Howdy, y'all!
Our own Wizard of the Web, Butch Fralia, has posted the latest issue of The TEXAS CAVER to the Members Area. This latest issue is a photographers delight, so be patient when downloading it, as it is 70 MB (compressed) with a ton of photos in it! (Yes, I did everything I could to make it download-friendly. If you still have dial-up and it takes you a week to download this file, please consider upgrading to the 21st century!) In this issue, you'll find another great cover photo by Travis Scott and superb photos from the NSS Convention in Glenwood Springs, CO in FULL color by a host of Texas cavers decorate the inside cover. There's an excellent article from Kurt Menking on the ongoing exploration and mapping of Twinkies' Cave, owned by our very own, B.T. Price. The photos alone are worth the read and were submitted by a large cadre of cavers. A very unique trip report to Amazing Maze with running commentary from the cast of dozens, including photos of, what appears to be, a very memorable trip. This extraordinary submission from Ellie Thoene. And, finally, we have a very enjoyable and informative trip report from Bill Steele, on his experience at the NSS Convention in Colorado. Copies of this newsletter will be at TCR and available to new members and to prodigal members who have allowed their membership to lapse. But, why wait?! Renew/join before midnight tomorrow! This is a very special issue and one, we at the TSA, hope you will enjoy, but: You must be a paid TSA member to enjoy online reading of this latest newsletter! In other words: No Pay, No View If your dues have expired, you won't be able to access the Members Area of the website until your dues are current. When your dues have been paid, please give me a shout and you'll be reinstated with full honors and privileges! Here are the insanely cheap rates listed below: * Single Membership - $15.00 - Newsletter Online * Single Membership - $25.00 - Newsletter Mailed * Family Membership - $20.00 - Newsletter Online * Family Membership - $30.00 - Newsletter Mailed * Student Membership - $10.00 - Newsletter Online * Student Membership - $20.00 - Newsletter Mailed Please go to www.cavetexas.org <http://www.cavetexas.org> to renew your dues or to become a new member or join at TCR and receive your very own copy of the latest newsletter. If you're a TSA member, but haven't yet joined the Digital Revolution, it is extremely painless to do so. Go to http://www.cavetexas.org/members/ <http://www.cavetexas.org/members/> and sign up and enjoy this issue and all four past "Members Only" issues. Please remember to select how you want your TC: mail or digital. Issues older than one year are FREE for you, the inquiring caver, to peruse at your leisure and, hopefully, will encourage you to join the TSA. You can still opt to receive the TC in the mail and be able to view the issues online. Not a TSA member? We still would like for you to contemplate becoming a TSA member. Send me an email for your complimentary TEXAS CAVER and see what you've been missing. Or, you can visit the TSA website at www.cavetexas.org <http://www.cavetexas.org> and become a paid member and/or become an online member of the TSA. Become a member yourself, or, sign up that special someone as a new or renewal member for Paid members now have access to a total of 32 issues available for your reading pleasure! Those contemplating membership can now view 25 issues online! On a more serious note (Guilt mode on), yet again: This issue came very close to not being put out or, at least, being issued in a very stripped down form, because I HAD NO SUBMISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can thank Bill (yet, again!), Ellie, and Kurt (also, yet, again!) for pulling my fat out of the fire and insuring adequate content for this issue. What is truly sad is the fact that there are a LOT of trips going on, some posted here and others commented on Facebook, as well as some excellent speakers at the UT and Bexar Grotto meetings that I would love to receive articles from and to publish! I realize in this tweeting generation that a lot of folks can't be bothered or feel they aren't up to the task of writing a lengthy trip report. Worried that you're not a very good writer or have never submitted one? Not to worry! I barely write at a 3rd grade level and y'all have no problem reading/enduring my posts! It's been a VERY busy summer caving-wise in Texas, so I know there are a lot of other trips that have gone on and this is a great opportunity for you to see YOUR name in print, so get busy! I always NEED material for the next issue and can ALWAYS use whatever you send me! I love getting articles, but, especially enjoy reports from TC virgins. You have a couple of months now till the next issue. So that should be plenty of time to put your thoughts down, so, submit that report that we all enjoy hearing about. If you happen to be an Armchair Caver, no problem. It's been months since I have received any submissions for "The Carbide Caver" section of the newsletter and we would all love to hear a humorous or exciting or memorable or, potentially, libelous recollection from one of your past trips, documented for all to read from the depths of your memory! Sorry to be such a downer and nag and laying a guilt trip on y'all, but I need material! Thanks to all who have helped me out in this issue and past issues. Now, get your other fellow cavers involved! Thanks for your support of the TC, the TSA, and making Texas the great Center of the Caving Universe. See you at TCR! Mark Alman - TSA Chairman and TEXAS CAVER Editor
