PA Cavers lost and back again.

[solominsky]

Hi all! I've been away from the caving community for quite some while, however I am back and so is my family! Some of you may remember the naked guy (yeah I was one of those) from OTR about a decade ago. The one that "lost" his clothes all weekend and asked Jen and Chuck Hemple to help find them.
Here's another hint, I attended Kutztown University with the infamous Percy Dougherty as my geography advisor.
Well, anyway, there's been alot going on, and I and my family am back!
Oh, and if anyone happens to hear from Pete Smith from the Alaska Tongass Cave Project, please direct him to this post?
Thank you all and see you underground soon!
Joe Solominsky

[StevenSmith]

Hi and welcome back. I don't know you so I won't say a whole lot. It does suck tremendously for you right now just returning to caving because... Well you can't go caving... Being from Pennsylvania and all... What do you think about it?

[BrianC]

Hey Joe! I had a class, Caves and Karst with Doc @ University of Cincinnati in 1980!

[solominsky]

Well, yes it does, suck, but if I can work a deal with the Fish and Wildlife commission then I can guide biologists to those caves that haven't had a bat survey yet and hopefully get paid.
If you read the voluntary closings carefully, as long as you go in with clean gear, you can still go caving.
I recommend the white Tyvek suits for construction. They are disposable, so the only thing you really have to worry about is cleaning your helmet, shoes and caving bags. As of now, I'm not sure to what extent they need cleaned, but since this strain is fungal, that would be a good starting point to look for products.

[solominsky]

Hey BrianC!
I know there's a bit of an age difference, but I still stay in touch with Doc quite regularly! Did you want to send me an email and next time I talk to him I'll bring it up?
My email is solominsky@gmail.com
By the way, if you have any old pics of Doc, I'd love to forward them to him! Some of the old ones I saw were a hoot!
Take care!
Joe

[solominsky]

Hey Brian,
One or two more questions, do you know how Tom Crockett is doing up in Kentuck? And has any one heard from Jack Cole?

[DementedCaver]

Hello there, this is another PA Caver trying to figure out compliant ways of getting underground. Myself and 3 other members of the Pittsburgh Grotto went to a restoration camp at Mammoth, although this time we all went to extra steps to sanitize our gear. Speaking of Chuck Hemple, he found me and another PA caver when we got "momentarily disoriented" in a cave last summer. Boy, that was embarrassing...since it was an easy boy scout style cave.

[solominsky]

Hey, Demented Caver,
Imagine almost being trapped in Bowden Cave with his (ex?) wife when she was about 8 months pregnant! We got out of it, but imagine the story that would've been!
What methods of sanitation have you used on your gear?
Oh, by the way, I gave one of your senior members membership fees at OTR in 2001 and never heard anything back. No big deal though.
Joe