texascavers Digest 11 Nov 2010 16:18:23 -0000 Issue 1191
Topics (messages 16502 through 16510):
Cascade Caverns sump dive
16502 by: Charles Goldsmith
TSS work session
16503 by: Ron Ralph
16504 by: Rod Goke
October CBSP report
16505 by: Jim Kennedy
car papers
16506 by: Nancy Weaver
16508 by: Gill Edigar
16509 by: Diana Tomchick
China Karst images
16507 by: dirtdoc.comcast.net
Karst Sports Gear Specials
16510 by: Mark Minton
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--- Begin Message ---
Folks, we are going to try another attempt at the sump dive in Cascade
Caverns on Dec 11th. We are looking for volunteers to help with the tank
haul. On the bright side, it shouldn't take more than an hour to haul in,
then you'd have time to explore this beautiful cave. Of course, we'll have
to haul things back out.
More details will follow, but if you can write this date into your calendar,
and give me a heads up that you are planning to attend.
I'll also be working on the lighting system and doing some ridge walking
that weekend, so lots of things to do if you want to help out with the other
projects.
Cascade Caverns is located in scenic Boerne, TX, just minutes away from San
Antonio.
Please let me know if you plan to attend, as well as any questions you
have.
Charles
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Cavers,
There is a scheduled second Wednesday work session of the Texas
Speleological Survey November 10th at the JJ Pickle Research Center on
Burnet Road north of highway 183. Both publication sales and the library
will be open. The door will be open at 5:00 p.m. and stay open till we
adjourn. The TSS office phone has been removed so if you get lost or stopped
by the guard, call me or someone you think might be there (this week, Ann
Scott at cell 731-5823). Remember it is best to arrive before 6:00 pm, or
the gate guards might not let you in!
Rod Goke will open the doors and may need help setting up some newly
refurbished computers and adding software. I hope Christopher and Leslie
will be there to talk about setting up a class to teach digital cave mapping
with Rod. Come by and help out and search the files for your favorite caves.
If you have questions or problems, please contact me at
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] or the office
manager, Jim Kennedy. Please go to
<http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm>
http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm for additional
information.
Ron Ralph
Cell: 797-3817
Map to the place is at: http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/ On PRC map 2 ("NW
Area"), 18-A is the little building just above the "ra" in "Granberry". Park
to the south in the PETEX lot across the street (Read Granberry Trail) from
building 18-A
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
If you are counting on me to open the TSS office doors, then it might be closer
to 5:30 PM (instead of 5:00 PM) when I arrive to open the doors. I will be
attending a seminar on the main UT campus that day, and it probably will end
sometime between 4:30 and 5:00. I'll head over to the TSS office whenever I get
out of the seminar.
My cell phone number is (512) 964-1094, but it will be off while I'm in the
seminar, and I might be unable to answer if you call while I'm driving.
Rod
[email protected]
(512) 892-4186 home phone
(512) 964-1094 cell phone
-----Original Message-----
>From: Ron Ralph <[email protected]>
>Sent: Nov 8, 2010 11:34 AM
>To: [email protected], 'Rod Goke' <[email protected]>, 'Christopher
>Francke' <[email protected]>, 'Leslie Bell' <[email protected]>, 'Chad
>Johnson' <[email protected]>, Bonnie Longley
><[email protected]>, Logan McNatt <[email protected]>, Logan McNatt
><[email protected]>, Peter Sprouse <[email protected]>
>Subject: [Texascavers] TSS work session
>
>Cavers,
>
>
>
>There is a scheduled second Wednesday work session of the Texas
>Speleological Survey November 10th at the JJ Pickle Research Center on
>Burnet Road north of highway 183. Both publication sales and the library
>will be open. The door will be open at 5:00 p.m. and stay open till we
>adjourn. The TSS office phone has been removed so if you get lost or stopped
>by the guard, call me or someone you think might be there (this week, Ann
>Scott at cell 731-5823). Remember it is best to arrive before 6:00 pm, or
>the gate guards might not let you in!
>
>
>
>Rod Goke will open the doors and may need help setting up some newly
>refurbished computers and adding software. I hope Christopher and Leslie
>will be there to talk about setting up a class to teach digital cave mapping
>with Rod. Come by and help out and search the files for your favorite caves.
>
>
>
>If you have questions or problems, please contact me at
><mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] or the office
>manager, Jim Kennedy. Please go to
><http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm>
>http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm for additional
>information.
>
>
>
>Ron Ralph
>
>Cell: 797-3817
>
>Map to the place is at: http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/ On PRC map 2 ("NW
>Area"), 18-A is the little building just above the "ra" in "Granberry". Park
>to the south in the PETEX lot across the street (Read Granberry Trail) from
>building 18-A
>
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Getting individual team leaders to turn in their group's reports is like
herding cats. I ended up writing up one team myself, to the best of my
ability. But her is the final report for the last trip. Enjoy!
-- Jim
Project date: 8-10 October 2010
Reported by: Jim Kennedy
Report date: 11 October 2010
Person-hours: 307.5 hours (133.5 work, 174 travel)
Personnel: (29 folks) Isaac Becker, Jeannie Bogue, Justin Bulhof,
Krishna Gandhi, Spencer Gay, Mark Gee, Lee Jay Graves, Scott Grimes,
Bailey Harrington, Lydia Hernandez, Will Jarvis, Rebecca Jones, Jim
Kennedy, Chris King, Kyle Leonard, David Massey, Karen Masters, Lu Mias,
Ryan Monjaras, Amanda Penn, Charlton Perry, Cruz Saint Peter, Scott
Serur, Trent Skinner, Matt Snow, Matt Turner, Alex Wendeborn, Drew
Wendeborn, Tianyun Xu
The first Project weekend of the year started took place during great
Fall weather. A lot of attention was focused on the Lively Pasture,
looking for new caves that may have been uncovered during the 1000+ acre
burn there about two months before. Many new features were recorded,
some with great potential. Work continued in other parts of the Park as
well, documenting another new cave near the back of Gorman Cave, and
training for new cavers from Saint Stephens School Wilderness Program at
the Lost Petzl Cave System, and new Aggie Speleological Society members
at Cicurina Cave.
Team 1 Jim Kennedy, Mark Gee, Lee Jay Graves, Matt Turner,
Karen Masters, Scott Serur
Taking advantage of the recent prescribed burn in the Lively Pasture,
this crew set off with GPSes and dig tools in search of new caves. Jim
preloaded all the Park cave coordinates and topographic base maps in
four BCI GPSes, which kept the group oriented and on task. Known caves
and karst features were visited as encountered, and improved coordinates
gathered for all. Some digging was performed on these to assess their
potential, but none worked on for long. The most impressive sights of
the day were Skunk Hole (SAB180), a large, well-developed series of
solutional canyons and slumps that just has to lead to more cave than is
currently known; and the area around Orienteering Cave (SAB204), where
an additional 7 or 8 karst features were recorded and dug upon. [see
Team 5 report from Sunday] An attempt was made to also relocate and
re-examine karst features SABK40-43 and 46, but the coordinates for
these must be way off, as no features were found anywhere in the
vicinity of where those five features were supposed to be. 18.5km (11.5
miles) of tracklogs were recorded in the two days, but about half of
that was driving to the site. Coordinates for both days are attached
separately [not included in the public version of this trip report].
Team one's hours: 36.0
Team 2 Lydia Hernandez, Chris King, Ryan Monjaras
This team set off for Critical Moss Cave (SAB683) to work on the dig at
the bottom and survey the rest of the cave. However, because the
coordinates they got were not converted from NAD27 to WGS84, they
couldn't find the cave. But in their walkabout, they discovered a new
sinkhole and were able to pull enough rocks out to enter. It turned
into a nice cave, but had bad air at the bottom. It was dubbed Great
Gaspy Cave (SAB682), and needs surveyed on a future trip. Another karst
feature (Justahole) was also noted, but we have no other details.
Team two's hours: 12.0
Team 3 Rebecca Jones, Charlton Perry, Isaac Becker, Justin
Bulhof, Lu Mias, Trent Skinner, Tianyun Xu
Becky took the Saint Stephen's School group out to the Lost Petzl Cave
System (SAB075) to practice their rigging and vertical skills.
Afterwards they went to Cicurina Cave (SAB018).
Team three's hours: 42.0
Team 4 Drew Wendeborn, Amanda Penn, David Massey, Scott Grimes,
Matt Snow, Bailey Harrington, Jeannie Bogue, Spencer Gay, Cruz Saint
Peter
The Aggies showed up in Caver Camp late on Saturday, after checking a
reported cave lead near Goldthwaite that turned out to be a small hole
with rattlesnakes. The next morning, Drew lead a fairly large group of
newbies to Cicurina Cave (SAB018) for orientation and training. The
performed the mandatory (for newbies) "lights out" ceremony. Bats,
frogs, and crickets were reported.
Team four's hours: 22.5
Team 5 Jim Kennedy, Matt Turner, Scott Serur, Krishna Gandhi,
Will Jarvis, Kyle Leonard, Alex Wendeborn
On Sunday, this team returned to the area near Orienteering Cave
(SAB204) to record the other karst features noted the day before, and
dig them open to determine whether or not they were caves. Most were
not, but more work needs to be done in this area. One sink worked on by
the Aggies turned into a nice small cave that needs mapped. It was
christened ASS Blasters Cave (SAB684). Scott, Jim, and Matt dug on
seven other features without any luck. In two days' work, 31 features
were GPSed, only 9 of which were previously known.
Team five's hours: 21.0
What Should Be Done Next:
* Relocate SABK040, SABK041, SABK042, SABK043, and SABK046.
* Do a really good, detailed map of all the surface expressions
and cave passage at Skunk Hole (SAB180).
* Map ASS Blasters Cave (SAB684).
* Tag all new features found on Saturday and Sunday.
* Dig on more of the new karst features found by Team 1 and Team
5.
* Map Great Gaspy Cave (SAB682).
* Enlarge entrance to Shari's Diet Cave (SAB205) for human entry.
* Go back to Critical Moss Cave (SAB683) to push lead at bottom
and finish map.
* Ridgewalk more of burned area.
* Survey Great Danes Cave, Orienteering Cave, Rabbit Run Grotto,
MM Hole, and Be Snakey Cave, all previously known caves in that area.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I've got papers that expire on the 17th of december. anyone know
what happens if one enters on papers that expire while in Mexico?
and is there a way to cancel here in the US? other wise what is the
procedure?
Nancy
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
If you are in the US and going to Mexico and your papers are current
you can just turn the old papers and get new ones. If your papers are
expired when you try to cross into Mexico you have to turn them in,
get fussed at, and then wait at least a day to get new ones. If you
are in Mexico when your car papers expire AND are on the way back you
probably will be OK. They don't usually look at your papers
northbound. There was some discussion about that when the Laguna de
Sanchez trip had their trucks blocked in by hurricane floodwaters and
subsequent road washouts. There was some doubt the vehicles could be
recovered before their papers expired--but, luckily, they were. You
can always BS them with tales of car trouble and having to order
parts, etc, etc. Of course, it's best to just keep everything current.
--Ediger
On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 5:53 AM, Nancy Weaver <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've got papers that expire on the 17th of december. anyone know what
> happens if one enters on papers that expire while in Mexico? and is there a
> way to cancel here in the US? other wise what is the procedure?
>
> Nancy
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
See comments below.
> If you are in the US and going to Mexico and your papers are current
> you can just turn the old papers and get new ones.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I believe that one can do that at the Mexican
consulate in Austin, but it is problematic at best to do it in Dallas. Don't
know about other locations (Houston, Lubbock, etc.). Best to turn the permit
back in at the border when you return, so that you can get a new one via the
Internet (no long lines!).
> If your papers are
> expired when you try to cross into Mexico you have to turn them in,
> get fussed at, and then wait at least a day to get new ones.
Not so, for several years I have turned an expired permit in at several
different border crossings (Columbia, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa) and then stood in
line to get new papers, on the same day. Well, the same day if I was lucky and
the line for getting new permits wasn't too long...that depends upon which
crossing and which day you choose to cross.
In the last two years, crossing back into the States is getting to be more time
consuming than crossing into Mexico (if you get your car papers ahead of time).
Diana
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Diana R. Tomchick
Associate Professor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Department of Biochemistry
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Rm. ND10.214B
Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A.
Email: [email protected]
214-645-6383 (phone)
214-645-6353 (fax)
________________________________
UT Southwestern Medical Center
The future of medicine, today.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
John Taylor has posted some images of the last part of our travels to the SW
China Karstlands in October.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jhtaylor42/ChinaWulong2010
The trip actually had three parts: 1)- Guilin and Yangshuo, 2)- Wulong and
Chongqing, and 3)- the Mother of All Collapse Dolines (Xiaozhou Tiankeng), the
Great Crack, and the Yangtze Gorges (full for the first time). John and
Elaine had been with us to the first part a few years ago and so only joined us
for the last two "thirds".
Other images of the SW China Karst:
http://www.focusedtours.com/images/ChinaKarst/index.html
The Wulong Three Bridges World Heritage Site video:
http://www.focusedtours.com/chinakarstvideos.html
Dwight
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
If you need caving gear, then today through the end of the
month might be a good time to buy from Karst Sports
<http://www.karstsports.com/>. They are having daily specials as follows:
Black Diamond 20% off today only, Nov. 11
Kong 20% off Nov. 12-14
Mountain house 25% off Nov. 16-29
BMS 20% off Nov. 15 only
The latter may be of special interest to those with Micro
Racks. That would be a great time to buy new rack bars. Note that
Karst Sports always has free shipping on orders over $40.
Disclaimer: I have no connection to Karst Sports. I'm just
passing on a good deal.
Mark Minton
Please reply to [email protected]
Permanent email address is [email protected]
--- End Message ---
