May 2000 Near Normal News
FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND
Jim Jacobs
Welcome to the May issue of the Near Normal News, which coincides with the May meeting of the Near Normal Grotto,
except that because of Memorial day, the May meeting actually takes place in June. Just like the November meeting
takes place in December. Hm-m-m! Just how do we actually keep people unconfused long enough to get to meetings
at the same time?
We're off to a good start on our program of scheduling more group caving adventures. Lara Storm organized the
yearly trip to Wayne's Lost, and things went off without a hitch. (We are going to miss Lara when she goes off
to graduate school)! More details on this Wayne's adventure can be found in my trip report later in this issue.
Larry Bird's presentation at the last meeting was a bundle of news, and no mistake! He is now the BlackBall
Mine Site Interpreter, and Project Director for the LaSalle County Historical Society. There will be lots of interesting
conservation projects that we can participate in. There's a lot of history up that way, and the BBM is like a
very friendly cave. Please add Larry's email address as: CanalBird@aol.com.
IN THIS ISSUE:
· TROY SIMPSON reviews the CamelBak water carrier
· A prominent caving area is deeded to the state of Tennessee
· STEVE TAYLOR has done more caving and tells all. Maps galore!
· JEFF WALASZEK reports on the Equality Cave cleanup
· The infamous DR. BEANER strikes again
· More Echoes from President JULIE ANGEL
· JIM JACOBS makes an uncomfortable discovery
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING
March 24, 2000
Called to order by President Julie Angel. Present: Jim Jacobs, Earl Neller, Troy J. Simpson, Tim Sickbert, Brett
Bennett, Len Storm, Lara Storm, Dave Carson, Matthew Carson, Beth Reinke, John Schirle, Ben Moss, Barb Capocy,
Steve Taylor.
OFFICERS REPORTS: The minutes of the February meeting were approved as printed in the NEWS. David Carson delivered
the treasurer's report. Approved
OLD BUSINESS: Julie A. reported that we have no reporting obligations for the I.R.S. There was general applause.
NEW BUSINESS: Julie A., Beth R., and Steve T. want to organize a trip the weekend after labor day (Sept. 8-10),
to the Meramec/Onandaga area. We did this one a few years ago, and had a great time! Lara S. announced an April
15th cave cleanup in Equality Cave (S. Ill) sponsored by the Little Egypt Grotto. Earl talked about the MVOR,
May 19-21, sponsored by the Ozark Highland grotto. Thanks to Lara for organizing the trip to Wayne's. Brett B.
announced that his daughter is getting an award at the Illinois State Museum for an essay on water quality. Tim
Sickbert's corrected email address is, tsckbrt @abelink.com.
TRIP REPORTS: Wayne's. general discussion about methods of dealing with the cave, such as elbow and shin pads.
Steve and Julie went to Leonard Springs Nature Park, Shirley Springs Cave and others, and did some survey. Julie
and Beth did a school presentation at Robeson Elementary at science night. They used posters, cavebooks, slides,
and the cave squeeze box. Steve's research is winding down a bit. Marc T. went with him last time.
UPCOMING TRIPS: NSS convention in June, Speloeofest in KY. Mammoth Cave, April 22 (Easter weekend). Lara is still
talking about a trip to Shaft, Greeneye etc., with possible vertical practice the weekend before. Adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Jacobs
Secretary
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING
April 28, 2000
Called to order at 7:20 by President Julie Angel. Present: Lara Storm, Jim Jacobs, Larry Bird, Dave Carson, Beth
Reinke, John Marquart, John Walther, Earl Neller.
OFFICERS REPORTS: The minutes of the March meeting were read by Jim J. Approved after one correction by Earl Neller.
Treasurer Dave Carson did not have a full report prepared, but stated that we have a balance of $374.30. He will
provide a full report to be published in the next NEWS.
OLD BUSINESS: The revised by-laws have been received from the lawyer. Moved and seconded that we adopt. Carried.
Lara reported on the ISS meeting (subbing for John M). John is looking for someone to replace him as our delegate.
She also reported on the cleanup trip to Equality Cave. Lots of string. Much more to do.
Larry Bird reported on the situation at the Blackball Mine. He is now the Site Interpreter and Project Director
for the LaSalle County Historical Society. They will be doing shoring up and graffiti removal. He had a scary
confrontation with hunters. He may have been shot at. He helped in getting three people arrested with drugs and
guns. They have arrested some 4-wheelers. The State has cut some trees across the paths. They will bring in
coal mine inspectors, maybe start tours someday. Lots of projects coming. He brought a display that he made of
very old bottles that he found in the field where the BlackBall Mine Hotel used to be in the mid-1800's. He also
had some old pictures with it. The old car that covered the shaft is now down in it.
Julia talked about Norm's email letter about the Mammoth project. Any time one is scheduled, everyone is invited.
TRIP REPORTS: Lara and Steve went to Running Bull Cave in Perry County, MO to collect some critters. John W. took
ISU students to Ill. Caverns. Adjourned.
Lara S. gave an excellent presentation on Volcanism and the formation of lava tubes.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Jacobs
Secretary
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ECHOES FROM THE PRESIDENT…
Julie Angel
Hi Near Normals,
I can't believe it's May already!! Where is the year going? I wanted to pass along a few reminders for upcoming
activities and encourage you to be thinking about other activities you'd like to see the grotto take part in:
CHANGE IN MAY MEETING DATE: Our May meeting will take place Friday, June 2nd, at the bank. The date was changed
this year due to the fourth Friday conflicting with Memorial Day weekend (and Speleofest!). Jeff Walascek has
volunteered to organize a fall trip to Devil's Icebox, Columbia, MO, so we'll need to gather together the names
of those who are interested ASAP. A permit must be obtained from the state park superintendent - and should be
applied for sometime in June.
A committee was formed at our March meeting to plan a Fall trip to the Meramec/Onondoga Cave area in Missouri,
September 8-10th, 2000. We'll be discussing details at upcoming meetings, so come get the scoop. We're envisioning
a trip similar to one that our grotto took with Mark Twain Grotto to that same area several years ago. There were
canoe trips, rappelling practice, cave trips, and I understand some pretty darn good story and joke telling around
the campfire! So mark your calendars and Beth, Steve and myself will keep you posted during the planning stage.
We do plan to invite Mark Twain Grotto to join us!!!
VOLUNTEER NEEDED- NEAR NORMAL ISS REPRESENTATIVE: John Marquart has enthusiastically served as the Near Normal
representative to the Illinois Speleological Survey for the past several years, and has asked for a much deserved
break from these duties. It is important that our grotto remain connected to ISS for a variety of reasons. ISS
makes decisions about cave policies throughout the state and we want to have our vote count in the decision making
process as much as any other grotto. SO, we are in need of another person who is willing to attend two meetings
a year (I believe they are usually on Sunday) to represent the grotto. Please contact me or give John a call to
find out more details about being the rep. ISS just had a meeting, so you wouldn't need to attend another ISS
meeting until Fall. Please help us out!
MAMMOTH CAVE RESTORATION FIELD CAMPS - Norm Rogers would like to remind everyone that the weekend and weeklong
camps are open to anyone who would like to participate in the ongoing Echo River project at Mammoth Cave National
Park. You can contact Norm via our grotto website by accessing the Restoration Camp site. Summer Restoration
Camp will be held August 6-12th. I believe there are still spots available. If you've never attended camp, be
sure to do so! It's a great experience and you'll make lifelong friends with other cavers while helping out in
the longest cave in the world!
Thanks to everyone for the great meeting attendance we've had and to those who have given programs!!! We have
very talented, knowledgeable people in our grotto!!!
Cave softly,
Julie
Caving Calendar Dates:
May 19-21, 2000 Spring MVOR at the Hulston Mill Historical Park in Dade County, MO; hosted by Ozak Highlands Grotto.
Website: http://members.aol.com/OHGhome/mvor.html
May 27-29, 2000 Speleofest hosted by the Louisville Grotto at Camp Carlson, Meade County, KY. Contact: Glen
Driskill at (270) 862-4054 or e-mail: ddriskil@etown.k12.ky.us. Preregistration online at: www.caves.org/grotto/louisvillegrotto/speleofest/
June 26-30, 2000 NSS Convention in Elkins, WV
September 8-10, 2000 Near Normal Grotto trip to Meramec/Onondoga Cave area, MO
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Gear Review: CamelBak Hydration System
Troy J. Simpson
After my first trip into Wayne's Lost Cave, I decided that there has to be a better way to carry my drinking
water. Water bottles do a good job in the large walking passageways, but can cause a great deal of grief when
negotiating through The Crawlway. About a two years ago I spotted the CamelBak Hydration System at a local sporting
goods store. It was on the clearance rack and I thought to myself that it would be an easy way to carry water
when I go hiking. I purchased the system for about $20, which included a small bag containing a rubberized bladder
that straps to your back, outlet hose, and mouthpiece. The bladder holds about 50 ounces of any liquid, either
hot or cold. The mouthpiece has a "bite-release" valve that regulates the amount of flow from the bladder
and prevents the accidental leaking of water through the hose when not in use. The hose can be conveniently clipped
on clothing for easy access.
I first tried out the CamelBak while out in Colorado hiking along the Front Range. I found the outlet tube
a very convenient way to have a drink without stopping to reach for a water bottle. This past August, I decided
to try it while leading a group of junior highers through Endless Cave and see what effect it would have. Once
again I found the convenience of not reaching for a water bottle to be extraordinary. So far, so good! Now the
real test was at hand. How would the CamelBak hold up in the 1500' crawlway of Wayne's Lost?
After my last encounter with "The Crawlway" and the difficulty of reaching water bottles while in
the passage, I thought this would be a perfect place to try the CamelBak. I had just purchased a replacement bladder
that had a capacity of 70 ounces and a clip for the outlet hose. I entered "The Crawlway" with the CamelBak
on my back and soon was tested as I negotiated through the "Torpedo Tube." This would mean the CamelBak
would be scrapped repeatedly along the ceiling resulting in the very real possibility of being soaked by a tear
in the bladder. While attempting the "Why the 'H' Squeeze," I found that the outlet hose became a very
handy way to get a refreshing slurp of water. With the bladder positioned on my back, my balance was not compromised
and I had greater freedom of movement while in larger passages moving up and down breakdown. The bite-valve release
hose did its job in allowing easy access to the water when I needed it and there were no leaks. After returning
to the surface, I examined the CamelBak and found that the bladder was in great condition, no tears, no leaks.
Success!!
In summary, I found the CamelBak to be a convenient way of carrying drinking water. The outlet hose and bite-release
valve were a very effective way to regulate the water flow and prevent leaks out the hose. I have found the water
bladder very durable, and the convenience of carrying it on my back allows me to negotiate tight passageways without
being worried about readjusting bottles on my belt. The large capacity assures me plenty of liquids during longer
trips and the bladder collapses flat without the worry of bulky empty water bottles. I personally will not return
underground without my CamelBak.
The CamelBak can be purchased at most major sporting goods stores and outdoor activity catalogs. Bladder sizes
range from 45 ounce to 100-ounce capacity. Price ranges from $16 for replacement bladders to $70 for the larger,
complete systems. There are similar systems available on the market, including MSR, Platypus, and Ultimate Direction.
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LAND OF CAVES AND OTHER GREAT BEAUTY.
Ross Cardwell (Sparta, Tennessee)
Riverwood@blomand.net
My wife and I had the honor to be invited to the Governor's Press Conference, announcing the donation of the 6000
acre gift from The Bridgestone/Firestone Co. to the State of Tennessee, plus we got to go to the celebration which
Bridgestone/Firestone held for their 100th anniversary. Thursday April 13, 2000, truly was a Great Day.
PLEASE WRITE Bridgestone/Firestone and thank them for this great gift which will benefit all persons from Tennessee,
especially cavers.
It will probably take several weeks before the property will actually be in
the hands of TWRA, so please be patient until the deed is recorded and we can find out exactly what rules apply
to using the road into the bottom of the gulf which comes out at the junction of Bee Creek and the Caney Fork.
This road has been closed for the past several months and I am sure will remain closed until the deed to TWRA has
been recorded.
The 6000-acre gift takes in the entire gorge on both side of the river, beginning at the boundary of the 4000-acre
gift and running all the way to end of the Bridgestone/Firestone Property near the Big Bottom Area.
The "Friends of Scotts Gulf", are currently building trails on the 4000 acre BFCA and soon hope to
have at least one segment open which will be leaving from a parking lot on the Scotts Gulf Road, then going to
Polly's Branch Falls. (There are actually 2 beautiful falls on Pollys Branch) then leading to a beautiful pool
at the Caney Fork.This trail will be between 5-6 miles round trip. The other portion of the trail will start
at the parking lot and lead to a beautiful overlook , which we call Oscar's Crack. I think some of the locals
call this area "Ten Miles of Rock". This trail will also be about 6 miles round trip.
Thanks, Ross
Below is the press release from Bridgestone/Firestone.
BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE MAKES SIZABLE LAND DONATION TO STATE OF TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 13, 2000) - In a move that will preserve thousands of acres of unspoiled wilderness area
for generations to come, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. (BFS) announced today the donation of approximately 6,000
acres of land in White and Van Buren counties to the state of Tennessee.
The gift marks the company's second major land donation to the state, bringing the total area donated by BFS to
about 10,000 acres. The combined donation, to be called the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, represents
one of the largest land donations in history to the state of Tennessee by a private company.
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. Chairman and CEO Masatoshi Ono presented Gov. Don Sundquist with the deed to the property
at a news conference near the state Capitol. It includes a conservation easement, to be held by The Conservation
Fund, a nationally recognized conservation organization. The conservation easement restricts development on the
property to ensure that its natural beauty and environmental integrity will be preserved.
The 6,000-acre tract of land includes a sizable portion of Scott's Gulf near Sparta. When combined with the previous
donation, today's gift opens approximately 15 miles of the Caney Fork River and its tributaries to public access.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), which manages the adjacent 4,000-acre tract donated to the state
by BFS in 1998, will also manage the newly donated property. While specific land use will be determined by TWRA,
the conservation easement permits public use of the property for low-impact activities such as fishing, canoeing,
kayaking, hiking and hunting. Camping, cave exploration and horseback riding will be permitted with restrictions.
"This property is truly magnificent, and we felt very strongly about sharing this environmental treasure with
the people of Tennessee," Ono said. "We took the property off the market several years ago because we
did not feel a private buyer could ensure that the natural beauty would be preserved. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources
Agency has done an excellent job managing the first gift from Bridgestone/Firestone, so we feel confident about
entrusting them with the management of a second and more substantial donation."
BFS and the state of Tennessee worked with The Conservation Fund to develop a plan that ensures this property,
the previously donated tract and remaining company holdings in the area will be managed in an environmentally sound
manner.
"It's not every day that the state of Tennessee receives a gift of this nature, and we sincerely appreciate
Bridgestone/Firestone's generosity and commitment to safeguarding the scenic beauty of our great state," Sundquist
said. "The company has been a major contributor to this state's economic well-being since moving its headquarters
to Nashville in 1992. The donation today reinforces Bridgestone/Firestone as a major contributor to Tennessee's
environmental stability as well."
The Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, a part of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau, is home to a variety
of wildlife - including a number of rare and endangered species. The peregrine falcon, gray bat, barking tree frog,
and jewel darter are among the rare species known to live in the area.
Rare wildflowers found on the property include the Cumberland Rosemary. The property is also a known habitat to
wild turkey, quail, deer, timber rattlesnake, beaver, and large- and small-mouth bass.
"We salute Bridgestone/Firestone for celebrating its century of business leadership by giving this magnificent
property to the American people," said John Turner, president of The Conservation Fund. "We are proud
to be their partner in creating this spectacular outdoor legacy in the heart of Tennessee. Current and future generations
will be enriched by the breathtaking wildness and quiet wonders of the Caney Fork River gorge."
The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company (acquired by Bridgestone in 1988) purchased the property between 1970-72
for $1.2 million. Since then, Firestone, and later, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. have maintained the combination
of meadows, hardwood forests, pasture land, white water, scenic bluffs, unexplored caves and mountains as private,
protected land.
To commemorate today's land donation, BFS commissioned a full-color photo book entitled "Scott's Gulf: The
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness." The book, which captures some of the colorful history of Scott's
Gulf, features works from former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker, Jr., and renowned nature photographer John Netherton.
It will be available in Nashville-area bookstores and at the Tennessee State Museum.
Today's gift is a part of Bridgestone/Firestone's centennial celebration. The company is celebrating 100 years
of Firestone innovation that began in 1900 through the company founded by Harvey S. Firestone. Throughout the year
2000, "Firestone: A Legend. A Century. A Celebration." recognizes the Firestone entrepreneurial spirit
that built the brand admired worldwide.
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company.
Bridgestone/Firestone manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and house and private brand tires.
The company also produces Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber and industrial products.
[Ed. note-This issue of the Tag-Net internet email list also included a detailed history of this area. It was
too long to publish in the NEWS, but I'll be glad to email the text to anyone interested.]
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DR BEANER REPLIES....
Brian Roebuck (Normandy, Tennessee)
nss34626@hotmail.com
Often times the mailbox of Dr Beaner is filled with literary treasures just begging to be replied to. Here is but
a sampling........
beaner's a wuss, sooooooo........you can talk a good game of cleanup........but can ya eat it?!!..........I dare
you to sully yourself and come to the next cavestock and help with the stew!.....
your greatest fan,
nad yelliwt
Dear Nad,
I didn't know you and other Scandinavians (yelliwt IS a common Scandinavian surname isn't it?) were "fans"
of Dr Beaner. I didn't think Tag-Net was circulated up there either! Glad to see you folk have a good sense of
humor. In the bad ole days back in '98 I was one of the evil cavers that voted for the "do not endorse"
cavestock deal at SERA. At that time I thought its' addition to the events in TAG that year would be a bit much
what with the national convention etc. Nowadays I have nothing against cavestock and its' caving, partying, stew
making, roadkill cleaning enthusiasts. I truly do think most cavers could now care less about its possible impact
on area caving. Being together in a socially stimulating way is fun! Apparently it has had quite a positive impact
and that is a very good thing.
As for me I have in past collected tons of "ingredients" for caver stew from sink holes, caves, and
roadsides in my own corner of TAG (that which lies between the George Dickel and Jack Daniels Distilleries). To
date however I have been too much of a "wuss" to brew up a good stew/soup (stoop?) with said igredients.
I tend to think that I cannot build a hot enough fire without the use of liquid oxygen etc to properly cook such
things as tires, car batteries, beer bottles, drink machines, newspaper boxes, and old used underwear. But the
thought does make ones' eyes water........
Perhaps I will attend a future cavestock and indulge in the stew-making frenzy with the rest of the crowd. I
find that being part of a half-crazed crowd mentality on occasion is good for what ails me! I am curious about
the reports of large quantities of "wild mushrooms" dumped into the stew pot and the resultant mass sightings
of the famous "cave-boy" from the National Enquirer publication during the next days' cave trips. Perhaps
there is some correlation here? A few cavers even spotted Elvis... Keep up the good cleanup work with your fellow
"Stockers" in future and look for a surprize appearance from yours truly at a cavestock near you!
Keep the stew warm and say "howdy" to sven and bjorg for me too eh? You Scandinavians just crack me
up! I now consider myself "dared" but yet to be "sullied",
Dr Beaner
· * *
·
Will the Real Dr Biner Please Stand Up!
shemp
Dear shemp,
How's Curly and Larry doing? Interesting question you pose. You are not the first to have such thoughts however.
The real Dr Biner is none other than former TAG caver Mark Richardson who now lives far far away in the land of
Arizona. He left us with a great void to fill. Tag-Net cavers, used to a steady diet of satire to ease the pain
and suffering of Tag-Net flame wars cried out for Dr Biner after his sudden disappearance (some blame alien abduction
- well OK - I do!). But alas for his own reasons Dr Biner would never again grace the screens of our PCs with
his wit and helpful words. It was a desperate time indeed. But then out of the dusty creases of my aging cranium
a new character was born. Molded in the strictly satirical,illogical, and sometimes bizzarre form of the former
Dr Biner came his successor - Dr Beaner (Dr Biner was my mentor)! The exceptionally bright among you will be quick
to point out that this new character actually spells his name differently than did Dr Biner! Thus it is logical
to assume that the real Dr Biner is still the same Mark Richardson now out west somewhere with the coyotes and
cactus. I am uncertain shemp if you are attempting to pass yourself off as one of the three stooges or did you
simply forget to capitalize the s in Shemp? Will the real Shem.... Nahhhh - I digress..
As the new self appointed Dr Beaner I have had many questions directed to me about if I am the same Dr Biner
or someone else etc. For the record - I am someone else! The mystery is solved. Many more have emailed me and had
fun (as I do) poking fun at some of the things we as cavers do or say from time to time. So far nothing negative
(that in itself is quite un-nerving) has been directly sent to me. I am hoping that is because most of you know
this is all in the spirit of humor and not so good taste. It is good to laugh at ourselves. It can even be better
to laugh at others (but they might get mad so be careful)! Be warned - I will use your comments, observations,
emotional responses, the Farmers Almanac, etc and my own warped sense of reality to generate these Tag-Net tidbits
of satire. You can read and enjoy them in the fun sense that they are written or you can print them out and make
your own cave burritto. Your choice. In any case Dr Beaner wishes all of Tag-Net the best and will continue to
wreak havoc upon the keyboard in the forseeable future.
"the real" Dr Beaner
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TAYLOR'S TRAVELS
(Three More Small Caves)
Steve Taylor
HIBDON HIGHWAY CAVE,
Union County, Illinois
Brad Hibdon told us about a cave down in Union County (southern Illinois) in 1994, and we decided it sounded
just too weird -- we had to check it out. So, on the 10th of December of that year, we went down to survey the
cave. Brad found it without much trouble, though it can be difficult to locate the entrance (especially when the
grass is high). Our survey crew was composed of me, Brad, Owen Callahan, and Jean Krejca. Jean sketched, as usual,
while Owen did instruments and Brad and I amused ourselves with relatively mindless tape duties. The entrance
is a low opening on a section of limestone exposed by a road cut. A dry crawlway soon hangs a left, where it taunted
us with actual walking height passage. At the next turn (to the west again), there are some formations, and a
little water enters the cave. Heading straight into the hill for some forty feet, we soon left the brief walking
passage behind, and had to resort to stoop walking (again in dry passage), that soon gave way to crawling at the
next turn, and belly crawling at the next turn. Great cave huh? At least it was dry! Here we were, 100 feet
from the entrance, but we could still hear the highway traffic. At first we thought the noise was coming from
in front of us where there was a free-climbable pit - we named the pit 'roaring chasm' after the traffic noise
that it seemed to amplify. Shortly after the pit, the passage becomes a flat-out belly crawl that soon ends in
an old (dry) flowstone plug. End of cave.
The first 60 feet of passage was decorated with small popcorn on the walls, and in some places we could see
blastoids and crinoids (fossils) embedded in the rock. A visual faunal survey resulted in the following list of
critters: Thysanura (Bristletails), Ceuthophilus (Cave Crickets), Collembola (Springtails), Culicidae (Mosquitoes),
Chilopoda (Centipede), Araneae (Spiders, including Meta menardi and one other species), Gastropoda (Snails), and
several nests apparently belonging to mice. Given it's proximity to the highway, there was very little graffiti
and trash in the cave. The cave is clearly joint controlled, and represents a 'fossil' trunk passage, probably
related to some karst features (sinks and a spring) located elsewhere on the same hill. The surrounding area may
yet yield more caves.
The weirdest thing about this cave it that it packs all of this excitement into a road cut that is in a highway
median. The entire cave is between the northbound and southbound lanes! We were a little concerned that the police
would stop by to check out our apparently abandoned car. Or worse, some of our party had suggested that the police
might know of the cave and come in with guns drawn! As far as I know, this is the only cave in Illinois that is
located in a highway median.
PIPISTRELLUS PIT CAVE
Johnson County, Illinois
I really don't remember the survey trip (1993) too well - I do remember that Owen, a junior high student at
the time, was very excited - it was his first survey trip. The entrance is in a large sink on the top of the hill,
west of the road. At the time of our visit, there was a large tree that had fallen a little ways in front of the
cave. a small opening at the base of a low rock ledge leads into a wide crawlway. We surveyed west first, over
the free climbable 'Pipistrellus Pit', through a very tight constriction into another smaller room with a small
pit. There is a lead here that might require a small child (and parents with poor judgment) to push. Or one could
wait thousands of years - perhaps it will grow. From the entrance toward the east, the passage is increasingly
floored by breakdown, and becomes narrow and awkward. Turning left after a small pit, a downward sloping floor
brought us to the bottom of a small pit, with two lead high. The eastern lead didn't go at all, and the northwestern
lead led off as a low crawlway which soon pinched. This cave is primarily of interest due to its geographic relationship
to the nearby Mason Caves. The total vertical extent is about 25 feet.
TEAL'S CAVE
Johnson County, Illinois
An afternoon in the late spring of 1993 found Jean Krejca and I seeking out Teal's Cave in the hills of southern
Illinois. We found the landowner and, after some conversation, we were shown to the cave, which is located high
on a west-facing slope.
We first entered through the more northern 'Teal's Entrance', where a tight, awkwardly steep crawlway leads
into a triangular-shaped room, largely filled by a single block of stone. At the south end of the room, two small,
but humanly passable, openings provide a view (from 30 feet up) of a relative large chamber. We opted for easier
access to that chamber by exiting the cave, then entering it via the more southern 'Teal's Slit Entrance'.
A climb down just inside this entrance leads into a moderately long, mainly breakdown-floored, passage. A couple
of side leads to the west terminate in breakdown where they intersect the side of the hill. To the north, the
passage continues to a 30-foot drop down into the large chamber we had seen via the other entrance. We rigged
the drop with a 75-foot rope, as we had to go back a ways to find a trustworthy breakdown block to tie off on.
At the time of our visit, there was a rusted chain and pipe ladder in place, which Jean used without incident
on the way out. I opted to use our rope instead. There is a fair amount of popcorn on the north and south walls
of the large chamber. To the west, the breakdown floor rises steeply before ending as the other passages had.
An upper, eastern passage leads off of the large chamber as a crawlway, also ending in breakdown. Below this
crawlway is a tight belly crawl accessible through several small holes in the floor of the bigger passage. This
crawlway is cobble-floored, with a small stream seeping along through it. This passage soon gets too low - though
a dig might be used to extend it. This is the deepest part of the cave (52 feet below the entrance). Another
clay-floored passage, somewhat intermediate in elevation between the two preceding crawls, heads south off of the
large chamber, but it ends in clay fill.
As I recall, we exited the cave well after dark, and were greeted by a spectacular display of stars and the
howls of coyotes in the distance.
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EQUALITY CAVE CLEANUP
15 April 00
Jeff Walaszek
I pulled off the gravel road into the grass parking area surrounding the wooden run-down church building - the
site of our meeting place for the third annual cleanup of Equality Cave hosted by Little Egypt Grotto. The Illinois
Gazetteer is a wonderful publication I thought, thinking of the five-mile drive down the unnamed gravel roads with
numerous turns and jogs that I took to get here. It was a little confusing, but I made it.
Gary Resch from the Little Egypt Grotto was sitting on the tailgate of his pickup truck and became the impromptu
welcoming committee for earlybirds. Ten AM was the meeting time for participants. Les and Debbie arrived shortly
after me followed by Sherri in duststorm created by her white, soon-to-be-dusty car speeding along the bumpy, gravel
road. The cleanup cavers were slowly beginning to arrive. Greetings and introductions were quickly exchanged
-- along with stories of wrong turns and confusion trying to find our meeting place. Even the local Grotto members
struggled to find the landmark Church. I now didn't feel so bad about my earlier confusion.
While we waited for the others to arrive Les and Gary got me up to speed on the condition of Equality Cave.
Exploring and partying in the cave is a rite of passage for area youths. The use of the cave to party is well known
among the local residents. Les mentioned on one earlier cave cleanup a curious resident saw the group getting
ready to enter the cave and asked if they were heading up there for a drug party.
The visitors leave their mark via spray paint on the walls of the numerous maze-like passages leading to the
"party room" located deep into the cave. Inspired by Tom Sawyer, they leave a trail of string to find
their way back out of the cave. The numerous strings left behind get tangled together and mixed into the mud to
form a fishnet-like obstacle stretching across the cave floor.
Over the years the impact of these visits on the cave has become basis for the annual cleanup by Little Egypt.
The visitors leave the strings after they depart¼along with an assortment of cans, bottles, spray paint
cans, and other items. Les mentioned that during one year cleanup participants hauled a mattress out of the party
room.
This year's cleanup was to focus on removing the hazardous strings along with the cans and bottles. Last year's
effort to remove the paint off the cave walls with water and brushes was futile and wasn't to be attempted this
year. Sounds like a better approach or new technology is needed. Ideas, anyone?
Jeff, the organizer of the trip from Little Egypt Grotto, soon arrived followed by a group of six volunteers
from a Carbondale youth group to help on the cleanup. We quickly organized our gear and began our half-mile uphill
hike through the woods to the cave entrance. I left my brush and water bottle in the truck since no one seemed
too enthusiastic about scrubbing rock walls. But thanks to Steve's Taylor's informative e-mail I was armed with
sheet metal shears to take on the task of removing the string webs from the cave. Yes, Steve, I actually read
your message and brought what you suggested we bring.
We broke up into groups and began the work of sorting and hauling trash. Budweiser and Bud Light seemed to
be the beer of choice among area youths judging from the large number of discarded cans that filled our trash bags.
Les and I began the tedious work of disentangling the webs of string along several passageways to the party room.
Others continued on into the party room to start picking up trash there, working back out to the entrance.
The shears worked great in cutting through the numerous strings which all seemed to be anchored at the same
point. Obviously, the cave visitors followed the techniques of others in laying down their lines. Removing the
more complicated string webs took as long as 30 minutes as you had to track down their entire lengths pulling them
through the mud which enveloped them and often disentangling them from rocks throughout the passageways. It was
tedious, but relaxing, mindless work - a nice change of pace from the weekly chaos of the office.
The cave itself was an interesting collection of several narrow, maze-like routes from the entrance to the party
room. It was sad to see the abundance of graffiti that line the walls everywhere you looked, marring the natural
look of the cave. At least we were getting the trash and strings out of here and that would help.
After about an hour and a half or so of work, Les and I joined the others outside the cave entrance for a break.
We threw our four bags of trash on the collection of black trash bags beginning to pile up. As we joined the
group I saw Lara Storm and Cindy from the Little Egypt Grotto who had joined the group as the cleanup was in progress
and were now taking a break. Following lunch we all went back for another cycle of picking up cans from small
nook and crannies and wrestling with the mud-drenched string wads lining the floor.
After another two hours of work we all regrouped outside at the cave entrance. On the walk out of the cave
we noted the fruits of our efforts for the day as hardly saw any trash anywhere. Les and others from Little Egypt
mentioned they hadn't seen the cave so clean in a long time. The spoils of the day were over 25 trash bags of
garbage. Carrying the trash bags down the trail was a challenge as many of them were beginning to tear from the
rough edges of the trash inside. But we got all the bags down without re-depositing the trash along the trail.
We all went home with a sense of accomplishment of having made a difference in one cave.
Now if we can only figure out an easy way to remove spray paint.
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CAVING IN INDIANA
February 2000
Steve Taylor
On Friday the 18th, I took off for several days of caving in Indiana. I spent the afternoon driving to Mitchell,
Indiana, where my reward was the good company of Steve Lockwood and Kriste Lindberg. The next day was an Hoosier
National Forest/Indiana Karst Conservancy Karst Inventory Project workday. We were to go into the forest and assess
the karst resources of an area. Indiana cavers Kevin Peters and Jerry Litaker showed up and we looked at topo
maps and lists of caves. Soon, Jamie Winner showed up and we drove off to a site in the HNF where we had decided
to look for caves and other karst features.
We parked in a wooded valley in Orange County, and hiked upstream, checking out every little feature along the
hillsides on each side of the valley. About ten minutes later, I saw a spring issuing from the hill, and trotted
over to discover a cave! The others soon gathered there to admire the opening, which was just above the spring.
I slid on my belly, head first into the beckoning blackness of booming virgin borehole. Okay, it sounded good,
so I just had to write it. Really it was just a dimly lit, somewhat wet, hands and knees crawl - but it was virgin!
Soon, Jerry, Jamie and I were mapping virgin phreatic tube. Shortly, we had racked up about 40 feet in 6 shots
- the cave was done. I added some bioinventory notes by shouting them out to Kriste who was recording them on
paper, and we had a photo session at the entrance. Much to Jerry's irritation, I claimed discoverer's rights,
and named the cave Jerry's Jewel. Jerry, being a very seasoned caver did not view the cave as a jewel at all,
and of course everyone was teasing him about his jewel(s).
About the time we finished all this off, Jeff Frazier and his dog Molly, showed up to join us in our efforts
(but too late for that cave!). And as we were surveying, Steve L. and Kevin had gone off in search of new conquests.
The rest of us continued upstream, and eventually met up with Steve L. and Kevin, who had found a large spring
which accounted for nearly half of the water flow in the valley. Above the spring, Steve L. had found a 5 foot
shaft that was gently blowing enticingly warm air. We all examined the small shaft, and it was clear that several
of the slimmer members of our group could fit. The problem was that five feet down the passage cut awkwardly under
a rock outcrop at a 45 degree angle, floored by a slick mud slope. Assuming one could negotiate the turn, how
would you be able to get out? Several of us (self included) declined to discover the answer to this, but eventually
Jeff thought that he had could do it. Jeff slid down, and Jamie soon followed. They slipped down into well-decorated
passage, and saw some 300 feet of virgin crawlway, leaving several leads unpushed. While they explored, most of
us amused ourselves by watching Molly demonstrate her retrieval skills. Jeff and Jamie extricated themselves from
the hole covered in mud. It was determined that this cave was too much to map that day, so we left it for a future
trip. In keeping with the pattern set at the first cave, Steve L. named this one Kriste's Cave.
Meanwhile, Kevin and Steve L. had again forged ahead to search for more leads. The rest of us eventually followed,
and we found a number of interesting springs along the way. When we caught up to Kevin and Steve L., they reported
finding another entrance. Of course, the rest of us had to see it, and off we all went.
Jeff and I went in to find a crawlway that went for at least 30 feet (I turned back when it became flat-out
belly crawl). Mapping of this cave will have to wait until another trip. This cave was named Evil Entrance Cave
(EEC).
After the above adventures, we retreated to the trucks, having bagged three virgin caves. Feeling very full
of ourselves, some of us returned to the Lockwood residence outside of Mitchell to socialize and soak in the hottub
for the evening.
The next day, we were down to four cavers: Kriste, Steve L., Jeff(and his dog Molly), and me. After a leisurely
breakfast, we drove off to check out a rumored cave on a private farm that someone had told Kriste about. As we
drove up to the farmhouse, the entrance was obviously situated at the terminus of a sinking stream. We went down
and took some pictures, admiring the debris clogged water crawl. After some photos and obtaining GPS coordinates,
we determined that the cave should wait till another day for survey, as we were only about 80% sure that it was
new to the Indiana database. We wandered around the beautiful farm for a while in the sunshine, and soon found
the resurgence of the cave. After chatting with the landowner, we moved on to the day's next adventure (Jeff had
to leave at this point).
Steve L., Kriste and I drove over to Wesley Chapel Gulf, which is a large karst window along the Lost River.
The Gulf was in major flood and was quit impressive. We spent a long time walking the entire perimeter, looking
at places where the water was roaring into entrances to Wesley Chapel Gulf Cave which are normally well above the
stream. We also poked about in the bottom of the Gulf, which had very recently been entirely covered with water
and was still very muddy. In several spots there was water and air bubbling up through the soil beneath our feet
- and in one spot it was very visibly spitting up water and air. Some of these spots we only discovered when we
could hear the ground grumbling and spitting - weird! The whole place was very impressive, but hard to describe
in words.
From here we drove over to another big cave, where Kriste and I donned caving gear and went in through a dry
crawlway entrance just to go down and see the very large cave stream in major flood stage. After taking some pictures,
we left and drove over to Orangeville Rise, long thought to be the resurgence of the Lost River (which actually
resurges somewhat downstream of Orangeville Rise). We took some pictures of the Rise, which is owned by the Indiana
Karst Conservancy. Later that evening, we dined lavishly on spaghetti and meatballs at Steve L's house. Other
cavers stopped by and visited for a while. Much later, we studied the physiological properties of Kahlua.
The next day, Monday, Steve L. had to work, but Kriste and I were game for more karst adventures. We drove
up to Bloomington to explore Leonard Springs Nature Park where Kriste does a lot of her work (as in work work -
job!). A short walk from the parking area brought us to Shirley Springs Cave, where we paused for pictures before
going down a recently constructed stairway to the entrance of Shirley Springs Shelter Cave. More pictures. Then
down to the obviously - related spring, Shirley Spring. After an adventurous hike, which included skootching across
a stream on a big log, we found more springs, Waterfall Cave (more pictures), and Leonard Spring. All this took
up most of the day, and there was only time for a quick stop for Chinese food before I headed back to Urbana, Illinois.
This was a great trip, and the first time I've really realized how much caving is readily available relatively
nearby in Indiana - I expect I'll be returning there regularly! If anyone else wants to attend HNF/IKC Karst Inventory
Project workdays, or other IKC projects, contact Kriste Lindberg at lindberg@kiva.net - they also have a website
that I'm shamelessly advertising: http://www.caves.org/conservancy/ikc/
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MY FINAL TRIP TO WAYNE'S LOST
Jim Jacobs
March 18, 2000
PARTICIPANTS: Lara Storm, Roy Becker, Emily, Dave Carson, Jim Jacobs, Jimmy Forman, Ryan Forman, Troy Simpson,
Marc Tiritilli, Rich Bell, Brett Bennett, Annie Bennett, John Schirle, Brian McCoskey.
You might have noticed that I didn't say "last trip", I said "final." And that's final.
I've done this cave six or seven times now. I've come back from Wayne's stiff, sore and tired. I've been bruised
and beaten. And even enjoyed it. I've been frozen after exiting the cave (the February trip). I've had caving
clothes that had survived many other cave trips but were shredded by one time through Wayne's. After one trip,
I was laid up for the next three days with back spasms. But to this day, I believe that the two and one-half hours
I had spent shoveling snow the day before the trip had more effect on my back than the caving. After each trip,
I usually uttered some words to the effect that I wasn't going to do this one anymore, or that Wayne's is just
too much work or some such. Sometimes, I even meant it. I think. But this time, it's different. The cave talked
to me. And I got the message.
Let me explain. Wayne's is a tough cave. We all know that. It's a lot of work just to get into the main cave.
It's not like many caves with large entrances, which allow you to take short trips or long trips. The toughest
part about getting into Illinois Caverns is being careful not to slip on the stainless steel stairs on the way
down. You can take a short walk or a long one. You can take easy trips, or if you want to work hard, you can
do that, too. You can get back into the crawls past the waterfall behind the lunchroom. You can spend quality
time on your belly up Rimstone River, and get wet in the bargain. You can wade in the water or wallow in the mud.
If you want to. But you have the choice. If you've been there for a while, and you get tired, you can decide
to cut it short and head out.
But at Wayne's, you start with the climb down. And you have to be careful, because it can be just a bit tricky,
especially if it is a bit wet and slick that day. The final drop is over eight feet. Down is easy. Coming back
up is harder. Especially when you're pooped. And at Wayne's the "pooped" part is guaranteed. Because
after the climb down, you crawl for a few feet, walk for a couple of minutes, then you hit "the crawlway"
for 1500 feet that seems like forever. And you have to do it twice, because it's the only way in, and the only
way out. THEN, the caving starts.
But we got down okay. We had a pretty good-sized group. Lara Storm had done a fine job of organizing the trip,
and I was there with two more grandsons, this time Jimmy and Ryan. They had been caving with me before, but this
time it was WAYNE'S. I had them set up with appropriate caving clothes, boots, and lights. They were ready for
some REAL caving. I was the last to enter the crawlway, and decided to put fresh batteries in my headlight, rather
than waiting until later. This was when the problems started. I had brought two bottles of water so that we would
have plenty. After changing my batteries, I neglected to properly close and secure my pack. So naturally, I lost
both bottles in the crawl and didn't notice. Until I got thirsty after the hot crawl. Not a good start. Okay,
could have happened to anybody. And our friends were willing to share. But I'm usually more careful.
It took me nearly an hour and a half to do the crawl. No, we weren't trying to set any speed records, but I
didn't feel like I was going THAT slowly! The last trip, I was in a hurry, and had done the in-crawl in 23 minutes.
An hour and a half? Wayne's was whispering. Scooting on your belly round the corner at the end of the crawl
seemed trickier than before, but part of that problem was an inappropriate choice of kneepads. I was using the
hard-shelled type used by skaters. They're very good in some ways, but they can be quite slick, and don't help
in situations when you need traction. Wearing them under my coveralls might have solved that problem. Oh, one
bright spot! I decided to try a new pair of Carhart bib overalls as a caving outfit. Of course, I had washed
them first to alleviate some of the stiffness. They worked just fine, taking all that the Wayne's Lost crawlway
had to offer, and ready to come back for more. They were really comfy as well!
I was tired after the crawl. More tired than usual? Hard to say, but it wasn't too long when Wayne's started
talking to me again.
We followed the well-worn route toward Camp Two. At this point, Wayne's is a magnificent cave. It is tall and
broad, with a stream, which cuts this way and that, and lots of breakdown mountains to scramble over, (one of my
favorite activities). After scrambling for a little while, I started stumbling, an alarming signal this early
in the trip. When you're getting too tired to cave safely, you stumble. When you're at that point, it's usually
time to head out, but we were still going in! We kept climbing, and were pretty close to Camp Two. We figured
it was over the next rise, but luckily, I wasn't the only one who was tired. More importantly, we were very short
on water, and Jimmy's headlamp had failed. It was time to head out. Wayne's had spoken. Of course, we got "temporarily
off route" several times on the way back to the crawlway. This was no big surprise, but with me stumbling
and out of water, and Jimmy on his backup light, we didn't have the safety margin that we would prefer. The good
news was that we weren't alone. That's why you cave with friends. A sip of water here and there, a hand over
a rough part and an encouraging word when you need one, and all is right with the world, but the crawlway out still
loomed in our thoughts. And I was already pooped! We rested a while at Camp One before tackling the crawl.
The boys were in better shape than I was, of course. We then headed out, and it wasn't long before I was lagging
behind. Yes, a couple of areas like the "Why the Hell Squeeze" seemed a bit tighter that before, due
to my carrying more weight than I used to (and I don't mean in my drag bag). But people were passing me up just
about every time we stopped to rest. That's fine, but I used to do at least some of the passing. I never could
keep up with the real crawlway speed demons like Tim Shaffer, Dave Mahon or Steve Gentry, but I could at least
keep up a solid, steady pace. I was very thankful for a couple of friends like Roy Becker who stayed back with
me, and urged me on with encouraging words and the promise of a pouch of juice if I would push on just a little
bit farther. I was very, very tired, but still "good to go". The "go" was just interrupted
by increasingly frequent rest periods. Then, the next miracle! Standing tall in the crawl ahead of me was one
of the bottles of water that I had lost on the way in. Some kind soul, (I believe it was Jimmy) had found it and
set it up where I was sure to find it. What a welcome sight! I drank some, then continued to crawl.
On the way out, Wayne's has a couple of subtle but nasty little "parting shots". One of the unpleasant
sections of the crawl (there are varying degrees of unpleasantness) is the final hundred feet or so on the way
out. It gets very low, and you're crawling through cold, muddy water in places. Of course, this section is the
first that you encounter on the way in, but hitting it on the way out is just a little bit tougher. You just "know"
that around the next corner is "out", and you get around that corner, and you just have to hit your belly
and the muddy water again.
The sections of "toes and elbows" crawling is what really tires you out. You're expending a great
deal of energy, but not covering very much ground. Ugh!
Then, you feel the breeze, and you're finally hoisting yourself out the hole! And the first sight to greet me
was the second of my missing bottles of water, sitting there proud on the hill of mud! I drank one, and shared
the second with one of my mates, and we headed for the climb out.
Oh yeah, the climb out. Great. I was already weary and beginning to experience a cramp here and there. Well,
Brett Bennett had been kind enough to install a long series of slings to help folks with the first eight-foot climb.
It's slick, and there's nothing to step on. I used to be able to jump and catch one of the knobs, and swing my
leg up and haul myself up. Not these days! I had to struggle with the slings, and with a bit of help from a couple
of my friends, I made it that far. That used to be the tough part. Guess again! The last section of the climb,
slick as it was this time, and as bad as my legs were cramping, was now impossible. I used to help folks out of
these climbs and would then just swarm out on my own in just a few seconds. This time, it took two people pushing
from below (I think Troy Simpson was one), and a rather strong friend lifting from above to get me out. I appreciated
the help very much, but I also realized that if I had been on my own, I would have been in a lot of trouble. I
did not relish the realization, but Wayne's had spoken loud and clear. And that wasn't the end.
It's now been about two months since the trip, and I'm still having problems with both shoulders, but especially
the left. The "toes and elbows" scooting/crawling puts a lot of strain on the rotator cuff part of the
shoulder. I've had a little problem with mine before, but had not experienced any pain for quite a while. This
effort brought back some range-of-motion discomfort that I hadn't felt in a number of years. I guess the combination
of a couple of a few extra years and quite a few extra pounds now dictates that I stick with caves that are a notch
or two below this one. Happily, there are still many, many interesting and fun caves that I can visit that fit
this description. I'm not done caving yet, but I just have to rein it in a bit. Wayne's told me so.
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