2008 SERA/VAR

[CaverScott]

Perkins you know about -- 10+ miles of big, mazey horizontal cave. ...

Please distribute. I look forward to showing you through Perkins.

Can you give more details?

[xcaverx]

About Perkins Cave: We plan to take groups of up to 10 on four-hour, leisurely paced tours through Perkins. There are several highly decorated areas where the Bosteds and other have taken photos (see acave.us). There is a bit of exposure at "The Ledge" -- maybe 15 to 20 feet, but there's a nice new hand-line rigged there with a couple of bolts. It's mostly dry, fairly warm caving, with some crawling, not a lot. I prefer not to wear a cave suit there -- it's too hot, but I notice most cavers wear the suit. I recommend knee pads. The survey completed in the 70s rang up 48,000 feet, in a very restricted area. The section beyond the 800-foot crawl has not been visited in about 20 years, and much of the cave has not been pushed. People familiar with the cave tell me there's a lot more passage that was found but not surveyed since the mapping. The cave is about one hour drive from Bristol Campground. If you want to do a little more caving that day, drop back down Clinch Mountain and check out Cribb Cave, which has been surveyed to 8600 feet. It's a mostly dry, mazey cave, too. The last bit, to the lowest part of the cave (243 feet below datum), is an uncomfortable crawl over stream cobbles, to a silt plug. Like Perkins and MFC, Cribb is in the Tonoloway formation, but lower. MFC is a bit higher, with strong air, and Perkins highest. MFC is closed now, but a Perkins to MFC to Cribb connection is one of my favorite fantasies.

4WD is recommended for a visit to Perkins if it's wet, though you can always park at the top and walk down to the cave if it gets really sloppy.

[CaverScott]

About Perkins Cave: We plan to take groups of up to 10 on four-hour, leisurely paced tours through Perkins. There are several highly decorated areas where the Bosteds and other have taken photos (see acave.us). .

I think our crew will try to get on one of those trips. How far from the camp? In Virginia?

[xcaverx]

I think our crew will try to get on one of those trips. How far from the camp? In Virginia?

Yes, Virginia, about one hour from campground. I'll be leading a trip Thursday afternoon if anyone is interested. Then John Wilson and I will be leading trips Friday. I'll be leading one from the campground about 8 to 9; other groups can meet us at the cave. Saturday, more trips, I'm not sure if any trips will be leaving from the campground.

[George Dasher]

Hey!

My girlfriend Sarah and I are coming to the Spring VAR.

We would like to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail on Sat, but Sarah would also like to bring her dog, Gypsy.

Gypsy is a pure-bred Tibetian Begging Dog (translation: she is a junk-yard mutt who can charm the crutches off a man with a broken leg). She is a smallesh medium sized dog, and is registered at VAR. She can obviously not do a 35-mile bike ride. No dog could.

Sarah would like to leave Gypsy in the shade, tied up, with food and water, but she would be VERY appreciative if someone could check on her occasionally. The last jar of blueberry lime preserve is being offered as a bribe. We should be back sometime on Sat.

Can anyone dog sit? Please let me know.

George Dasher
wvcaver@juno.com

[xcaverx]

Hey!



Can anyone dog sit? Please let me know.

George Dasher
wvcaver@juno.com

Consider it done -- Don Feathers, our professional dog sitter, will handle it.

--robbie

[Scott McCrea]

Here's a map of the layout of the site, area conveniences, directions on how to get there and some points of interest.

http://seravar2008map.webonsites.com/


Admin note: I locked the other two, older SERA/VAR threads, in hopes of keeping new posts in one place.
Nit-picky note: Please don't start multiple threads on the same topic.

[Carl Amundson]

Thanks for the map Scott, this is great.
Can't wait to get down there.

So far the weather forecasts look pretty good:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/boatandbeach/tenday/USTN0055?from=search_10day

[BassProBarbie]

Which campsites will have electricity? Will they cost extra?

[Scott McCrea]

Which campsites will have electricity? Will they cost extra?

The power/electricity locations are marked on the map. I don't know about extra cost or anything. I'm sure Robbie or Mark will be by shortly with those details.

[caverwoody]

If I'm not mistaken the electricity will be available to vendors and entertainment only Sorry unless there is an extreme circumstance that requires it and then we will try to work it out.

[VACaver]

Which campsites will have electricity? Will they cost extra?

I was wondering the same thing...are there hookups available for RV's?

[caverwoody]

There are several water hook ups but there are very few electricity hook ups but if there are some left after the vendors are done we might be able to do something.

[VACaver]

There are several water hook ups but there are very few electricity hook ups but if there are some left after the vendors are done we might be able to do something.

Thanks for the info.

I can run my RV with no hook ups...I'm just surprised that a campground that seems to cater to the NASCAR crowd and their RV's wouldn't offer full hook ups.

See y'all on Friday!

[caverwoody]

Looking forward to seeing you there