Meeting minutes Aug 2013 - May 2014

Apologies for not posting these to the TriTrog Secretary Blog previously. Here is a backlog of grotto meeting minutes.

2/25/2014

Tritrogs minutes

Attendance: Carlin Kartchner, Mike Broome, Mark Little, Ken Walsh, Robert Harris, Rachel Weinstock, Peter Hertl, Mark Daughtridge

Old Business: None

Upcoming Trips:

Hancock Bat Count 28 Feb, 1 Mar

Perkins Survey 8 Mar – 14 miles of known passage, 100’s of feet of virgin passage was recently found near the entrance.

Snow Cone Survey 22 Mar – Lead by Dave, Ken, Mark D. planning on going.

Orientation to Cave Rescue 28-30 Mar

Spring VAR 11-13 April

Grand Caverns 19 April

Trip Reports:

Carlin: December, Memorial Day cave

Robert H., Dave Duguid, Matt Jenkins, Trina, Howard Holgate: Snow Cone survey, lots more leads and pits left.

Treasurer’s Report:

Elections:

Vice Chair: Mark Daughtridge

Webmaster: Matthew Weiss

Chair: Robert Harris

Treasurer: Mark Little

Secretary:  Ken Walsh

12/9/13

TriTrog Minutes

In attendance:
Carlin Kartchner
Ken Walsh
Lisa Lorentzin
Mike Broome
Mark Daughtridge
Diana Gietl
Sarah Dotson
Peter Hertl
Riley Wareheimer

Old business:
Buy a calendar from Sarah if you need one $14

New business:

Email Diana to RSVP for the Holiday
Party

Trip reports:

Carlin : Survey and bat count in Hancock
Carlin, Dave Duguid, Brian Williams and Stephanie Petri surveyed Missed Opportunity in
wet suits. 650' added with tons of leads. Sunday's cave is still
unnamed. Staley property 500' added with 50' rappel. Should be able
to finish next trip. At the bottom of the pit is the "Badass Fairy
Princess Castle"!

Ken, Mike B, Lisa L , Matt Lubin, Matt Weiss, Jenny, Matt Nelson,
others, and scouts went to Hancock. Bat numbers remain the same as
last year, around 9.

Upcoming trip:
Dec 14 somewhere in Smyth Country. Contact Ken.
Right after New Years Jan 3 2014

Program:
Tritrogs Survival Feudal Jeopardy!

 

 10/24/2013

Attendance

Kellie Clooney

Mark Daughtridge

Ken Walsh

Mathew Weiss

Jenny Hundertmark

Grant Hundertmark

Rachel Weinstock

Robert Harris

Peter Hertl

Tatiana Binger

Chuck Binger

Riley

Jenkins

New Business

New calendars for sale

Christmas Party - Sat Dec 7 at Diana Gietl's house, includes awards

Address:

530 Summer Breeze Dr

Durham NC 27704

Action: Kellie will help plan, send out an email for the pot luck

Dues will be due $15 for a whole year, $7.50 for half

Trip reports:

YTR / VAR trips:
Ken Walsh and Diana Gietl went to Culverson Creek, scouting for a future photography trip

Robert Harris went to Maxwelton Sink, lots of intricate formations

Robert, Ken, and Diana went to Poor Farm Cave for a quick trip

TAG:

Robert and Peter went down, hit Ruby Falls

Robert and Ava went to Mystery Falls

Bat Ranch 11 people:
Rieley and Jenkins, Mark went to the Bat Ranch and cleaned New River with Ava scrubbing graffiti

Upcoming Trips

Hancock bat count open to more TriTrogs Nov 9th and 10th

Survey trips with Carlin Sunday Nov 10th Super Stayle's Cave

Germany Valley in Dec 13-15

Program

Robert Harris premiered his El Cap rappel video and presented on the VBATS trip followed up by Kellie Clooney presenting her perspective on the same trip.

9/23/2013 TriTrogs Meeting

New Business

-        No calendar will be made this year

-        Holiday Party location will be determined

Attendance:

Carlin Kartchner

Martin G.

Ken Walsh

Dianna Gietl

Grant Hundermark

Jenny Hundermark

Rachel Weinstock

Robert Harris

Mark Daughtridge

Peter Hertl

Jessie

Steve Molnar

Jenkins (Matthew)

Riley

Matt Jenkins

Trip Reports:

Carlin:  Blowing Spring, Tyvek caving due to WNS, removed trash from a rescue in ’95, practiced rescue skills, looked at a high lead.

Mark D.: Checked out Smoke Hole Caverns, Looked at a quarry near Franklin WV. Went on the Via Ferrata at Nelson Rocks with Rachel and Robert from OTR.

Upcoming Trips

YTR – Sept 27-29

TAG – Oct 10 – 13

Grotto Cleanup – New River ? Oct 18 – 20 [Permission is needed, action item for Ken]

Hancock Bat Count – Nov 2 or 9 ?

Program:

Peter Hertl presents information on what happens at an NSS Convention and why it is so much fun, Mark Daughtridge, Carlin Kartchner, Rob Harris, Ken Walsh present supplemental photos and discussion

Meeting adjourned to Natty Greene’s Pub.

 


8/27/2013

Attendance

Carlin Kartchner

Mark Daughtridge

Vance Swett

Jack Anderson

Martin G.

Mark Little

Peter Hertle

Chris Cooney

Kellie Cooney

Robert Harris

Rachel Weinstock

Sarah Fisher

Janie Hundertmark

Ken Walsh

Travis Stevens

Sarah Dotson

Old Business:

-        Calendars?

Trip Reports:

Martin G. Cleaned Fountain, broke hand while digging; went to Breathing

Ken: Worked on New River survey, presented new caving gear: Petzl NAO lamp

Sarah Fisher: Trip report from 10 years ago; James Cave

Mark D.: Helectite Cave dig

Kellie: Description of her first cave trip (vertical with sister)

Carlin: Rehoba Church

Ken: Butler

Upcoming trips:

OTR: This weekend (8/29/13)

Bugfest: Come volunteer 9/21/13

YTR/VAR: 9/27-9/29 Poor Farm Cave, 5 hour drive from Raleigh

TAG: 10/10-13

Grotto Cleanup (?): 10/18-20

RASS Fall Fest 10/26

Programs:

Ken: OTR Obstacle Course

TriTrog Officers Meeting (March 18, 2014)

In attendance: Rob Harris (Chair), Mark Daughtridge (Vice Chair), Matthew Weiss (Webmaster), and Ken Walsh (Secretary).

To get everyone brainstorming, Rob started the meeting with a discussion of possible meeting programs this year.  Mark D. had collected multiple ideas the previous year and didn’t have enough meetings to implement them all (Ed. I don’t think we’ll adopt biweekly meetings this year just to make sure he can squeeze them all in). In March Matthew Weiss will share a presentation about his geology class in Mammoth Cave last summer. In April Brooke Massey is set to talk about the WNS findings in North Carolina this year (with some questions about decon info).

Other topics included the perpetual favorite (Diana Gietl’s trip to Iceland) and the close second (Dave Duguid’s talk that doesn’t make cave diving sound like a death wish).  We may have a Gorp-May program that involves cave foods, how to pack cave packs (does not include cell phones as light sources), geologist from UNC, NSS and youtube videos, a story about a missing scuba diver with massive debt, a documentary about a cave sculptor, lightning talks, climber technique philosophy, knot tying, the 1980s (caving on goldline), and bright light photography.

The first order of business on the web page revisions is to remove the mailing address that was dropped more than a year ago.

Budget discussion: Rob’s email about the bankruptcy item was a joke to find out if anyone was reading the message (copied from a message from Ken). There was discussion about possibly having a fundraiser in order to make a charitable donation (e.g., raffle with donated prizes). Perhaps help grotto members with gas or food costs for a conservation trip. The grotto funds can help promote caving activities (e.g,, group gear or the grotto trip) or protect caves for cavers. The discussion concluded that further discussions should be had with Mark Little (Treasurer) to come up with a more concrete plan.

On the topic of membership, there was consensus that members should be able to join/renew through the web (pdf files, Google Docs, etc.). Rob will discuss the possibility of Paypal with Mark Little, but the TriTrogs will not accept bitcoins.

The discussion turned to how to reach out new members, and a plan was developed to attract new members. Mark Daughtridge will lead the effort, and Matthew Weiss agreed to help. It will begin with flyers online and at climbing gyms, as well as a notice on a meetup.com site. A caving basics meeting will be held (perhaps at a climbing gym), and those attending will be invited to join a Paxton Cave trip in September. The number of participants will be limited.

Ken and Mark Little will be expected to figure out ways to stir up lapsed grotto members, but they will need some additional online help as well (e.g., updates to web pages).

Those old members may be interested in helping to celebrate the TriTrogs’ 25^th Anniversary. Besides a holiday party (possibly a fancier dinner than a pot luck), several ideas were floated about the annual grotto trip. We’ll aim for an August 16 trip to Friars Hole with the thought that we may bring along a 1980s theme.

Regarding conservation trips, Matthew Weiss expressed interest in trying to clean the graffiti from the walls of Hancock Cave. Ken mentioned that the TriTrogs might be asked to help Walker Mountain Grotto clean the trash out of Buchanan Saltpeter Cave.

The remaining discussion involved some logistics. Ken will draft meeting agendas for Rob, we will remind people to pay dues at meetings, and Mark D. will get envelopes with Mark L.’s address for people to send in dues.

Tritrogs May meeting

Attendance

Howard Holgate

Mike Williams

Mike Broome

Mathew Weiss

Ken Walsh

Michael Caslan

Robert Harris

Rachel Weinstock

Carlin Kartchner

Lisa Lorinzen

Peter Hertl

Martin G.

Old Business -- None

New Business

-TriTrogs Calendar -- A new one will be made, invitation of photo submissions is out.

- Grotto Trip - Need to determine a location

    Action: Lisa will contact Butler Cave

Trip Reports

- Ken, Weiss, and Lubin: Worley's Cave, TN -- photography trip

- Mike, Lisa, Peter, and Rob: Ram's Head vertical practice (not really a cave trip)

- Pete & Mark: VAR: Sharp's Cave and possibly a connection to My Cave (?)

- Carlin: Horseshoe Cave: Mapped ~ 860 ft, 2 leads left

- Robert & Rachel: Pig Hole, 120 ft entrance drop, through trip

- Mike & Lisa: Butler Cave Preserve, checked a sump, naked caving

- Ken & Martin: New River Cave, survey trip

 Upcoming Trips (All on calendar)

- ACC 35th Reunion: Perkins

- Grotto Trip

- Convention: Pennsylvania

- New River: June 8

Program

An  in depth look at the VBATS Mexico expedition trip to Golindrinas and other caves was presented by Mike and Lisa through multimedia including videos of rappels.

TriTrogs March 2013 General Meeting

Introductions/Attendees:

Mark Daughtridge, Carlin Kartchner., Ken Walsh., Howard Holgate, Haden Holgate, Andy Koch, Mathew Lubin , Ava Pope

Program Part 1: Tri Trogs Get Loopy

To start the meeting Ken set up a surveying course outside the museum, as people showed up they used instruments and flashlights to complete the course to the best of their abilities. 

Old business:           

We gave the instruments and helmet to Tanya, she was extremely appreciative.  Says thanks to everyone who contributed.

We still need to get a canopy.

New Business:

none

Trip Reports:

Carlin went to orientation to cave rescue, started Friday night through Sunday.  Mock rescue on Sunday, 3 patients needed to be rescued. Carlin was part of the first hasty search team.  Communications were an interesting challenge.  Two patients were unresponsive and the other was supposed to have a broken leg (cursing a lot).  They were in Bundy’s number two cave.  

Ken delivered the Worleys cave map to the landowners.  Followed Carlin around for a little bit in search of Doan’s Cave but gave up and decided to head to Rob and Rachel Weinstock to finish Lover’s Leap survey.  Needed 5 steep shots to get up into the ceiling.  Rob was scared by a spider and screamed in a girly way.  Ken took them down to a dig with a rock hammer, dug it out, there was about a 6 foot drop, Rob went through and came back out, Ken sketched the room.  Outside of the cave there were ~ 30 hawks in the trees, very cool to see. And it was sunny! Mark thinks maybe the hawks were speed dating.  Ken and his group also went to the Saltville Museum in Saltville -- he highly recommends it.

There were 9 of us at Tanya’s that weekend, 4 people went looking for Doan’s but couldn’t find it.  Ava and Tanya talked to landowners early in the day and got permission to survey a small cave that had a giant raccoon in it!  It was super scary.

Andy went to Cumberland caverns a week or two ago, it’s a commercial cave but peaked his interest in caves, big room with music and snack bar, cool formations, there’s a guided walking tour that takes ~ 1 hr.  It’s owned by religious people so at the end there’s a light show with astronauts reading the bible.  The previous evening they did the “adventure tour”, did ~ 2 hr loop.  Saw lots of stuff and it was really cool.  Now him and his friends are excited about caving!

Upcoming trips:

March 29-31 = Easter – Grand Caverns restoration weekend, cleaning formations, regraveling paths, etc. Free lunch, Ken is looking for someone to go with.

May 17-19 = spring VAR

Ken started surveying New River Cave back in the 90s, but now will have the opportunity to finish it up.  Map has been drafted, Ken has been asked to lead trips back in there to clean up and finish up survey, resurvey a little bit.  Going to try to get trips up there the 1st and 3rd weekends of the months. Hopefully the first trip will be in April? He’ll definitely need people to help out.

Break:

Program Part 2:  Tri Trogs see that it’s hard to get loopy

During the discussion of other business Ken analyzed the results from the survey earlier in the evening and then gave a brief presentation on the basics of survey, some tricks, and what makes it tricky. Here the results you’ve been patiently anticipating all month long!  Carlin requests that no one be judged for their caving abilities based on these results. 

The moral of the story is – being able to close loops is really important and really difficult, especially with short high angle shots (and stray magnetic fields!) 

TriTrogs February 2013 General Meeting

Introductions/Attendees:

Martin G., Mark D., Pete H., Dianna G., Jacob J., Carlin K., Ken W., Rob the floating head (aka  Space Lord), Howard H. came too!

Old business:     

We discussed the minutes from the officer’s meeting

In response to the officers deciding that the membership list be removed from the website some people would like hard copies of it or perhaps PDF copies of it.  Decided we would talk to Mark Little about how to best go about disseminating member info

Martin finally received his awards from the X-mas party, two thumbs off award for his uncanny ability to slice his fingers while doing seemingly harmless tasks and also the Youth Group Leader Award (for his demonstration of the delicate and polite use of very important words they’ve probably never heard before!)

New Business:

Discussed giving the instruments and helmet to Tanya

Dianna brought some old stuff caving publications for us young folk to fight over

Trip Reports:

Higgenbothms # 4 with Martin, Ken, Jacob and Erika

They got pulled over in the hotel parking lot for making an unsignaled turn, but escaped the wrath of the law despite a lack of proof of registration and insurance

Jacob says it was a very pretty cave, cool formations, set up 7 or 8 good shots

Jacob was excited for the opportunity to take his car off-roading

Ken posted pics on the web and photoshopped them a little

Carlin discussing his trip this past weekend to Smith County

Carlin, Jacob, Dave D., Dawson, and James Armstrong (new guy)

Originally Carlin and Jacob were going to go ridgewalking/exploring Wythe county trying to find new stuff, but Thursday night Dave D. hopped on the trip, decided to switch to Buchanan Salt Peter.  Landowner was already at the cave, left Carlins at 6 am Saturday, started at marble cave then to Buch. Salt Peter.  Very spectacular, large passages, one little climb and one little crawl.  (WHY DO WE GO TO COLDSINK !?!?!) Scouted some other stuff after the cave, hung out with Tanya in the evening, headed back Sunday

Rob went to SERA and Cumberland caverns, it was a commercial cave with lots of passage for more exploration (38 miles? Not sure if that’s the right number). He met a guy who was on storm stories for being in a flooding cave who he was trapped and had to get rescued, he thought it was cool to talk to him. He went with Lee Olson from South Carolina.  Used a figure 8 for some drops it was fun. 

Ava explored some old aqueducts underneath New York City.  That was very cool.

Diana brought up using dowsing sticks to find things (like caves/holes/water etc.).  Ava was very skeptical but Ken thought it was extremely funny and entertaining to annoy Ava by continually bringing up the topic.  For more info on the lack of scientific evidence supporting dowsing see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing

Upcoming trips:

March 8-10 = orientation to cave rescue

March 22-24^th = Surveying in Smyth County – possibly Doanes?

March 29-31 = Easter – Grand Caverns restoration weekend

May 17-19 = spring VAR

Rob may try to get a new castle murder hole on Easter weekend—keep bothering him so he actually does it!

Ken started surveying New River Cave back in the 90s, but now will have the opportunity to finish it up.  Map has been drafted, Ken has been asked to lead trips back in there to clean up and finish up survey, resurvey a little bit.  Going to try to get trips up there the 1st and 3rd weekends of the months. Hopefully the first trip will be in April? He’ll definitely need people to help out.

Break:

Program: 

Carlin gave a presentation on things he doesn’t know and isn’t allowed to share about his experiences in the area where there are no caves to speak of.  It was called Caving in Arizona.

Then the group headed to Armadillo Grill for a final farewell to Jacob.  We’ll miss him a ton!  

2012 TriTrog Grotto Awards Revealed

Much like Hollywood's Oscars, February is the time to officially announce the awards for the previous year, at least for those who missed the Bodacious Red Carpet (worn as a Santa hat) affair known as the Annual Triangle Troglodytes Holiday Party.  

       At last night's meeting we finally got to give the final 2 awards in person to the esteemed victim, I mean honoree.     

     And so with further ado, and for anyone who missed them or wants to relive them, the 2012 TriTrog Grotto Awards ! !   :  

 

 

1)  Carlin, Jacob, Ava, and Ken were standing outside a gas station at midnight, almost to the Fall VAR.  The convenience store lights went out, but we were still a member short.  The front door was locked so we weren’t sure about our driver who was still in the bathroom.  A minute or two later the remaining TriTrog emerged, found an attendant, and escaped the building.  Because she remembered to carry her headlamp into the bathroom, we award Diana Gietl- for being prepared for any bathroom situation, the

 

 

 

 Most Well Equipped Caver Award

The Triangle Troglodytes, 

 A Distinguished and Official Grotto of the

National Speleological Society 

Do Hereby Present 

This Honorable and Facetious  

Actual Award to

Diana Gietl

 

For carrying a backup light into even the darkest of Convenience Store Bathrooms, above and beyond the call of Duty.   Or whatever she was doing in there. 

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended.

Signed     ___________L. Gaga______________         

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 2) The next award goes to a sharp pair of individuals whose exploits go to Infiniti and beyond. 2 Guys who really held it together, with duct tape and super glue, and kept our first aid supplies from going stale, we honor Martin Groenewegen for slicing his finger while preparing dinner and Rob Harris for smashing his digit in his own car door.  To the pair, we give the [hold up right fists] Two Thumbs Off award.  Close the doors gently!  For skewering their hands we award

  

  Two Thumbs Off Award

 

The Triangle Troglodytes,

A Distinguished and Official Grotto of the 

National Speleological Society

Do Hereby Present

This Honorable and Facetious 

Actual Award to 

Martin Groenewegen and Rob Harris 

 

for attacking their own hands with ordinary everyday objects in the heretofore safe zones known as “camp.”  

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended. 

Signed     ___________L. Jack Horner________________  

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 3)  Our local Brewme-aster, I mean webmaster, was implicated in our punniest award.  He smuggled beer bottles out of Germany and brought them expertly re-filled to western Virginia for us to imbibe.  To Mike Broome we raise our glasses in tribute to his Pint of No Return.  We hope that the next draught on tap is the map of Copenhaver’s. 

 

Pint of No Return Award 

Mike “Brew-man” Broome

 

 for expertly and bravely recycling beer bottles smuggled from East Germany and with improved contents to share among TriTrogs. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

4) This next person is never Aiken to get out of the caves.  He’ll just drum and sing with a sub-lime voice while he’s waiting for Ken to sketch or Carlin to take photos.  Therefore, we honor Jacob Jackson with the American Cave Idol award.

 

American Cave Idol Award

 

Jacob Jackson 

for his sub-lime (stone) crooning.  He knows how to idle away the slow times.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

5)  Our Youth Group Leader award goes to an individual who would teach young people many phrases they’ve never heard before while traveling underground.  The award goes to Martin Groenewegen for his colorful language in tight spots.

 

Youth Group Leadership Award

 

Martin Groenewegen 

for his colorful, multi hued, spectrally enhanced language in the face of scary youth.   “Damn, we’re in a tight spot.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

6)  Is a cave conservation trip about the laborers hauling buckets of gravel a half mile into the cave?  Apparently not.  At Grand Caverns, the reporters and photographers flock to Bithika Khargharia.  So for Bithika, we award the  

 

 Seeking the Lime(stone) Light Award

 

Bithika Khargharia 

for seeking the Lime(stone) Light and wowing the reporters at Grand Caverns Cave Conservation Weekend.   It was a rocking good time and buckets of fun.  

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended.

Signed     ____SkeetsMiller       

                     

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   

 

7)  You may have thought that our little oompah loompah deserves a tribute to salamander obsession.  However, Ava Pope (in trailer park fashion) was responsible for organizing a unique event this past year.  We’d like to thank her for creating an opportunity for the TriTrogs to meet the world famous Roger Brucker...’s poodles...and his wife.  For this, we’re awarding Ava with the Dog and Pony Show award.

 

Dog and Pony Show

 

 Ava Pope

 

for arranging for the TriTrogs to meet Roger Brucker’s poodles.  And tour their fabulous home on wheels, packed with enough spare room to make Cold Sink crawls seem Spacious.  Where will the dogs ride?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

8)  Only one TriTrog took enough risks at Convention to earn the next award.  In fact, his entire tent blew away and is still missing so we’re honoring Rob Harris with the High Stakes Award. 

 

High Stakes Award 

Rob Harris

 

for his tent which was (and still is for all we know) Flying High at the 2012 NSS Convention.  There’s no place like home (left) for your ruby red cave boots. 

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended.

Signed     ___________Guy Weyer______Dorothy Gale__________   

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

9) Our next award is for the Animal Lover.  You may think we picked him for such a great presentation on cave biology, but that’s not it.  You may think it’s because he talked the TriTrogs into working at BugFest, but that’s not it.  You may think it’s because he’ll sit for an hour observing cave flies, but that’s not it.  We’re giving Pete Hertl the Animal Lover award because he invites TriTrogs over to his place every night at dusk to feed his pets...the mosquitoes. 

 

Animal Lover Award

 

Peter Hertl

 

for bringing TriTrogs home to feed his pet mosquitoes.  All 18,379,932,437,741 of them. 

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended.

Signed     _____K. T_.Didd________________

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

10)  After a caving trip, other party members look at me and say "I've got to clean my face." I know what that means. Another grotto member seems to elicit the same comments. The face is marked by a stripe across the forehead creating a sort of unibrow. Hence the moniker Oompah Loompah has been shared with her to denote the menacing look she takes on. From the TriTrogs, we'd like to award German-speaking Ava 'the Cava' Pope with

 

The Burrowed Frau Award 

Ava 'the Cava' Pope

for her muddy unibrow.  Gotta hand it to her- a baby wipe that is.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

 

11) We do joke about the single-minded determination of one grotto member and the fact that he drags other people into his obsession. Drag is the appropriate word, but I think that everyone here recognizes that it’s an accomplishment to lead up a major cave survey effort.  In a cave where most of the survey stations are less than two feet from the floor, we really are impressed that Carlin Kartchner has convinced so many people to survey more than 4300 feet of passage in Cold Sink Cave in less than a year.  For his accomplishment, we offer the : 

 

Motivational Speaker Award

 

Carlin Kartchner

 

for leading the 2011-2012 major cave survey into Cold Sink Cave.  It’s a dirty job, but everybody's got to do it.   How about this weekend? 

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012, just before the Mayan World Ended.

Signed     ________Sir Faye Statience

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

12) And Finally, a true honor, which sets the joking aside.  

        One morning at Fall VAR Tanya McLaughlin wandered bleary-eyed up to the TriTrog camp, complaining of someone yelling drunkenly outside her tent all night long.  Four weeks later Carlin rounded up Cold Sink victims, and the shouter joined the surveyors.  Tanya recognized the voice but still graciously offered up her home as a place to sleep on a cold night.  They got along well when all were sober.  This is just one recent example of the generosity that Tanya has shown in the caving community.

       Tanya joined the TriTrogs back in 1990. She was the first person to say “I’ll run for office if you pay my dues” and get a free membership paid for by Nadi Findikli.  For years she served as a TriTrog officer. 

     When she was nearing retirement, the VSS was looking for a county director for Smyth County in Virginia.  The files contained just a few cave maps back then, but Tanya has added more than two dozen maps to the files.  When Tanya moved to Marion in 2002, she actively began seeking out new landowners and became known as the "Cave Lady of Smyth County."  She has also played a key role in planning many of our conservation trips.  The TriTrogs have never been short of new cave to explore since Tanya started her role as the county director for the VSS, and she has always offered us a place to stay.

      For these and so many other things, the TriTrog officers bestowed upon Tanya McLaughlin a very unique and completely serious award.  Tanya was granted Lifetime membership for her lifetime achievement in making the TriTrogs a successful grotto.

 

Lifetime Achievement Award 

 

The Triangle Troglodytes,

A Distinguished and Official Grotto of the  

National Speleological Society 

Do Hereby Award 

 

Tanya McLaughlin

 

For  Initiative, Hospitality, Generosity, Inquisitiveness, Leadership and Immeasurable Contributions to the Grotto and to Caving in Smyth County, Virginia .

 

This award by unanimous approval of the officers here signed, confers Lifetime Membership in the Grotto, paid in full in good standing.   

 

Presented this day, December 1, 2012

Signed     _____Carlin Kartchner (Chair), Ken Walsh (Vice Chair), Mark Little (Treasurer), Mike Broome (Webmaster), Mark Daughtridge (Secretary)