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Saturday caving with
friends
Saturday morning
December 3rd started out with Mike White loading up his truck with cave gear and
heading to his friend Scotts house in San Andreas. Mike awoke to a very frosty morning
and was excited about the day ahead. Mike would be caving with his friends Scott
McBride and Tom LaFrank. Scott is a very successful cave digger, he has opened many
new caves in our local caving area over the last ten years and today he would be
showing us some of his discoveries
After arriving
at Scotts house Mike loaded his gear into Scotts vehicle and they headed over to
Toms house to pick him up. Scott and Mike were at Toms house by 9:00am and after
some pre-caving preparations they were almost on there way. They were almost because
Tom needed to go to the local market first for some cave munchies, he has been without
a car for two weeks so he was in need of supplies. The three were finally done shopping
and at the cave area by 10:00am which by there standards is about two hours late,
but that was OK they had a beautiful day and easy hiking ahead. As they hiked they
shared stories of past cave adventures and legends of long lost caves.
The group
would go to wherever they remembered finding a cave or entrance in the past and would
discuss its name and origin which is always fun because there is always a story to
go with each cave. Alot of caves were visited and some were attempted, but had swelled
up and become tighter to get into do to the rain so they had to be left for hopefully
another day. You may be asking yourself "Swelled up tighter?" Yes it is
a condition that seems to happen in caves after some of u s become less active and
then go back to caves a few years later that we have previously fit into. And after
careful consideration and thought we have come to the conclusion that the caves must
swell do to all of the rain that soaks into the rock. "I mean what else could
it be?"
The three
did get to explore some rather pristine caves that very few have ever seen, and because
of that the names and locations of those caves will not be revealed in this letter.
"Sorry", but if you have ever seen the damage that cave traffic does to
caves you will understand. The day ended with the three exploring a very beautiful,
very white and very fragile cave that claimed two shirts as its toll Mike and one
from Tom. It was dark by the time we dropped Tom off and headed for home to warm
up and relax.
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