BLUE RIDGE GROTTO of the NSS

Monthly Meeting Minutes –  Jersey Lily’s Salem, VA

 

September 16, 2022

Attendance:

Marian McConnell – Chair                            Dave Socky - Treasurer                  Mary Sue Socky – Secretary

Jeff Huffman                                                      Susan Burr                                           Karen Kastning 

Lynn Ott                                                               *Barry Ferguson                               *Helene Ferguson                                   

Carl Cornett                                                       Doug Feller                                         Kelly Perkins          (* denotes guest)       

 

Meeting called to order 6:45p  by Chair Marian McConnell.  Everyone was welcomed, Introductions were made.

 

Trip reports:

8/28: Unnamed cave, WV. Participants included David Socky, Bob Alderson, Mark Minton, Yvonne Droms, and Gabby Zywicki. This was a trip that Gabby set up just south of Franklin, WV. The cave had a short Entrance pit with a steep slope down to high canyons, with lots of climbing. We ended up having to use two ropes and webbing to do some of the climbs. We didn't make it to the end because we needed more rope and bolt climbs to continue. The cave was well decorated, with a dig and high lead at the end. There are plans to go back. It was a fun 5.5-hour trip.

8/30: McClung Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky, Bill Koerschner, Joe Zokaites. We went back to finish off the lead past the tight spot in the subway below Minilithia. It was the lead after the tight squeeze over a rock that I almost didn’t get back over. Joe didn't fit on that trip. I brought a hammer this time and beat the knub off the rock. But then Joe dug underneath and got the whole rock to move/shift down. There was now plenty of room to get through! We surveyed 258 feet until we reached a dig. Bill got through about 12 feet into a bit higher passage, but then it devolved back into a wide sloping dig that was only 4 to 5 inches high and went around a corner. Bill deemed it too much work. We called it quits after that. Done with that section of the cave! Good 9-hour trip.

9/10: Dry Cave, WV. Participants included David Socky, Greg Springer, Nick Socky, and Rob Wardell. Went back to the Blowhole and started the resurvey upstream in the main stream passage. From Greg, this is necessary in order to fix closure and accuracy issues with the old survey. Nick and I took lots of photos. I also collected a couple of water samples for Tyler Huth. Near the end of the day, Nick found an overflow route over the top of the main passage that hadn't been surveyed. It was highly decorated and supplied some new footage for the cave. We finished up surveying and went upstream for another 500 feet to get a probe that Greg wanted to collect. Then Nick, Rob, and I went further upstream to check out a high lead that Nick had noted on a previous trip. Nick found an alternate way up, so no bolting required. It didn't go. We headed out at 9:30pm and emerged from the entrance at 11:45pm. 13-hour trip with 1154 feet surveyed!

8/20/22: Lowmoor Cave, VA.  Susan Burr, Kelly Perkins, Lauren Appel, Jeff Huffman, Hillary Huffman, Mystik Miller.  

Mystik had been in this cave a couple of times during her NCRC training week, but that was it. Kelly hadn't ever been. We parked in the mine, so we entered the cave via the mine. We did the normal in to the end of the passage past the Ship Room, then we went to Fossil Alley. A few of us went to where there were some possible bat bones & exoskeletons (bugs???), as the rest of the group rested & chatted a bit. We decided we were doing pretty well on time, so Jeff asked if we wanted to go the Soda Straw Crawl off from Charlie's Dig. None of us have ever been before, so we decided to go. Let me just say, it was not worth the effort! It had the tightest & longest belly crawl we had to do. We got into the Soda Straw Crawl & were kind of disappointed. It was kind of cool looking, but not really. I didn't even take a picture. Once we were out of that section, we headed back out of the cave to just before you would get to the pool/muddy area. We took a side trip to the area that was at the end of the high lead trip Doug, Jeff & I did one time - that scared the crap out of me! Hillary & I hung out back there while Jeff took Mystik, Kelly & Lauren to show them the scary area. Once we regrouped, we headed out again toward the entrance area, but instead of heading out of the maze area near the entrance we explored a little back to the right of the pool/muddy area. Again Hillary & I hung as Jeff showed the others the beginning of the high lead passage where the first scary part was. LOL! Once they returned, we headed out of the cave through the natural entrance. We were going walk back via the cut dirt roads. The weeds were so overgrown we didn't want to, so Mystik showed up the route they took down into the mine straight across from the entrance & down the hillside into the mine. The path was fairly well worn due to the recent NCRC trips in there. However, there were many spiderwebs up, which I had managed to knock down with a stick, but I managed to walk right into one near the end...yes, I screamed like a girl! Found the spider on me as I was changing.

 

Overall, we all had a really good time on our 5-hour cave trip. We were all tired & hungry afterwards. Mystik followed us to the place we always eat in Clifton Forge & ate with us before heading back to WV.  (Susan Burr)

 

UPCOMING TRIPS

Tomorrow Sat. 9/17/2022:  BRG trip to Boar Hole, WV. Sign up with Susan Burr. 8:30a HROM. 

 

Next Month’s Trip –  To be announced.   Since there will not be an October BRG meeting, look for cave trip info in the CARBIDE DUMP and via Susan Burr.    There will be many interesting cave trips at Spring VAR, too. 

 

BUSINESS MEETING

9/16/2022 BRG Treasury Report – Dave Socky, Treasurer

Fund Amounts

$       40.96           Cave Bucks

$         1.00           Conservation Fund

$     104.12           Equipment Fund

$   3878.91           General Fund

     $ 4024.99      Total Funds

Dave added one cent to round up the total to $ 4025.00

*Cave Bucks:  All Cave Bucks donations are voluntary; funds go to cave conservation programs.

 

Committees: 

Newsletter – Another successful DUMP.  Please take some of the hardcopy NSS News and exchange newsletter we have collected – thanks! 

Membership – BRG has 56 members and 6 subscribers.  Updated Membership lists are available.  

ROCKS –  Nothing.

S&T -  Dan’s shoulder replacement is doing well.  He can play the guitar now! 

 

Membership Proposals:   None. 

 

Old Business:

·         BRG Call-down rescue list updates - current list has 3 contacts.  Any interest?  Final time for this item.

·         John Fox Memorial Service – Karen Kastning has heard no plans or dates for rescheduled services. 

·         Dave Socky has mailed Tyler Huth all the collected cave water samples for Tyler’s post-grad project. 

·         Tour of Beckley Coal Mine – any update?   None. 

·         BRG received TY letter from WVCC on donation of $50.00 towards the new Friar’s Hole property.

 

New Business:

·         There will be NO October 21 BRG meeting.  Go to Fall VAR! 

·         VPI Cave Club and Nick Socky will be hosting the Fall VAR at the RASS property. See https://var.caves.org/index.php/events/fall-var

·         BRG Xmas Party – Sunday Dec 18, 2022 @ Dave & Mary Sue Socky’s house.

·         Please bring ideas, photos for the 2022 BRG Xmas Card to the November BRG meeting.

·         Discussion of ACCA dues- which are due.  Karen Kastning moved that BRG pay/renew with ACCA for $25.00; Susan Burr seconded.  Vote – Everyone (7 Regular members) agreed to send in our dues.  

·         Secretary MSSocky was instructed to reserve the JL meeting room for upcoming meetings:  Nov 18; Jan 20, Feb 17, Mar 17, Apr. 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug 18, Sept 15, Oct 20, Nov 17, 2023. 

 

 

New Business (cont.)

 

GROTTO NOMINAITONS (One month early!)

All current officers must step down from their current offices in November.

Nominations are now open:

Chair:                    Lauren Appel.                    NSS # 69253        Nominated by Susan Burr

Vice Chair:           Nick Schmalenberger.    NSS # 62709        Nominated by Susan Burr

Secretary:           Marian McConnell.          NSS # 37358        Nominated by Dave Socky

Treasurer:           Mary Sue Socky.               NSS # 24206        Nominated by Dave Socky

 

Grotto Nominations remain open until meeting time Nov. 18, 2022. Please volunteer! Multiple candidates are encouraged! 

                 

Announcements:

·         Bob Gulden has been ill and is in the hospital.  Please sign his get-well card.

·         Carroll Bassett has purchased the ‘other entrance’ to Boar Hole – is it OK to announce this???

·         Dave Socky has copies of  “ Breathing Cave, VA” VSS Monograph by Robert Zimmerman.  $25.00 each.

·         Al Stewart’s Memorial Service at Catawba Murder Hole on August 13 was very nice.  It was good seeing so many region cavers and old BRG cavers in attendance.

·         Pandemic Caving – let’s be healthy going underground.  Rules have been posted in the DUMP.

·         Closure for bat caves

o   West Virginia Closed Sept 1 – May 15 for bat hibernation. 

o      Virginia -  Open until Oct. 14.  Then these caves will be closed Oct. 15 – Apr. 15.

 

2022 CAVER CALENDAR:

·         Oct. 1: Memorial Service for Mark Hodge and Nevin Davis at the BCCS property.  NEW

·         Oct 1-2: VAR Fall Conservation project weekend  NEW

·         Oct 6-9: TAG Fall Cave In, Lookout Mountain, GA.

·         Oct 14-16: Roanoke Valley GO FEST.    

·         Oct. 21: NO BRG meeting  NEW

·         Oct 21 – 23:  Fall VAR, at the RASS Property, Bath Co. VA!! Preregistration deadline is Oct. 15.  NEW

·         Oct 22: Virginia Cave Board Meeting, Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, VA. 11a.  NEW

·         Nov 12: WVCC Banquet, Alumni Center, WV School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg WV. Reservations must be received by Nov. 3.  NO At-Door Tickets.  NEW

·         Nov 18: BRG meeting, elections.

·         Dec 10: WVACS XMAS Party, @ the Fieldstation near Renick, WV.  NEW

·         Dec 18: BRG Xmas Party @ Dave & Mary Socky’s house.  Noon-5p.  More info soon.  NEW

·         June 26-30, 2023 – – NSS Convention, Elkins, WV.  

·          

8:10p Cold Beer!

Program:  video “Merlin Cave” by Mike Sandone.  (14 min. long)      

      

 Minutes Submitted by

Mary Sue Socky, Secretary