Post by caverat46542 on Nov 11, 2006 2:14:21 GMT -5
A couple of Sundays ago, I wanted to get back on rope again, after a month, so I planned a trip to Natural Well in Huntsville, Alabama.
I called up my grotto and asked if any of them wanted to go. My grotto President, Milton Polskey said he would and his son Aaron said he wanted to bounce it to.
Natural Well is a 191.5' deep pit owned by the Monte Sano State Park and you are required to obtain a permit before doing the pit.
I spent the Saturday before helping out with a BSA caving trip to Howards Waterfall Cave and went straight to the park that evening and camped in the back of my van.
I got up the next morning and after obtaining my permit, I went to cooking Breakfast. Milton wanted to meet at 9 AM, so when I looked at my watch, it was a quarter till.
The park ranger asked what time my party was to get there, I told him 9 AM and they should be arriving soon. He then informed me it was 8 AM instead of 9 AM. I thought something was wrong. He then informed me it was Daylight Saving Time and the time went back the last evening. This I did not know. I had been gone all weekend and did not know. I reset my watch and had something else to eat.
Milton arrive and after getting Aaron a permit, we went over to the pit. After hiking down to the pit and rigging it. I went down first. This was my second time doing the pit and it gave me a chance to go past the huge ledge 20' off the floor.
I got down and Aaron soon joined me. I let Aaron go up first because he is the fastest climber in the group. I wanted to try out a new climbing set I have come up with. It is a combine Frog/Ropewalker set-up.
You generally put on a Frog Climbing System and then put your Ropewalker on over that. The set-up consists of using your Croll as your QAS and climb hands free. The only time you use your QAS is when you come back up and cross over the lip. If you want to rest, just sit down on you Croll. This let's you climb hands free and you are not as tired out, pushing the QAS up the rope, while you are climbing. This set-up, let me climb faster than I have before. I like this set-up and plan to use it more. It took me 5 minutes to climb out.
If I get to bottom Fantastic 11/25/06, I plan to use this set-up, to climb with.
After pulling the rope and hiked back to the vehicals, we all headed home.
I called up my grotto and asked if any of them wanted to go. My grotto President, Milton Polskey said he would and his son Aaron said he wanted to bounce it to.
Natural Well is a 191.5' deep pit owned by the Monte Sano State Park and you are required to obtain a permit before doing the pit.
I spent the Saturday before helping out with a BSA caving trip to Howards Waterfall Cave and went straight to the park that evening and camped in the back of my van.
I got up the next morning and after obtaining my permit, I went to cooking Breakfast. Milton wanted to meet at 9 AM, so when I looked at my watch, it was a quarter till.
The park ranger asked what time my party was to get there, I told him 9 AM and they should be arriving soon. He then informed me it was 8 AM instead of 9 AM. I thought something was wrong. He then informed me it was Daylight Saving Time and the time went back the last evening. This I did not know. I had been gone all weekend and did not know. I reset my watch and had something else to eat.
Milton arrive and after getting Aaron a permit, we went over to the pit. After hiking down to the pit and rigging it. I went down first. This was my second time doing the pit and it gave me a chance to go past the huge ledge 20' off the floor.
I got down and Aaron soon joined me. I let Aaron go up first because he is the fastest climber in the group. I wanted to try out a new climbing set I have come up with. It is a combine Frog/Ropewalker set-up.
You generally put on a Frog Climbing System and then put your Ropewalker on over that. The set-up consists of using your Croll as your QAS and climb hands free. The only time you use your QAS is when you come back up and cross over the lip. If you want to rest, just sit down on you Croll. This let's you climb hands free and you are not as tired out, pushing the QAS up the rope, while you are climbing. This set-up, let me climb faster than I have before. I like this set-up and plan to use it more. It took me 5 minutes to climb out.
If I get to bottom Fantastic 11/25/06, I plan to use this set-up, to climb with.
After pulling the rope and hiked back to the vehicals, we all headed home.