tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39428908294123626732024-02-22T11:08:07.835-05:00On Rappel!Mostly Caving AdventuresBuford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-44804020812879397872023-06-04T13:04:00.000-04:002023-06-04T13:04:06.351-04:00New Agreement Between the USDA Forest Service and the NSS<p> The USDA-Forest Service closed to the public all the
caves it managed when white nose syndrome (WNS) infected cave-dwelling bats in
the Eastern United States. After it spread throughout the continent and everyone
who didn’t live in a cave finally realized that WNS was spread bat-to-bat
rather than via caver boots, the Forest Service began considering once again to
allow cavers to visit their caves. Covid-19 then struck, people were strongly
advised to stay home to slow the disease’s spread, and the Forest Service put
cave visitation on the back burner.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Now that bats are starting to show some gradual recovery
from WNS, the Covid-19 epidemic has somewhat abated, and the Forest Service feels
that cavers have banged on the doors long enough, some cavers are once again being
allowed to legally survey their caves. Four groups of Arizona cavers have obtained
permission to survey in their state, although I hear that there are no caves in
Arizona. I was given a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to survey the Granite City
Caves in western North Carolina, which I did and completed a final report about.
Another caver was granted a Special Use Permit to measure water level and
temperature in a Kentucky cave. A Forest Service geologist named Chad Harrold handled
the Arizona and Kentucky surveys, while my North Carolina LOA was granted by
other Forest Service staff.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Meanwhile, I recognized that the two previous Memoranda of
Understanding (MOU) between the Forest Service and the National Speleological
Society (NSS) were merely feel-good documents that more-or-less said, “we like
each other.” I came to the conviction that the then-current MOU needed to be
augmented with wording that more-or-less said two things:</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->If NSS members feel that surveys are needed in a
specific cave or group of caves, they have the right to ask for permission to
do so and the Forest Service has the obligation to seriously consider their
request; and<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->If Forest Service staff feel that surveys are
needed in one or more of their caves, then they have justification for asking
that of NSS members and NSS members are obligated to seriously consider that
request.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Well, somewhere along the line, the second MOU elapsed,
as they are valid for only ten years. But, not to worry! The Forest Service now
realizes it does not have sufficient information on its caves to manage them
professionally and that NSS members are The Experts when it comes to caves. Thus
was born a third agreement between us, but this time, it was to be an ‘umbrella’
permit rather than another MOU. This new permit covers the entire United States
and its territories, to authorize surveys, research, and other data collection
events carried out by NSS members. It was designed to be far simpler than LOAs
and Special Use Permits.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This is how it is supposed to work: An NSS member sends
an email to the local Forest Service District Office asking for permission to
work in Cave X. That office communicates with the appropriate local Forest
Service professionals to ascertain whether Cave X warrants special considerations,
and then the Forest Service emails the NSS applicant with permission and details
of any special conditions. This process is expected to take only a few weeks,
rather than the months that an LOA or Special Use Permit entail.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This new permitting process was explained by Chad Harrold
to me and his colleague Jason Holifield over a three-day period on April 24-26,
during which we made cursory field assessments of hard-rock caves in Linville
Gorge, Nantahala National Forest, and Pisgah National Forest. Not knowing that
the MOU sunset date had come and gone, I had previously asked for a second LOA,
this time to look at the Rockhouse Caves in a national forest. Jason invited me
along on the April three-day tour so that he and Chad could interview me and Chad
could familiarize Jason and me with the new permitting process.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a name="_Hlk136775501">Forest Service staff member Dennis
Krusac signed the agreement a few days before he retired. His signature was the
final one required for Forest Service adoption. NSS President Kristine Ebrey has
not yet signed it, as it is still in review. She has made no mention of it in her
President’s Messages, and there is no mention of it in any recent BOG meeting
notes published on the NSS website, nor does she want to forward me a copy until
it has passed muster. In my opinion, this is the most important agreement that
the NSS has ever considered between the Forest Service, and it will hopefully
be enacted shortly.</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">On May 5, 2023, I received from Alyssa Milo, Forest
Service Realty Specialist, a Special Use Permit to do the Rockhouse field work,
as the new system was still in press and they wanted me to go ahead and start my
survey. I advertised in the Flittermouse Grotto Facebook site for volunteers to
assist me on May 21, and two members agreed to help, but neither showed up at
the trailhead on the appointed day. Oh well, I carried on by myself, hiking to the
site and spending several hours doing a surface survey. The intention was to map
out a perimeter outline, from which future in-cave surveys could tie into. The
hike directly to the site, taking the right-hand trail fork, took me about 45
minutes of moseying along at only a moderate pace. Returning to the parking lot
after my survey, I instead continued along the trail away from the parking area,
making a complete loop that rejoined the trail as the left-hand fork.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It was a good little walk. Some spring wildflowers were
still blooming, including the pink lady slipper orchid, showy orchid,
rattlesnake plantain, pipsissewa, foamflower, hispid (?) buttercup, halberd-leaf
violet, and wild strawberry. Green anoles were out in force, but I saw no scaly
noodles or slimy sallys. The trail also contains numerous chunks of quartzite crystals,
smoky and clear. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The federal definition of “cave” is
significantly more inclusive than the definitions that cavers use, basically
being any cavity in rock that a human can squeeze into and remain dry during
rain. I encountered four cavities fitting that definition, one of which I would
consider a real cave, two caverns, and a rock shelter. There was a single
tricolored bat in the cave when Chad, Jason, and I were there in April,
although I did not see it in May.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-3354958511832384412022-10-23T18:53:00.007-04:002022-10-23T18:53:50.361-04:00Out with the Old Tree Rope Stand, in with the New<p>For those of you who have tuned in but not dropped out: after
a week of physical therapy, my right leg’s adductor muscle felt pretty good
today, so I decided to work on Single Rope Technique (SRT) stuff. Knowing that
the old rope stand in the white pine had to be dismantled so I would be able to
use its 200ft rope for the a-building red oak stand, that pine was my quarry
for the day. Wow! Was I ever wrong about the adductors, and not just the one
that had been bothering me, but for the first time ever, both of ‘em.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The issue is twofold: my adductors, and the On Rope 1 (OR1)
Gorilla sit harness. This harness has three loops, one each for the waist and
both thighs. The two leg loops are connected to the waist loop by short, very
strong webbing, which is typical for many (all?) brands of sit harnesses. The Gorilla’s
short connectors cause the leg loops to cut into the adductors, which is what hurts.
Perhaps this would not occur if the connectors were an inch or two longer, but
they are sewn and not buckled so I cannot adjust them. I could send the Gorilla
back to OR1, but how would they know how long to make the new connectors? I suspect
my problem here is rather uncommon, so it’s my problem, not theirs.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Gorilla is otherwise a terrific sit harness. The
problem is my own body and the personal history that made my adductors give me these
problems; long story how this came about – never mind. Anybody want to buy an
OR1 Gorilla?</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I decided to tough it out and remove the old SRT stand
and just endure the pain, but then the other adductor – the one that has NEVER
BEFORE given me any trouble – joined its twin in sympathy. Well, I was up in
the tree, so what else could I do? Nothing but grit my teeth and take the old
equipment down. Ap-cray. I was able to remove the obsolete SERA rescue pulley and
a locking carabiner, thread the 10mm pit rope through a second biner, and
rappel back to earth. Of course, I removed the rope too. It is sitting beside
my laundry closet, and will be washed in hot soapy water tomorrow to remove the
imbedded pine pitch and algae.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Afterward, I took all the hardware off the Gorilla and
reattached it to my 1990s Alp Designs (AD) whole-body harness, and walked over
to the oak SRT stand to test it out. No pain. Did you hear that? ABSOLUTELY NO
PAIN, say hallelujah! So, why, you might well arsk, did I convert from the AD
harness to the Gorilla in the first place? Because pit ropes get caught in the
Croll ascender when I stand up while frogging with the AD, and I thought the
Gorilla would reduce or eliminate that. Friends said it would, and to some
extent it did, and before the adductor started hurting, I fell in love with the
Gorilla because I can get a 16-inch step out of each sit-stand movement. If you
have ever used a frog sit-stand system, you know how sweet 16 inches is
compared to the 8 or 10 or 12 inches that you get with other systems. The AD
harness, for example, gives me only 10 inches. OTOH, many small steps are less
exhausting than few big steps – classic trade-off.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">And anyway, let’s face it: the frog system is fine for
short pitches, but sucks on long pitches. I can understand why it is so popular
in Europe, where the rock is so hard and so sharp that multiple rebelays are
required in deep pits to keep ropes from being cut by the rock. US caving,
OTOH, uses thick 11mm ropes with extremely tightly woven mantles, and padding
wherever there are rope rubs. This has the advantage of long, relatively free (wheeeee!)
rappels. The frog, however, is exhausting on long ascents because the climber
is leaning back when pushing the leg ascender up the rope, and then when standing
to push up the top Quick Attachment Safety (QAS) ascender, the rope bunches up
above the Croll (chest) ascender, so the climber has to pull themself toward
the rope with one hand and pull the rope down through the Croll with the other
hand. This is very tiring, and sucks big wind. IMO the Croll needs to be
seriously redesigned to prevent this.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I have used the Mitchell system in the past. It involves
a leg ascender, a seat ascender, a QAS, and a chest roller box that has two Teflon
rollers. The leg ascender rope and the standing rope pass through the rollers.
The rollers have no teeth, as Petzl frog ascenders do, so the rope doesn’t
bunch up above the chest box. This eliminates one source of tiring effort. The Mitchell
chest box is also set so high on the body – at the chest – that the center of
gravity of a climber is well below the box, so the climber is more vertical on
the rope than with a frog system. A good general rule is: the higher the pivot point
on the climber, the easier the ascent. Once the red oak SRT stand is completed,
I will be testing and fine-tuning my Mitchell system. Stay tuned.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Oh, and in the meantime, enjoy a pic of the sloppy pine pitch globs I mentioned in an earlier posting.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15htDQLdd8svU2VJ15scKPsQzPyveG1-SkvdMKUUAOslM2tZyD8dKXe9jyf1_OOSOhSg2iNfpJ94KeXgpD4uZQEoBY-z9TAIKU5K2QjFm36GiYtIodr_nWqUFpY6VaqdgXctA-bYvqeSK3-xykvPMQahhfs47ILIDnQmchK29S98SNzF6IWHCjU8J/s682/Pine%20Pitch%20on%20Rope%20Stand%202.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15htDQLdd8svU2VJ15scKPsQzPyveG1-SkvdMKUUAOslM2tZyD8dKXe9jyf1_OOSOhSg2iNfpJ94KeXgpD4uZQEoBY-z9TAIKU5K2QjFm36GiYtIodr_nWqUFpY6VaqdgXctA-bYvqeSK3-xykvPMQahhfs47ILIDnQmchK29S98SNzF6IWHCjU8J/w226-h400/Pine%20Pitch%20on%20Rope%20Stand%202.3.jpg" width="226" /></a> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Oh, and in refurbishing the AD harness, I have an admonition
to AD: STOP USING PLAIN STEEL – USE ONLY STAINLESS STEEL!!! Rust sucks. But mayhap they
already switched over to SS when I wasn’t looking.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-28560103928396287082022-10-17T18:31:00.000-04:002022-10-17T18:31:14.147-04:00Cambium Saving<p>Until recently, I had never given much thought to
protecting the cambium of trees that cavers and climbers anchored their
abseiling ropes to. I had been taught to protect trees with a rope pad and
three loops of rope wrapped around the tree, and I (we) thought that was
sufficient. However, now I am not so certain of it. I set up a rope stand in
a white pine (<i>Pinus strobus</i>) on my lot, and used it quite a bit in the
summer of 2021. I would ascend a 10 mm pit rope with a frog kit and then rappel
back down with any of four rappelling devices that I am comfortable with. It is
good way to practice for descending into and ascending out of cave pit entrances.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I ascended the rope again a month or so ago after a
one-year hiatus, and was astonished – nay, appalled - at how much pine sap was “bleeding”
from the axils of the limbs next to the trunk where I had stepped with my
boots. There was no apparent damage to the tree when I clambered around in its
monkey gym branches in 2021, but now, a year later, the damage was hideously
obvious. Evidently, repeatedly stepping on the limbs crushed the cambium to
some unknown extent, causing the tree to bleed sap underneath the bark, but the
sap did not emerge into the air and become visible until I stumbled upon it
this 2022 autumn.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The pine’s rope was anchored to a hardware store chain
that was wrapped twice around the tree above a whorl of branches, then a SERA
rescue pulley was attached to that with double-wrapped one-inch tubular
webbing. The rope passed through the pulley, down to a ground anchor (mountain
laurel – <i>Kalmia latifolia</i>), and then back up to the pulley. That way, I could
inspect every inch of the rope before putting my weight on it. Vermin chew on
ropes that have perspiration salts in them. Safety first. I have not yet been
back up to the chain anchor, but I bet it would also show signs of damage to
the cambium.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This is unacceptable. “Safety first” is a mantra amongst weekend
adventurers, but this conservationist also says “Do no harm.” I promptly began
making plans to set up a second rope stand, in a large Northern red oak (<i>Quercus
rubra</i>) on my lot. It will be a little shorter, at appx 85-90 ft as opposed
to the 92 ft of the white pine, but that is good enough for me. Plus, the red
oak canopy’s forks angle apart some, so I can set up 2-3 rebelays that will be practical
in preparing for alpine caving. I am keen to do the latter in the summer of
2023, but right now that is just a gleam in my eyes.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">As of this moment, I have put an 11 mm pit rope up in the
red oak about 70 ft above the ground. I had planned to finish the rope stand
today, but I have a right-leg adductor issue that caused me so much pain that I
had to rout about half-way up the rope. More physical therapy is demanded
before I can ascend that rope again – maybe a week, maybe two, or maybe I just
need to learn how to endure more pain. Women are supposed to be able to
withstand more pain than men, so my standing joke at the dentist’s office is
that I just need to “woman up.”</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Recently, caving friend Lee Olsen recommended the use of “arborist
cambium protectors.” I looked online at several, but I am not impressed. Most are
simply one-inch-wide straps with grommets that a rope passes through. Lee
suggested a foam-wrapped strap version, and that does indeed seem better than
plain straps. My guess is that either type is fine for an arborist going up a
tree only once or twice, but I plan to put my weight on the rope many times, so
I am not convinced that arborist cambium protectors are not the way I should
go.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I recently began contemplating constructing a tree house,
so I bought a book by an expert on such things, Pete Nelson. Nelson advocates
screws inserted deeply into the tree to suspend a treehouse. He and others do
not recommend slings of any kind. He makes the point that screws damage only a
tiny part of the tree and its cambium. Furthermore, a set of hefty screws can
stick out several inches each and still support a heavy house without bending
and without the need to be unscrewed outward as the tree expands in girth. Indeed,
the bark and cambium then grow around the screws, preventing vermin from
invading the heart of the tree. By vermin, I mean insects, molds, etc.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Coincidentally, in my arborescing (tree climbing as a sport)
days, I considered bolting my way up trees rather than using a fishing bow,
lassoes, etc. I even invented the word “arborescing,” as it is more poetic than
“tree climbing.” However, setting bolts is time-consuming, so I opted for
bowfishing rigs and lassoes. But I digress.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">So, I am going to try screws and carabiner hangers. I
bought three 12 mm stainless steel hangers and a cave rescue pulley to hang
from one of them. I plan to use the other two hangers to create rebelays along
the tree to imitate an alpine cave pit entrance. I have copies of <i>On Rope</i>
and <i>Alpine Caving</i>, both written by expert SRT vertical cavers. If you
want to learn Single Rope Technique (SRT), buy and read cover-to-cover both
books. I always try to read at least two books about a subject when I want to
learn something about something, as every author has a different point of view.
I plan to re-read both book’s sections on bolting and hangers while I do the physical
therapy for my adductor.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-20989842050532671932022-07-23T11:02:00.000-04:002022-07-23T11:02:31.137-04:00SRT Shenanigans<p>Yesterday was Retro Day. I
utterly failed at computer geekery in the morning, so in an act of
self-confidence building, I spent the afternoon reconstructing my ancient
Mitchell SRT (single rope technique) ascending system in order to prove that I
am still geeky at something (anything!).</p><p>Not yet wanting to disassemble
my two-footed frog loop spaghetti to retrieve my sole Petzl (blue) exped
ascender, I used a Tardis to negotiate a time-dilated wormhole and teleported
up a pair of old Jumar ascenders from The Zone. Then from the bottom of a sticking
drawer, retrieved one of my old Bob & Bob sit harnesses. Of course, the
addition of a very, very old foot Gibbs ascender was de rigueur. Remember when the
Gibbs ascender had a toilet tank chain to affix the offset cam to its housing?
Ahem, that’s how old my Gibbs ascenders are. The attic rewarded me with an old
2-inch-webbing chest harness hosting a MasterMetal double-roller Q-Box,
complete with four of the really rusty remains of badly plated Chinese steel
fasteners.</p><p>After a false start, I figured
out that the left-handed Jumar was the wrong one, and hence used its right-handed
mirror twin. Similarly, the foot Gibbs goes on the left foot, NOT the right
foot. I have not yet taken the hammer holster off the sit harness, but that's
in the plan (guess what I've been using that harness for over the last decade?).
I'm fed up with the little (red) Petzl ascender as a floating safety, so
decided to apply it as a QAS (quick attachment safety), and instead used a second
old Gibbs as the safety floater above the Q-Box. The chest harness for the
Q-Box required disassembly in order to replace the rusty fasteners.</p><p>It took a lot of time and effort,
but I look on the glass-half-full side: Now I know everything is in good order and
safe to use. There is absolutely no substitute for assembling your own SRT
system.</p><p>Then, I bolted a chain onto a couple
of floor joists to support an 11mm pit rope to test it all out in the
basement. As I expected, my high center of gravity (not bragging - just the
facts) was offset in large part by the high Q-Box rope pivot. This Mitchell system
keeps me more vertical on rope than any other ascending system I've ever used,
and is THE reason I did all this.</p><p>But that's not the punch line.</p><p>Last week, I used the frog
system to ascend my 92ft white pine rope stand, and discovered how much pine
pitch a tree can slather on after 23 months of human inactivity. I had been stepping
on its limbs immediately adjacent to the tree’s trunk, and even though I
stepped lightly and didn’t break its bark free, the limbs exuded copious
quantities of gooey pitch in response to the abuse. I’m not talking about little,
inconvenient puddles – No! Imagine a wet dishrag slopped over and dripping down
on either side of a limb, limb after limb. Imagine stepping in it inadvertently
with your beloved Merrill boots. Imagine that turpentine icing all over your
frog rig, not to mention the pit rope. Remember those old Wiley Coyote cartoons
where it’s so hot that when he pulls his foot up off the road, strands of bitumen
come up with his sole? Ugh!</p><p>So, after re-making the
Mitchell, I submerged the sticky froggy gear into boiling water in a bouillabaisse
pot to clean everything. I am dreading sticking the now stiff 200ft 10mm pit
rope into my clothes washer to clean off the sap and algae. I plan to set the
washer on hot & heavy, and use All Free & Clear clothes soap. God bless
Dupont Nylon!</p><p>BTW, Wm & Carolina Shrewsbury
at On Rope 1 went out of their way to furnish me with that 10mm pit rope. Love
it!</p><p>Clearly, white pines (<i>Pinus
strobus</i>) are not acceptable for rope stands, so my practice system must be
moved to a shorter, nearby Northern red oak (<i>Quercus rubra</i>). The pit
rope is still up in the pine and running through an old SERA sheave pulley.
Remember when SERA pulleys were great big, clunky things with red block plates?
Well, that’s what mine is. Here’s the conundrum: Should I climb the sappy pine
again to bring in the sheave, or just pull the rope down and leave the pulley up
in the sky? I’m of a mind to abandon it altogether and buy one of them thar new-fangled
smaller pulleys.</p><p>That’s what I did around my
birthday. I’m happy.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-74665790476382680792022-05-27T13:54:00.000-04:002022-05-27T13:54:38.543-04:00Environmental Acids in Cave Development<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have speculated in the past in
this blog that environmental acids besides carbonic and sulfuric (e.g., nitric,
nitrous, hydrochloric, organic) might be more important than are commonly mentioned
in the dissolution of carbonate rocks, and thus possibly significant in the
development of karst caves, speleothems, and speleogens.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Art Palmer’s book, <i>Cave Geol</i>ogy,
mentions that erosion by acids derived from bird and bat guano can be significant
where those organisms roost in large numbers, primarily in tropical regions,
and mentions nitric, phosphoric, sulfuric, and humic acids as examples. It is
common knowledge that nitric and nitrous acids are common in the atmosphere,
especially in these days of anthropogenic acid rain. Since carbonic acid formed
from atmospheric carbon dioxide is abundant in rainwater, it stands to reason
that atmospheric nitric and nitrous acids would also occur in rain (meteoric) waters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Organic acids are another
matter, being terrestrial in origin. Palmer relates that they are produced
within soils and at depth. Their most common species are acetic and formic
acids, which can greatly enhance carbonate rock dissolution. Peat bogs in
Florida discharge large amounts of acidic (pH 4-5) tannic waters into the
Floridan Aquifer, including two or three streams disappearing into small sinks
just west of Perry FL and one stream disappearing into large sinkholes at the
NE edge of Perry. Such overflows carry organic acids in addition to carbonic
acid; however, organic acid concentrations are greatly metabolized by bacterial
activity into CO<sub>2</sub> in temperatures below 80 ˚C, so their net effect on cave
development is uncertain. I would love to run across quantifications of the organic
acid loading of peat bog discharges, especially in Florida and the Alps.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Florida's Suwannee/ Santa
Fe/ Withlacoochee Rivers' waters reverse into streamside estavelles
(spring-syphons), scalloping on their underwater limestone (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) cave
surfaces demonstrates that syphoning river waters are more aggressively erosive
than spring-discharging Floridan Aquifer waters, at least near their riverside
entrances. This is because Floridan Aquifer waters are saturated with respect
to calcium carbonate, whereas river waters in the Suwannee River Basin are not.
I suspect the Floridan Aquifer is also unsaturated with respect to the other
environmental acids mentioned herein, but I have not run across any literature
on this.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another compound I’d like to
encounter in the cave literature is phosphoric acid. Most of Florida’s unconsolidated
sediments were laid down under shallow seas, and are so rich in phosphate that
the state was (still is?) the world’s most important producer of phosphate. Surely
these sediments produce phosphoric acid, which would percolate downward and contribute
to the development of Florida’s (and south Georgia’s) karst caves. It would be
interesting to run across empirical information on that. When phosphatic (or
any other) ions are added to aquifer ion soups containing dissociated ions derived
from calcite, dolomite, pyrite, etc., they can increase the solubility of the
latter’s ions and consequently increase karst cave development. My guess is
that phosphoric acid is unimportant in meteoric waters, as it is only mildly
soluble and thus unlikely to be of significance in atmospheric aerosols. It may
have been significant locally in fugitive dust from Florida phosphate mining in
the past, but the EPA has put the kibosh on industrial fugitive dust.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Incidentally, phosphoric acid
is used in colas to add a tangy taste, but it has been demonstrated to increase
osteoporosis in women (but not men) and etch teeth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another natural erosive force in
estavelle caves is physical grinding from sand brought in when rivers syphon. I
suspect river sand would be more erosive of estavelle cave walls and ceilings, at
least at their entrances, because turbulence during flooding raises sand up
into the water column. Conversely, sand brought into caves in headwater regions
would obviously be more important in headwater and mid-water reaches. Which source
of sand is more important on the entrance floors of estavelles might be a toss-up,
but I digress.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now comes a new study (https://tinyurl.com/2n9paole)
revealing the presence of atmospheric hydrotrioxides – chemicals containing
three oxygen atoms attached to each other. They are formed in the atmosphere
during the decomposition of several widely emitted substances such as isoprene
and dimethyl sulfide. Hydrotrioxides are formed in a reaction between two types
of radicals, and have lifespans ranging from minutes to hours. Researchers
expect that almost all chemical compounds could form hydrotrioxides in the
atmosphere, and are stable enough to react with many other atmospheric
compounds. Hydrotrioxides are allegedly super-reactive oxidizers, and may also
penetrate aerosol particles. It would be interesting to ascertain whether such
trioxides are also noteworthy in cave formation - historically and modern.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-22747394371225140352022-01-10T15:32:00.000-05:002022-01-10T15:32:34.490-05:00The Speleo-fund Proposal: My Qualifications<p>My previous blog article outlined a proposal for (1) aggregating
NSS parent funds and its internal organizations’ funds and (2) investing a
portion of them in mutual funds. Nearly everyone who commented on the NSS
Facebook site about the proposal objected to the proposal based on particular issues
as though those issues were not addressed in the proposal. Actually, each and every
one of those objections were addressed in the proposal.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I learned many things during my professional service on government
advisory councils and NGO boards of directors during my 30-year career as an
environmental consultant and 45 years as an NSS caver. One of those learnings
used to annoy me considerably, but in my golden years I now just find it funny.
Here’s the thing:</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Occasionally, I brought up an idea (proposal) to one of those
councils or boards. Invariably, and I do mean every single time, someone would
immediately pipe up that it wouldn’t work because of ___ (fill in the blank).
Then, before I could respond, objector number two would jump in with a second
objection, then a third with a third, then… you get the idea. Objectors would have
a “shark feeding frenzy” of excuses for why they believed the idea wasn’t viable.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It never occurred to any of them that if they could come
up with objections off the tops of their heads, that I could do so too, and
that if I could do so yet bring the idea up anyway, then maybe I had
already come up with solutions to those objections. Heh, but they never asked if
I had done so, they instead assumed I’m too stupid for that. It’s insulting,
and it used to frustrate and annoy me, but I now know why they commit these
errors of judgement, and thus I know it’s on them and not on me. You can lead a
horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. In the present case – the speleo-fund
proposal - I did my part. I led the horse to sweet water. It’s now up to the
BOG to drink it or not.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In case anyone who read the proposal wants to know what
my credentials are, here’s a partial list:</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I owned my own company for fourteen years that
became the second-largest environmental consulting firm in a major Southeastern
city.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I made enough money in that company, and managed
it well enough via mutual funds, real estate, and other investment vehicles, to
retire three months before I turned fifty years of age.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Beginning a couple of years before I retired and
continuing for another five years afterward, I became a trader in the US stock
market. Before I started doing my own stock trading equity management, my
mutual funds rose only 8% per year. The first year that I was a part-time stock
trader, my equity rose 12%. It increased again in the second year another 15%. It
continued to rise each year as I learned the trade and spent more and more time
at it. Making good coin is addicting!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I was successful enough at stock trading that,
in 2004, I made 70% on my equity (total dollars in two trading accounts). That was
a great year for stocks. Mutual funds rose 20-30%, hedge funds burgeoned
40-50%, but – again – I made 70%. I retired the following year from the stock
market.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>During my subsequent stock trading hiatus, and
based on my experience holding and trading real estate investment trusts
(REITs), I wrote and published a book on healthcare REITs, which (ahem) is
still available on Amazon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I returned to trading stocks in Oct. 2020. Fourteen
months later, in Dec. 2021, my equity had risen 125%. Admittedly, the recent
market drop has reduced my equity, but I’m still up more than 60% over the 15-month
period (50% per annum).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Before I retired, I became a huge fan of the
Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. (SCCi). I believed that SCCi could do some
real good, but feared it would eventually fade back as its board members
wearied. Thankfully, I could not have been more wrong. Admirably, they stuck
with it year after year, decade after decade, during my pre-retirement period. I
became so enamored of SCCi back then that I made a personal decision to donate to
the organization one percent of the sales price of all their cave land
purchases (this ended when I retired). As a result, for a while I was the
single highest donator of money to SCCi. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Back in the 1980s, I bought a tract of land for
two reasons: (1) real estate investing and (2) it contained a cave that The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) ranked very high on its list of lands to buy to
protect an imperiled cave crayfish. I later convinced TNC to donate the
property to the NSS. The Sims Sink Nature Preserve was, I think the thirteenth
of the NSS’s now two dozen preserves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;">I have watched the NSS grow and
decline, and otherwise change in one way or another over 45+ years. I have
contributed to the NSS in numerous ways additional to Sims, life membership,
and the current proposal. Over a 40-year period, I discovered 70 caves within a
ten-square-mile area near my former home and mapped 35 of them. I discovered
and did a (solo) first descent into one of the world’s longest underwater
caves. I chaired the 2008 NSS National Convention. I have written about a
half-dozen feature articles, more than a half-dozen conservation vignettes, and
initiated and edited for four-and-a-half years a monthly column in the <i>NSS
News</i>.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;">So, if people try to convince
you that I have not paid my NSS dues, that I don’t know how the NSS works, or
that I am not qualified to argue for the speleo-fund proposal, then ask them how
they stack up relative to my qualifications.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-2155646020737308292021-12-19T12:22:00.000-05:002021-12-19T12:22:06.958-05:00NSS Speleo-fund: a Proposal<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This is
a proposal for changing how the National Speleological Society (NSS) handles
some of its money. More specifically, it proposes to change to a significant degree
how NSS internal organization (IOs) monies are handled and change to a lesser degree
how the NSS parent organization handles its money. My original draft proposal
was submitted to the NSS Treasurer in May 2020, modified in October 2020, and finalized
in January 2021. This article is condensed from the last version. The NSS Board
of Governors (BOG) during that period was going through two transitions, one
associated with hiring an Executive Director and the second with converting its
bookkeeping system to QuickBooks. I believe that both transitions are far
enough along for the BOG to now address this financial proposal.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">It is
my hope that NSS members will review the proposal objectively and
quantitatively, and express their opinions of it to each other and to Society
leadership. I am not a BOG member, and there is much that I do not know about
BOG business. Nonetheless, from out here in the provinces, it appears to me
that the proposed changes are overdue and could lead to significant additional
funds being made available to the NSS and its IOs. Importantly, I am not at
present proposing that we jump straight into these changes; rather, I am asking
NSS members to critically review the concept, discuss it among ourselves, sleep
on it, etcetera. Please give critical attention to the proposal’s assumptions,
as I don’t know how much money IOs generate annually, nor do I know how much of
that money may be held over from year to year. Indeed, my first recommendation
is that those two sets of numbers be much better quantified before any go-no-go
decisions are made.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">First,
let’s look at how NSS and IO monies are currently handled. It all starts with
the collection of dues. Regular non-Life members pay NSS dues to the NSS on the
anniversary of their initial sign-up. IO (including grotto) members, on the
other hand, typically pay their IO dues to their IOs in January of each year.
This system results in a LOT of bank accounts: one or more for the NSS and,
well, I don’t know how many for the IOs, but my last count potentially exceeded
250! Each IO has its own treasurer and its own monthly and annual bank account
statements.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">In
contrast, members of other adventure sport societies like the American Alpine
Club (AAC) pay both their national and local dues directly to their national
organizations. This results in very few checking accounts, hugely less
paperwork, greatly reduced IO treasurer labor, and the elimination of
coordination between IOs and bankers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">When an
NSS IO decides to spend some of its money on an item, its members vote to
approve the item, one IO member gets the item and pays for it, and the IO
treasurer reimburses that member. However, in the AAC example, the local
climbing club votes to acquire an item, a member buys and pays for it and gives
a local club officer the receipt, that officer then forwards the receipt to the
national office, and a reimbursement check is mailed to the member. There are a
few differences in the two procedures, but in both cases the local club buys
what it wants to buy and gets reimbursed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The AAC
receives dues from its more than 24,000 members, each of whom makes a single
payment for their combined national and local dues. All of this money is deposited
into a single fund managed by the national organization, which keeps the entire
bookkeeping system straight via QuickBooks and Abacus apps. Its regular
membership fee being $85 and student/military $50 per year, that multiplies out
to a minimum of $1.2 million per year. If their much larger organization can
aggregate yet keep separate the accounts of their national and local clubs, our
much smaller Society can, too. However, there is another, very important advantage
that the AAC method has over that of the NSS…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The AAC
currently holds more of its money in interest-bearing accounts than the NSS. AAC’s
main account is an interest-bearing account drawing on its average daily
balance, which is relatively small and its interest probably less than 1%. AAC
also has zero-based savings accounts for various purposes, but these hold money
only for very short periods of time and for specific purposes. Most long-term
funds are in long-term investments that are professionally managed, and include
real estate, bond funds, stock funds, treasuries, ETFs, index funds (at 0.4%
fees), and other vehicles. All of its portfolio holdings except real estate are
invested with a single fund manager that charges an annual fee of 0.48-0.50%. AAC’s
real estate holdings are climbing sites rather than economic growth
investments, and include fee simple and easement properties.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The NSS
already avails itself of a fund management system with its Life Membership
trust fund, which grows over time and more than pays for its membership
benefits. The NSS has another 12 trust funds that are also employed in
interest-bearing funds. I understand that these accounts are administered by
the National Speleological Foundation (NSF) and that they are solely invested
in money market funds because of the requirement that they never drop in value.
I believe that the Society could safely invest significant additional money in
mutual funds. Each fund genre has associated risks and rewards, and each
genre’s individual funds have differing levels of risk and reward.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">But
before discussing allocations, let’s look at how much money the Society might
be able to invest in growth versus what it should prudently maintain in money
market funds. I prepared a spreadsheet for this purpose. Some of its assumption
numbers are good numbers that are documented online, but unfortunately others may
be bad estimates because actual numbers are not available to me. Thus, while my
analysis contains unavoidable errors, please believe that I tried to be fiscally
conservative. All of the numbers can be improved, but maybe only with
significant effort on the part of already time-constrained bookkeeping
volunteers. Anyway, the numbers are moving targets that change from year to
year (my numbers are all pre-2021). They are reproduced here anyway just to
show approximately how much money we could be leaving on the table and how much
money banks might be making off our money.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Let me
say that last thing a second way: Banks make money off our money by loaning it
out and charging interest, whereas we are not making money on our money. A
third way to say it: We loan our money to banks so that they can make money off
our money, but we do not charge those banks interest. Say it any way you like,
but all of the ways benefit banks and none of them benefit us. Now for the
numbers…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
current NSS membership is appx 7,400. Some NSS members do not belong to a
grotto or any other IO, whereas many members belong to multiple IOs. To be
conservative, I assume that all NSS members belong to a single IO and that all
IOs charge an annual fee of $10 per member, yielding a total of $74,000.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A total
of appx $8,000 is typically on deposit in the bank checking accounts of the two
grottoes (FMG & FSS) that I have been a member of. Cutting their average of
$4,000 by half to be fiscally conservative yields $2,000 per grotto, which this
proposal assumes is what all IOs hold in each of their accounts. There are 203
grottoes, 13 state cave survey organizations, 11 regionals, 17 cave
conservancies, and 12 sections in the NSS, totaling 256 IOs, multiplied by
$2,000 each, yields $512,000. Assuming this is a monthly long-term average, and
that account minimums in December prior to dues being paid in January is that
amount minus annual dues income ($74,000), the average annual minimum on hand could
be $438,000. The average January maximum is then the average monthly value plus
annual dues, or $586,000. These numbers ignore expenditures during the year,
but keep reading.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">If the
few thousand dollars in each of these 250+ accounts were in interest-bearing
accounts, their interest growth would be so trivial that individually they would
not attract professional managers, but the total dollars held by all of our IOs
within a single account would definitely warrant attention.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Financial
advisors tend to recommend an apportionment of one-third of holdings each in
cash (or money market funds), bonds, and stocks for retirement account
portfolios, but not for cash flow accounts. Therefore, I assume that the NSS
and its IOs will continue to keep their annual budgets in fungible low-risk
accounts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Money
market funds are a good place for cash, as they draw modest amounts of interest
(2% per annum) and are safe and fungible. Bond funds are also considered
relatively safe, earn about 5% per annum, and are also easy to get in and out
of. Stock funds are the riskiest, but produce the highest incomes (8%+) and are
fungible, although timing must also be considered. Because checks can be
written on and cash drawn from money market fund accounts as easily as bank
checking accounts, my analysis assumes that the NSS and its IOs would rely on a
money market fund and not bank checking accounts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">What
portions of IO money might prudently be invested in money market, bond, and
stock funds?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
entire annual budgets (not to be confused with entire holdings) of the NSS and
its IOs should be as risk-free (dependable) as possible and available at all
times. Cash and money market funds offer these characteristics. I suspect that
the NSS itself spends nearly every dollar it takes in nearly every year, so its
money may need to be entirely in cash or money market funds. On the other hand,
IOs typically do not spend all their money every year, so my spreadsheet
assumes that IOs spend half of their money during the year and the other half is
carry-over from year to year; that is, half would be kept in spendable money
market funds and the other half in investment stock and bond funds. It makes
sense to include a reasonable “cushion” in the money market fund portion to
account for above-average payouts. Therefore, the spreadsheet assumes that 50%
of IO money plus a $30,000 cushion are available for investing in money market
funds ($249,000 to $323,000). A growth rate of 2% applied to those min-max
amounts yields $4,980 to $6,460 per annum.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
min-max remaining after the money market set-aside is $189,000 to $263,000.
Investing 60% of that range in bond funds amounts to $113,400 to $157,800, and
investing 40% of that range in stock funds is $75,600 to $105,200. Applying a
5% per annum growth rate to bond funds earns $5,670 to $7,890, and 8% for stock
funds yields $6,048 to $8,416.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
total gross estimated growth yield would thus be $16,698 to $22,766. The
spreadsheet also includes a fund management fee of 0.5%, which is the actual
amount that the American Alpine Club pays their fund manager. Therefore, the
total min-max IO earnings growth minus fund management fees would be $16,615 to
$22,652, based on lowest- and highest-month amounts. Assuming that average
annual values are linear averages of the min-max range, the IO speleo-fund
might earn an aggregate of $19,633 per year. That ain’t hay.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Who would
get these earnings? They could be donated either to the NSS or accrue to IOs. I
prefer them going to the parent NSS to pay for bookkeeping and augment NSS
financial health. IOs would benefit indirectly by being part of a financially
stronger parent organization and by being relieved of current bookkeeping
liabilities.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">What if
an IO does not want to participate? There may be some IOs that do not want to
do so initially, but might after proof of concept. Too, some IOs may want to
put only a portion of their money into the plan at the outset. Such reluctances
could be accommodated if IOs were allowed to place only as much of their
accounts in the fund as they wanted. Voluntary inclusion and being able to continue
determining their own spending habits would give IOs justification to approve
the proposal initially and then gradually transition in when they are more
comfortable with it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Such a
system would require staff to receive the money, maintain the accounting
system, disburse funds upon request, and perform other management duties. The
speleo-fund could hire a consulting bookkeeping and accounting firm rather than
its own bookkeeper because (1) each IO writes relatively few checks, (2)
existing mutual fund companies would manage fund investments, and (3) the
consultant would be insured and provide expertise that would be more efficient than
part-time volunteer caver staff. Alternatively, the speleo-fund might be
managed by the new NSS Executive Director, which is what the AAC does (the AAC
president/treasurer handles all data input and check-writing).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Accordingly,
I recommend that the NSS BOG quantitatively investigate the benefits and
feasibility of the following actions:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Aggregate
all or part of the presently unencumbered monies of the National Speleological
Society and its internal organizations into a single account (speleo-fund).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Continue
to use QuickBooks and add Abacus software (or equivalents) to manage the speleo-fund.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Appropriately
apportion the speleo-fund into money market, bond, and stock funds to take
advantage of compound interest growth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
2020 Candidates Debate revealed that at least some of the candidates were
already thinking about investments. Candidates have long been concerned with
the Society’s current membership and financial stresses. The NSS is out of step
with most other NGOs in terms of IOs holding their own bank accounts. The AAC
and many other organizations including the NSS already invest in mutual funds.
I believe the time is right for the NSS to make the kinds of changes outlined
in this proposal.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Any NSS
member wanting a copy of my original proposal and/or spreadsheet need only ask.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Buford
C. Pruitt, Jr., NSS 17920 RL FE<o:p></o:p></span></p>Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-61095348981636863962019-04-01T11:16:00.000-04:002019-04-01T11:16:11.450-04:00Grassy Gap Hike<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yc1XX_2wFvyUsF2eLb2sfwDqNQh5utk1Zoki_NlHS6tZ6A8cdjlQHfX-UkOxnB3W4E0FNmcR5D-nxkwM5hsx1DcbxOp18sbts8bIzmPP1mX79hZS6kfQr_kjuPWRtlMkzHUyoJmmtzM/s1600/Wolf+Ford+Horse+Camp+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yc1XX_2wFvyUsF2eLb2sfwDqNQh5utk1Zoki_NlHS6tZ6A8cdjlQHfX-UkOxnB3W4E0FNmcR5D-nxkwM5hsx1DcbxOp18sbts8bIzmPP1mX79hZS6kfQr_kjuPWRtlMkzHUyoJmmtzM/s320/Wolf+Ford+Horse+Camp+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Google Earth Pro aerial imagery reveals some interesting rock
exposures in Pisgah National Forest that can be accessed via Forest Service
Road 1206. That road is depicted on the 1996 National Geographic topographic
map as being open to vehicular traffic; however, when I arrived there in late
February, the road was gated and locked. That was most disappointing, as the
rocks I was interested in were 3+ miles from the gate and I have bad feet. Note
to self: Use mountain bike to access the area containing those rocks the next
time I go there. That will save me almost 7 miles of hiking, allowing me to
spend far more time exploring off-trail and saving my feet from osteoarthritic
suffering. As it happened, my day-trek extended 8.44 miles, most of which was
back-and-forth rather than actual exploring.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t think the road is gated off permanently because
the Forest Service maintains campsites along FS-1206 and a parking lot for
horse riders at its intersection with FS-476. It was probably closed for the
winter or because there was a tree down across the road about 1.2 miles from
the highway. FWIW, with a chainsaw and a pair of gloves, I could have
completely removed the blockage in about 20 minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a pseudo-karst sinkhole on the south side of
FS-1206 about 2.3 miles from the highway. The high rainfall of the last year or
so has overflowed the groundwater route of a tiny drain from north of the road
that trickles into the sink and disappears. A small drainage-way begins at the
sink and extends downhill maybe 50 yards to the start of where the stream
emerges from the ground to form an epigean creek. However, the stream after
only a few feet dives underground again, and then emerges a second time to form
what looks like a more permanent epigean drain. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1rk1dweGidrGFa6U6bwucggtcOWr6kRMqhq7_-oTPkeaVbb9nl5K2AclqYf398sEz5VfglgzG7x_EUWZN3n4N5y5uMyMGUcSjVnFHjHBvAzD-fo4KppLIk9UwAZST374MMzig6L7vvk/s1600/Pseudo-karst+Sink+Along+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1rk1dweGidrGFa6U6bwucggtcOWr6kRMqhq7_-oTPkeaVbb9nl5K2AclqYf398sEz5VfglgzG7x_EUWZN3n4N5y5uMyMGUcSjVnFHjHBvAzD-fo4KppLIk9UwAZST374MMzig6L7vvk/s320/Pseudo-karst+Sink+Along+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also, about 10 yards downstream
from the sink is a 1.5 ft diameter pseudo-karst window into the underground
portion of the stream. The underground sections of this first-order stream are
almost certainly formed in unconsolidated sediments and would be considered
soil pipes rather than caves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIylQmqiplZ10fKzRcpF-yTYMVKMgxSG0Yie6r89rFkl5LlvNes4ns9aYVQ3pgIblVtnqs-ZEIgxbEKnBJdReWvrFJysZ0a5YNo0CjuWmkkbqY9i6xZ_Qeu42N1lv-0cihAl8dRCt2Xkg/s1600/Soil+Pipe+Window+Along+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIylQmqiplZ10fKzRcpF-yTYMVKMgxSG0Yie6r89rFkl5LlvNes4ns9aYVQ3pgIblVtnqs-ZEIgxbEKnBJdReWvrFJysZ0a5YNo0CjuWmkkbqY9i6xZ_Qeu42N1lv-0cihAl8dRCt2Xkg/s320/Soil+Pipe+Window+Along+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Because of the commuting, I had only enough time to go
off-trail in two places. The first had rock exposures located on the side of a
flanking ridge to the east of Buck Spring Trail, and which did not appear on
Google Earth imagery. They were obvious from FS-1206 due to winter
deciduousness, so I hiked about 300 ft of elevation up the 30<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">°</span>
slope to investigate. About all I can say is that it was good exercise. Coming
back downhill to the road, I could not avoid a sparse stand of rhododendron,
but the last several hundred feet of my route took me along a very easy, vague
path that may well have been a hiking trail years ago. It isn’t often that you
can hike that far through rhodos without ever having to stoop under branches.
Sweet!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Continuing on toward Thompson Creek, there is a stretch
of roadside ditch that has been mechanically cleaned out to enhance drainage,
despite which a small blockage dams the ditch and creates an elongated pool of
quiescent water. In that pool was a 14-inch diameter aggregation of amphibian
eggs in an almost-Valentine shape. It contained several hundred
centimeter-sized eggs with what looked like tiny black bananas. I think they
were salamander eggs, but I really don’t know what they were. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbCQRNQOAVg2SVPqT-Db0Ah74YRPtw6QpbLpyYYzOkwmEgjoqPSDTahx8dCbJ2oLYmUmlqMVICEJ_pzw9vAT0MhYSwb7PRKEmVDldXXp9GvptUffJ5uHrUEJc2p-ebq-OCrcNhhm2EaE/s1600/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbCQRNQOAVg2SVPqT-Db0Ah74YRPtw6QpbLpyYYzOkwmEgjoqPSDTahx8dCbJ2oLYmUmlqMVICEJ_pzw9vAT0MhYSwb7PRKEmVDldXXp9GvptUffJ5uHrUEJc2p-ebq-OCrcNhhm2EaE/s320/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejce_jUn8QEsPGDlg_RkbKiO8VRIx3AW7Yiuga3kz7Y5cxNH1-d3k057a8tcuiLQitD_aKEi-Uadd4-tdeqyBXFxCgLCUqM1Zl5iH3EIiQvej5WUra41BoetT0NJM_HqyPU3l09eoW78/s1600/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejce_jUn8QEsPGDlg_RkbKiO8VRIx3AW7Yiuga3kz7Y5cxNH1-d3k057a8tcuiLQitD_aKEi-Uadd4-tdeqyBXFxCgLCUqM1Zl5iH3EIiQvej5WUra41BoetT0NJM_HqyPU3l09eoW78/s320/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+2.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There was a batch of similar amphibian eggs in a puddle on
FS-1206 that was maybe a third of the volume of the first egg set (below). These latter
appeared mostly without embryos, and the few that were present were only about
the size of grape seeds. I’m guessing that they may have been impacted by
vehicles, but perhaps they were simply younger than the first egg set.
Whatever, if the road is opened up any time soon, those eggs will probably be
destroyed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBtEJ8Q-XvKZPIzkK88zX1trowlUelQ3T9pW7loB6Fk_QQuCkw4M5nzKTYaeKg_WgKaBpgDUbQp301mssj_B4sOyMFsPvsZ6SW7mdWPJqb5v3busv-h9V3knQMINcrutncoKrksQdRiQ/s1600/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+3.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBtEJ8Q-XvKZPIzkK88zX1trowlUelQ3T9pW7loB6Fk_QQuCkw4M5nzKTYaeKg_WgKaBpgDUbQp301mssj_B4sOyMFsPvsZ6SW7mdWPJqb5v3busv-h9V3knQMINcrutncoKrksQdRiQ/s320/Valentine+Amphibian+Egg+Mass+FS-1206+3.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For sure, both sets of eggs were in waters that were
still and warm relative to the adjacent creek’s rushing waters. I looked for
additional eggs in the tiny settling basins that the FS excavates beside the
road just uphill of creek crossings, as those appeared to be habitat as
suitable as the two locations where the eggs occurred, but found nothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I never did make it to the rock outcrops that were my
original goals, as the commute from the highway took up most of my available
time and foot tolerance. I’ll be back, though. I think a bike-and-hike is the
way to go here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-49314866647490298242018-08-18T20:03:00.000-04:002018-08-18T20:03:44.848-04:00High Moor Caves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
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When I realized a few years ago that some of the
hard-rock caves in North Carolina were formed by exfoliation rather than simple
fracturing, I began mulling over the various kinds of caves that exist. Cave
types can be classified along at least three historically considered axes:
hydrological origin (rain or deep thermal), rock type (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">e.g</i>., limestone, marble, evaporates, and gneiss, among others), and
physical wearing processes (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">e.g</i>., sea
caves, tafoni, lava caves, and others). As time passed, I have more lately
become interested in the types and sources of acids that excavate caves. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The most commonly studied acid-based process, which is
believed to have probably created the majority of earth’s caves, is carbonic
acid (H<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) aided by organic acids: (1) Water droplets
in the atmosphere pick up carbon dioxide and convert it to carbonic acid. (2) This
rain falls to earth, some of which percolates down through the soil. (3) Groundwater
picks up additional CO<sub>2</sub> from the soil, further increasing its
carbonic acid content, and (4) also acquires organic acids from decomposing
plant material along the way. (5) Acidified groundwater then carves out caves
when it reaches soluble bedrock. This process involves acids that originate in
the atmosphere and soil at the temperature of the sediments and rocks that they
pass through. Examples of this process are Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and
Cocklebiddy Cave in Western Australia.</div>
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<br /></div>
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A second, less common cave formation process (and third
source of acidity) is for heated water coming upward from deep rocks, bringing
with it sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) derived from hydrogen
sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S) or pyrite (FeS<sub>2</sub>). These waters are often
elevated in temperature, which increases the acid’s aggressiveness in
dissolving rocks. Caves formed from deep rising acidic waters are called
hypogean caves. Carlsbad and Movile Caves are famous examples.</div>
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<br /></div>
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A fourth source of acid that creates caves is pyrite
deposited at the same time as and contained within its host limestone and
dolostone. Rain waters percolate downward through these rocks, pick up H<sub>2</sub>S
and FeS<sub>2</sub> along the way, and convert them to sulfuric acid, thus
adding to the carbonic and organic acids obtained from the atmosphere and soil.
Such waters, like the first type outlined above, are at the average annual
temperature of the ground they pass through. The caves of the Dachstein Massif,
most notably Hirlatz, are examples of this.</div>
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<br /></div>
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My only exposure to sulfuric acid derived from pyrite was
from reading about the formation of caves in the Dachstein Limestone. Armed
with the knowledge that there are at least three kinds of acids (carbonic,
sulfuric, and organic) that commonly create caves, I began to wonder if there
might be more kinds of acids creating caves. For instance, are there caves
formed from nitrogen acids and hydrochloric acid? Nitrous acid (HNO<sub>2</sub>)
and nitric acid (HNO<sub>3</sub>) are formed in the lower atmosphere naturally
and via manmade means to form so-called acid rain, which could theoretically
create caves, but I have never heard of such a thing. Anybody?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hydrochloric acid (HCl, aka muriatic acid) is a common
industrial acid used for a wide variety of purposes such as feedstock for
manufacturing PVC. Notably, it is also used industrially and in households to
de-scale limestone deposits. HCl is the major constituent of human stomach
acids and presumably is also important in other animals. It is a constituent of
volcanic gases, and low levels of naturally occurring HCl can be found in the
atmosphere. It is highly reactive with other molecules and readily removed from
the air by rain, and thus occurs in only low amounts in the natural
environment. It is a component of downward percolating epigean groundwaters and
probably also rises upward from hypogean groundwaters. As with nitrogen acids,
it could theoretically create caves, but I have never heard of it doing so. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
That makes six kinds of acids potentially involved in
creating caves: H<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, HNO<sub>2</sub>,
HNO<sub>3</sub>, HCl, and organic acids. The first two, carbonic and sulfuric,
are commonly discussed by cavers and in technical papers. Organic acids are
often mentioned in the lay literature and technical papers, but without
rigorous treatment. I don’t know that I have ever seen in any research paper
even a mention of the names of the commonest organic acids in soils, much less
their proportional contribution to speleogenesis. Nor does the scientific literature
deal with the roles of the other three inorganic acids in cave development. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Glossing over the role of organic acids in cave formation
seems to me a significant omission, considering that (1) surface waters
draining forestlands (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dystrophic waters</i>)
have pH values ranging 4.0-6.0, which is more than sufficient to erode
carbonates, and (2) underwater caves associated with estavelles
(spring-syphons) along several rivers in North Florida exhibit wall scalloping that
indicates chemical erosion is primarily caused by dystrophic river water rather
than the carbonic and organic acids in groundwater. It is thus possible that
naturally occurring organic acids may be more important in the development of
some cave passages than carbonic acid.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It occurs to me that peat-forming wetlands might produce
enough dystrophic water to create caves. Peat formation requires an essentially
year-round water source such as evenly timed rainfall or constant seepage and low
levels of dissolved minerals. These conditions provide an environment that
supports few plant species that grow very slowly. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sphagnum</i> mosses dominate their flora, often along with members of
the heath family (Ericaceae). As plants die and are replaced by new generations
that grow on top of the old, the dead material gets saturated and pushed down into
the water column. Dead plants decompose very slowly in these low-oxygen waters,
thus accumulating and building upward over time; hence one reason for one of their
names, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raised bog</i> (other names being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raised moor</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">high moor</i>). Water draining off of or percolating downward from bogs
is acidified, partly from carbonic and nitric acids, but I suspect mostly from
organic acids. Thus, limestone caves should also be formed by bog waters.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Pondering the circumstances by which this could occur, I
once envisioned a bog perched above the groundwater table (base level) with its
overflow draining into a limestone joint, and resolved to ask any geologists
that I might bump into if they knew of such places. Lo and behold, and before I
could find a geologist to query, I stumbled across the existence of high moors
in the Northern Alpine limestones while reviewing a map of its surface geology.
These habitats occur within now-protected areas, so presumably not all of them
have been exploited or drained, and some are within reasonable hiking distance
of the annual Dachstein Caving Expedition’s base camp at the Wiesberghaus.
Furthermore, the geology map also indicated where faults are known or suspected
to exist, and to my great excitement, faults and moors co-occur in several
places. I could not have asked for better test conditions.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have been given the job of organizing the 2018
Dachstein Expedition effort to ridgewalk, or prospect, those areas of the
Dachstein Massif that have not been previously field-checked for cave
entrances. This is clearly an opportunity to determine if bog waters can create
caves. If so, then cavers will have one more model to add to their bag of
tricks for finding virgin caves. This is important because, to my knowledge
(which could be wrong), historically there were only two ridgewalking models
used at Dachstein: (1) searching randomly and (2) searching away from cliff
lines (entrances adjacent to cliffs tend to be quickly plugged by rockfall and
snow/ice).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I turned my attention to creating a map that I hoped
would incorporate all the important hydrogeological features including
topography, mountain peaks, cave entrances, faults, high moors, surface karst
features, springs, swallets, and streams. Because the entire project area is on
karst and because there are only a few rock units present, I added only one
type of rock unit – Hirlatz Limestone (pink) – because of the potential for
cave entrances to form where it is deposited conformably next to the Dachstein
Limestone. There were only the two rock types present in the project area. To
these were added roads, foot trails, buildings, base camp, and high moors
(blue). Just for the sake of interest, I also added known fossil sites.<br />
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikccKk0ZccOuoXkycN7nuUwEm_Fo5QtcpFYnKvfiSRQI3UDsS8vBwDOa_eZjUGVPidDqmjqel9SQLm7JzC34ddpx9-rhQ9GeyN5xza1dPyEN74KK_J0yWmsrUzszPE49N_utkLyYT9PFU/s1600/Blog+Teaser+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikccKk0ZccOuoXkycN7nuUwEm_Fo5QtcpFYnKvfiSRQI3UDsS8vBwDOa_eZjUGVPidDqmjqel9SQLm7JzC34ddpx9-rhQ9GeyN5xza1dPyEN74KK_J0yWmsrUzszPE49N_utkLyYT9PFU/s320/Blog+Teaser+Map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1039916434"></span><span id="goog_1039916435"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The map depicted in this blog post is just a teaser, as
it does not contain either cave passages or cave entrances. It is included herein
only to show the potential for prospecting high moors in association with fault
lines within a reasonable distance to the Wiesberghaus base camp. Of course, expedition
members will have the added benefit of visualizing how known cave entrances and
passages associate with these phenomena.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Therefore, I recommend that Dachstein Expedition members
prospecting (ridge-walking) for undocumented cave entrances locate in the field
the raised bogs (high moors) identified on my maps that are roughly linear in
shape and follow mapped fault lines. Prospectors should focus on the
terminations of these high moors rather than their interiors, as the former are
more likely to be open and explorable whereas the latter are more likely to be
plugged. Indeed, many of the faults through high moors are only inferred, while
known faults often terminate at the edges of high moors. It is also notable
that most of the high moor map units as associated with faults.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are also a few high moor map units not
associated with faults, at least none being identified on the Austrian geology
map. Nonetheless, since these mountains are rife with solution pipes, it is
likely that most if not all of these bogs also drain into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i> that leads to cave passages.</span></div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-55926373777642980432018-07-30T15:50:00.000-04:002018-07-30T15:50:09.942-04:00Gilley Cave Graffiti Cleaning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
On July 7th, ten of us visited Gilley Cave in Virginia for
the purpose of cleaning graffiti off its walls. The group was comprised of NSS Flittermouse
Grotto members Dan Henry (trip leader), Janet Lyons Manning, Steve &
Jeannie Bailey, Doug Plemons, and me, plus Janet's daughter Lydia and sister
Jennifer who were visiting from Oregon and Tri-trog Grotto members Ken Walsh
and Emily Graham (photo by Steve Bailey):</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqetJMImPsZnZw_WWkD6FbLJC-FP-ezUtuGDjsXDaOWtgfEry5zP8cFvPzcTd91RtV8B4S4QIA6gv61skbYdPkUHVqN9hVNyI0-uLBK_1MqFKZOsIIY_rkl7gYqhjukoxH3coYdSOVt9A/s1600/Gilley+Cave+After+Cleanup+Team+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1134" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqetJMImPsZnZw_WWkD6FbLJC-FP-ezUtuGDjsXDaOWtgfEry5zP8cFvPzcTd91RtV8B4S4QIA6gv61skbYdPkUHVqN9hVNyI0-uLBK_1MqFKZOsIIY_rkl7gYqhjukoxH3coYdSOVt9A/s320/Gilley+Cave+After+Cleanup+Team+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gilley Cave is owned by the Appalachian Cave Conservancy
(ACC), the second-oldest conservancy of the National Speleological Society. Visitation
requires permission, accompaniment by an ACC guide, and signed liability waivers.
The cave’s entrance has a bat-friendly gate that now protects it from vandalism,
but as you shall see, this was not always the case. Innumerable people once trekked
through the cave in pre-gating days, and too many of them carried acrylic spray
paint with them and used it to bad effect as you can see in this pic of Doug working on some of it (photo by Steve Bailey):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS13OsaWdwZoRHnJ9Xi1BSbmyumuXT2eWzgHnnalxivHRL7SO8HRtxa-eFiOKweVJY7ooSwrLW8MWYhuGN6k9zEE4O426weIijjepzonkSuWkVqgouFbI3TixfQZkqMcI6UlMFONzf0mY/s1600/Graffiti+Cleaning+w+Doug+Plemons+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS13OsaWdwZoRHnJ9Xi1BSbmyumuXT2eWzgHnnalxivHRL7SO8HRtxa-eFiOKweVJY7ooSwrLW8MWYhuGN6k9zEE4O426weIijjepzonkSuWkVqgouFbI3TixfQZkqMcI6UlMFONzf0mY/s320/Graffiti+Cleaning+w+Doug+Plemons+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Before their time, others literally
packed heat in the form of carbide lamps and evidently had no compunction against
sooting their names and dates on the cave’s walls (photo by Steve Bailey): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEOXX9iWxddvctLcyPispDNZE0VbfzinQuf96EBCGUcaVG4XCxdY3bxMVRs9ZuKAm0yB_aiViMx_g29Pe6PcUVFv4BXWnpgo1OHiu7mnSEw99PC67Gl0kgGLdLif7wL4JSJOfuaZSlgE/s1600/Soot+Graffiti+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEOXX9iWxddvctLcyPispDNZE0VbfzinQuf96EBCGUcaVG4XCxdY3bxMVRs9ZuKAm0yB_aiViMx_g29Pe6PcUVFv4BXWnpgo1OHiu7mnSEw99PC67Gl0kgGLdLif7wL4JSJOfuaZSlgE/s320/Soot+Graffiti+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The most egregious spray painting is on delicate, three-dimensional
formations called popcorn, helictites, and gypsum needles. It proved to be
impossible to get the paint off the popcorn with even wire brushes, and we didn’t
even try to do so with the helictites and needles. In such cases, the best we
could do was to use a muddy brush to give the paint an overcoat of a thin layer
of mud to obscure it from view (photo by Steve Bailey):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp96J-NSq0_4vTjqASFRJY8msYmq7s0YjpTc6jbTdeezOxrBaKvQMerZFVVbbFxN9eQZ5DsFspNokMIw0M0XdMB6d6Y5m_X3_Rrv1JHyRdi-kZFf9jVuCf3LbjkhexhC59hanYyVRqRM/s1600/Graffiti+Removal+fr+Popcorn+by+Buford+Pruitt+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp96J-NSq0_4vTjqASFRJY8msYmq7s0YjpTc6jbTdeezOxrBaKvQMerZFVVbbFxN9eQZ5DsFspNokMIw0M0XdMB6d6Y5m_X3_Rrv1JHyRdi-kZFf9jVuCf3LbjkhexhC59hanYyVRqRM/s320/Graffiti+Removal+fr+Popcorn+by+Buford+Pruitt+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is an ongoing debate within the NSS regarding cave graffiti
removal. Some view graffiti as having historical significance. There is also
the possibility of acrylic paint graffiti covering pre-Columbian Native
American pictographs and petroglyphs. Sadly, there are instances of cavers unintentionally
damaging thousand-years-old artifacts along with graffiti, in effect throwing
out the baby with the bath water. Responsible cavers try to be sensitive to cultural
resources by closely inspecting modern graffiti before taking brushes to it. My
personal feeling is that graffiti is not art, as it demonstrates neither (1) an
intent to produce art nor (2) a mastery over the medium. Kilroy is not Banksy. I
see it in the same light as tomb raiding and statue smashing. I deny that Kilroys
are any different from those who deliberately destroy beautiful natural features
and man-made art just because they can. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oNQXN89fWwPsv-o0HaXWSdIMrXFFv6EDQiYFLb-mWx8F542EhGdez1ULxcS1L56IZ886znooDjh9PsIya_jtqPFS5tSZdOayPcr14cAQhY5nUozPHDpfJlDcXHcQWcQQ3R_ayZgX3Z4/s1600/BPruitt+Cleaning+Formation+in+Gilley+Cave+JManning+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oNQXN89fWwPsv-o0HaXWSdIMrXFFv6EDQiYFLb-mWx8F542EhGdez1ULxcS1L56IZ886znooDjh9PsIya_jtqPFS5tSZdOayPcr14cAQhY5nUozPHDpfJlDcXHcQWcQQ3R_ayZgX3Z4/s320/BPruitt+Cleaning+Formation+in+Gilley+Cave+JManning+1.3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We found nothing that appeared to be aboriginal. We focused
our cleanup on the first few hundred feet of the cave, since that is where most
of the spray paint was found. Steve and Jeanne went out in front and
photo-documented existing vandalism while the rest of us followed behind with
brushes and squirt bottles. We were able to remove quite a lot of ugly paint, and
I’m happy to report that it changed the character of the cave's entrance
passage for the better.</div>
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Ken spotted a possible “form” left by a bear or two that
used the cave in the past as a den. Unfortunately, the gate that protects the
cave from vandals also prevents bears from using this habitat – an unintended consequence.
Here, Ken inspects the form (photo by Buford Pruitt):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhEbz1ykDXY0s6tfbmssMprw4kHtaKImGL3fJc-1sZ6wSVLx0Vnbjd5rdhQdOSeivoPG4xaFVTlnb2IADEyRPvbZfH5C272xNwOG2BIi4aFVnjezj8fJeWSnT2oDpNdEojxMF9gqd-6w/s1600/Ursus+americanus+Form+Gilley+Cave+w+Ken+Walsh+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhEbz1ykDXY0s6tfbmssMprw4kHtaKImGL3fJc-1sZ6wSVLx0Vnbjd5rdhQdOSeivoPG4xaFVTlnb2IADEyRPvbZfH5C272xNwOG2BIi4aFVnjezj8fJeWSnT2oDpNdEojxMF9gqd-6w/s320/Ursus+americanus+Form+Gilley+Cave+w+Ken+Walsh+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That was not the only sign of cave life we saw. There
were several masses of cave crickets (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ceuthophilus</i>
sp.) just inside the entrance, all nervously biting their fingernails as we
passed close by. Steve got a fine shot of one:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rZ7HkOmUt6s1lnjhzyGOM00ZN1shKnh1NJmTc69xtEISANUiEg4wfCVCtxodiNqFJcE6z3qyk2NLQ-A8ODRsYW9gtFp7DTdk1nvTrKngOCQxQe-VQKQSF7WOMqQG578kygBYSEB8_PI/s1600/Ceuthophilus+in+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rZ7HkOmUt6s1lnjhzyGOM00ZN1shKnh1NJmTc69xtEISANUiEg4wfCVCtxodiNqFJcE6z3qyk2NLQ-A8ODRsYW9gtFp7DTdk1nvTrKngOCQxQe-VQKQSF7WOMqQG578kygBYSEB8_PI/s320/Ceuthophilus+in+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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In addition, several of us photographed salamanders
hanging out near the entrance, which were waiting for the day to end to emerge from
the dark into the night to forage. This photo of mine shows a slimy salamander (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Plethodon glutinosus</i>):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9suUCCebJmnJZ8YZkX685dL1SvyLJKKAIccjQ2oe4BTVXYJWKyhIkNNU8dsYvEVR_01J5FV1wLYnnyyIkUqL2-sK-o2vRj1PRxHTEi-udPnPaMmHNsfZZ9RiIF_eiKIjRPDIn2fUL4w/s1600/Plethodon+glutinosus+Gilley+Cave+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9suUCCebJmnJZ8YZkX685dL1SvyLJKKAIccjQ2oe4BTVXYJWKyhIkNNU8dsYvEVR_01J5FV1wLYnnyyIkUqL2-sK-o2vRj1PRxHTEi-udPnPaMmHNsfZZ9RiIF_eiKIjRPDIn2fUL4w/s320/Plethodon+glutinosus+Gilley+Cave+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mostly, though, they were the more colorful cave salamanders (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eurycea lucifuga</i>; photo by Buford Pruitt):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7diwOl1cgCzRyJ-C83II2WpesuCGoFf_lTzGATfg-V-oWJFpqAoW7pwWhPwzr-hmRAw30PURVCn7fwpolpKjx6l5UafWRG2R1CGeY_qmvE7fLmNP7YvSdhx7rt81OG82Tolvraiz5iQc/s1600/Eurycea+lucifuga+Gilley+Cave+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7diwOl1cgCzRyJ-C83II2WpesuCGoFf_lTzGATfg-V-oWJFpqAoW7pwWhPwzr-hmRAw30PURVCn7fwpolpKjx6l5UafWRG2R1CGeY_qmvE7fLmNP7YvSdhx7rt81OG82Tolvraiz5iQc/s320/Eurycea+lucifuga+Gilley+Cave+1.3.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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Salamanders can be found on the cave’s walls and
under flat rocks on the floor. The latter locations are especially vulnerable
to clumsy boots, so I moved those rocks to the edges of the walls and out of
the elephant path. Please remember, folks, that when you step on an unstable
rock inside a cave near its entrance, you risk crushing a cave critter.</div>
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Despite the gate being designed to readily admit bats, we
saw none at all within the cave. White nose syndrome has taken such a sad toll
on America’s flittermice.</div>
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After a couple of hours of work on the graffiti, and
seeing as how it was a holiday weekend plus all work and no play sucks, we laid
down our tools and traipsed off into the depths. Dan led us efficiently on a
thorough tour of most of the cave, Janet and Steve took numerous photos and posted
many of them on Facebook, and there was even some nonsense (photo by Janet Manning):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EAF0QB8iuVL8s66oR7fTmO5EEolFGapFEfnS7gPr_OeV-Zm-82uJ5ooR63el1KuZ37inVDtmBfk69SlLTCTd3IkoY9jpqywocmaCPHTidTIw1RpiAvpyzJDMfFKsjpCzdB4jvmQeWj4/s1600/Lydia+Manning+Behind+Waterfall+Gilley+Cave+JManning+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EAF0QB8iuVL8s66oR7fTmO5EEolFGapFEfnS7gPr_OeV-Zm-82uJ5ooR63el1KuZ37inVDtmBfk69SlLTCTd3IkoY9jpqywocmaCPHTidTIw1RpiAvpyzJDMfFKsjpCzdB4jvmQeWj4/s320/Lydia+Manning+Behind+Waterfall+Gilley+Cave+JManning+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dinner afterward at Pennington Gap's Mexican restaurant followed.</div>
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This cave contains numerous examples of a type of
formation or fossil that I have not seen in any other cave. They are horizontal,
rounded hoops of black chert that resemble somewhat flattened bowls. Some have
bottoms and others do not. They range in diameter from 18 inches to slightly
more than a yard, and in height from three or four inches to a foot. The sides
of the bowl rims are 1-3 inches thick. Most are on the small side and imbedded
in ledges protruding from the cave walls, although the largest are lying on the
floor. I have no idea how they were formed. Doug says they are within Ordovician
limestone – quite old (photod by Steve Bailey):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxBnAR_7DPEhtfmMP2RQ42iCX02NPYkOydEHWcZzEp-DApOvu1XSIUl6iZAJzUNZ4DKrB613ZOhS8CtD1SFDtPV13xz1TcQrZ_NWTuIsqNdoTyS5QA2LctdvG9svm-yssfPLlm3rwXHQ/s1600/Chert+Hoop+in+Stream+w+Jeanne+Bailey+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxBnAR_7DPEhtfmMP2RQ42iCX02NPYkOydEHWcZzEp-DApOvu1XSIUl6iZAJzUNZ4DKrB613ZOhS8CtD1SFDtPV13xz1TcQrZ_NWTuIsqNdoTyS5QA2LctdvG9svm-yssfPLlm3rwXHQ/s320/Chert+Hoop+in+Stream+w+Jeanne+Bailey+Gilley+Cave+SBailey+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There remains a lot of graffiti in the cave. Much of it
was put there with carbide lamps back in the 1920s to 1950s. As we assessed the
effort needed for additional graffiti workdays, the group agreed that the older
carbide soot defacements would be allowed to remain. I disagree with that
sentiment, but whatever. Of interest, there were two signatures left by cavers
with four-digit NSS numbers that may have been inscribed before the NSS
officially proscribed cave graffiti (photo by Steve Bailey):</div>
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The fruit of the invasive, non-native wineberry (<i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Rubus
phoenicolasius) </span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">plants growing </span>along
the trail to the cave were delicious.</div>
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Join us on our next trip if you can!</div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-49332036889479412162018-05-25T18:40:00.000-04:002018-07-21T13:59:21.340-04:00Dachstein Massif Geology Intro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Pangaea began separating into the Eurasian and African tectonic
plates, among others, in the Jurassic period about 200+ million years ago (ma),
forming a seaway called the Tethys Sea (aka Alpine Tethys, aka Neotethys) that
was several hundred kilometers wide. This relatively shallow body of water
accumulated a series of relatively pure, very resistant, light gray to whitish
and sometimes reddish fossiliferous limestone, dolostone, and marl sediments a
kilometer thick during the upper (late) Triassic period from 200-217 ma. Called
the Dachstein limestone, it has two facies named “bank limestone” and “reef
limestone.” The former were laid down in lagoonal environments whereas the
latter were based on eponymous coral reefs. After deposition, the Tethys seabed
became tectonically disrupted and the resulting gaps (Neptunian dikes) filled
with violet-red limestone (Rotkalke) during the lower (early) Jurassic. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Dachstein limestone has been identified as a band of
mountains extending through Hungary, the Bakony Mountains, Sicily, Calabria, the
Balkans, Turkey, and all the way to New Guinea. I think it’s pretty cool that
we are exploring the caves of a several-thousand-kilometer long band of ancient
limestone in the neighborhood where it was first studied and described. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The most widely used facies of the Dachstein limestone are
the bank limestones. Up to 20 m thick, the massive banks are composed of grain
sizes considered sandy to muddy (tenths of a millimeter to micrometers) that
often contain macrofossils. The limestone beds are separated by 0.5-1.0 m thick
layers of dolostone (aka dolomite, magnesitic limestone) in millimeter-thick finer
multi-layers and in some places marl (clay and lime, or lime-rich mud). The differing
erosional rates of these types of rock in the bank limestone are the reason for
the stepped layers we see in the mountains from afar and in the “benches” immediately
downhill of the Wot-U-Got (WUG) entrance to the Hirlatzhoehle. The rhythmic changes
creating these benches are due to Lofer cyclothems, originally described as sea
level fluctuations occurring over several-thousand-year periods. Interestingly,
the original horizontal bedding of the Dachstein limestone can be seen in the Dachstein
Massif, whereas elsewhere it is tilted, steep and folded, or distorted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dachstein reef limestones were deposited on the seaward
sides of lagoon habitats and are not as common as the bank facies. They occur
mainly on the south or southeast sides of some mountain ranges like the Hochkönig,
High Göll, Tennenbirge, and Hagengebirge and on the western edge
of the Dachstein Mountains. I don’t know if there is any reef limestone within
our project area, and suspect that it is probably all Dachstein bank limestone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Judging by its macrofossils, the Dachstein limestones
were deposited in relatively shallow waters that were perhaps completely within
the euphotic zone; that is, sunlight easily penetrated the water column all the
way to the sea floor. In fact, the entirety of the Dachstein limestone exhibits
shallow water conditions, so it must have continuously subsided as it built up.
This is the same situation as in Florida and the Bahamas, so I feel right at
home here! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The project area also contains Hallstatt limestone, a
lithostratigraphic unit of middle and upper Triassic age that was laid down in
pools and related emerging areas at depths of 50-200 m. This rock type was deposited
in partially separated areas and thus its units are of non-uniform ages. Of varying
shades of red, gray, and white, this micritic (finely recrystallized mud) limestone
has low clay content and its overlying waters supported predominantly pelagic
(open ocean) biota such as ammonites and the massive bivalve <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Protoconche</i>. Fossils occur primarily in layered
sediments and synsedimentary columns.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The limestones near the WUG entrance contain fossils of
ammonites 10-20 cm in diameter and bivalves that may be of the genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Megalodon</i>. Thus, there may be Dachstein bank
limestone AND Hallstatt limestone on the trail to WUG. Ammonites:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Compressional tectonics then closed this pre-Mediterranean
seaway starting about 100 ma in the Late Cretaceous period but mostly in the
Oligocene and Miocene epochs. This resulted in the formation of the
Alpine-Himalayan ranges extending from the Pyrenees and Atlas Mountains through
the Alps and Carpathians and into the Himalayas and finally Indonesia. Compression
also caused the formerly submarine limestones to be pushed into great recumbent
folds, called “nappes,” that rose up out of the sea and moved northward, often
breaking and sliding over one another in gigantic thrust faults. These overlie
crystalline basement rocks, exposed in the higher central Alps and including
Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. The petroleum formations of North Africa and
Arabia were created within the Tethys Sea, and the Mediterranean, Black,
Caspian, and Aral Seas are remnants of the Tethys.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Deformation continued until about 30 ma in the Early
Oligocene epoch when the major phase of strong and rather continuous uplift
started in the western Austrian Alps. The uplift was differential, with the
central (including Dachstein) and eastern portions meanwhile remaining
low-lying and subsiding during the Oligocene and earliest Miocene. At this time,
fluvial gravels of the Augenstein Formation were deposited and karst aquifers
developed in the latter’s underlying thick, commonly flat lying Triassic
platform carbonates. The limestone has been continuously exposed to erosion
since uplift began, with the differential rise resulting in a decrease in cave
density along an east to west gradient.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Uplift then commenced in the central and eastern parts of
the Northern Limestone Alps (NLA) about 10 ma during the Late Miocene, giving
rise to three distinct levels of karst aquifers that provide today’s cave
systems. The oldest and highest cave level is at about 2100 m – the Ruin Cave
level - which is currently being destroyed by erosion. The Giant Cave level
forms labyrinths at elevations of 1500-1700 m and includes most of Austria’s
largest and well-known caves. The deepest horizon - the Spring Cave level - is
today’s hydrologically active phreatic level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Most of the large, nearly horizontal cave systems above
1500 m are relicts of extensive Tertiary aquifers that drained water to the
northern foreland. As uplift and base levels lowered the water table, these
phreatic conduits were later modified by vadose processes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The uranium and thorium isotopes of stalagmites from Giant-level
Dachstein-Mammuthöhle and Eisriesenwelt caves indicate an age > 0.5 ma and
probably > 1.5 ma. A regional U/Th study confirms the common presence of
speleothems older than ca 0.4-0.5 ma, also attesting to the great age of these
caves. Some of the speleothems may also be of Tertiary origin, especially in
caves at high altitudes that have neotectonic fractures. Intensive weathering
of speleothems at cave entrances demonstrate that significant time has elapsed
since they were formed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paleobotanic evidence indicates that the central and
eastern NLA during the Middle Miocene 12-17 ma were close to sea level and had a
subtropical climate. It is believed that these regions had widespread peat
deposition in near-coastal swamps and densely forested low uplands where
well-developed soils, high rainfall, and warm temperatures resulted in high
rates of karstification. The paleo-weathered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">terra rosa</i> red loam found in many caves and epigean sites here is
attributed to this early phase of subtropical cave development. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Climate has changed profoundly since then. As the Tethys Sea
retreated, perialpine foreland basins were filled by erosion products from the
rising alpine mountains, and the waxing and waning of mountain glaciers
resulted in U-shaped and over-deepened valleys filled with thick,
glacially-derived sediments. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Glacial meltwaters utilized and modified pre-existing
Tertiary paleoconduits and created or enlarged the vadose shafts that extend down
from the karst plateaus to the paleoconduits (and locally deeper). It is considered
unlikely that new cave systems formed during glacial periods because the
present day base level is at the level of valley floors. This resulted in a
thick unsaturated zone and deep entrance shafts in the NLA. Current karst
development is widespread in Austria, although at a lesser scale than during
the Tertiary, and is the result of dissolution by meteoric water charged with
carbon dioxide obtained from the atmosphere and from passing through soil. This
classical karst process occurs mostly at low and mid altitudes where vegetation
is dense and soils are well developed. Thus, carbon dioxide production and
partial pressure in soil decrease with increasing altitude, resulting in little
dissolution above 1600-1800 m, coinciding with the 2010 estimate of the timberline
in the Eastern Alps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Caves above the timberline are either tectonically
uplifted relics of Tertiary karst and/or hydrologically related to glaciation.
Glaciers are still widespread in Austria’s Central Alps where the equilibrium line
in 2002 was at an altitude of 2600-2900 m despite being in retreat since the
1980s. Glacial waters are undersaturated with respect to carbonates and carry
high loads of silt- and sand-sized particles (rock flour), so they not only
dissolve limestone but also abrade it, especially during high spring/ summer discharges.
If initial porosity (fracturing) is present in the limestone, caves near
glaciers owe at least part of their existence to those glaciers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations in NLA caves are relatively low at
higher altitudes where ventilation is higher and underneath ground surfaces that
have thin or no soils. Nevertheless, the partial pressures by volume of carbon
dioxide (pCO<sub>2</sub> ppmv) are higher than in the epigean atmosphere (which
was 410 ppmv on May 22, 2018), ranging from slightly higher in most areas of
most caves to several thousand ppmv in rare locations. In comparison,
concentrations up to 1,000 ppmv are considered safe and even normal for
occupied indoor spaces, whereas 1,000-2,000 ppmv can result in drowsiness and
complaints of poor air. Headaches can start to occur at levels as low as 2,000
ppmv, but workplace limits allow 5,000 ppmv in most jurisdictions. Exposures
above 40,000 ppmv can result in permanent brain damage, coma, and death. Cavers
can use the cigarette lighter test to ascertain safe levels: any real gap
between the lighter nozzle tip and the flame indicates that one should exit the
cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Radon gas levels roughly follow CO<sub>2</sub>
concentrations and are more sensitive to small variations in air flow.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Within NLA cave passages distant from entrances and other
places with strong drafts, temperatures range 3-10 <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">°C and relative humidity is near
saturation. Despite temperatures above freezing, some NLA caves contain
perennial ice, even large quantities of it, although this ice is decreasing
over the long term. Most of the ice is a result of unidirectional air flow,
although some of it occurs in “cold traps,” which are considered “sag-type”
caves. Dated wood fragments in the ice indicate that most accumulations were
laid down during the Little Ice Age between 1250 CE and 1850 CE. Some ices,
however, were emplaced several thousand years ago and others at entrances are
seasonal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">NLA karst spring waters typically range 5-8 °C and most are
slightly alkaline with pH values of 7.5-8.0. Alkalinity is generally of the calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate
(Ca-Mg-HCO<sub>3</sub>) type, and is low to intermediate in alkalinity at 6-18°
on the German hardness scale. Hydrographs show maximum spikes in spring
discharge volumes during spring and summer due to snowmelt infiltration. Travel
times from rainfall events to spring discharges are relatively quick, on the
order of a few days, but obviously much quicker in entrance shafts such as WUG.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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WUG’s entrance is at an approximate elevation of 1975 m, which is 625 m or more below the lower limit of the 2002 Central Alps glacier equilibration line (2600-2900 m), so it is
unsurprising that permanent ice is nonexistent here. The
absence of trees at the WUG entrance is expected, as it is about 175 m above the upper limit of the Eastern Alps timberline (1600-1800 m) and the ground surface is just plain rock. Here, it suffers the combined stresses of little or no soil, winter coldness and frost wedging, plus year-round desiccation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How does all this help us find new, undocumented cave
entrances? What model(s) can we derive from these historical hydrogeological
characteristics? We already have one such model: Stay away from cliff bases
because they fill with rocks from frost wedging and snow that melts slowly
because it is protected from wind and sunshine. Contrarily, the WUG entrance is
at a cliff base and another potential entrance that I found last year is distant
from a cliff yet plugged by boulders. Perhaps we need additional prospecting
(ridge-walking) models.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One suggestion is to look for dikes in the limestone. Dike
material can be softer or harder than its sandwiching limestones, but in both
cases surface rainwaters will be captured by and run along the interfaces of
the two rock types. The softer rock can then become etched and subsequently
enlarged into human-sized cave passages. This model is used in some hard-rock
terrains such as North Carolina, where softer basalt dikes intrude into harder
granitic gneiss and caves are being carved into the basalt. The Dachstein
limestone has occasional dikes and synsedimentary columns made of infilled
hard-rock debris. These should be prospected if found in the project area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another potential model is to take advantage of the fact
that Ruin and Giant Cave levels have entrances that were formed or are being enlarged
now that the mountain’s glaciers are essentially gone. These entrances are
active even if apparently plugged by boulders. I found such an entrance last
year, as evidenced by very cold air in the “hopper” despite it being open to
the sun on a warm summer day. I’m not sure of the tack to take here, and we
certainly do not want to expend numerous hours removing boulders from holes in
the ground. Perhaps we should look for multiple channels in the rock surface pointing
to particular holes, like spokes on a wheel? But there are so many channels in
the rock up there...<o:p></o:p></div>
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One model used in TAG (from the first letters of
Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia in the USA) is to walk the geologic benches. Most
of the rock along the steep hillsides of TAG is limestone, but there are
occasional layers of erosion resistant sandstone that form easily walked steps,
or benches, that follow a consistent contour. Water percolates down through the
rock via joints, enlarging them and forming vadose caves, until reaching the top
of a sandstone layer. Subterranean streams form on the top of the sandstone
layer and then flow downstrike until popping out along the benches. Flowing over
the bench as waterfalls, the water can then sink into the lower limestones and
create more cave passages. Occasionally, the water cuts through the sandstone layer
and connects both caves into a single cave. Thus, one walks along the benches
and looks for holes in the ground. I believe this technique could be modified
for Dachstein post-snowfall conditions, but you’re going to have to get up
pretty early in the morning to make it work!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sandstone layers do not exist in the Dachstein Massif,
but resistant layers of dolomite and marl do and it might be productive to walk
their edges. Now that I think of it, M54 Cave might be downhill of just such a bench.
That possibility could be easily ground-truthed in a couple of hours, and if
true then it might be productive to follow that bench. Similarly, the edges of
the Hallstatt limestone deposit referred to above should be explored.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another TAG hack is to walk a given contour along one
side of a valley in winter when trees have dropped their leaves and it is colder
in the epigean air than in the caves. Water-saturated air in multi-entrance
caves will be warmer than epigean air and rise from upper cave entrances while
simultaneously being sucked into lower entrances. The moisture venting from upper
entrances condenses into steam and forms what I call “steamaroles,” which can
be voluminous enough to be seen from the other side of the valley. By triangulating
each steamarole from several places across the valley, one can chart potential
cave entrances and ground-check them later, even much later, like springtime
when the weather is more reasonable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At least three prospecting models are used in Florida. They
are not really suitable for Dachstein, but are included here to give exped
members additional insight into devising prospecting models. (1) Take a boat
along a karst river and look for springs and estavelles (spring-syphons)
emptying into the river. All of them have phreatic cave conduits behind them.
(2) Wander around karst plains, search for sudden-collapse sinkholes, and examine
them for holes in the ground. (3) Some karst lakes drain into caves. These will
tend to be underwater phreatic caves and almost all are tannin-stained and
spooky, but they are caves nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It would be great if an exped member or visitor would
take interested cavers on a tour of the geology of the Dachstein project area
to point out the various geological features mentioned herein. I would be
especially interested in learning how to differentiate in the field the several
kinds of rocks, facies, and fossils present.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-43412709117373718862018-04-23T17:31:00.000-04:002018-04-23T17:39:03.447-04:00NSS Grotto Meetings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have attended quite a number of National Speleological
Society (NSS) grotto meetings over my half-century of caving. Most of them were
with the Florida Speleological Society (FSS), but more recently also with the
Flittermouse Grotto (FMG) of Asheville NC. I have seen grotto and other club meetings
adopt varied formats and venues, experienced social exclusion and inclusion
in them and listened to other opinions on their modes of operation. I do
not claim to know The Right Way and am well aware that you can’t please all the
people all the time; however, my ears and eyes are open and I have formed some convictions
about how grotto meetings might be better run. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This missive is a distillation of those thoughts. My
blogs are the right places for my opinion pieces, but Facebook seems to be a
better place for anyone to chime in if people want to do so.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe that grotto meetings should be fun, educational,
inspirational, and socially inclusive. Grotto meetings should enable us to socialize
easily with like kind, but I have seen a mixed record of that. Indeed, I personally
felt excluded by the clubby good ole boys of the early 1970s era FSS, whereas I
was warmly taken in by FMG members when I joined them a few years ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many grottos appoint a gregarious person into the position
of greeting newcomers. After all, newcomers, especially young people, are the
lifeblood of the NSS; however, neither of my two grottos have had official greeters.
I heard many times over the years that some (most?) now-established FSS members
felt excluded initially, but persevered anyway and eventually became popular fixtures.
That was fine for them, but it has not gone well for many more newbies who were
not as socially forthright. They simply peeled off and are now lost to us. Conversely,
although the FMG does not have official greeters, I have observed grotto
officers and other members repeatedly go out of their way to include new
members in numerous training sessions, caving trips and regional caving events.
Sweet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both of my grottos have offered presentations at most meetings
that ranged from simple historical recollections and slide shows by grotto
members to professional presentations given by search and rescue personnel,
medical practitioners and staff members of wildlife, geology, and cultural
history government agencies and non-governmental organizations. All of these
presentations were educational and enjoyable, and I tip my hat to their
presenters and the grotto officers who brought them to us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Only a very small part of interpersonal communication is transmitted
by words, with the vast majority being conveyed via context, the way we say
things and body language. Thus, it is important to be able to comfortably eyeball
our speakers. The chairs that grotto members sit in at FSS meetings are in circular or rectangular arrangements, thus enabling everyone present to
see “the rest of the story.” Unfortunately, FMG meetings are held in typical
classroom style, in chairs behind desks in rows facing the head of the class. This
works well for presentations, but consider the remainder of each meeting:<o:p></o:p></div>
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FMG Grotto officers run the meetings from or near the
back of the room, forcing other members to either crane their necks uncomfortably
around like Rosemary’s baby or else face the front of the room and miss a lot.
I have quit craning at FMG meetings - I’m just not going to do it anymore. Instead,
I face the front, miss out on speaker body language, and as a result get bored and
struggle to remain awake. As I got up to leave at the end of a recent meeting,
a member sitting beside me said to my backside, “Buford, I know just how you
feel, but I’m going to try to stick it out for another hour.” I turned around, our
eyes met knowingly and I saw that he was just as bored and sleepy as I was. A dirt
simple solution is to turn the perimeter desks and chairs toward the middle of
the room and have everyone sit around the perimeter. If we are not going to face
each other around a polygon, then our leaders should sit up front and face us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grotto meetings are held in a variety of places, but more
often than not in a university classroom. There are several advantages to this:
many cavers are university students who live conveniently close by, universities
make classrooms available for little or no charge for educational gatherings
and clubs, classrooms have digital projectors for presentation use and security
tends to be relatively good. All of these positive things are enjoyed by the FSS
and FMG, but then there’s location, location, location…<o:p></o:p></div>
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The FSS meeting room is centrally located relative to the
city of Gainesville on the University of Florida campus. Because UF is its small
city’s largest employer and lets staff off at 3:30 p.m., late afternoon rush
hour is greatly mitigated. You can drive from one side of Gainesville to the
other during rush hour in about a half-hour. On the other hand, the University
of North Carolina where FMG meets is on the north side of town away from primary
residential areas and employs only a tiny percentage of the extended city’s work
force. Furthermore, Gainesville commuters use I-75 but little during rush hour,
whereas Asheville commuters clog I-26 for two or three hours every weekday evening.
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Let me give you an idea of the impact on out-or-towners attending
FSS and FMG grotto meetings. I used to commute 20 minutes either way (totaling 40
minutes) to FSS meetings. However, over a comparable distance in North Carolina,
I commuted 40 minutes either way to FMG meetings when I first moved here but
now take 70-90 minutes to get to an FMG meeting and another 40 minutes to drive
home. That is an unreasonable total of 110-130 minutes of travel for a
120-minute meeting. Nor am I the only FMG member to be negatively impacted by
such driving times. A Cashiers couple, for instance, used to attend most
meetings despite living a half-hour further away than me, but now only one of
them attends and even then only rarely. Several other Brevard-area FMG members
echo this frustration. I may now be the only NSS member living in the Brevard
area who still attends FMG meetings more than rarely.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Travel times on I-26 and its only real alternative, SR
191, are going to get worse in the future. I believe that the most practical
solution in the long run will be to form a Brevard chapter of the NSS, and I
wonder who out this way agrees with that. Is it time? Or are there other
alternatives? I don’t know, but can suggest some potential ways to address
this. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One would be to move FMG meetings to the southeast side
of Asheville where I-26 can be ignored. This might increase travel time for
Asheville residents by less time than it would decrease the travel time of those
who live on the west and south sides of Asheville. I don’t know how FMG members
are distributed geographically, so I can’t judge whether this would just be a zero-sum
game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rush hours are generally longest on Friday afternoons, so
holding the meetings on another day of the week could shorten travel times. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Abandoning Friday meetings in favor of other weekdays would
have other advantages. Friday and Saturday nights are date nights. That might
not be important to those who already have partners, but it can be arresting to
others. Few lovers want to sit in on a steady’s grotto meetings or are willing
to forego date night altogether just for their partners’ club meetings, nor
should they. A lot of outdoors people prefer to prepare for weekend adventures
on Friday evening – buying camping food and gear, packing, organizing, etc.
Indeed, many weekend adventures also begin with a Friday after-work drive to a
far off campsite, making these members absent at Friday grotto meetings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although this is an ongoing issue for the FMG, the FSS
does not have this concern because their grotto meetings are held on Thursday nights.
Right on. Thursday night grotto meetings give cavers an additional day after
the meetings to organize themselves for weekend adventures with other cavers. I
like Tuesday through Thursday evenings for grotto meetings, have come to
despise Friday evening meetings, and know that I’m not alone in this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My first several years’ experience with FSS grotto meetings
consisted of relatively short ‘business’ meetings and somewhat longer ‘meetings after the meetings.’ The latter were what we all looked forward to. We trooped <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">en masse</i> down to the local pizza pub,
ate real Italian pie, sipped lager, played foosball and digital games, and told
stories and other exaggerations until it was time to go home. Sadly, after FSS President
Bill Volk moved on, the meetings-after-the-meetings ended. My first few FMG
meetings also had meetings-after-the-meetings, but they seem to be rare now. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One FMG member told me that his ski club eschewed
university classroom meetings in favor of restaurant meetings. They have a side
room to themselves that is shut off from other patrons, where they eat dinner
and consume adult beverages before the meetings and otherwise. We could even
buy dinner for non-member presenters if we did that. Talk about social
lubrication! Is there an Asheville restaurant suitably located that has a
separate dining area with a digital overhead projector? Wouldn’t that be nice? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-28932794249899897272017-07-08T09:53:00.000-04:002017-07-08T09:53:59.139-04:00Munter Mule Overhand (MMO) Knot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGclludw7lrs3PzDilHrz_ebjjulrIzguFYYKzMTmaQf7B_wQ7cqbAd5Axq-G0F2EdcjM-2hlP4jORRJqXphJIPpfWj56iPagjVs-pn5fAnAoyUsRTHbmv2YGGTGj-ebvb1jAxshkN790/s1600/Munter+Mule+Overhand+Knot+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGclludw7lrs3PzDilHrz_ebjjulrIzguFYYKzMTmaQf7B_wQ7cqbAd5Axq-G0F2EdcjM-2hlP4jORRJqXphJIPpfWj56iPagjVs-pn5fAnAoyUsRTHbmv2YGGTGj-ebvb1jAxshkN790/s320/Munter+Mule+Overhand+Knot+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A caver posted to a caving forum a YouTube video about how to tie a Munter Mule Overhand (MMO) knot. This seems to be a pretty good knot to know and use at the top of a rope when rappelling and ascending, and I appreciate him taking the time to post about it. However, the referenced video had several annoying faults, like avoidable background noise, glossing over of critical steps, and initially not centering the subject in the viewfinder.</div>
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But fortunately, the very next video that YouTube automatically played, which also presented the MMO, was very good! Produced by the School for International Expedition Training (SIET), there were no background distractions, the subject was centered nicely throughout the video, and each critical step was displayed and explained twice before moving on. One of the steps was accompanied by a scrolling tip that, get this, was not shown for an interminable amount of time; rather, you pause the video to read it through on your first viewing so that you aren't forced to watch it completely through each and every time you watch the video. How thoughtful!</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.4px;">I especially appreciated SIET showing critical steps twice, as opposed to showing the entire procedure twice, as this gave me the opportunity to see and understand each step thoroughly. SIET's video was professional and I highly recommend it (not that I am an expert in SRT): </span></div>
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<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D4-si9QS8CYI&source=gmail&ust=1499603105946000&usg=AFQjCNFq5IouYyruYpQdL4xfLAN2j1HmpA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-si9QS8CYI" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=4-si9QS8CYI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One criticism I had with the SIET MMO video is that it did not demonstrate releasing the MMO under tension. As a result, I guess I'll just have to see for myself how easy or hard it is in real life, not to mention maybe get surprised by potential problems when employing it while weighted.</div>
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The SIET video was so good (as far as it went) that I queried YouTube for additional SIET videos and found a bunch of them. Their videos are aimed at above-ground rope-work; it would be grand if SIET (or a caving group) did a series focusing on caving knots. If so, they should be constructively criticized by non-experts like (ahem) me who are unfamiliar with the subject at hand.</div>
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Or maybe such videos do exist and I just don't know about them? Caveat: the third SIET video I watched had a clattering train in the background! LOL You know what? All of these instructional SRT videos could be shot in quiet places!</div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-65804800814619673532016-07-03T19:43:00.000-04:002016-07-03T19:43:01.347-04:00Be Careful What You Wish For!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was told by a local naturalist to go to John Rock in
Pisgah National Forest if I wanted to see vipers. Well, I have been there several
times and never saw a serpent. More recently, I read that Cedar Rock Mountain
was crawling with them, so I went there today in the hope of seeing a real
snake. I parked off Cathy’s Creek Road and headed up forest trail 471D, my goal
being the climbing rock faces on the mountain’s west side.<o:p></o:p></div>
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About 20 minutes into the trail, a fellow came rapidly
down from the trail above me and shouted, “Sir! Sir! My friend has been bitten
by a rattlesnake! Does your cell phone receive 911 out here?” I turned on the phone
and examined the victim’s leg, seeing two bleeding puncture wounds about an
inch-and-a-half apart. My phone picked up nothing as the two fellows continued
hurrying down the slope to the parking area. He had evidently been bitten only
a short time before, as the leg was not yet noticeably swollen. I sure hope the
bite was a warning shot and that the guy didn’t receive a full injection.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There was nothing else that I could do for them. They
were young Turks in the prime of life and obviously capable of getting back to
their vehicle, so I watched them disappear down the hill and continued on my
hike. I used rock climber Sean Coburn’s directions to reach the cliffs. I
explored along the cliff first to the right (SE) and then to the left (NW),
following each until I was unable to proceed further. At the far left side of
the cliff exists a steep, well-worn trail that leads to the cliff base and then
peters out. I continued upward over the rock to the top of the cliff and found
another trail along the top edge of the cliff, immediately below which were a
series of shaded sitting spots. That’s where I should have eaten my lunch!<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a bunch of climbing hangars on the cliff, but I
was the only person there.</div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-64528544178555161192016-06-21T13:34:00.000-04:002016-06-21T13:34:04.636-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last Sunday, I needed to get away from house building
and wander around in the woods and find some treasures. Looking Glass Rock in the
Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina is a fine place indeed. I have
climbed its moderately steep Looking Glass Rock Trail to the top before, but the
North Face Trail (#132) seemed a better place to wander this day. This pluton
has tall cliffs of granitic gneiss and a steady stream of rock climbers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The last part of the trail, just below the cliff base, was
cryptic to me. I missed it coming and going, but hey, a hundred vertical feet through
a mountainside rhododendron thicket is merely a temporary inconvenience, right?
After a late morning arrival at the cliff base, I found a flat, shaded rock upon which
to eat lunch.</div>
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Sitting there, the sounds of an agitated raptor nearby could
be heard. It sounded like a hoarse red-shouldered hawk. Turkey vultures and a
hoarse common crow were also present. Was an avian intrigue occurring? The
nesting area of the cliff is off-limits to people during peregrine falcon fledging
season, so I knew rock climbers weren’t the cause. Whatever, the birds shortly quit
raising Cain.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Monkey-gyming got me up and around some of the North
Face’s cliff bases. Smilax and blackberry briars were proud but immature,
and thankfully only a few had to fall before my sharp clippers (the price of exploration). The dogs were easily
befriended, but sadly there were no herps. Coincidence? An older rock climber,
in front of a bunch of young ‘uns, sucked me into sharing rock-climbing stories.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Blundering my way back down through the rhododendrons to
the invisible trail, I came upon a dead bird at trail-side. It was missing its
head and tail, its backside had been stripped of meat and skin, and green flies
were sopping up blood and laying eggs in what was left of the carcass. The poor
bird had two leg bands, from which I copied the numbers and reported them to the US Forest
Service. This prey must have been part of the morning’s disturbance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally back at my truck, I set off southward, not the
way I came in. US 276 through Pisgah National Forest (my way in) on Sunday
summer evenings going out is stop-and-go for several miles, so I take Cathy’s
Creek Road back home. It is way longer but far more scenic, and with much less
traffic. It is always a pleasant end to an afternoon in this forest. And anyway,
you can’t go back the way you came, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Driving by a trailhead parking area, standing off to the
side away from the bustle, was a barefooted, disheveled waif with her
hitchhiking thumb held out. She looked knackered and maybe a little scared, but
got in. She had parked her scooter at another trailhead and hiked barefooted to
the one where I encountered her. I don’t know how far she had walked on those
trails, but it took forty-five minutes at 15 mph on Forest Service gravel roads
to get her back to her scooter (where her shoes lay). Evidently, she bit off
more than she could chew, and I saved her from a “death march.” Afterward, she
gifted me with a jar of homemade maple syrup (with undertones of chocolate and
oak). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, back to house building.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-80280218080283992022015-10-21T12:29:00.002-04:002015-10-21T13:23:20.993-04:00Fred Rock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #010101;">TAG caver Carolina Shrewsbury
has a growing piece of art going around, and I was lucky enough to take part in
it. Fred Rock is a granite railroad rock that she liberated from southwest
Florida and brought back home to the Appalachians. The art consists of cavers taking
Fred along on caving adventures, adding value to the “package” by writ and pic,
passing Fred along to other cavers, and at the 2016 NSS convention (in Nevada),
Carolina will exhibit the entire work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Hence, this missive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Fred and I first went to some cliffs
along Looking Glass Rock in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, to ridgewalk
for exfoliation caves. Him being a granitic fragment, I figured Fred would
appreciate exploring among his metamorphosed gneissic cousins. We wandered and
scrambled and climbed, usually in places where teeter-tottering was important
and greenbriar offered convenient handholds, but found only shallow talus
caverns. You don’t always find caves on your ridgewalks, but you do find other
treasures:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQn9bxIO-xWRT3dC-GSrClLuLNLO64x158ffIY7XSdpgkVWj3K-cyUKOf8n2GuwL_lIpvWeARg_jmyT5ZB84MekGphh5b7zZvj9130Ct2zx8n9zeOzCb6iG7YAPpJkzJDerJGSxNTASBU/s1600/Waterfall+Small+Looking+Glass+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQn9bxIO-xWRT3dC-GSrClLuLNLO64x158ffIY7XSdpgkVWj3K-cyUKOf8n2GuwL_lIpvWeARg_jmyT5ZB84MekGphh5b7zZvj9130Ct2zx8n9zeOzCb6iG7YAPpJkzJDerJGSxNTASBU/s320/Waterfall+Small+Looking+Glass+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">The cavern depicted below was
about 40 ft off the ground and provided a flat, shady spot for our luncheon:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn2ofTZ83cdbpAOSKjR-fmzrFv5uclUeVBAd5jnDUZ6jwp0XROc9D0vFNX_0u5GN2MBgfdEdAv5UJuKZHZC_JN5IvWQznylUxa-4iPXxLQgEi5uEOeJL5tnDqh6Y0RZW54kfFEaEPC0U/s1600/Fred+Rock+Looking+Glass+Cavern+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKn2ofTZ83cdbpAOSKjR-fmzrFv5uclUeVBAd5jnDUZ6jwp0XROc9D0vFNX_0u5GN2MBgfdEdAv5UJuKZHZC_JN5IvWQznylUxa-4iPXxLQgEi5uEOeJL5tnDqh6Y0RZW54kfFEaEPC0U/s320/Fred+Rock+Looking+Glass+Cavern+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Because we hadn’t done any “real”
caving at Looking Glass, I took Fred to Gilley’s Cave in
Virginia, with Cindy Baubach, Ellen Hofler, Jennifer Daigle, Bill Balfour, Steve Bowers, and Robbie and Robert Crumpton. Gilley’s is owned
by the Appalachian Cave Conservancy and is an excellent horizontal cave for new
cavers like Fred. We wound up at the end of a walking-sized stream passage at a
meter-high waterfall, where Fred bathed like a bird:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEqliuR9e8Fp5MsYK_C7G3i4KPrQ4SPIh1YYswfyzipuilVrl8d2ZK4k_rg8Xbc2oVKVgrlyT1ojgcGH7geIflAQQyIGjeP4iWNkfd9gpk63WfYft0ZlaOpuRUkJIEB2qfg-smwQ28s4/s1600/Fred+Rock+at+Waterfall+in+Gilleys+Cave+VA+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEqliuR9e8Fp5MsYK_C7G3i4KPrQ4SPIh1YYswfyzipuilVrl8d2ZK4k_rg8Xbc2oVKVgrlyT1ojgcGH7geIflAQQyIGjeP4iWNkfd9gpk63WfYft0ZlaOpuRUkJIEB2qfg-smwQ28s4/s320/Fred+Rock+at+Waterfall+in+Gilleys+Cave+VA+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">It was time to get Fred to TAG, but rather than coop him up in a snail box, I took him to Whiteside
Mountain and personally handed him over to Charlie Gwyn. And what the hey, we figured as
long as he’s at Whiteside and SRT is in the air, who cares if it isn’t a cave? So,
Charlie took Fred for a 700-foot ride down the cliff. This photo shows Fred’s Tardis,
cleverly disguised as a red velour bag suspended under Charlie’s butt:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqyXCH045zp9Kccx_rECJwWJ6MRxoPrwASqTxw3ZbE8Atpy214OVb-XXlhwwcDpNg2S-PPgCJgjkYwPeDsw-dfkTJxi2e1r6Z8sLsCKBduxWVwNPis2LM_uy6i-ujnkJfie2Vnx1uK-s/s1600/Charles+Gwyn+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqyXCH045zp9Kccx_rECJwWJ6MRxoPrwASqTxw3ZbE8Atpy214OVb-XXlhwwcDpNg2S-PPgCJgjkYwPeDsw-dfkTJxi2e1r6Z8sLsCKBduxWVwNPis2LM_uy6i-ujnkJfie2Vnx1uK-s/s320/Charles+Gwyn+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Fred is not the only icon on the
caving trail. West Virginia caver Dave Socky told me about Horace, the “Great
Horned Owl” (</span><span style="color: #010101;">tinyurl.com/o736w9o), and Steve
M F Wolf (tinyurl.com/nfv3s7u). These beings are certainly Fred’s kindred
souls, and perhaps their paths will cross with Fred’s someday.</span></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-43456150795301281652015-09-20T14:19:00.001-04:002015-09-20T14:19:21.025-04:00Vertically Inclined on Whiteside Mountain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In preparation for upcoming Bridge Day rappelling in West
Virginia, Vertically Inclined team leader Neil Gregory set up a practice day at
Whiteside Mountain, North Carolina, for Saturday, Sep 19. He and wife Jessica
brought Kaylee Kohl and four fellow rock climbers (Greg, Neal, Ryan, and
Scott) and we were joined by Billie Karres, Scott McRae, and Charlie Gwyn. It
was a warm day and a good little hike up the mountain; indeed, a nice day on a
peak.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like my last Wiseman’s View rappelling, I couldn’t get pics
of people on rope (except at the lip and bottom), so the photos I took of the group are
mostly just smiling faces. I think Billie was the first one over the edge for
the day:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtXjc3oVwfDRfLlxlczvrGKTlouOeTlDOCmD0gVQ1I6t4zXDmF2YC5vHzkoECJkrIoNqWOGMMV29O46H6ftOfSkD2NflOrGa4z_MxfsychGyJS2zXhk9QHYGCIFJRVsiE1qVs98YGDOQ/s1600/Billie+Karres+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtXjc3oVwfDRfLlxlczvrGKTlouOeTlDOCmD0gVQ1I6t4zXDmF2YC5vHzkoECJkrIoNqWOGMMV29O46H6ftOfSkD2NflOrGa4z_MxfsychGyJS2zXhk9QHYGCIFJRVsiE1qVs98YGDOQ/s320/Billie+Karres+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Scott McRae got this shot of me geared up in an Italian-made
Alp Design full-body harness that I can wear comfortably all day and throughout
a cave:</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Charles, Kaylee, and Billie:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAI5y0ENQ-fTpfRWArqZ_hLiP7rUlC6QSKLuFQ_uRd_ULCsqC9dNN1vIV0ny7THkXSZnqqWlbV6Fnt5SZLWt-e1ouERUU8b8hDZCRZVTYWyup0AIwAJmljKlEkqdaYJLoneQiQTy7sf_I/s1600/Charles+Gwyn+n+Kaylee+Kohl+n+Billie+Karres+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAI5y0ENQ-fTpfRWArqZ_hLiP7rUlC6QSKLuFQ_uRd_ULCsqC9dNN1vIV0ny7THkXSZnqqWlbV6Fnt5SZLWt-e1ouERUU8b8hDZCRZVTYWyup0AIwAJmljKlEkqdaYJLoneQiQTy7sf_I/s320/Charles+Gwyn+n+Kaylee+Kohl+n+Billie+Karres+Whiteside+Mtn+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Neal, Ryan, and Scott:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAS02NlnIpCKyvI1frjIOskLTn_1ti22wcCc0U22OSxTfzjTBWRTeqcXHw5sekFXhHCLhT4JqqZtfH1l2QFjR_tMprWbMLdWe7hJa25YQYA08AcV_gT0eaokP0Wq95CR7OvHePiQsRsM/s1600/Neal+n+Ryan+n+Scott+Whitesides+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAS02NlnIpCKyvI1frjIOskLTn_1ti22wcCc0U22OSxTfzjTBWRTeqcXHw5sekFXhHCLhT4JqqZtfH1l2QFjR_tMprWbMLdWe7hJa25YQYA08AcV_gT0eaokP0Wq95CR7OvHePiQsRsM/s320/Neal+n+Ryan+n+Scott+Whitesides+Mtn+1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Charlie on rope:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wheeee! Kaylee!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-57273990774820068282015-06-09T11:00:00.001-04:002015-06-09T11:00:25.761-04:00State of the Rag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jonah Kidder posted to Tag-Net today a missive bemoaning
a general lack of support of grotto paper newsletters. He also suggested some
reasons for it and asked for alternative explanations. His complaint and request
are not new, to which I can add some stuff about digital caving news venues. I have
written Jonah’s sister column, Underground Online, since June 2012, during
which time I have seen a slight decrease in the number of digital cave
exploration and survey posts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think it is fair to say that most cavers will never
write a caving article, and most of those who do will write only one. Do the numbers
and it is easy to see why many grottos either have no newsletter or publish only
occasionally. I often email Facebook posters to get additional information such
as who worked on the survey or how many pounds of trash were cleaned up. Jonah’s
situation is different, so this technique may not help him much. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the beginning, there were no caving publications, just
the darkness of the caves. Cavers initially had lots of virgin cave to find and
document and they enthusiastically proceeded to do just that. However, in terms
of a national society, the most active US cavers today tend to be second and third
generation cavers, and nearly all of the low-hanging and most of the other
fruit has by now been plucked. Seldom will we write an article about mopping up
a small cave, so if that is what we did last weekend then we tend to just submit
it to the state cave survey and then Facebook it or forget it. A Facebook blurb
is simple and quick, and is where most US cavers today seem to go to count
coup.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some will say that Facebook posts are appropriate in our
fast and digital age because they are “forever,” but just try to find a lot of old
posts on heavily trafficked FB pages before a deadline like I do when
researching my column! Nope. Ain’t. If you want your accomplishments known, if
you want to leave a legacy, then forget Facebook. Alternatively, if you don’t
have time to write articles, then do post to Facebook but make it informative enough
for others to republish in the NSS News or local grotto newsletter. Perhaps grotto
newsletter editors could also monitor Facebook caving pages for local stuff to
put in their newsletters in addition to relying on more formal submissions? I had
to do that or abandon my column.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The situation is perplexing in the case of TAG, however,
as TAG still seems to have many unfound cave passages and many ridgewalkers and
surveyors. So why its dearth of articles and Facebook blurbs? Just a low in the
cycle? Beats the gut flora outa me!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-88072804421829925942015-01-30T16:18:00.000-05:002015-01-30T16:18:07.145-05:00Brooks Sink<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) yesterday
held a ground-breaking ceremony for a public-private water project. I don’t
normally go to these things, but this one was intriguing because it involved a
large sinkhole way ‘uphill’ of the Cody Scarp’s transition zone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brooks Sink is a cover-collapse sinkhole in Bradford
County FL within the Northern Highlands physiographic province:<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Cody Scarp, which marks the southern edge of the
Northern Highlands, is about six miles to the south-southwest. It is not
unusual for sinkholes and other karst features to be located within the mile-wide
transition zone uphill of the Cody Scarp, but those as far away as Brooks Sink
warrant speleo-attention. However, Brooks is on Rayonier property and is generally
off-limits to wanderers, so I signed right up when the SRWMD invited me to go
eyeball it and feed me lunch. Bruce (SW) and I drove up right at the beginning of
the first speech, so unfortunately we didn’t miss anything. There were four
political speeches and one short technical presentation. Most of the hard
information I have came from that presentation and a discussion afterward with
Luke Kelleher, forester with Rayonier.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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On Google Earth, the sink appears to be appx 225 ft long,
175 ft wide, and 85 ft from the ground surface down to the water’s surface. Its
depth below water is not listed in the Florida Cave Survey and Luke told me he
was unaware if anyone had ever cave-dived it. It is a Natural Resource of Regional
Significance according to the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The surface of the limestone in this region is a mosaic
of pinnacles and pits resembling an egg-crate and thus called cockpit karst (make
sense?). The rock was laid down flat under shallow seas. Sea level then fell
and the top of rock eroded into the cockpit form. Sea level then rose and inundated
the rock, but this time clays were deposited rather than more limestone, deeply
enough to completely mantle the cockpit karst’s tallest pinnacles. Being flat
land with impervious soils, rainfall on the Northern Highlands accumulates
rapidly and only slowly drains off, so it has lots of wetlands and small
streams. Wherever the clay is thin enough, water finds breaks in it and drains directly
into the porous limestone Floridan Aquifer. The soil at the edge of the
sinkhole is only a few feet thick, so I think Brooks Sink is a hollowed-out a
rock pinnacle. The SRWMD considers it a cover-collapse sink, that is, a cave
void that had a roof until the roof collapsed. Fossilized bat bones have been
found in the sink, indicating that one phase of the sinkhole’s life was as a
cave or cavern open to the outside and inhabited by bats.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Historically, two streams draining about a thousand acres
of the local flatwoods landscape discharged into Brooks Sink. Two sets of
ditches were excavated nearly forty years ago to connect and drain the wetlands,
the west series continuing to drain into the sink and the east series diverting
into a stream further south. The illustration below shows the east and west (blue)
streams plus one of the (red) ditches. You can see that most stream routing is straight,
indicating ditching of the original drains:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmytoGR6_2wTw_iMIIpldCPUbsGwKs7jfNctfLPAGg-9dMI6Dkv6HELYykn0onIeGunqo349_3ATsCmO0MQ-cBbgpVCo4oXLlJns32hVRp8WuFr4CoubPQfbEiPXZvpqKUhph_gbLQNvA/s1600/Brooks+Sink+Hydro+Restoration+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmytoGR6_2wTw_iMIIpldCPUbsGwKs7jfNctfLPAGg-9dMI6Dkv6HELYykn0onIeGunqo349_3ATsCmO0MQ-cBbgpVCo4oXLlJns32hVRp8WuFr4CoubPQfbEiPXZvpqKUhph_gbLQNvA/s1600/Brooks+Sink+Hydro+Restoration+1.3.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
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The project today is to place a culvert with a riser on
the east stream and re-route its waters back into the sinkhole. This is
expected to roughly double the surface water input to the aquifer, increasing
it by 220 million gallons a year. Rayonier will retain the ability to shunt
water back into the (red) ditch with the riser.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
So why is Brooks Sink here and not five miles closer to
the Cody Scarp? Is it because this pinnacle was significantly higher than the
others? Does the sink instead drain into a lineament? Water draining into it is
known to exit via a conduit on the west side of the sink, and Luke called it a “big
hole.” It is an entrance to a significant and mysterious cave, for sure.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-89471487180874886212014-12-11T10:22:00.001-05:002014-12-11T10:22:32.497-05:00Hollow Ridge Cave Gating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJhIn3BR15V9U8tmS2HkPSuipHE0PLGycQdPXM9o6kjGsje8xgGSWEuruNwoczXXRpkBNsU61JA7Q4nuHhtVbIZ4UEYJ_YUhCvpv7st5RVs7hE3zJ4R4J3IvcCsIiCId7JCk8M7978xI/s1600/Hollow+Ridge+Cave+Gate+Kristen+Bobo+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJhIn3BR15V9U8tmS2HkPSuipHE0PLGycQdPXM9o6kjGsje8xgGSWEuruNwoczXXRpkBNsU61JA7Q4nuHhtVbIZ4UEYJ_YUhCvpv7st5RVs7hE3zJ4R4J3IvcCsIiCId7JCk8M7978xI/s1600/Hollow+Ridge+Cave+Gate+Kristen+Bobo+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The State of Florida is building a public hiking trail
very close to Hollow Ridge Cave, thus exposing its decorated, biologically
important grottoes to potential vandalism. This cave is like many others in the
Florida Panhandle in having abundant stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone,
but unlike so many others in that region is owned by the Southeastern Cave
Conservancy and is open for visitation to organized cavers. It is also
biologically rich, as it floods when the adjacent river is high. During one
break, for example, Allen and I turned over a bunch of unpromising little rocks
that were off to the sides of a passage and found several juvenile Slimy
Salamanders (<i>Plethodon glutinosus</i>)
hiding underneath. A few more small rocks capped the burrows of juvenile epigean
crayfish. One tri-colored bat (<i>Perimyotis
subflavus</i>) was seen near an entrance.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Hollow Ridge Preserve manager (and property donator)
Allen Mosler orchestrated the construction of four barriers to cave entry this
past Friday through Sunday. Kristen Bobo (photo above) and her assistant, Uriah Pryor, began
construction on Friday, assisted by Tevis and Tiffany Kouts and Allen, and
nearly completed the locking gate. Kristen (on right), Tevis, and Tiffany take
a break:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9z0y14EsrBz-0QknrYEGVxGJCNs6SB7kpKE8p9AR8ba3iMdlo8ecuwc6dEv8cqriEyi4zZn6CT_kPbgNt6JGnTkiNiz3GXOd0KJndwNkKbKlKGuSk-G5nWdD18mm4ukXrQT97JnDWyY/s1600/Hollow+Ridge+Cave+Gate+Tevis+n+Tiffany+Kouts+n+Kristin+Bobo+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9z0y14EsrBz-0QknrYEGVxGJCNs6SB7kpKE8p9AR8ba3iMdlo8ecuwc6dEv8cqriEyi4zZn6CT_kPbgNt6JGnTkiNiz3GXOd0KJndwNkKbKlKGuSk-G5nWdD18mm4ukXrQT97JnDWyY/s1600/Hollow+Ridge+Cave+Gate+Tevis+n+Tiffany+Kouts+n+Kristin+Bobo+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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The gate and non-opening barriers were completed by
Kristin and Uriah on Saturday and Sunday, assisted by Allen and me. Kristen has
now completed 64 barriers and gates on caves in ten states. Her predecessor,
Roy Powers, constructed perhaps another 200.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The gate and barriers are made of thick steel welded into
a bat-friendly pattern patented by the American Cave Conservation Association
(ACCA). The bars are just a little too narrow for a human head to pass through,
giving bats the greatest opening size to fly through. The ACCA design makes
trespassing almost impossible, thus thwarting nearly all vandals. Their gates
are of relatively simple design, a good thing considering the weight and cost
of steel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
More steel was bought for the project than was actually
used, as there was a potential problem that fortunately didn’t arise. The
estimated 1500 lbs of extra metal was therefore donated by Allen toward the
re-gating of Warrens Cave, Florida’s longest dry cave. Allen loaned me his haul
trailer and I drove the material back to McIntosh that night, unfortunately at
only 50 mph due to exciting fishtailing events that recurred at speeds in
excess of that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Guy Yates made a special trip on Monday to retrieve the welding
gas tanks and return them to the vendor in Tallahassee. The following
Wednesday, Jim Smith, James Claus, Sleazeweazel, and I unloaded the steel into a
friend’s garage for storage until the Warrens re-gating can be done. In a
pleasant surprise, caver Adam Scherer was driving by and stopped to socialize a
bit when he saw all the NSS bat stickers.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-90004853599823920772014-11-06T17:16:00.004-05:002014-11-06T17:16:58.076-05:00Chimney Top Mountain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #010101;">Mike
and Sue invited me to join them on the 5<sup>th</sup> for a hike to the summit
of Chimney Top Mountain near Cashiers, NC. The property is a nature preserve
operated by a local conservation trust but owned by a vacation resort company.
Mike treated some of their hemlocks for the dreaded hemlock wooly adelgid, the
tiny insect that is ravaging Eastern hemlocks, so he gets hiking privileges
there even though the trails are not open to the public. What a treat! A day in
a nature preserve forested in mature hardwoods on trails populated by just us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">We
ate lunch at the top of the tallest peak of the mountain (of course) where
there was a nice view of one of the mountain’s lower peaks and ridges:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGYSeYrol5-UIhsKrwIK-nh8_ssJzes2N10EdE-gxa-7Pdgpnsh33DDf2J5APt2B9g0qzIJGR7rAfOD1y-sNJ2KV1ZpkkaVGx4n_HzsDWHZA6GlWm9D-sFye6g2vSh-4YIGRsBL9OEtc/s1600/Chimney+Top+Mtn+Lower+Peak+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGYSeYrol5-UIhsKrwIK-nh8_ssJzes2N10EdE-gxa-7Pdgpnsh33DDf2J5APt2B9g0qzIJGR7rAfOD1y-sNJ2KV1ZpkkaVGx4n_HzsDWHZA6GlWm9D-sFye6g2vSh-4YIGRsBL9OEtc/s1600/Chimney+Top+Mtn+Lower+Peak+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">One
short side trail goes through this little rock shelter:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8h85FM9_FDAi1nS_1NAfxCaoBSdW5G15El2mPuhdvl_QCPbCwIP1CRHQzLOzY9Oyj0RE6cOTlcMl8c_XSnJxbMyqPIhYjmw6bMY-UMyhtzjVwx9hq76yRysP0XY9JUbLRs_nzmg7_1o/s1600/Chimney+Top+Mtn+Rock+Shelter+n+the+Kettles+2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8h85FM9_FDAi1nS_1NAfxCaoBSdW5G15El2mPuhdvl_QCPbCwIP1CRHQzLOzY9Oyj0RE6cOTlcMl8c_XSnJxbMyqPIhYjmw6bMY-UMyhtzjVwx9hq76yRysP0XY9JUbLRs_nzmg7_1o/s1600/Chimney+Top+Mtn+Rock+Shelter+n+the+Kettles+2.3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">The
trail system includes this little bog that occurs along one of the preserve
creeks:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42n-FjCk4CQYZx4VyP1EGda7bT3mJByoYvhdaYyE8GDJ_BGibr8Che92ja671QsuW_RFdf2Gn_0p9dtyp0MceTye3v3Py9cYtDiLm0Uc3QNS4JqiAx03Ea0lt268Vg1yzJRsvdtoqAwg/s1600/Bog+Chimney+Top+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42n-FjCk4CQYZx4VyP1EGda7bT3mJByoYvhdaYyE8GDJ_BGibr8Che92ja671QsuW_RFdf2Gn_0p9dtyp0MceTye3v3Py9cYtDiLm0Uc3QNS4JqiAx03Ea0lt268Vg1yzJRsvdtoqAwg/s1600/Bog+Chimney+Top+Mtn+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #010101;">There
was an odd-looking structure within the bog that consisted of a section of 8-
or 10-inch diameter plastic drainage pipe with one end contained within a wire
cage. It may have been placed at a destroyed beaver dam, and may or may not be
associated with beaver control:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuACggNfy7nS8bpW79JIPx3pSjjGPUM84PRiUxhH4yAf-nLoRZF6ean1zf0tCbUpVeQkfbTdAQdNplFu0nD0PXMgttVG_2roSFFsOBOFjdqBSpPHzheucgNz4jvB0fNk0CEkayLZvU5bo/s1600/Unkn+Drainage+Structure+at+Bog+Chimney+Top+Mtn+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuACggNfy7nS8bpW79JIPx3pSjjGPUM84PRiUxhH4yAf-nLoRZF6ean1zf0tCbUpVeQkfbTdAQdNplFu0nD0PXMgttVG_2roSFFsOBOFjdqBSpPHzheucgNz4jvB0fNk0CEkayLZvU5bo/s1600/Unkn+Drainage+Structure+at+Bog+Chimney+Top+Mtn+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #010101;">The
preserve has a trail along the base of its largest cliff, which we walked but
did not explore off-trail to the cliff or its boulder field. Maybe I can get
back there sometime and poke around the cliff base and talus field.</span></div>
</div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-12421395017173544432014-10-19T15:43:00.003-04:002014-10-21T19:11:57.336-04:00My First Bridge Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">I
was invited to attend Bridge Day by a small group of rock climbers after their
team leader, Neil, read one of my Wiseman’s View rappelling posts. The team is
vertically very competent and possesses excellent late-model equipment,
including a brand-new thousand-foot static rope, no wonder considering that
some of them are fire and rescue professionals. They also like to have fun. In
fact, everyone I encountered on the bridge on Bridge Day seemed to be exuding
excitement and good humor, starting with Vertically Inclined team leader Neil
and his wife Jessica:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqRrM6onGtYPP_LlBaLDIQ0rVs1JjyEZ6h5ke-VqwmX-nz0JjHrKR4oOM7BCzbYBaRSk63-y39L7I55xc3iLpUxKaUNSucFmWKwVo4OKqeEIQ-FqmOM8ATzJpABjR2JO-pzbmeeJsIig/s1600/Neil+n+Jessica+Gregory+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqRrM6onGtYPP_LlBaLDIQ0rVs1JjyEZ6h5ke-VqwmX-nz0JjHrKR4oOM7BCzbYBaRSk63-y39L7I55xc3iLpUxKaUNSucFmWKwVo4OKqeEIQ-FqmOM8ATzJpABjR2JO-pzbmeeJsIig/s1600/Neil+n+Jessica+Gregory+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">I
did four 800+ ft rappels, the longest rappels of my life. Our rope passed
through the tree canopy, as these three pics illustrate:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUh4W-_glhpaB6mKqXrdmUJjKuyUO14joCRfxST8OgZ0Wj90C6E5BxHU0UTOveDEePyBJtntPjUvLCWLj2U5Z-O67e00R2LFmGmi5V3jmpg7NcXO-KNd1gBq83a4CLt9yEOGuGhook0iI/s1600/Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUh4W-_glhpaB6mKqXrdmUJjKuyUO14joCRfxST8OgZ0Wj90C6E5BxHU0UTOveDEePyBJtntPjUvLCWLj2U5Z-O67e00R2LFmGmi5V3jmpg7NcXO-KNd1gBq83a4CLt9yEOGuGhook0iI/s1600/Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYtdfDsBXdFQ66qY59yPZSIVK-SmhKcwneeOJpoqWypMi80NgJFkkUIe0cO9EmAv4j1VjQOYLPj-nok132jfRpfEDaWhwQYE6BCYIyYDAspHF7D0PuL3EVkYJHc7Vgw-pEjMrEbzhUy4/s1600/Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYtdfDsBXdFQ66qY59yPZSIVK-SmhKcwneeOJpoqWypMi80NgJFkkUIe0cO9EmAv4j1VjQOYLPj-nok132jfRpfEDaWhwQYE6BCYIyYDAspHF7D0PuL3EVkYJHc7Vgw-pEjMrEbzhUy4/s1600/Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+2.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkScqsGJw4AqJAlMfdOjeyx_aaiGi3urkNdDab1ev-wUpnnBUd4SMvmkLaISxI6zKVlLkNu1Q-QTOdbh6nBAb746gVVqAJ5lk9yiL6KKEfRRd5KgjyG9lUJu5_3RSrW8DTreKHCsaqzA/s1600/Carrie+Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+3.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkScqsGJw4AqJAlMfdOjeyx_aaiGi3urkNdDab1ev-wUpnnBUd4SMvmkLaISxI6zKVlLkNu1Q-QTOdbh6nBAb746gVVqAJ5lk9yiL6KKEfRRd5KgjyG9lUJu5_3RSrW8DTreKHCsaqzA/s1600/Carrie+Rappelling+Through+Trees+Bridge+Day+3.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #010101;">The
bottom of our drop was not friendly. The slope was quite steep, and the slick mud
soil covered with loose, wet leaves and small rocks caused quite a few slips
and falls. We also had to be careful not to land in a briar patch composed of
blackberry, greenbriar and wild rose, but these things comes with the turf and
no one seemed to mind.</span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">The
weather was ok, being only mildly windy and cold, and it rained for only a
misty bit. Shuttle buses ran so frequently that there was always a bus at the
bottom of the bridge when I was ready to go back topside. My team members have
been to numerous Bridge Day events, so rigging and de-rigging the rope was fast
and efficient. Despite one instance of a base jumper gliding into (fortunately
unoccupied) rappelling ropes and another (two?) base jumper parachutes getting
snagged in trees, no one was injured.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">Over
300 people signed up for rappelling. This next photo gives you a small idea of
how many ropes dangled from the steel precipice:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsBqcYE1xiRuTQ0zSr_o1se_I3mShHkOw6ZMXwTxu88C25iNT6t6w3lHsU0aI9v1inil4H-ZvzHdOUQ62D5GQSICljqeQdJPzwZ_4ZWaGBpok7ODztKHeHumMf0maggU8Ia4aPSBCsM8/s1600/A+Harp+of+Ropes+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsBqcYE1xiRuTQ0zSr_o1se_I3mShHkOw6ZMXwTxu88C25iNT6t6w3lHsU0aI9v1inil4H-ZvzHdOUQ62D5GQSICljqeQdJPzwZ_4ZWaGBpok7ODztKHeHumMf0maggU8Ia4aPSBCsM8/s1600/A+Harp+of+Ropes+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #010101;">But
not to worry – this high density of ropes is a trick of the camera. There were
only two ropes at each anchor station, so those ropes were actually quite well
spread out. Teams rig their ropes under the bridge from the catwalk, which is
quite narrow as this photo of Ellen shows:</span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsproi4ZQgnoQEOHltYTyJVIGluwgkLtm_wgm7D3n0MwABZh9meJA6L6KfYPNUZ9DUO0N9b78huglZ_U1uUqZPG-hzdcexZTVYKwZbIwHq0rHDPCTeNyjcaGE_Lb_mOg2qh7shTp8GHk/s1600/Ellen+Hofler+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsproi4ZQgnoQEOHltYTyJVIGluwgkLtm_wgm7D3n0MwABZh9meJA6L6KfYPNUZ9DUO0N9b78huglZ_U1uUqZPG-hzdcexZTVYKwZbIwHq0rHDPCTeNyjcaGE_Lb_mOg2qh7shTp8GHk/s1600/Ellen+Hofler+Bridge+Day+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #010101;">There
is a side story to this rappelling event. The previous week, when Mike, Sue and
I visited Whiteside Mountain, Mike found a walkie-talkie. Sue opined that it might
have been lost by rappellers, as she knew that several groups had been to
Whitesides in prep for Bridge Day, and therefore suggested that I take it to West Virginia for the event and try to find its owner. I asked around and
learned that a member of the safety team had indeed lost one at Whitesides on
the right day. By sleuthing around some more, I learned that it belonged to Matt,
but I could not find him so I passed the unit on to Neil, who then was to
connect with Matt at the VBATs Team party. If successful, the lost item took a
lengthy route back to its owner: Mike & Sue > Buford > Neil >
Matt. That’s four levels of separation over three days and across 300 miles!</span>
</div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-47818867146371204772014-10-02T17:07:00.000-04:002014-10-02T17:07:14.562-04:00Decision Memo, USDA Southern Region<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFcfz5CXvWhtinwNEUQBiu1eUoiWUpwXcyw4p4AA6sIUd0FzzQyJiFtpC9_Zs36M2-F4vsg9oqfsu2YpZL1mnCIHsPQYe4Qd2Edogb-TgD8WijuylTgiWkhZdawrVdferehfe-_0xs84/s1600/USDA+FS+Ltr+NC+Cave+Access+2014-09-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFcfz5CXvWhtinwNEUQBiu1eUoiWUpwXcyw4p4AA6sIUd0FzzQyJiFtpC9_Zs36M2-F4vsg9oqfsu2YpZL1mnCIHsPQYe4Qd2Edogb-TgD8WijuylTgiWkhZdawrVdferehfe-_0xs84/s1600/USDA+FS+Ltr+NC+Cave+Access+2014-09-30.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">A
USDA-Forest Service (FS) biologist presented at the Huntsville 2014 NSS
Convention his agency’s stance on protecting cave resources on FS lands in
light of WNS. FS recognizes that it does not have the staff or expertise to
obtain the information necessary to professionally manage national forest
caves. The take-away for cavers is that FS says it genuinely wants project cavers
to document FS cave resources and report findings back to FS. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">For
sure, some of the caves that cavers report back on will be closed to further
recreational caving. I imagine this list would include those that have high
scientific, cultural, or educational values. FS also reminded us that
recreation is a major mission of national forests, so I imagine that popular
places would remain open. However, I have no indication how FS will manage all
the other, mostly wild caves in national forests. I am hoping they can obtain
enough information from caver reports to be able to address this gray area in
addition to identifying high- and low-value caves. To that end, my reports to
FS will be chock full of cave resource information <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in context</i></b> plus
management recommendations.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">I
already had a draft letter on the computer when I listened to the FS
presentation. It was based on the Decision Memo and requested permission to
assess caves in two areas on two national forests in North Carolina. After
convention, I returned to the draft letter, polished it up, and attached two
resumes of myself (one of my professional background and one of caving), and
mailed it off. Two weeks later, I received the response that they were going to
grant the requested authorization but it might take a little extra time because
it was the first application they had received and they wanted “to do it
right.” Head’s-up, fair enough.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">Six
weeks later, I now have written authorization in hand giving access to caves
within both requested areas for a year. It is renewable upon submission of
another written request, provided that I satisfy all reporting requirements (which
I had already volunteered to do) and other stipulations including decon. The stipulations
are not trivial, but I believe they are reasonable and that cavers in general
already follow them. And it isn’t like you gotta jump through hoops, after all
the first rule of politics is, “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” Also,
their letter asks me to do some things additional to what I had asked for, but the
add-ons are things I enjoy doing, so in that respect FS is giving me more than I
asked for.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">I
urge other project cavers to submit their own requests. The precedent is set
and a protocol to process requests is in place. The Southern Region of FS has
demonstrated that it will grant access and I’m here to opine that the stipulations
are reasonable. If you have a Southern Region national forest cave project in
mind, or one on hold, you should now have all the encouragement you need to
submit your own written requests.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-71694672338354139612014-09-18T14:26:00.000-04:002014-09-18T14:26:16.316-04:00Granite City Surface Survey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #010101;">I
have been back to Granite City six times since my last blog post about it, doing
a surface survey of its cliffs, block lines, and cavern and cave entrances. It
is slow going, as the work has been done solo, but the big picture of its
geology is falling into place. There are now six known overhead environments that
are 30 ft or more in length, a distance that meets most state definitions of a
cave. However, the North Carolina Cave Survey follows the smaller-sized international
definition (large enough for a person to get into), and there are several more voids
fitting that measure.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">I
finally found Granite City Cave, the longest cave in the system at 303 ft in
length. I have searched for it on almost every trip out there, but have just
been looking in all the wrong places. Now the overall system is known to
include pretty much all sections of the tectonic gneiss cave continuum from
closed fractures to canyon and talus caves to open canyons to rocky soil. It is
an ideal location for developing and illustrating a model of Carolina tectonic
gneiss cave evolution.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #010101;">Essentially
all of the field survey is now completed for the purpose of plan-view mapping. Probably
only one or two more field trips will be needed to survey several
cross-sections across the system’s profile. Surveying all the system’s caves is
next on the list. Cato and his companions surveyed only Granite City Cave, although
I will resurvey it to be consistent with the rest of my work. My resurvey
probably won’t differ significantly from Cato’s version except for cross-sections
and interior features.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">The
site’s parking area is essentially a dirt flat in front of the trail that leads
up to the caves, with a partially-collapsed steel culvert to drain it. The
Forest Service might one day want to spread rock over this parking spot. The
area has a little trash, mostly soda cans and plastic water bottles, which should
be picked up and recycled periodically by an outdoor group. Similarly, the
access trail is informal and becoming a gully, and an outdoor group should
volunteer to armor it. There is very little graffiti, most of which is inside
Granite City Cave. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">You
enter Main Street first when arriving at the rock formation area:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu30C9KFFHbXy8U7w1dNpW6uCWualUWQu-u7qPforCmUYITwjC25c_iQmUBYNyysNT7-tnzIB5oDsFCmQJXtRrMttbGtPkVCvq2EQf3HWa5fSPgGXtqm8bQ-ZNcCe4szsTrCRWGjRnxvM/s1600/Main+Street+N+Granite+City+2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu30C9KFFHbXy8U7w1dNpW6uCWualUWQu-u7qPforCmUYITwjC25c_iQmUBYNyysNT7-tnzIB5oDsFCmQJXtRrMttbGtPkVCvq2EQf3HWa5fSPgGXtqm8bQ-ZNcCe4szsTrCRWGjRnxvM/s1600/Main+Street+N+Granite+City+2.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #010101;">Second
Street is uphill of Main, and Third Street is higher still up the hill:</span>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpjgAGaFUHEl7gp52n5MmbopBEmtnGSunnoVVngfiI7gD6yd_-ZYt-s8tOD1Ur-moqArlhA_v9EaFlZ3QKuVdp6YuAXj9TggY7pLVm4j9U0tbhmj2XDp65uURIu-6NzLYMsHTRDx121c/s1600/Third+Street+Granite+City+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpjgAGaFUHEl7gp52n5MmbopBEmtnGSunnoVVngfiI7gD6yd_-ZYt-s8tOD1Ur-moqArlhA_v9EaFlZ3QKuVdp6YuAXj9TggY7pLVm4j9U0tbhmj2XDp65uURIu-6NzLYMsHTRDx121c/s1600/Third+Street+Granite+City+1.3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">This
photo shows a reddish-brown biofilm on the upper two-thirds of the 30-foot high
cliff that forms the upper side of Third Street:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-lZpFYLMol-cswNFWsqjqfZyhyphenhyphen4Yz4iOy6psOpy9_uivLCfUKxeC_1sKDz8PrxkUfQG7qBTO_pbXETHo8EF_NmO1tsOnSmc_TIsMj_tnF0n8mSE203F7w2L5c5Q4G6awTV7752amWlY/s1600/Biofilm+Granite+City+Cliff+2.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-lZpFYLMol-cswNFWsqjqfZyhyphenhyphen4Yz4iOy6psOpy9_uivLCfUKxeC_1sKDz8PrxkUfQG7qBTO_pbXETHo8EF_NmO1tsOnSmc_TIsMj_tnF0n8mSE203F7w2L5c5Q4G6awTV7752amWlY/s1600/Biofilm+Granite+City+Cliff+2.3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Various
secondary deposits paint the inside of many of Granite City’s older caverns.
This photo shows mostly a white “dusted” deposit that may be silica:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqGFz9gAHdhGG_0Ok9kMQx8C05WV0IpJOZ-8BNla7kqRGFbTHHYjP66LpMwn8yqLNW54otDknmGwybps6FoqjxxKC1_nuS1Vhad4TW6MoqUH6fnRS_slnfqJtwsUyUVJlGso3tYR6vbs/s1600/White+n+Tan+n+Brown+Formations+Granite+City+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqGFz9gAHdhGG_0Ok9kMQx8C05WV0IpJOZ-8BNla7kqRGFbTHHYjP66LpMwn8yqLNW54otDknmGwybps6FoqjxxKC1_nuS1Vhad4TW6MoqUH6fnRS_slnfqJtwsUyUVJlGso3tYR6vbs/s1600/White+n+Tan+n+Brown+Formations+Granite+City+1.3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">The
dusting is very thin, perhaps less than a millimeter. But remember that the
rock is black-and-white gneiss, yet these walls have no such hues, so what caused
the earth colors? Upon close inspection, the tan material looks like dried
biofilm and the rusty red could be plain rust, a different kind of biofilm, a
different kind of secondary formation, or surface induration.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">The
gray-checked salamander (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Plethodon
metcalfi</i>) is uncommon here in comparison to less-commonly visited gneiss
caves. This six-incher was seen in a sheltered ledge containing the remains of
a woodrat nest:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmZGBG-kcViybQJYeaPwiu4pEXlJPJeJ5FOAes-PNtqJYuUiPI8QgjwEBLUkrA8SqMsq-iQcMCipwu9zl4F0WH15UrnfaTipapxctgNJag8mBzpoWVemARJymlmscp4cqBcUBb4etUbY/s1600/Plethodon+metcalfi+Granite+City+in+Pocket+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmZGBG-kcViybQJYeaPwiu4pEXlJPJeJ5FOAes-PNtqJYuUiPI8QgjwEBLUkrA8SqMsq-iQcMCipwu9zl4F0WH15UrnfaTipapxctgNJag8mBzpoWVemARJymlmscp4cqBcUBb4etUbY/s1600/Plethodon+metcalfi+Granite+City+in+Pocket+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Granite
City is one of the most beautiful natural areas I have explored in NC, with its
cliffs, block lines, mature hardwood trees, and rhododendrons. Other visitors
have usually left by 1300 hrs, leaving this premier place all to Buford Nature.
</span></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942890829412362673.post-24655441346594172142014-08-09T10:26:00.000-04:002014-08-12T10:41:41.463-04:00Wiseman's View Portraits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #010101;">As
mentioned in the previous blog post, our Sunday rappelling practice at Wiseman’s
View in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina, was organized and led by
Ellen from the Flittermouse Grotto. Nine people attended, including Amel and
Kami from the Cullman Grotto in Alabama that just happened to be “in town.” Other
members were Ellen’s husband John, Lee and Ann from the South Carolina
Interstate Grotto, and Flittermouse members Jon and Jim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">This
post is different from what I usually do in the blog. Rather than discuss the
cliff and rappelling, I’m instead posting portrait photos of cavers on the edge,
happy in their element. I hope readers can use these pics to look into the
faces of ordinary cavers to see what any person is capable of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Because
it’s my blog, I’ll lead off with a shot of me, taken by Ellen:</span><span style="color: #010101;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Y8590mV8jAwajZOVzx1zk-g4d3G9_qi2hyW_qw4lmy4F74J7wsLRtQq83rY0scfAbgqvYFVZl2J7v6v6OnsJN6PyOFQne3U7IlZKcdrc2bMiNbhaXRaKwZ1aoMSiOFhdNTTQaBq_4g/s1600/Buford+Wisemans+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Y8590mV8jAwajZOVzx1zk-g4d3G9_qi2hyW_qw4lmy4F74J7wsLRtQq83rY0scfAbgqvYFVZl2J7v6v6OnsJN6PyOFQne3U7IlZKcdrc2bMiNbhaXRaKwZ1aoMSiOFhdNTTQaBq_4g/s1600/Buford+Wisemans+1.3.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"> </span><span style="color: #010101;">Then
a shot of Ellen:</span><span style="color: #010101;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwyya-Wt_BscpfNv-nTnKXF39aXEj1W1LWVAq56HofYkAOiG7nmbH6VFVgym6wVoH2bLBdvVXBdF0K_tDJ0eS6C44j4Rcqwsviwf0goxw29KZ6N7fM5JduickJhSfa3blt7i9hEW4hTw/s1600/Ellen+Wisemans+View+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwyya-Wt_BscpfNv-nTnKXF39aXEj1W1LWVAq56HofYkAOiG7nmbH6VFVgym6wVoH2bLBdvVXBdF0K_tDJ0eS6C44j4Rcqwsviwf0goxw29KZ6N7fM5JduickJhSfa3blt7i9hEW4hTw/s1600/Ellen+Wisemans+View+1.3.jpg" height="320" width="305" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;"> </span><span style="color: #010101;">Lee:</span><span style="color: #010101;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmdG6rnm6pHAzyS9vj4ieRdgMnTFyqD0pthnxdZ6_VpeU9ltnFiG-d8ABwBySBTjRFIFfTwlvCP6jRm89qkf3ERKA1Tat0qje_CyPJLTEIsNQXDtbKZ-LyFOKDny1uTTjwgonft0fSfc/s1600/Lee+the+Happy+Rappeller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmdG6rnm6pHAzyS9vj4ieRdgMnTFyqD0pthnxdZ6_VpeU9ltnFiG-d8ABwBySBTjRFIFfTwlvCP6jRm89qkf3ERKA1Tat0qje_CyPJLTEIsNQXDtbKZ-LyFOKDny1uTTjwgonft0fSfc/s1600/Lee+the+Happy+Rappeller.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPARgMaN3DathPBquYgcsYzDiOCzlvghW4Mvl9gkgzk4E2086TbOGNEC5-uziIMS425gf-8spQDGHozDbaW5QbcqkZUbtmJdl1291OwlyzRYJQsvo3mU_4Lk4q2Q0ZdlzS9wD0RusIDQ/s1600/Lee+Wisemans+Confident+1.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPARgMaN3DathPBquYgcsYzDiOCzlvghW4Mvl9gkgzk4E2086TbOGNEC5-uziIMS425gf-8spQDGHozDbaW5QbcqkZUbtmJdl1291OwlyzRYJQsvo3mU_4Lk4q2Q0ZdlzS9wD0RusIDQ/s1600/Lee+Wisemans+Confident+1.2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Amel:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6r_BPlLq80iBT__vY9tXEKuen-Pg_x3Wrv942GQQrUpuMVMelC6I45CRi6Rtcmlov82OIhSHn_wWGOEC6EKrabM_TJtJwLJKByhtrGgFL_KxQOU1kfEsJI2sDdqNA0nU02RydU43U8M8/s1600/Amel+Wisemans+1.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6r_BPlLq80iBT__vY9tXEKuen-Pg_x3Wrv942GQQrUpuMVMelC6I45CRi6Rtcmlov82OIhSHn_wWGOEC6EKrabM_TJtJwLJKByhtrGgFL_KxQOU1kfEsJI2sDdqNA0nU02RydU43U8M8/s1600/Amel+Wisemans+1.2.jpg" height="279" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Jon:</span><span style="color: #010101;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK6mZZP6t5UOcabBnJG3ObLkKBghGZuwmfP-roakM2D8oQ_o8Ird9ikqZqCnf6j-BLNJG4RRL9HrNbj3RRZf8jZetYZ8N8SwZXaiy_ymOJfjrXy5lZhX8trJQnBfvkbX2BrMpra2G3eo/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK6mZZP6t5UOcabBnJG3ObLkKBghGZuwmfP-roakM2D8oQ_o8Ird9ikqZqCnf6j-BLNJG4RRL9HrNbj3RRZf8jZetYZ8N8SwZXaiy_ymOJfjrXy5lZhX8trJQnBfvkbX2BrMpra2G3eo/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+1.jpg" height="263" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkDtL88Cz8skYCLTDIXd0IZQnB_k4T2MoiV_Vi5i3nni3UKKOztLnp_sYNuY6-2YHLCodU_1z-khsyn3Ib3EibJK_ZAXojOy5chkCykoxeV1xZ-Tuy0mWrwj6XtKKFgM5oKjFr9N6yvY/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkDtL88Cz8skYCLTDIXd0IZQnB_k4T2MoiV_Vi5i3nni3UKKOztLnp_sYNuY6-2YHLCodU_1z-khsyn3Ib3EibJK_ZAXojOy5chkCykoxeV1xZ-Tuy0mWrwj6XtKKFgM5oKjFr9N6yvY/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+2.jpg" height="296" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrErdgymyU_DCZ1ZGuE6aY4x64PWruvy2BhLwsdYZWrdY3k_WcaJxq1ku5A0EgnPzKs9UQcv8KKXGcUDSyUKtMFb4eUzNJUn_tjlerxgxeWwgIl5PA3SjIyfwarJDRZKJSYs8d7hZCxw/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrErdgymyU_DCZ1ZGuE6aY4x64PWruvy2BhLwsdYZWrdY3k_WcaJxq1ku5A0EgnPzKs9UQcv8KKXGcUDSyUKtMFb4eUzNJUn_tjlerxgxeWwgIl5PA3SjIyfwarJDRZKJSYs8d7hZCxw/s1600/Jon+Wisemans+3.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Lastly, a portrait of Hawksbill as observed through the haze from Wiseman’s:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjsn_32K8-0qWP5EvcVp2B2jKf2yrxgXf6gbPqhRKMHPdl_x6wGOSDigRdplT-HDMTPcNCT3cq1Y_XyEuaH7_RrFCrOpiSSMStAXX_-9jUf9h2sVS1Y8Ru7mMBqgHcw2LvZm8rCyu2ek/s1600/Table+Rock+from+Wisemans+View+1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjsn_32K8-0qWP5EvcVp2B2jKf2yrxgXf6gbPqhRKMHPdl_x6wGOSDigRdplT-HDMTPcNCT3cq1Y_XyEuaH7_RrFCrOpiSSMStAXX_-9jUf9h2sVS1Y8Ru7mMBqgHcw2LvZm8rCyu2ek/s1600/Table+Rock+from+Wisemans+View+1.3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">I'd like to explore every one of those cliffs!</span></div>
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Buford Naturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14657555328626398940noreply@blogger.com3