RE: DISSERTATION: WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO CAVE?

[mcglenr25]

Ladies and Gentleman,

My name is Ryan McGlen and I am in my third and final year of study at
the University of Cumbria on an Outdoor Leadership degree.

As part of our final year we are required to complete a dissertation
for which we must collect data to analyse. I have chosen to try to
investigate what it is that motivates us to go caving.

Please find attached a copy of the pilot questionnaire I have
generated, it only contains 8 questions so shouldn't take much more
than 15 minutes of your time. If you could please complete it at you
earliest convenience that would be exceptionally helpful to me and very
much appreciated.

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your time, I know it's
valuable!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Regards.

Ryan McGlen
s1006009@uni.cumbria.ac.uk
mcglenr25@aol.com

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this short survey. The primary purpose of the study will be to explore some of the factors that motivate outdoor practitioners to participate in caving. The purpose of this pilot study is to ascertain or identify specific themes or factors which may reoccur and warrant further investigation. With this in mind and with your permission, you may be contacted at a later date to provide a more detailed account of your own perspectives. You are assured that any information that is gained from this study will be kept secure and your anonymity and confidentiality will be protected in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

1. Please state your age, gender and which area of the UK you currently live:

2. How long have you been involved with caving?

3. How regularly would you say you go caving?

4. Do you normally cave in groups, solo, in a professional capacity? Do you have a preference?

5. Would you consider caving to sometimes be an unpleasant activity and if so, why?

6. Did you ever consider caving to be unpleasant? What, if anything, changed your perception?

7. What aspects of caving do you particularly enjoy? What motivates you?

8. What has been your most memorable caving trip? What elements made it particularly significant?

[wyandottecaver]

This sums it up for me...

Dark Pioneers

To be the first to trod new lands where no man has trod before
You must travel where no light shines in realms of darkened lore
You can rocket to the rocks in space or dive to the ocean floor
Today you can’t do either of these without a degree and poor

For only the most elite of NASA can ride a shuttle’s plumes
And only a lucky few are chosen to see the tube worm blooms
Millionaires can buy a rocket ride with their petroleum fumes
Spectacled scientists pay their way with years in college rooms

But a sunless kingdom waits without bright stars or salty waves
A land awaiting today’s pioneers a mysterious kingdom of caves
The gates are open to the rich gentry or even poor reckless knaves
Where a man can rest in cool splendor or toil like the Roman slaves

Underground a mountain or river can wear a poor man’s name
A single picture of subterranean wonder can win an artist’s fame
Travel the dusty trails down which no other human has came
Explore a dark rocky world where no two journeys are the same

Ride a stainless rack down the nylon highway half an inch wide
First in a thousand foot chasm because you were the first that tried
Search alone the ancient places whose location you keep secret inside
Or grimly lead a team of a hundred men to recover a friend who died

Three lights, a helmet, and good friends are really all you need
To boldly venture deep underground and stoke your pioneer creed
Not for glory not for riches or fame, a hungry family you can’t feed
To be the first somewhere that only might be there is the caver’s greed

Todd Webb

[mcglenr25]

Sums it all up nicely! Thank you :)

[caverdan]

Did you write that Todd?? If so.....you should send it into the NSS News.

[PYoungbaer]

[wyandottecaver]

Yes Dan I did write it. I may have actually already submitted at one point, can't remember. As to the original questions:

1. Please state your age, gender and which area of the UK you currently live:
41, male, living in US.

2. How long have you been involved with caving?
About 15 years.

3. How regularly would you say you go caving?
Currently about 1/month. Sometimes will do 5-10/week for short periods.

4. Do you normally cave in groups, solo, in a professional capacity? Do you have a preference?
Generally recreationally in a group of 4-8, sometimes in a research capacity in groups 2-6. Have caved solo only very infrequently. Prefer not to cave solo.

5. Would you consider caving to sometimes be an unpleasant activity and if so, why?
It can be. Sometimes I cave in places or under conditions as a requirement for research or rescue when I would prefer not. I generally view caving as a pleasant activity that sometimes involves being physically and mentally uncomfortable.

6. Did you ever consider caving to be unpleasant? What, if anything, changed your perception?
I have never considered caving as a general activity to be unpleasant. Certainly I have encountered situations and circumstances while caving that where unpleasant.

7. What aspects of caving do you particularly enjoy? What motivates you?
social interaction, challenge, seeing new things, discovery.

8. What has been your most memorable caving trip? What elements made it particularly significant?
I have several that are most memorable from different viewpoints. Factors making a trip "significant" include initial discovery of previously unknown areas, dangerous situations, meeting well known members of the caving community, and grandeur of cave.