long ago caver

[VPI253]

I started caving just before going to college (in 1981) and caved with the Holston Valley Grotto and VPI Grotto during the 80's. During the early 90's, I was in Oklahoma City and caved a bit with the Central Oklahoma Grotto. I'm fairly certain that I was NSS 22794, but if someone else is the real owner of that number, please let me know and accept my apologies. I haven't been in a wild cave since about 1993 or 1994. I live in Louisiana now, and getting to a cave would be a bit of a trip. I know of one lady down here who drives to Alabama occasionally to go caving, but I'm a long way from getting back into caving. Some bad airplane flights around 2000 left me with claustrophobia problems, and I'm not sure that I could do tight stuff again. The fact that I've gone from my caving weight of 160 pounds to 275 pounds only makes things worse.

These days, my primary fun comes from taking care of pet reptiles, primarily ball pythons and kingsnakes. They are a great joy to me. I also do a bit of photography and bird watching.

I remember waiting for a rescue once, and the recent tragedy in Utah grabbed my heart and mind as caving incidents always do. I was searching for more information, and I found this site in that search. As I looked at the site, I decided to join as a slight reconnect to a community that I still remember fondly. My condolences to the entire caving community.

Someday, I hope to find a job that will take me closer to East Tennessee where my family lives. If that happens and I lose some weight, maybe I'll even think of going underground again (but not in tight spaces). Every so often, I find myself in a place that has limestone, and I see a cave. I still look at the entrance and wonder where the cave goes.

I've scanned a few old cave slides, and they are at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r275/wftright/caves/


Bill Kelly

[Rick Brinkman]

Welcome!....back!

If you rejoin the NSS, you will be able to get your old number back. I'm sure someone else will follow with a post telling you what you NSS # was............

[Phil Winkler]

Bill, the original log book at the office shows you joining with NSS# 22794 in 1982 as William K. Kelly.
The database also has you in the Dropped Members File from 1993 so it would be a snap to reinstate.
Welcome back, too.

[Cheryl Jones]

Hello VPI253 , from VPI149! You must have caved with my buddies Witt and Annie in E. TN.

Welcome back to the caver community! Get back up to B'burg for the grotto picnic in April, or the Banquet in February. Yeah, the traditions live on.

There are a good number of NSS members (some are cave divers) in Louisiana, given how far it is from caves, and a grotto in New Orleans.

Cheryl

[caverdoc]

Hello Bill Kelly! Glad to see that you are still alive!
I've definitely covered a lot of ground after my years at VPI.
I'm now a physician in Kansas with a wonderful wife, 5year old daughter and 8year old son.
And I still go caving!

Jay Kennedy MD

[VPI253]

Thanks to all!!!

Phil, I'm glad to know that my memory hasn't completely deserted me. I guess I remember things that had meaning, and my old NSS number still has meaning. I'm not sure that I'm ready to rejoin, but maybe if things go well on the job front this year, I'll do that.

Cheryl, Yes, much of my caving experience was with Witt and Annie back in East Tennessee. I wish my schedule would allow me to return for some of those club events. Seeing everyone would be fun.

Jay, I'm glad to hear of your success both professionally and personally. I remember talking to you once when I was in Maryland on a business trip. If I remember correctly, you were in med school at Johns Hopkins. I guess you are now "Doctor Jay." LOL What kind of caves do they have in Kansas? When I was in Oklahoma City in the early 90's, I did a bit of gypsum cave caving in northwest Oklahoma. The caves weren't all that spectacular from a completely objective point of view, but they were caves and unique in their own way. I'm glad that I had the chance to see them. I saw a couple of huge bat flights out there, and I did some fun bat counts. I miss the mountains of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, but I'm also glad that I had the chance to see the mesas and plains over these Oklahoma caves.