surveys will be added to the Longhorn Caverns map and we will have
> a completed and thorough idea of the total length and lay of the cave! I
> would love to be able to present this completed map to the park, someday!
>
> Highlights of the Project leader list include improvements and restoration
> of the Lovers Lane area, and removal of dead fall, cedar, and other
> unsightly underbush in the sinkhole near the Visitors Center, and pushing
> leads in the Lumbago Alley section. Numerous other smaller projects were
> completed and I'd rather not list them all or bore you with them here.
>
> Some of the folks I would like to thank, in no particular order, are:
> Lyndon Tiu, Gerry Geletzke, Natasha Glasgow, Daniel Ramirez, Bill Larson,
> Edwin Lehr, George-Paul Richman, Mallory Mayeux, Andrew Alman, Allison
> Alman, Chris Franke, Leslie Bell, Jim Sheets, and a cast of hundreds of
> others who have come out to help and my feeble memory can't recall!
>
> Some of the groups I'd like to offer a HUGE thank you are the Aggie
> Speleological Association and the Greater Houston Grotto.
>
> The Aggies, especially, were the hardest working, most enthusiastic, and
> hardest partying bunch I have ever been associated with and the success of
> this project, Pre and Post ICS, would not have been possible without their
> participation!
>
> Finally, I would like to thank ALL of the Boy Scout Troops that have come
> out to volunteer and to camp. They performed a huge service to the
> park,plus, a BUNCH of new youth received their first taste of caving and
> many have gone off to become more involved.
>
> (Why more cavers prefer to NOT work with Scout and other youth groups is
> beyond me! They are a great resource of labor and deep pool of potential
> new cavers. Refusal to work with them has puzzled me for 18 years and y'all
> know who you are!)
>
> In closing, to all of you who have come out to help on the project since
> 2008, either for just one weekend or for several weekends, I salute and
> thank you!
>
> I will always remember the fun times, hard work, evening meals (at the
> Park or at The Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls), and the stargazing and
> camaraderie up in the Observation Tower on Saturday nights!
>
> To those of you who never made it out, y'all missed a VERY special project!
>
> If it gets resurrected or a special task at the park comes along, I'll be
> sure to let y'all know!
>
>
> Thanks and hats off!
>
> Mark Alman
>
>
>
--
Lyndon Tiu
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Mark,
I would like to thank you for all you have done for the last several years.
Being the coordinator between the TPWD, the concessionaire, and the cavers and
scout groups. You have done a bang-up job.
Let me raise a Blind Salamander beer in toast to you.
Jon Cradit
From: Mark Alman [mailto:texascav...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 3:54 PM
To: texascavers@texascavers.com
Subject: [Texascavers] Longhorn Caverns SP Project Rides Off Into The Sunset
Merry Christmas and Happy 2014, y'all!
I have had a few inquiries as to the status of the Longhorn Caverns SP Project.
At this point, I have decided to put it in the "Completed" or, at least, "On
Hiatus" state of things.
The TPWD folks, the concessionaire at the park, and the project folks had a "to
do" list at the park and, to the best of my knowledge, all have been completed.
This past spring, the TPWD crews did a superb job on repairing the dangerous
trail areas in the cave, replacing and, in some cases, installing new
handrails, repainting other handrails, and an excellent job of cleaning up
after themselves. This, after switching all of the lighting in the cave from
incandescent to LED the winter and spring before.
The Project had a very long laundry list and it has been completed, as well,
except for additional mapping in the back areas of the cave, near the Crownover
entrance. This entrance still remains inaccessible, due to a new landowner and
permissions to access the cave via this passageway have yet to be resolved.
Hopefully, someday, the additional survey points and data collected by the
various surveys will be added to the Longhorn Caverns map and we will have a
completed and thorough idea of the total length and lay of the cave! I would
love to be able to present this completed map to the park, someday!
Highlights of the Project leader list include improvements and restoration of
the Lovers Lane area, and removal of dead fall, cedar, and other unsightly
underbush in the sinkhole near the Visitors Center, and pushing leads in the
Lumbago Alley section. Numerous other smaller projects were completed and I'd
rather not list them all or bore you with them here.
Some of the folks I would like to thank, in no particular order, are: Lyndon
Tiu, Gerry Geletzke, Natasha Glasgow, Daniel Ramirez, Bill Larson, Edwin Lehr,
George-Paul Richman, Mallory Mayeux, Andrew Alman, Allison Alman, Chris Franke,
Leslie Bell, Jim Sheets, and a cast of hundreds of others who have come out to
help and my feeble memory can't recall!
Some of the groups I'd like to offer a HUGE thank you are the Aggie
Speleological Association and the Greater Houston Grotto.
The Aggies, especially, were the hardest working, most enthusiastic, and
hardest partying bunch I have ever been associated with and the success of this
project, Pre and Post ICS, would not have been possible without their
participation!
Finally, I would like to thank ALL of the Boy Scout Troops that have come out
to volunteer and to camp. They performed a huge service to the park,plus, a
BUNCH of new youth received their first taste of caving and many have gone off
to become more involved.
(Why more cavers prefer to NOT work with Scout and other youth groups is beyond
me! They are a great resource of labor and deep pool of potential new cavers.
Refusal to work with them has puzzled me for 18 years and y'all know who you
are!)
In closing, to all of you who have come out to help on the project since 2008,
either for just one weekend or for several weekends, I salute and thank you!
I will always remember the fun times, hard work, evening meals (at the Park or
at The Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls), and the stargazing and camaraderie up
in the Observation Tower on Saturday nights!
To those of you who never made it out, y'all missed a VERY special project!
If it gets resurrected or a special task at the park comes along, I'll be sure
to let y'all know!
Thanks and hats off!
Mark Alman
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Man! My heart just broke. This is my favorite cave. Alex and I were just
talking about making a trip soon!
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jan 3, 2014, at 3:54 PM, Mark Alman <texascav...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Merry Christmas and Happy 2014, y'all!
>
> I have had a few inquiries as to the status of the Longhorn Caverns SP
> Project.
>
> At this point, I have decided to put it in the "Completed" or, at least, "On
> Hiatus" state of things.
>
> The TPWD folks, the concessionaire at the park, and the project folks had a
> "to do" list at the park and, to the best of my knowledge, all have been
> completed.
>
> This past spring, the TPWD crews did a superb job on repairing the dangerous
> trail areas in the cave, replacing and, in some cases, installing new
> handrails, repainting other handrails, and an excellent job of cleaning up
> after themselves. This, after switching all of the lighting in the cave from
> incandescent to LED the winter and spring before.
>
> The Project had a very long laundry list and it has been completed, as well,
> except for additional mapping in the back areas of the cave, near the
> Crownover entrance. This entrance still remains inaccessible, due to a new
> landowner and permissions to access the cave via this passageway have yet to
> be resolved.
>
> Hopefully, someday, the additional survey points and data collected by the
> various surveys will be added to the Longhorn Caverns map and we will have a
> completed and thorough idea of the total length and lay of the cave! I would
> love to be able to present this completed map to the park, someday!
>
> Highlights of the Project leader list include improvements and restoration of
> the Lovers Lane area, and removal of dead fall, cedar, and other unsightly
> underbush in the sinkhole near the Visitors Center, and pushing leads in the
> Lumbago Alley section. Numerous other smaller projects were completed and I'd
> rather not list them all or bore you with them here.
>
> Some of the folks I would like to thank, in no particular order, are: Lyndon
> Tiu, Gerry Geletzke, Natasha Glasgow, Daniel Ramirez, Bill Larson, Edwin
> Lehr, George-Paul Richman, Mallory Mayeux, Andrew Alman, Allison Alman, Chris
> Franke, Leslie Bell, Jim Sheets, and a cast of hundreds of others who have
> come out to help and my feeble memory can't recall!
>
> Some of the groups I'd like to offer a HUGE thank you are the Aggie
> Speleological Association and the Greater Houston Grotto.
>
> The Aggies, especially, were the hardest working, most enthusiastic, and
> hardest partying bunch I have ever been associated with and the success of
> this project, Pre and Post ICS, would not have been possible without their
> participation!
>
> Finally, I would like to thank ALL of the Boy Scout Troops that have come out
> to volunteer and to camp. They performed a huge service to the park,plus, a
> BUNCH of new youth received their first taste of caving and many have gone
> off to become more involved.
>
> (Why more cavers prefer to NOT work with Scout and other youth groups is
> beyond me! They are a great resource of labor and deep pool of potential new
> cavers. Refusal to work with them has puzzled me for 18 years and y'all know
> who you are!)
>
> In closing, to all of you who have come out to help on the project since
> 2008, either for just one weekend or for several weekends, I salute and thank
> you!
>
> I will always remember the fun times, hard work, evening meals (at the Park
> or at The Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls), and the stargazing and
> camaraderie up in the Observation Tower on Saturday nights!
>
> To those of you who never made it out, y'all missed a VERY special project!
>
> If it gets resurrected or a special task at the park comes along, I'll be
> sure to let y'all know!
>
>
> Thanks and hats off!
>
> Mark Alman
>
>
--- End Message ---
