by puffadder » Oct 7, 2010 8:07 am
Lost in the dark.alone.Had to supress the urge to panic...Hello.I am muskrat1..or,Jim.,doesnt really matter which....This ''caving thing'',,while may not be new to me or my friends,it is different..and it is that difference that brought me here..I am 49,,originally come from Quincy,Ma...left there in 1979..went to ft bragg,and was in the 82nd from 79-90.2nd BDE.OR 325TH A.I.R. Been in Dahlonega,ga since 95 or so..went into EMS and was a paramedic in NC,and Ga.from 91-2000..During that time,did sections of the AT,and while in paramedic school..became a true climbing bum..was super sweet.divorced,aimless..somewhat young..so earned enough to make my way thru school,and go off...j tree,wherever..do some trad,etc..hoever,sometime in the 90s whitewater kayaking took over and i still do that.no more lead climbing,am done with that..Mtn biking..love it.So,in 2009.. instead of going up to the frenchbroad/nolichucky for our annual pilgrimage on memorial day..I proposed we do something different..Have been camping and climbing at crockford pigeon since forever,and have never once thought about pjohns.Or any of it.Never saw the fascination.The waterfall,and fixed ropes and all the other stuff..changed all that.Now,my little band of pirates and I are pretty much into this.. Hesitant for ayr about joing a ''clique''. its like being in the gca,or whatever..something about that takes away from the sense of exploration..but,I am a realist.. and also realize that i am interested in the science of caves..So,what began a s a little jaunt into pjohns under our own steam..fizzled..its one thing to prowl around,but i look for ''destinations''..so,like it or not..to find the waterfall..we needed experience... From there..I said..we have to go vertical.And we did..rustys was next,then signal light,then,case,cemetary.....Last week i joined the NSS. still waiting for numbers ,and then contacted gss..laid it out.2 days ago,i asked the boss if i could leave early from work.I made my mind up..am wanting to join dogewood..once and for all..ended up getting busy,could not go..Heres the point of all this..we have been dropping into pits,with no affiliation.I dont like that..feels like trespassing.we follow the tag closed cave list,and for now have been confined pretty much to scci caves..The next few weekends,we are going back to cemetary..improving ascent speed,before moving on..but we do not want to interfere with tag events..since for now my knowlege base is limited..could use a little beta.we know sharp mtn is a hot spot..but thats it.looking for intermediate drops.with destinations.i know beta cant be given out on here..thats a good thing..but until i can get time to get to a grotto meet,we are stuck...I am in fact,actively asking for forbidden beta....now with said,thats why i am here.as for ''There I was''..talking about bed this morning.did not want to go to work.playing hookey at my age.I ought to be ashamed.