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Who are you and why do you cave? Start your very own topic and introduce yourself!

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Postby Phil Winkler » Aug 3, 2006 3:55 pm

Tom,

My favorite small world story:

Over Xmas holidays in 1977-1978 Chuck Pease and I joined the Swiss caving team entering Holloch for the annual expdition. We planned to stay 5-6 days at a depth of over 500m and about 2.5 km from the entrance.

On day 2 Marcel told Chuck and I that a group of Brits were being given a day tour of the cave and were resting a short distance away in Bivouac I (we were in II which is for long stays). So Check and I went over and entered the Bivouac on a ledge overlooking the large room and said Hi and asked where they had been and what they had seen.

One guy in the back hollered out that we sounded like Yanks and I acknowledged that fact. He then asked if either of us had ever been to Huntsville and I told him I had just left there 2 years before. He then said "Well, if you ever get back there say hi to Phil Winkler for me, will you?"

You could have knocked me over. Turns out JV and I had met him and another Brit who were out in caving in the Paint Rock Valley. We invited them back to a grotto party that night where we showed slides and I think they ended up sleeping on our floor.

Small world.....

Sailing story to follow....
Phil Winkler
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Postby NZcaver » Aug 3, 2006 4:15 pm

cob wrote:
Phil Winkler wrote:Frankly, I've never understood why anyone would do otherwise since it implies hiding something, anonymity, etc.



Must disagree Phil. In truth it implies nothing. That is your own preconcieved prejudice coming thru.

Once again, I have to agree with Tom here - although the subsequent discussion back and forth has certainly been interesting.

For what it's worth, when I signed up for this DB there was no space for putting your name in your profile - just your NSS number (which I dutifully listed). It was later changed to "real name/NSS number", but I never quite got around to updating my profile. Too many keystrokes, I guess. :wink:

Many of you know who I am anyway - my "cover" is pretty thin. :caver:

I think it's nice to have the option of choosing an ID for yourself, rather than having to use the name chosen for you (even if it's a nice name, that you're perfectly happy with). :cool: Although it may be an alter-ego for some people, I think of it more as a way to add depth to your existing persona.

If others consider my thinly-veiled anonymity a reason to discredit what I post, then so be it. But I suspect very few people put others on their "ignore" list based soley on their lack of proper identification...
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Postby cob » Aug 3, 2006 5:04 pm

Phil Winkler wrote:Small world.....

Sailing story to follow....


cool... I got one for you... but I await (the sailing story) with not quite so baited breath.

tom
If fate doesn't make you laugh, then you just don't get the joke.
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Postby tropicalbats » Aug 4, 2006 12:36 am

I really don't have much of a story to my DB name, tropicalbats. I am a caver and bat biologist who often works and/or lives in the tropics. A rather short, boring story, but an interesting profession which has provided me with much fun over the years and taken me to some great places.

I"m with Phil on the names.

Keith Christenson
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Postby Nico » Aug 4, 2006 10:57 am

My name is Nicasio Escamilla and everyone calls me Nico for short specially gringos cause they seem to have trouble pronouncing my name. No fun story behind it.
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Postby Hatch » Aug 4, 2006 2:45 pm

Phil Winkler wrote:Frankly, I've never understood why anyone would do otherwise since it implies hiding something, anonymity, etc.


Phil,

I think some of it goes back to the 1970's when CB Radio was very popular and having a cool "handle" was all the rage. I was about 9 years old when the CB craze was at it's height and my first handle was "Robin Hood" but that seemed really popular so I changed it to "King Richard." Yes, I was a big fan of Robin Hood at that age.

Also, in the 1980's there were a lot of computer BBS's, many of which were ran by teenagers and almost all featured Handles, much like the CB radio scene did a few years earlier. A lot of these BBS's promoted some iilicit activities, so having a handle was a way to lay low for some.
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Postby Vadosian » Aug 4, 2006 7:45 pm

My 'handle' is pretty easy to figure out. One reason I came up with this is because my major in school is Geology.

Also, my name sounds like something you might hear on Star Trek!

Maybe someone from the planet Phreatica will take notice!

Jim
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Postby erebus » Aug 4, 2006 8:13 pm

Late to the party, but because cob asked specifically about mine, here goes: I have had a couple of Subarus. Subaru backwards is urabuS, which doesn't mean anything, but is similar to Erebus. Erebus "was known as the embodiment of primordial darkness, the son of Chaos," which I thought was cool. Also, Mt. Erebus is the biggest mountain in Antarctica.

My NSS number is also in my profile. I don't mind if NSS members look me up, but I also don't mind being opaque to the rest of the world. I've seen too much unpleasantness spread by folks who think the ability to identify someone gives them the right to intrude in their lives.
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Postby cob » Aug 4, 2006 8:32 pm

erebus wrote:Erebus "was known as the embodiment of primordial darkness, the son of Chaos," which I thought was cool.


The "embodiment of primordial darkness", what a name for a caver! And from whence does it come?

I tell ya, there is a wealth of knowledge here, and sometimes the simplest of questions opens up whole new worlds...

tom
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Postby erebus » Aug 4, 2006 8:53 pm

Wikipedia has more, including:
According to some later legends, Erebus was part of Hades, the underworld. It was where the dead had to pass immediately after dying. After Charon ferried them across the river Acheron, they entered Tartarus, the underworld proper. Erebus was often used as a synonym for Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Also, Erebus was the name of the gloomy space through which souls passed on their way to Hades.
Probably where I get my sunny disposition!
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Postby Wayne Harrison » Aug 4, 2006 10:00 pm

erebus wrote:Wikipedia has more, including:
According to some later legends, Erebus was part of Hades, the underworld. It was where the dead had to pass immediately after dying. After Charon ferried them across the river Acheron, they entered Tartarus, the underworld proper. Erebus was often used as a synonym for Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Also, Erebus was the name of the gloomy space through which souls passed on their way to Hades.
Probably where I get my sunny disposition!


How come they didn't have good old American names back then? Frank and Bob and Joe and Joebob, for instance....

:banana:
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Postby zenas » Aug 5, 2006 4:17 am

According to some later legends, Erebus was part of Hades, the underworld. It was where the dead had to pass immediately after dying. After Charon ferried them across the river Acheron, they entered Tartarus, the underworld proper. Erebus was often used as a synonym for Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Also, Erebus was the name of the gloomy space through which souls passed on their way to Hades.


The entrance of Hades according the myth was a cave in southern peloponnisos with the name PYLI TOU ADI (Gate of Hades). This (almost coastial) cave still exists with the same name. Don't expect something impressive. Here is the entrance:

Image
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Postby barcelonacvr » Aug 5, 2006 1:58 pm

My name is from my local limestone unit that caves form in.I am fortunate to have befriended the scientist who studied this area on one of his many digs.I have been mentored to a certain extent by him since so the area is special to me.I also do monthly cleanups to keep her pretty.

My name I keep subtle for reasons I rather not give but my NSS # leads to more if someone desires.


http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/csb/news/2 ... b2_03.html


http://www.hca.webpartz.net/parks/visit/eramosa.asp
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Postby creeves515 » Aug 6, 2006 9:18 pm

creeves in ancient greek means one who is unoriginal and derives his screenname from his real name and wedding anniversary.

Chris Reeves

(p.s. post #1 hi everbody)
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Postby cob » Aug 7, 2006 9:05 am

creeves515 wrote:creeves in ancient greek means one who is unoriginal and derives his screenname from his real name and wedding anniversary.

Chris Reeves

(p.s. post #1 hi everbody)


originality disguised as the commonplace...
If fate doesn't make you laugh, then you just don't get the joke.
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