The 10th or so Annual Guano Gathering at Bracken Bat Cave, Comal County, Texas will take place this year on 9 February at 10:30 am.
Everyone must sign a liability waiver at the site. As per tradition, we will begin with a bucket brigade hauling guano out of the cave and dumping into whatever containers you bring. There will be two "fillers" in the cave feeding the line, and two "dumpers" topside emptying buckets into the containers and returning the empties back down the line. Buckets are needed for the line, but bring ONLY round, five-gallon plastic buckets. No six-gallon or four-gallon buckets, no square kitty-litter buckets, no rectangular laundry-detergent buckets. And don't bring shovels or any other tools. Containers to be filled should have some type of cover, since the guano is dry and powdery and will blow all over the place on your way home. We will NOT fill trash bags, even heavy-duty contractor-type bags. Get yourself a trash can with a lid, an Action Packer, or some kind of Rubbermaid tub with a lid, or have lids for your five-gallon buckets. We will fill containers until all containers, including the line buckets, are full. All attendees are expected to participate in the line. We will have no sightseers, tailgate managers, or kids that are not pulling their weight. No dogs as per property rules. After the guano haul is finished, participants will have an opportunity to enter and explore Bracken Bat Cave. This opportunity is unavailable at other times of the year, when the bats are present. Bring minimal cave gear if you plan to enter the cave. Bring a complete change of clothes, including shoes, for the ride home. Don't forget a trash bag for the nasty stinky guano-covered clothes. Those that wish to stay for a late lunch will be heading to Caparellis for some good Italian food. More details will be posted the week before the event. I will be out of town for the next two weeks, so please don't inundate me with emails asking questions or telling me you will be there. Those of you who are Guano Gathering veterans know what it is all about. Talk it up at your grotto meetings. We need about 50 or so people to make the line work well. Last year we took out about a ton-and-a-half of guano in about an hour-and-a-half. -- Crash
