Scenic drive, tents, sleeping bags, Fall Creek Falls State Park, campfire talk, "Craft night," restless sleep with cave dreams, coffee, cheese and pickle breakfast, drive, hike, riverbed, thermocline cave cool, silly Polaroid picture, friends, Camps Gulf entrance, tripod balance, pelican case clunking, breakdown climbing, gear passing, mud sliding, slipping, water, heaving, sweating, laughing, clambering, descending, Rotunda echo, water break, organizing, gear check, planning, pointing, directing, breakdown climb, umbrella twirl, duct tape, battery, careful with the compact fluorescent, double - triple check, walkie talkie, nervous, excited, lights out, 3....2....1.... And then there was light in the very darkest of places.
p.s. - Definitely click on the photo to see it larger!... its simply phenomenal... oh and I'm the tiny yellow- shirter on the left... it was a great trip and I had a blast helping with this shoot on Saturday!
Several months ago I got to make an awesome trip to Scott Hollow Cave. Nathan, Tommy, Michelle and I drove up from Huntsville to meet Vic and Eric who came down from Ohio. The owner of Scott Hollow, Mike, let us camp out, and we visited with him on Sunday before we all drove home. FYI - Scott Hollow an amazing cave - Vic was a great guide - Nathan got some great photography - I got some fun short video clips. My "Wow" factor was way up there with my Rumbling Falls trip - and we barely scratched the surface of it. We're already planning on going back at a later date - and Mike said he definitely wants to join us so we can hit the highlights for Nathan to photograph.
Our first stop driving up was at Big Walker Lookout (elev. 3,405) off I-77 - where we went up at least 100 more feet on this (I'd rather be on rope) fire tower so we could look out EVEN higher.
(check out Tommy's face... so funny)
Ahh... but the view was incredible!
The view was just as impressive that evening. Around the campfire we stared at the Milky Way and were privvy to half a dozen shooting stars and in the morning just as the rain started we climbed down a drain pipe in the fanciful underworld that is Scott Hollow Cave.
Quiet Light - Tommy reviewing the map, Michelle illuminating Nathan showing Vic how to set up the flash.
Michelle waiting to descend.
Down we go!
Vic and Tommy (displaying his red and blue Jolly Ranchers)
Eric.
Setting up for the waterfall shot of Vic.
Nathan catches a Raman Noodle break during lunch.
Aragonite crystals.
One of the cool things about really pure white formations is that they phosphores when exposed to bright light. So they'll glow for a few seconds. Here's a video of a formation doing just that:
Nathan took some great shots of other formations in/near the same room - you can check them out on his Flickr site.
Vic crossing the land bridge - personally I was hugging the rock when I crossed it.
Camping leftovers - cleaning up from the late night (or early morning actually) on Sunday.
Vic, Me, Tommy, Michelle, Eric and Nathan right before we headed home. Thank you Vic and Eric for coming down and caving with us. Awesome trip guys! Beautiful Cave. Can't wait to go back.
Many weekends ago (April 4th-5th) we held a joint Dayton Underground Grotto/Huntsville Grotto campout - "Spring Fling II" at SCCi's newest acquisition - Tumbling Rock. Paul, Michelle and I drove over Friday afternoon, staked out the tent and tried to not get any soggier than we already were.
Here Michelle's playing in the swimming hole/fire pit.
Tommy, Michelle, Mark and I took a small group of DUG folks back to the King's Shower/Topless Dome Friday evening. I think they liked Tumbling Rock very much and were impressed with the size of the rooms and the formations.
Saturday Morning...
Roger's new headlamp. Saturday for me consisted of a short trip back into TR with Nathan and Derek - resulting in these great photos of the "Saltpetre Works," "Dynamic Mysteries of Light" and "Beyond Sugarloaf Mountain" using various combinations of Nathan's SIT lights.
Derek, Michelle, Nathan and Jay
Saturday evening we grilled and visited long into the night around the campfire. The DUG crew fixed these awesome candy buckeyes to share with all of the Huntsville folks. A good time was had by all.
Tony, Tommy and Charlie grilling up the hotdogs and burgers for dinner.
And what's dinner without Avis' cookies!! Charley jumped at the chance to help with them...
Jennifer (who picked up another lost kitty when she drove home that night), Torode and Avis
Sunday Morning... Paul in the "bathroom," brushing his teeth.
Toni and Nathan on the new couch Derek graciously donated to the SCCi for the house.
Tony and Paul closing the weekend by putting out the fire.
I am a TAG caver, artist, graphic designer, archaeologist, letterpress printer, Florida native, word crack addict, B&W photography ogler, picture taker, soundtrack listener, OCD recycler, tree hugger, creative writing dabbler, ticket collector, forest hiker, letter writer, garden planter, DragonCon go-er, lover of modern design and architecture, glass half full, not over till its over, the best is yet to come kinda person. MACs over PCs, tea over coffee (unless there's a lot of sugar & creamer involved), sweet over unsweet, silver over gold, Summer over Winter, and dogs over cats. Not to say that's all that defines me. That's the tip of my iceberg. Read on and take a peek at what's below the surface.
My candle burns at both ends It will not last the night But oh my friends and ah my foes It gives a lovely light! ~Edna St. Vincent Millay
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WoooHoooo!! - What a Ride!"
