BLUE RIDGE GROTTO of the NSS
Monthly Meeting Minutes – via Zoom
December 18, 2020
Attendance:
Marian
McConnell – Chair Lauren Appel – Vice Chair Dave Socky – Treasurer
Mary
Sue Socky – Secretary Bob Gulden Jen Suggs
Gene
Harrison *Odin and Orion Gulden Alex Sproul
Lynn
Ott Meredith
Weberg *Dave Jackson –
guest speaker
Susan
Burr John Fox *Brianna Bennett
Kevin
Johnson *Carrie Doupnik *Pat Banks
*Sharron
Vass *Chuck Vass (* denotes guest)
After introductions, Dave Jackson related to
BRG his success with CaveSim, and his plans to build two new CaveSim trailers to
visit sites in the USA to educate people about caves and the world under their
feet. So far, about 30,000 people in 18
states have been taught facts about caves and bats! In addition, Dave is offering online science
classes through CaveSim. His hands-on
activities involve geology, math, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and
teamwork and communications via the caving tower and SRT/stretcher- handling
skills. Dave is working to build a
generation of cave advocates, and get kids excited about science.
CaveSim is in partnership with CRF so people can
donate to CaveSim through CRF, which is a 501C3 organization. These donations go towards FREE programs for
schools!
Another way you can donate to CaveSim is by
purchasing a CaveSim mug, created by Peter Jones!
Finally, consider supporting CaveSims’s
new, bigger, all aluminum frame trailers!
For more info, see
https://www.cavesim.com/#
Thanks to Dave Jackson for his wonderful
presentation! Dave thanks BRG for years
of support and donations to CaveSim.
Thank you, Dave Jackson, for an
outstanding program!
After Dave Jackson’s program concluded, the
remainder of the BRG meeting was conducted.
TRIP REPORTS:
11/21/2020:
Scott Hollow Cave, WV. BRG trip. Participants were Susan Burr, Lauren
Appel, Doug Feller, Jeff Huffman. They
attempted to do the Omega Loop. Susan
reported: I have done this loop several times over the
years. I knew it was a bit strenuous BUT, I forgot how scary some of it could
be!!! We got past the Omega Pit a ways, but then weren’t
sure about the route. The guys scouted around for a while, but we decided it would
be smarter to turn around & go back the way we came. Unfortunately, that meant
redoing ALL the scary stuff again in reverse! We were in the cave for approx. 4
hours 45 minutes.
11/21/2020:
McClungs Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky, Chris Coates,
Ashley Hitchcock, and Erik Nieman on Team 1. Bob Alderson, Bill Koerschner, and
Kurt Waldron were on Team 2. Jake Lee, Alec Matheus, and Derek Von Nieda were
on Team 3. The first two teams surveyed passages off Megalithia
and Team 3 did the loop that tied into the main route between Megalithia and
the Liberty Bell Passage. We got a total of 2792 feet on a nice 13-hour trip. Dave
Socky switched over to Team 2 after Chris, Ashley, and Erik decided they were
beat. He surveyed with Team 2 for about 1.5 hours. We met up with Team 3 as we
were heading out toward the Liberty Bell Passage. Good trip!
11/24:
Catawba Murder Hole, VA. This was a biology inventory trip led
by Dave Socky with permission from cave owners Dan and Marian McConnell. We
went in via the scree slope and then down to the middle level. We found the
lower level to be flooded, so it was not checked for critters. The infamous
beetle was not found, but a few millipeds and spiders were located.
11/27:
McClungs Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky,
Bill Koerschner, and Bob Alderson (Team 1). Nick Socky, Eric Pelkey, and one
other were Team 2. Total survey for the day was 2384 feet.
12/3:
McClungs Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky,
Bill Koerschner, and Joe Zokaites. We surveyed from where we left off on 11/27/2020,
heading toward the gate at First Breakdown. We got close - only a couple of
hundred feet to go. There were lots of side leads going towards the north west,
but they were all known cave. We surveyed 1265 feet.
12/5:
McClungs Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky,
Nick Socky, and one other. We surveyed the start of the connector passage from
just before the gate over to the first breakdown. The passage started out as a
nice large breakdown trunk, but after 100 feet it devolved down to a cool
3-foot-wide by 2-foot-high tube. After 150 feet or so, it got really tight. It was about 11 inches high for 9 feet and
then pinched down to 10 inches for a couple of feet. But it opened
up to walking passage after that. Dave Socky barely fit. It got his
adrenaline going. The other side lead was mostly walking passage, including a
large dome with a high lead that will require some technical work, or at least
throwing a rope up and over a natural bridge. We then surveyed a bunch of small
mazey stuff. We did not get down into the lower level where the stream is
located. It was a fun and productive 10-hour trip in which we surveyed 1061
feet with about 400 feet of new survey which adds to the length of McClungs.
12/9:
McClungs Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky
and Bill Koerschner. They surveyed the Beetle Run passage, including the Beetle
Run Room. Did not do any of the side leads to the north of Beetle Run but did
do the whole side lead that heads down close to the historic entrance. However,
they didn't finish, so one more trip will need to go
to the end of that passage. They surveyed a total of 1029 feet with 130 feet
being new to the survey. They were in the cave for 13 hours.
12/12:
Maxwelton Cave, WV. David Socky, Casey Tucker, and Nikki
Fox - Team 1. Nick Socky, Eric Pelkey, and Carl Amundson - Team 2. Team 1
surveyed 763 feet while Nick Socky’s team got 901 feet of survey for a total of
the day of 1665 feet. We were underground for 45 hours. We killed the leads at
the end of the Crawlmaster 900. The main canyon, the NordicTrack, ended in a sump, which, as it turns out, is probably connected to the
Die Autobahn. It is only 94 feet and pretty much at the same elevation (7
feet). Nick, Carl, Nikki, and Dave entered Friday night at about 5:30pm. It
took them 4 hours to get to camp. Nick carried a rope in for Cousin It Pit.
Nick and Nikki also blasted some of the rock away from the top of Cousin It Pit
to make it easier to get on and off. A redirect was also installed. Eric and
Casey showed up around midnight. Since our lead ended in the NordicTrack, we
got back to camp early, around 11pm. Carl and Dave led the way
out Sunday morning. Dave more or less caved
solo through the Cat Crawl, where everyone else caught up with him. They all
caved together up until the climb out of Cove Creek. Dave let Carl go in front
of him. Dave’s chest croll would not catch going up the last two drops which
really slowed him up. Then his Sten Light dropped to medium power at the top of
the last drop. Then Dave had to get his glasses out in order
to take the lock off at the bottom of the entrance. Sigh. Everyone
was out by 3:30pm Sunday. Good trip even though the lead ended.
·
December Grotto trip – NONE. Enjoy the Holidays!
·
January 2021 BRG Trip – to be
announced.
BUSINESS
MEETING
TREASURER’S REPORT
(Dave Socky) –
Cave
Bucks 0.00
Conservation 0.00
Equipment 133.87
General 3096.95
TOTAL $3230.82 (12/18/2020)
Committees:
NEWSLETTER
(Dave & MarySue Socky) – Several readers enjoyed the reprint of Curt Harler’s article “How Long Will You Be Stuck?” Thanks for
your support; send in articles and reports, and we’ll
print it!
MEMBERSHIP
– Pay your dues. BRG currently has 34
members and 5 subscribers for 2021.
ROCKS
– (D. Socky) Nothing.
SAFETY & TECHNIQUES
– (D. McConnell) Nothing.
OLD BUSINESS
–
·
All
Grotto meetings will be held virtually via ZOOM until further notice.
·
Congratulations
to the new BRG Officers! Thank you,
outgoing officers.
·
72
Christmas cards (80 ordered) were mailed out two weeks ago.
·
Marian
McConnell successfully updated BRG’s announcement on the Roanoke Outside
webpage.
·
Porter
Cave Project – (Susan Burr
was having video problems, so Dave Socky filled in) –
o
The
best way to fix the culvert problem is to add on to the existing culvert &
provide an access ladder.
o
the
cave site has been measured, and the original culvert dealer has been located.
o
Susan
hopes to stop by the dealer’s shop after a cave trip to get an idea of what
materials will be needed to fix the culvert/gate.
o
Anticipated
project date: late spring, early summer 2021.
o
Meredith
Weberg requested that once Susan gets the specifications and prices for
materials, please share with Meredith ASAP so she can help with writing up
grants (and deadlines.).
o
It
is estimated that it will take a minimum of 6 or 7 strong cavers, along with
block and tackle, to move the new culvert to the cave entrance.
NEW BUSINESS
–
·
Remember
that some caves are closed in the winter for bats – please respect all cave
closures. VA - Winter closure
dates: Oct.15 - Apr.15. WV - Winter closure dates: Sept.1 – May 15.
NEW
BUSINESS (cont.) –
·
Joseph Caldwell dropped off a box of headlights for BRG to use with the
loaner helmets. Thanks for the donation,
Joseph!
Announcements:
·
On Dec. 12, 1969, the first meeting of
the newly formed Blue Ridge Grotto was called to order. Happy
51st Birthday, BRG!
·
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of SW Virginia has
closed. This was the organization that
raised money for kids by offering rappelling off one of the tall buildings in
downtown Roanoke through Over The Edge. Sorry, no more rappels off Roanoke
skyscrapers for OTE volunteers.
·
West Virginia Cave Conservancy (WVCC) has
thanked many organizations, including BRG for their contribution in 2020. WVCC bought Lost Cave and is managing Norman
Cave and others. New: WVCC is drawing up
a management agreement with the owners of Patton Cave. Requirements for visitation to these and
other preserves can be found on the WVCC website https://wvcc.net/cave-preserves/
Meeting adjourned 8:12p.
Cold Beer!
2021
CAVER CALENDAR:
·
Al Stewart turns 91 years old on January 8,
2021
·
Next BRG meeting is January 15, 2021 via ZOOM.
·
Spring 2021:
MAR/VAR at Grand Caverns, VA.
Minutes Submitted
by
Mary Sue Socky
Secretary,
Blue Ridge Grotto of the NSS