December 2018

VOLUME 48 NUMBER 12

Birmingham Grotto

Newsletter

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

139 December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12

Birmingham Grotto Officers

President Judy Ranelli, NSS 49720

president@bhamgrotto.org

Vice-President Jeff Harrod NSS 37101

vp@bhamgrotto.org

Secretary Zach Englebert NSS 68405 secretary@bhamgrotto.org

Interim Treasurer & Member List Gary Barnes, NSS 10332FE for Lindsey Garrison, NSS 65520 treasurer@bhamgrotto.org

Immediate Past President (Executive Committee Member)

Ray Merrill

BGN Calendar: Details at meeting and on Grotto egroup/FB

Dec 7 Moses Tomb Campout organized by Jeff Harrod see Grotto egroup or contact Jeff for details.

Dec 7 5:30-9pmET SCCi Open House, at new space, 2213 Fairmount Pike, Signal Mountain, Tennessee 37377 https://scci.salsalabs.org/2018holidayopenhouse/index.html…

Dec 29-Jan 2 NSS Bat Ball See inside last page of this issue or caves.org for details

Jan 8 DATE CHANGE

7pm Grotto Meeting, Avondale Brewing Company upstairs room (use exterior steps) 201 41st St S, Birmingham, AL 35222-1932. Meeting before the meeting meal 5:30ish, see egroup for location.

Feb 9 2019 SERA Winter Business Meeting 9am ET, Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, Chattanoga, TN

Feb 15 Annual Grotto Getaway at Camp Maranatha (Ridgewalk, cave trips, auction)

Jun 17-21, 2019

2019 NSS Convention Cookeville, TN For more info and to register: http://nss2019.subworks.com/convention2019.html

Disclaimer

Caving trips are led by volunteers. No Grotto committee reviews any trip leader’s qualifications. New cavers should inquire about the nature of the trip and the experience of the leader in advance. Those participating in the trips should be aware of their limits. On vertical trips all participants are expected to supply their own gear and be knowledgeable about rigging and safe practices.

Birmingham Grotto On-Line! Find us on:

Member eGroup (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/bham_grotto) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/150556684966936/)

CaveChat (http://www.forums.caves.org/viewforum.php?f=47) or

www.bhamgrotto.org

On the cover... Jeff Harrod, Judy Ranelli, Teresa Barnett,

Matthew Kok, Bridget Murray, and Jon Warren In Anderson Cave

by Alan Cook

The Birmingham Grotto Newsletter is published twelve times a year by the Birmingham Grotto, Inc., of the National Speleological Society, Inc. Other NSS Internal Organizations may reprint material provided credit is given to this publication and the author. Annual dues are $15.00 per individual and $20.00 per family, which is payable on October 1st. Dues are prorated for anyone joining during the year. The subscription rate is $15.00 per year. The Birmingham Grotto will exchange publications with other NSS Grottos. Exchange newsletters should be sent to:

Birmingham Grotto P.O. Box 59607

Birmingham, AL 35259 Articles, Trip Reports, Graphics, Poetry, and any other speleo-related material should be sent to the Editors via the email address given. Submissions via email should be directed to: editor@ bhamgrotto.org. The deadline for publication is the last Monday of the month; however, the Newsletter is limited to 8 pages per month and material may be held for future issues.

More about Caves and Caving

National Speleological Society The Birmingham Grotto recommends that all Grotto members join our parent organization. More info can be found at http://www.caves.org/ Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. The SCCi is a wonderful organization led by cavers for cavers, which purchases and protects caves with reasonable management. Find out more at http://www.scci.org/

Other Supporters

BGN Editors Dave Howell, NSS13926 FE

& Valerie Howell, NSS 18128 FE editor@ bhamgrotto.org

(205) 591-5127

BGN Proofreaders Scott Fee, Bradley Jones, Jimmy Sims

Will accept your corrections to the posted version through the end of this

month-Eds.

Librarian: Jeff Harrod Archivist (TAG): Bradley Jones

Archivist (Rest of World): Gregory Brecht

Conservation Bradley Jones NSS 63915

conservation@bhamgrotto.org

Webmaster Jeff Harrod, NSS 37101

webmaster@ bhamgrotto.org

Prefer Paperless? Grotto Newsletter e-subscriptions are now available on request. Just let the Treasurer and Editors know, confirm your email, and you can get the next issue, in color, before the meeting.

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12 140

Announcements We still have SERA 2018 Guide Books available for $5 apiece, get in touch with Dave or Valerie Howell if interested. Judy Ranelli also has some shirts, stickers and beer koozies for sale.

Valerie Howell wanted to relay Allen Padgett’s Facebook post to the T.A.G. Cavers page: “Just a heads up. The caves on Georgia's Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Area will be closed November 8-9-10 and December 5-6-7-8, 2018 for firearms deer hunts.”

2018/12/01 - Formal Wear Caving at Tumbling Rock organized by Kelly McNamara

2018/12/04 - December Grotto Meeting – Elections

2018/12/07 - Moses Tomb Campout organized by Jeff Harrod

2018/12/29 - Bat Ball (12/29/18 - 1/2/19) @ NSS Headquarters

2019/01/08 - January Grotto Meeting (**DATE CHANGE **)

2019/02/15 - Grotto Getaway at Camp Maranatha (Ridgewalk, Cave Trips, Auction)

Old Business

Dave Howell voiced Jimmy Sims’ suggestion for the Executive Committee to come up with a solution to address auction debt. During this lengthy discussion Kevin Giles reached out to let the person with the remaining balance so that it could be remedied ASAP.

Jeff Harrod made a motion that the Grotto reimburse Dave McRae $100 for the meat provided at the Halloween Party. Motion passed.

New Business

Brandon Crump suggested the Grotto look into setting up a Venmo account as an alternate to PayPal with no fees if paying from a bank account.

Gary Barnes wanted the Grotto to consider funding a double door woodcarving at the NSS headquarters to be carved by Michael Ray. Estimated cost is around $700-2000. There seemed to be interest and this is possibly something that we could do fundraising to pay for. He will investigate further to get a better idea of actual costs.

Grotto Trip for the Month

There was talk of possibly a trip to Anderson for November if someone is willing to lead.

There was also talk of possibly a ridgewalking trip. If interested please reach out to Dave Howell or Judy Ranelli.

Trip Reports

Kevin Giles visited Byers at TAG with a very large group.

Gary Barnes did his annual Sloans Valley trip with Andy Zerbe in attendance and visited Wells Cave which has over 11 miles of passage.

Andy Zerbe biked the 17 mile Virginia Creeper Trail.

Dave Caudle mentioned latest ongoing discoveries at Fort Stanton Cave in New Mexico with Snowy River having over 12

Birmingham Grotto Meeting Minutes November 6, 2018

The October meeting of the Birmingham Grotto was called to order on November 6, 2018 by the President Judy Ranelli.

Presentation Jeff Harrod did a slideshow presentation of what our Grotto was up to in 2017 as 2018 is still a work in progress.

Visitors Brandon Crump

Anna Lynch-Crump

Larry Lynch

Jon Warren

Bryce Leonard?

Danny Harrod?

Minutes The October minutes were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report Gary Barnes provided the Treasurer's report on Grotto account activities since the last meeting.

Beginning Balance: $8,947.67*

Income: Cash Seven (7) 2018-19 Individual Dues $105.00 Checks Six (6) 2018-19 Individual Dues 90.00 PayPal Fourteen (14) 2018-19 Individual Dues 224.00 Cash Four (4) 2018-19 Family Dues 80.00 Check Two (2) 2018-19 Family Dues 40.00 PayPal Five (5) 2018-19 Family Dues 104.00 Donation – Cash 5.00 Donations – PayPal 82.00 Total Income: +$730.00

Expenses: PayPal fees - Dues $14.28 PayPal fees – Donations 2.98 Reimbursement - PA Speaker David McRae,Check #1045 164.87 Reimbursement - BGN Printing & Mailing-Valerie Howell, Ck #1047 169.50 Total Expenses: -$351.63

Ending Balance: $9,326.04*

Checking Account Balance Nov 5 2018: $8,593.90 PayPal Account Balance Nov 5, 2018: 732.14

*Outstanding Checks and Accounts Payable Ck 1048, U.S. Postal Service, P.O. Box Fee -$214.00 Rumbling Falls Gating (up to $500) -$500.00

Balance Taking into Account Commitments $8,612.04

2018 Getaway Outstanding Balance

Peter Paullus – Room - $25.00

MINUTES continued on page 144

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

141 December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12

Anderson

Fun day caving in a muddy maze today. (Cave-1 Birmingham Grotto-0) We'll be back now that we know 48 ways not to go.

(Photos Alan Cook)

There's always that TAG classic to visit but there is something appealing about visiting some that most never visit. Mainly because you never know what you may find. #neverstopexploring. – Bradley Jones Photo courtesy of Shawn Miller

Grotto in November

Above L to R: Jeff Harrod, Judy Ranelli, Teresa Barnett,

Matthew Kok, Bridget Murray

Below: Bridget, Jeff, Jon Warren, Teresa, Matthew 1/2 of the Exec

Committee in action

Above right: Judy, Jon, Matthew, Bridget

Middle: Salamanders of Anderson

Left: Bridget

Below: Teresa, Jeff, Bridget

(Teresa Barnett)

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12 142

Thuy/Twee Phu McRae and Family

Black Friday Ridgewalk

11/12/18 Dave’s wife Thuy/Twee, brother in law Loc and their parents were in a very bad car accident. Loc has been discharged and Dad is under observations for a week with facial lacerations. Mom and Twee will be having surgeries today. Twee has two broken feet and a broken femur. Mom had heart surgery last night and is doing ok but now will have surgery on a broken tibia. Everyone is ok but it will be a long road of recovery. Dave asked for everyone to have the family in their thoughts

11/23/18 It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings, to express our gratitude, and each day is a gift from God. Thank you to the Nurses and Doctors here at UAB Hospital, they may not be angels but they are the next best thing. Thankful for Nancy Phu, David McRae, and all of our family

and friends who have supported us. #happythanksgiving �❤Loc Phu— with Twee Phu McRae

Judy: Did a rather challenging ridgewalk today with some friends; we found a couple good leads and had a straight-up-the-mountain path back to my car. I am certain to be stove up in the morning.

David Caudle: Did you find any bargains? holes that were 50% off?

Jeffrey Scott Harrod: Judy and David both found some potential holes. I just wanted to make a B-Line to a sinkhole I saw on the Lidar imagery. About all we could do to get to it then return.

Above: Jeff Harrod and Dave Howell (Judy Ranelli)

Left: Jeff by Jeff Harrod

Above: Judy Ranelli and Dave Howell (Jeff Harrod)

Left: Dave the Ridgewalker (Judy Ranelli)

Below: Dave checking lead (Jeff Harrod)

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

143 December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12

Grotto member and geologist Gheorghe Ponta has authored a book, the cover shown at the bottom. In the summer of 2004, he led one of the most far flung Grotto trips, to Romania. What follows are excerpts from Dave Howell’s trip report originally published in the August 2004 BGN. Check out the full trip report!

Romania is a kind of heaven for cavers: The caves are long and highly decorated, the karst is super impressive, and most cavers there use carbide; Petzls with piezoelectric starters. I learned this during the June 12-27 caving trip there, organized by Gheorghe Ponta. Other Birmingham Grotto cavers on the trip included Gary Barnes, David Caudle, Michael Greene, Dave Howell (reporter), Tamara Hughes, and Mike McEachern.

The drive across Romania is long, but we make several stops, the first at a natural garden of concretions larger than any I’ve ever seen. Here also we get our first glimpse of the Carpathian Mountains, distant, rugged peaks with visible snowfields. We take a side trip to the monastery of Bistrita-Valcea to see their chapel in a cave. The Mother Superior appoints a young nun to guide us up a narrow trail clinging to the near-vertical side of a deep gorge to a narrow slit opening in a sheer limestone wall, reached by a short metal stair bolted to the rock. We make our first entry of a Romanian cave as the sister, in full length habit, leads through the entrance squeeze and duck walk beyond. The passage quickly opens to walking, and 150-200 feet in is a tiny rock-walled chapel with 16th century art on its walls. On the way out we go a different way to another entrance, a large opening in the cliff face with a two room church, tiled gable roof and all, in the twilight zone. No way down here, it’s a sheer drop to the bottom of the gorge, you have to go through the cave to get here. This cave goes by two names, St. Grigorie Decapolitul, or The Cave of Bats.

The next morning I awake to sunshine, fresh air and the call of the cuckoo. We meet Luceca Sosu, a local caver’s mom who will cook for us while we’re here. After breakfast we gather our caving gear and head out on our first trip. We park in an area marked with a sign, “Pestera Topolnita” (Pestera, pronounced PESHterra, = cave), then hike down a steep trail into a gorge. We follow the fast-rushing stream at the bottom to where it flows tumbling and cascading between carsize boulders into a cave entrance about 50 feet wide by 125 feet high: This is one of the entrances to Topolnita Cave, which contains around 9 kilometers of passage. A float through trip from this entrance is scheduled for later, but our guides say that this water level is too high, we may have to scrub this trip. Today we go instead to Pestera Curecea, another stream cave with a 15 foot entrance drop to a kilometer of stream passage, water depths from zero to chest deep and fairly good decoration on the ceiling. We use our wetsuits for this one.

Water levels have by June 22 dropped more than a foot, so we return to Topolnita for the float through trip. We must rappel a 15 foot drop down the boulders at the entrance – I do this on a Petzl Stop borrowed from Mihai – then we are in passage 30-50 feet wide by 100-200 feet high with a major, fast-rushing stream. Water depths range from less than knee deep to over our heads; in several places we must simply let our flotation and the current carry us through. At one point Michael flushes a 3 foot snake from a recess and it swims off past me down the passage. Mihai says it is a harmless water snake – very reassuring as I start into another chest-deep pool. The through trip is only about 1 kilometer long, and soon we are seeing the

glow from the lower entrance. The upper entrance was dramatic and beautiful; this one is more so. The passage is 20 feet wide by 200 feet high, opening into a sunlit canyon with green foliage cascading down the ledges. The passage turns left and a rocky beach with sun-dappled forest beyond comes into view – we are out! We walk a trail through storybook forest back to the parking place, then it is home for dinner and a campfire afterward.

(Earlier in the week) we leave around midday for Pestera Closani in the town of the same name, making a stop on the way at the largest natural bridge in Romania. There is another cavers’ lodge in Closani, and we have lunch there. The cave entrance is reached by an easy one km trail then a flight of steps to a gated hands-and-knees crawl into a limestone wall. The cave quickly opens to walking passage, and a metal stair leads to a lower level. The cave is very well decorated, but heavily damaged due to the fact that the gate was only installed in 1968. In the rear of the cave is a long abandoned scientific laboratory, its instruments and equipment deteriorating badly in the damp. This lab was originally created to study earth tremors and movements.

About the book:

This book focuses on Romania’s more than 12,000 caves, which developed in limestone (including thermal water caves), salt, gypsum, and occasionally in sandstone. It examines these caves and related topics in a format suitable for cavers, while also addressing a broad range of aspects useful for students and researchers. Since the Institute of Speleology was first established by Emil Racovita in 1920, a great deal of research has been conducted on all cave and karst types. As such, the book examines a variety of scientific fields, including karst geology, hydrogeology, biospeleology, paleoclimatology, mineralogy and archaeology.

A Book and Reminiscence By Dave Howell NSS 13926

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter

December 2018: Volume 48, Number 12 144

Jun 17-21, 2019

http://nss2019.subworks.com/

MINUTES continued from page 140

miles of passage and an area that is usually closed off now open adding 7000' of virgin passage and another 2400'.

Bradley Jones visited and mapped Tate Cove Sewers with Ryan Hoffman and Shawn Miller, participated in a gear haul for an ongoing dive project at an undisclosed cave with Ryan Hoffman, Shawn Miller, Rob Wardell, & Emma Bullock; ongoing Graves project with Matthew Kok and Ray Merrill on 2 separate trips; bio-inventory project of Hering with Matthew Niemiller, Shawn Miller, and Amy Hinkle; located and took entrance photos for ACS of Shiloh, Little Shiloh, and Tony Cave with Shawn Miller; further pushed northernmost passage in Iron Hoop system with Shawn Miller; and a 24 mile paddle on Suwannee River in Florida with Ryan Carlson locating Blue Springs, Telford Springs, Cow Springs, Royal Springs, Bathtub Springs, and Convict Springs. Respectfully Submitted, Bradley Jones NSS #63915 (Interim Secretary in Zach's absence)

LATE BREAKING NEWS - Update

TPH/Tony Tomasello’s son Karson was in a bad wreck on Oct. 25 and has been in the neurological intensive care unit in Huntsville Hospital. From Tony on November 27: Karson is out of the drug-induced coma, breathing on his own for over 48 hours, still has ventilation tube in and receiving small amount of oxygen. They managed to get him to sit up on the edge of the bed for almost 5 minutes. He still can't talk due to tube in neck but one day at a time he is getting a little better and stronger, Thank you everyone for all your prayers, keep them coming please.

Dec 29, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019

NSS Headquarters and Conference Center 6001 Pulaski Pike

Huntsville, Alabama 35810

It's a member appreciation party and HQ fundraiser!

Dinner & dancing, souvenir cup, craft libations, and

t-shirt! Camping, led cave trips, climbing course!

Register now!

Grounds and building open for camping from

8:00 AM on Saturday DEC 29th, 2018 to noon Wednesday JAN 2nd, 2019

· Indoor camping available in case of cold temperatures

· Led wild cave trips vertical, horizontal all weekend, on and off the property

· SRT Classes in the rescue shed

· Cave art class with Carolina

· Vendor and adventure group booths in the ball room

· 6 – 8 pm catered New Year’s Eve dinner

· 8 pm – 1 am New Year’s Party with DJ, dancing and champagne at midnight

· Souvenir cup and T-shirt

· Craft libations made by cavers

· Toilet facilities available

· New and improved caver style showers

· Fantastic breakfast, lunch and dinners available in minutes’ drive

· Saturday and Sunday night entertainment music and movies

· $40 for adults, $20 for children 10 and under.

CLICK this link to book now:

https://members.caves.org/event/BatBall2018

Online registration only.

Registration Deadline December 15th, 2018 .

.

Birmingham Grotto Newsletter P.O. Box 59607 Birmingham, AL 35259

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

News & Notes Dave Howell

*** It is December, and the winter holiday season is upon us. Whether you are celebrating the birth of the Christ Child, the birth of the Divine Child of the Goddess, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun, the winter solstice, or whether you're simply celebrating the season as an expression of love, there is something here for everyone. However you choose to celebrate, may your holidays be merry/holy/happy, and may your heart's desire await you under the tree.

*** The November NSS News covered the 2018 NSS CONVENTION held in Helena, Montana, and several of our members and colleagues were mentioned. As previously reported in this column (you read it first here!), GARY BARNES and TOM WHITEHURST received NSS Fellowship awards. Our Sewanee Mountain Grotto colleague MAUREEN HANDLER was pictured accepting the Convention Chair hat for next year's Convention. Also, apart from Convention coverage, BRUCE WHITE and ANGELA MORGAN were quoted in the Cave Chronicles column, responding to the question, "What cave book was influential to you as a new caver and why?" (Read Cave Chronicles to learn their answers.)

*** In mid-November THUY McRAE, her brother Loc and their parents were involved in a serious car wreck. Read about this in greater detail elsewhere in this Newsletter. The Grotto's thoughts are with Thuy and David.

*** Here's an update on our illustrious Grotto Secretary ZACH ENGLEBERT, who just before last month's Newsletter deadline reported he had taken a job in Nevada. Well, apparently a better opportunity presented itself on the way west, because Zach is now working in Winter Park, Colorado. Good luck to you, Zach! We still all look forward to your return to TAG.

*** Another Grotto member has recently moved as well, albeit not out of state: JOE MESSERVY and family have moved to Jacksonville, Alabama. Good luck in your new digs, Joe. We know it's unlikely we'll see you at Grotto meeting now that you're several counties away, but we hope to see you underground. Keep in touch!

*** As the end of 2018 approaches, don't forget the 2018 BAT BALL, a weekend-long New Year’s celebration and fundraiser benefitting the NSS. As in previous years, the Bat Ball will be held at NSS Headquarters in Huntsville, from December 29, 2018 to January 2,

2019. The event will feature, among other things, led cave trips both horizontal and vertical, SRT and cave art classes, vendor and adventure group booths, a New Year’s Eve dinner and a rocking New Year’s party to see in 2019. Online registration will be open by the time you read this. Support your NSS!

*** New Years is always a time to look back over the past year and ahead to the coming one. So - at the Bat Ball or wherever midnight on December 31 finds you, as the last minutes of 2018 become the first minutes of 2019, hoist a glass, light a smoke, kiss your honey, perform whatever your custom may be to celebrate the beginning of another New Year, and think about what you want to accomplish this coming turn around the sun. Do that classic through trip you've never gotten around to? Ridgewalk that hard-to-get-to hillside with those sinks that show so tantalizingly on Lidar? Push that lead you postponed last winter? Make that long-dreamed-of caving trip to Mexico (or Romania or Thailand or Madagascar or wherever)? Make your move toward hooking up with that cute caver whose attention you've been going out of your way to attract? Whatever your goal, may it be realized during the coming year. Peace.