New Caver Introduction
Posted: Dec 11, 2006 4:29 pm
My name is Allen I am a new caver and I am just under 1 year shy of the big 40. I have always been curious about caving but never followed through with going until I got involved with a royal ranger group back in 2000 where I started taking a group of boys on some over night Raccoon Mountain Wild Cave tours in Chattanooga, TN (rangers are similar to the scouts).
I joined the forum back in Oct this year. I have been caving since 2001, in which the first 2 years where limited but the past several I have been more active. I do also have several years of repelling under my belt. I have finally joined the NSS and my local Hsv, AL Grotto this year.
This year has been fun and I have meet a lot of new cavers in my area
. Also I have went thru some training with the local cave rescue unit* HCRU* and went thru a vertical class by my local grotto. Both were a great learning experience 
. I since purchased more vertical gear and started dropping some of the local pits 
.
I am looking forward to getting more caving experience under my belt this coming year. I have not had much time to travel outside my area to go caving but I am determined to change that this year. I am looking forward in teaching my 2 children (son age 12 & daughter age 8) more about caving also. My wife is not to sure about caving much more outside of the commercial tours since she is a little claustrophobic.
Finally I want to also wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
