BLUE RIDGE GROTTO
MEETING MINUTES
September
12, 2008
Pat Sims Al
Stewart Mary Sue Socky Dave Socky
Susan Burr Carl
Cornett Marian
McConnell Doug Feller
Jen Perdue *Ron Dean *Jessica Dean
* denotes guest.
CAVE TRIPS
7/9/2008: Buckeye Creek Cave, WV. Dave
Socky led the through trip, in Spencer’s Cave and OUT the Buckeye Entrance.
Everyone got wet! Dave, Alan Staton
and Aaron Moses Loved it, Susan Burr and Pat
Sims HATED the duck under/connection.
Meanwhile, Mary Sue led the “Turtle Trip” (‘cause we’re SLOW) with Marianne Saugstad and Cyndi
Hutchison. They went
from the entrance to the Watergate, took a break, read cave poetry by candlelight,
and then moseyed out. A pleasant trip,
and Marianne’s first return underground since her back surgery.
8/3: BRG
members went to Carmike Theaters (Tanglewood) and saw Journey to the Center of
the Earth in 3-D. Great trip, especially
for the geologists and gear freaks!
8/11:
Dave Socky and Brian William sent cavern diving in Little River
Spring, FL. It was a 70-minute dive, 60’
-70’ deep. Dave
rented all his gear, including a woman’s wetsuit! (nice boobs, Dave)
Aug
11-15: Dave
Socky, Marian McConnell, Alex Sproul, other NSS members attended the NSS
Convention in Lake City, FL.
They found why it was named LAKE
City, after 3 days of
rain! The campground was abandoned for
drier motel rooms – and the hurricane had not yet come through.
8/15
– Marian McConnell visited the Lubby Bat
Conservatory near Lake City, FL, where she saw amazing and well endowed Fruit Bats
and Flying Foxes.
8/16:
BRG Pool
Party was in full swing. Everyone had a good time, and Susan Burr was put in time out by a “mean ’ol lifeguard”
(Nick Socky). Great food! Thanks to everyone who showed up!
8/23:
Grapevine Pit, WV. Nine BRG
& JRG cavers did Grapevine Pit
as a practice run for Fall VAR. They
hung two ropes, and bounced it a lot!
Susan Burr actually climbed
out ONE TIME.
8/24: Dave
Socky, Dave Wickersham, Rick Shortt and Jimmy Richards visited Craters of
the Moon National Monument, ID and did Beauty Cave
and Indian Cave, two lava tubes on the NM that are
open to the public.
8/29:
Dan & Marian McConnell toured Crystal Dome Cave, AR
and Mystic Caverns, AR during their vacation.
9/4:
Dan & Marian McConnell took a 4
hour tour of Mammoth Cave, KY.
They had an excellent tour guide!
Tawney’s’
& Island Ford
Caves:
Marian McConnell, Carl Cornett
and employees from Roanoke
City Parks and Rec have
held numerous beginner trips for a variety of camps. Here’s a quick synopsis: July 11, 25, Aug
1 & 8 they visited Island
Ford Cave. July 18, Aug 4
they visited Tawney’s Cave. Marian
also took a men’s church group into Tawney’s Cave on Aug. 23.
UPCOMING:
Oct.
18 (Bridge Day Weekend) Rickey Shortt wants to lead a BRG
trip to Higginbotham’s # 4 Cave – actually, this is Higginbotham’s # 3 – the
pit entrance/short drop. It depends on
water levels and finding the entrance.
Nov.
22 – tentative – Dave Socky and Phil Lucas
are setting up a BRG trip to the
“Water Sinks” Cave, on Phil & Charlotte’s
property. Arrangements are still being
made.
PROGRAM: Dixie Caverns
Haunted Cave
– sign up & volunteer to scare for Cave Conservation!
BUSINESS MEETING (next page)
TREASURER 9/112/08
General Fund
$ 4,033.65
VAR Registration $ 3,271.00
Conservation
$ 156.09
Equipment Fund $
341.00
Cave Bucks
$ 95.30
Total: $ 7,897.04
Committee
Reports:
Newsletter: the Editors took a break in Aug. and
Sept. Will get a good DUMP out in Oct. 2008
Membership:
nothing new.
ROCKS:
nothing new
S&T: nothing
Conservation:
vacant
Ways
& Means: vacant
Membership Proposals –
Nothing
tabled, nothing new. NSS Membership
brochures are at the front desk.
OLD BUSINESS
BRG Website: Has been a BIG
help for VAR registration.
Hosting Fall VAR 2008 (Susan Burr
& Pat Sims) So far, 166 people
have pre-registered! The koozies are in. Guidebooks are in. IMO and Speleobooks will be on site. The BRG banner will be on site. Pray
for good weather!!
White
Nose Syndrome (WNS)
Check VAR Limited Access Cave List for new updates and “gear cleaning”
recommendations. Several closed caves
have been Closed for the winter to cavers.
BRG Pool Party – Wrap-up:
Special
thanks to Susan Burr & Mary Sue Socky who worked so hard to make it a
successful picnic/pool party...
NEW BUSINESS
Should we have a
BRG Christmas Party
this year? YES! BRG
voted to have party at Mamma Maria’s again, preferable on Friday Dec. 19 (In
place of the meeting.) All sign-ups/reservations
must be pre-paid. Requests were made for
Carl Cornett to bring his squeeze
box.
Does BRG want to send out a
grotto Christmas card to landowners this year?
YES. Please submit photos or
artwork at the Oct BRG meeting.
Nominations for BRG Officers –
next month. All current officers must step down from
their current posts.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- See
you next weekend at Fall VAR! It’s
gonna be a good one!
- Available from NSS Bookstore: “Vertical Bill:
The Story of Bill Cuddington
and the Development of Vertical Caving in America”. On sale $28.00 - $32.00
- NEW VAR CLOSED CAVE LIST is
available. We have a few hardcopies
for folks. There are updates,
winter closures, and new info on WNS.
.
Meeting ended 8:40p.
Minutes submitted by
Mary Sue
Socky
Secretary, Blue Ridge Grotto.