2008 SERA/VAR

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2008 SERA/VAR

Postby reeffish1073 » May 5, 2008 9:50 am

Hey all

Just wanted to take a minute to tell everyone about the upcomeing SERA/VAR. This is is going to be a great event, a first that the two regions have met for great caving, and socializing! These fine guys and gals have been working their tails off to ensure this will be a SERA and a VAR to remember. The weekend has alot to offer any caver. Their will be over 40 some caves to see, with several that will be guided! I could talk about these caves all day, but lets say that there is a cave for everyones caving level! There will be live entertainment on saturday night preformed by the Jug Busters (OTR Favorite), and open mike on Friday. Hottubs are available as well. this will be a great weekend of camping. Plus there are hot showers on the site as well! There will be 13 vendors at the event, one of which will be a food vendor, who will be vending all day long. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner) Everything one needs is less than ten minutes from the campground. ( Resturants, Grocries, Walmart, ETC.) I just want to say again, these guys and gals have put alot into this event, come out, it will be a great weekend full of caving and felowship with other fellow cavers!

thanks
john christie
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby reeffish1073 » May 5, 2008 9:59 am

hey all

here is the registration link!

http://www.caves.org/grotto/meg/Reg_form.pdf

hope to see some of you there!

:woohoo: :bat sticker: :woohoo:
John Christie
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby reeffish1073 » May 5, 2008 2:16 pm

Here is a list of venders as of today for SERA/VAR.

B & C Wunderwear
KVART
On Rope 1
Cavers Connection
IMO
Speleobooks
Howie's Harnesses
SCCi
One Life Outfitters
Crystal Creations


a list of caves will follow soon!

:bat sticker: :woohoo: :bat sticker:
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Kevin Bruff » May 5, 2008 7:46 pm

I will definatley be there, i put my vacation in for this months ago and its been approved. :woohoo: who else plans on going to this? east tennessee and southern virginia has some really good caves and pits and plenty of them too. there is definatly something for everyone. i cant wait this is going to be a fun event :banana: :banana_yay: :banana: :banana_yay:



so who comming?


kevin :bat sticker:
Note to self...It is illegal to stab stupid people. :-)
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Carl Amundson » May 5, 2008 8:21 pm

I will be there, getting in Thursday afternoon.
My brother Tony will also be coming.
He lives in Huntsville and I don't get to see him all that much.
Looking forward to bouncing a couple of pits with him.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Evan G » May 5, 2008 8:34 pm

I'm planning on being there. I'm glad to see the vendors, I need new gear.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Komebeaux » May 6, 2008 12:50 pm

I will be there Thursday afternoon on. This is the area where I grew up and began caving, so I am really looking forward to an event like this in that area. I can vouch for their claims of this being a great caving area. Looking forward to it!
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby mgmills » May 6, 2008 7:37 pm

junkman wrote:I will be there, getting in Thursday afternoon.
My brother Tony will also be coming.
He lives in Huntsville and I don't get to see him all that much.
Looking forward to bouncing a couple of pits with him.


I'll be there. Funny I never made the connection of the name. I met your brother Tony shortly after I began caving and have know his wife Toni for at least 10 years. I've caved with him on several occasions. A former boyfriend and I hauled him and his trailer to OTR one year (before I married my husband).

Come say "hi" to me and my husband Glenn at the KVART (pronounced Cave Art because that is what we sell) booth on vendors row.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Carl Amundson » May 7, 2008 10:58 am

mgmills wrote:
junkman wrote:I will be there, getting in Thursday afternoon.
My brother Tony will also be coming.
He lives in Huntsville and I don't get to see him all that much.
Looking forward to bouncing a couple of pits with him.


I'll be there. Funny I never made the connection of the name. I met your brother Tony shortly after I began caving and have know his wife Toni for at least 10 years. I've caved with him on several occasions. A former boyfriend and I hauled him and his trailer to OTR one year (before I married my husband).

Come say "hi" to me and my husband Glenn at the KVART (pronounced Cave Art because that is what we sell) booth on vendors row

I look forward to meeting you, although I have a feeling we may have already met at OTR.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby caverwoody » May 8, 2008 2:57 pm

Hey guys and girls I just talked to the food vendor that will be at SERA/VAR, and his menu made me really hungry.
Breakfast: Sausage, eggs, bisciuts, gravy, and platters with all or some of the choices, and LOTS of coffee.
Lunch and Dinner: BBQ sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, possibly brats, and the usual taters and things.posting.php?mode=reply&f=9&t=6795&sid=5e9fb388bd2df0491ea1d1cb97e9ac17#
:kewl:
I'll see you underground
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby e-doc » May 10, 2008 9:52 pm

Robbie spent most of the day today updating the grotto website for the event. Robbie told me that many attendees are family members that do not cave. I've put together some information pages on outdoor activities (hiking, bicycling, whitewater, fishing, waterfalls/swimming holes, and the Blue Ridge Parkway), cultural (performing arts) and child friendly activities (hiking, parks, and museums) both in the Tri Cities and within about 90' from the campground. He will be posting this information tomorrow (He was cooked today.)As I've lived and played throughout the region, if you don't see something you like drop me a line and I'll offer suggestions. This information will also be available at registration.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby caverwoody » May 11, 2008 7:15 am

Hey guys check out the MEG website there has been ALOT of updates put on yesterday it looks great. check it out and see what you think.
I'll see you underground
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby caverwoody » May 11, 2008 7:17 am

sorry I forgot here is the link http://www.caves.org/grotto/meg/Reg_form.pdf check it out
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby Tim White » May 13, 2008 11:59 am

Berta and I will be there running the climbing contest. PMI is sponsoring the contest, so there will be a lot of good prizes.
Each adult that climbs will be entered into drawing for great items donated by PMI. :banana_yay:
You don’t have to be fast to win! Of course there will still be prizes awarded to the fastest climbers.
We will be running both 30m or 120m climbs. :clap:
Be safe,
Tim White 26949 RL FE

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Editor, Nylon Highway
Senior Technical Manager - Over the Edge, Inc.
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Re: 2008 SERA/VAR

Postby xcaverx » May 14, 2008 5:10 pm

Here's a profile of one of the guided trips available at SERA/ VAR. I think this is the first time the PMKP has been open to visitors:


The Cave Conservancy of the Virginias (CCV), is opening the Powell Mountain Karst Preserve (the PMKP) to visitors from SERA/ VAR. Mike Ficco will guide a trip to several of the caves on the preserve. Participants will be limited to 20; they should be vertically competent and able to pass re-belays. Among the caves to be visited will be the Blowing Entrance of the Omega System. It's an approximately 140 foot shaft and blows an astounding amount of cold air. Omega is currently the longest cave of record in Virginia and the deepest east of the Mississippi. Trips into Omega will be limited to the entrance area and the several hundred feet of cave leading to the gate. The management plan for the preserve specifies that only trips with scientific or exploration objectives go beyond the gate, so that's the extent of Omega that will be accessible during SERA/VAR. Nearby Parsons Cave is a very easy and simple horizontal cave, consisting primarily of 1000+ feet of walking borehole. A few hundred feet away from the Parsons entrance is the scenic entrance to Franklin Pit. It has a 35-foot entrance drop into a deeply undercut sink. At the low end there's a rubble choke that was opened in 2003, giving access to several additional pits and passage including remnants of Civil War saltpeter mining operations.



The PMKP is about one hour and twenty minutes driving time from Bristol Campground. Parking will either be at the bottom of the preserve with a 10-15 minute walk up to the entrances, or those with good ground clearance vehicles will be able to drive up to the PMKP campground.



There are numerous other interesting caves in the area; depending on the level of interest and time available, Mike says he may arrange to visit some of these other caves, so be prepared for a full day of exciting caving. If I were attending this event as a visitor, this is the trip I would take.
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