TriTrogs October meeting - 10/28/08

Recorded by Mike Broome

meeting started at 7:50pm
10 people in attendance

Notes on attendance:
- only 1 person there at 7:30pm
- only 7 of the final 10 there by 7:50pm
- only one officer in attendance by 7:50pm
(note 3 of 5 officers were present by half-way through the meeting)


Old Business
- web site
. going with Tiger Technologies
    - need to move the domain from GoDaddy to Tiger, but they help with that
    - won't cost any extra
. discussion of picture gallery

New Business
- Mark Little setting up trip for Explorers
. Mark can't cave right now
. need another person
. weekend of 11/15 ?
. Rehobeth Church w/ backup of Paxton's
. have about 12 scouts lined up

- suggestion to change meeting time to 8pm
. for a while now, the meeting start time has been drifting later due to
  people showing up late
. a later start time would make it easier for people to get dinner before
. there was a concern that with a later start time, if the meeting runs for
  2 hours like it often does, we won't get out until very late; perhaps the
  meeting could be run more efficiently
. alternate suggestion: actually *start* the meeting at 7:30

Upcoming Trips
- Explorers trip - 11/15 ?
. to Rehobeth Cave or Paxton's
. see "New Business" for details of needing additional trip leader(s)

- Rowland Spring - this weekend
. might or might not require surveying and vertical skills
. contact Dave Duguid for details

- Halloween party at Susanna's - Friday, 10/31
. wear a costume (but not a caver!) or get painted when you arrive


Trip Reports

- TAG Fall Cave-In (Lisa)
. TinY and Nikky's wedding on Friday
. went to Flowing Stone Cavern on Saturday
    - "we went so you don't have to"
. 1-2 hour hike over hills and around quarry through poison ivy fields
. 225' cavern that we rappelled into
. pretty at the bottom with pool with large salamander and fossil shells in the wall
. TAG Fall Cave-in is a great event, and looking forward to going back

- Conservation Trip (Susanna) - early October
. Hancock Cave Peacock entrance
. where the stream flows into the cave
. 15' of "stuff" to remove that had been dumped in the entrance
. appliances, etc.
. land owner let us use his truck
. still more to be picked up
    enough for another conservation trip
. Ken *never* said there was a car in there

- Rehobeth Cave (Lindsay)
. friends Mom who caves a lot to her and her boyfriend
. did top part first and went all the way back
. optional tight squeeze - ladies only
. cave back through and went down to the stream part
  got really wet crawling in the stream despite the low water level
. one of the people on the trip fell in and got really wet which was the
  end of the trip
. about 4 hours underground
. lots of wildlife - salamanders, crayfish (white), crickets, spiders (way back in)

- Hancock Cave (Ken)
. after conservation trip Ken, Mark, Dave, Dawson went in
. found a hole near Peackock entrance
. from top of sink hole, Dave climbed in
  really drops, but he saw daylight
  Ken went around to main entrance and could see Dave above him (~18')
. Dave was afraid to take Dawson down breakdown staircase; solution was to
  tether the two of them together (8-10' leash)
. Dawson was getting worn out (there was disbelief at this), and they left
  the cave when he got tired
. Dawson was very excited about having done an arm rappel

- Rowland Springs (Ken)
. day after the conservation trip
. Dave wanted to take Dawson to the cave
. stuffed Dave down holes that Ken and Tanya hadn't fully explored previously
. found a hole that drops down into the stream that is probably a couple more
  survey shots
. another room (Rock and Roll room) that needs to be surveyed
. went up to upper entrance; took some pictures
. then went to Sentinel Cave
  had found a long piece of rebar/screw in the upper entrance that was a great
  digging tool; left it with Tanya
. Tanya found another hole in the hillside lower down from Sentinel
. hoe was a great digging tool
. Dave was able to get his whole body in; needs more digging

- Bridge Day (Mike)
. great weather; had a good time
. Mike got 4 rappels; Lisa got 3
. there were 2 dedicated ascent ropes this year and they climbed together once
. have not heard of any injuries or fatalities from this year

Break

Program
. National Geographic Channel show: "Giant Crystal Cave"