The Tumbling Rock Twelve

Nathan's Flickr caption: This shot of the Elephants Feet formation in Tumbling Rock Cave was accomplished using the SIT method. For this Sabrina stood perfectly still for the 30 second duration shot.

Twelve of us went to Tumbling Rock on Saturday to take a little tour and help Nathan with some photos. (See a couple more here on his Flickr site.)Eight folks had never been to TR before so it was pretty fun to help show off one of my favorite (and 2nd most-visited for me) caves. Paul, Geoffrey, Nathan, Kandi, Katie, Rachael, Dan, Allen, Seth, Kelsey, Blake and I were the sherpas - I mean... attendees. We lost Katie when we started to go under Sugarloaf Mtn. She kinda discovered she was a bit claustrophobic so Dan and Nathan ran her back to the entrance and the car. It was completely okay - everyone has their limits and she'd reached hers. She was fine when she got out. I lead everyone on a ways and Nathan and Dan caught back up to us a short time later. We ran into 3 folks making their way out becuase one of them (Deana) had sustained a blow out. Luckily Seth had a roll of duct tape so we fixed her up and talked about the HSV grotto while we did it. Seth also had a sharpie - so I signed my handywork and told them to come on out to a grotto meeting.

Deana and her fixed up boot.

My lovely handywork - if that isn't a sweet blog advertisement - I don't know what is.



A literal herd of Boys Scouts were touring the cave too so we kept running into them and past them until we hit the Kings Shower & Topless Dome. They'd already been up to see the dome and the last of them were trickling back down into the passage to head back out when we appeared on the scene. The last couple chaperons that were beginning to head out really got see all 396' of Topless - seeing as how we turned on the 3 huge bajillion candle power spotlights we'd lugged through the cave. There's nothing like watching water droplets fall in slow motion almost 400 feet ...with music. Believe me - its the only way to see Topless Dome (everytime I see it all lit up like that with the music - I feel like I'm watching Journey into Amazing Caves - live).

Allen & Paul and a couple boy scout chaperons watching Nathan set up the computer speakers and MP3 palyer for the sound and lights spectacular.



A few nice horn corals in Topless.

Allen, Seth, Kelsey and Blake decided to head on out early since we were still shooting photos and there'd be multiple photo stops on the way back out.

We had a late lunch after we left Topless and threw in a little hot chocolate break near the Hidden Door. Nathan and I fired up our little coke and pepsi can stoves and fixed Dan, Kandi, Paul and Rachael a cup of hot chocolate. (Geoffrey was too good for a cup apparently - so he didn't have one, and Kandi apparently wanted to sit in it to warm up her butt)

Pepsi Stove

Nathan pouring water for a cup of hot chocolate

My Coke can stove

Dan, Rachael and Kandi with their hot chocolate

My ad for taking Salmon Packets into caves - yummy.

I tried to convince Geoffrey how tasty the Salmon was - but as you can see he really wasn't going for it.

Will post some photos from a hike on Sunday in the next couple days. And I still owe you a few from my parent's visit too.