What makes us cave...

[Tony Anders]

What makes us cave. Are we all adrenaline junkies? Are we addicted to an activity?

Just thought I would post a new thread to see what kind of replies other have.

Here is some of my thoughts.


Caving is for sure on of the most addicting activities one can do. I believe for the ones the really like caving when they try it, they honestly can't get it out of their system. I remember the first time I ever stepped foot in a cave back in 1987. The stillness, the quiet serenity of being in the total darkness. Sitting there listening to the water dripping off the roof of the cavern. What a way spend a day.
I didn't get to do a lot of caving till the last couple of years. Now the addiction is back again. I wish I would have stayed more active in our cave adventures,but I was being more safety conscious and knew better than to cave alone. Others I had once caved with lost interest in caving. Not till last year when my brothers and I started back caving and that is all took. To quote Emerald on the food network 'BAM' and I was hooked again.

The total quietness is now replaced by the lovely sounds off little voices saying "cool" or "awesome" or "look at this over here" but that is all right too. The thrill knowing that I have something that I can do with them for the rest of my days is certainly a rush of it's own kind.

I believe caving is for the most part appealing to the adventure seeking people. Never knowing what will lie beyond the turn, yearning to find the new area through the smallest crack.

So I would have to say, caving is an adventure, and oh 'what a rush it is'.

Well there is my two cents worth for a little discussion. Looking forward to hearing others. I hope my typos or spelling aren't too numerous.

[Azurerana]

muddog said:

What makes us cave. Are we all adrenaline junkies? Are we addicted to a activity?

Just thought I would post a new thread to see what kind of replies other have.

Adrenaline junkie? NO! I don't like heights, being on rope, wondering what is around the next bend, hurting and sore the next day and much of the physical part of caving. Yuck. The athletic part of caving is just a pain, pure and simple.

Addicted? Yes. To seeing new things, to learning new things, to drawing, mapping, photographing, writing about, understanding, being in the politics of preserving and conserving, and restoring some place most people don't even know even exists. To educating others about these places, and how they connect to the land and water where we live. To the aesthetics of the underground, to the amazement of karst springs, to the wonder of creatures which live in such poor environments. To the belonging of the 'brotherhood of night' as Barbara McLeod put it, and the socializing with a diverse cross-section of people I likely would never have met otherwise, brought together by curiosity about the world beneath our feet.
To trying to leave this little corner of the planet as untouched as when I found it--saving the world from destruction one cave at a time.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Are we all adrenaline junkies? Are we addicted to a activity?

Good topic Tony! I think for many cavers (including myself) the answer to the above questions would be an emphatic yes,....tho I expect there will be others who answer no.

For me, one rush of adrenaline comes from a certain kind of caving...the physical challenges of traversing cave passage, rappelling, climbing, reaching the end of the cave and at times overcoming mental obstacles. The feeling of euphoria experienced after finishing a good hard cave trip is incentive in and of itself...that feeling is the addictive part and keeps you coming back for more. ;D The little things unique to caving are the things that I remember. For instance.....

Rappelling down a drop with a rope that is coiled too big to stay on my shoulder, and keeps sliding over my arms adds a little challenge to an easy drop. Looking back in a crawlway at the little light from the caver behind me in the distance. Uncoiling a rope while lying flat in a crawl. Lying flat on a ledge looking at the pit right in front of me. Rappelling into a pit with a beautiful pool of water so still and calm below me, with little drops of water falling around the edges, creating tiny little ripples. Seeing the limestone walls with scalloped passages created by thousands of gallons of water rushing through the cave. Standing on a layer of chert looking down at the open room below me, amazed at the holes eaten away by tons of water over many years. Looking back up at the lip, watching the next person struggle to figure out the best way to negotiate a unique lip. Laughing because just a few moments ago I was having the same battle with the same unique lip. Watching them rappel into the same spot where I'd just landed. Waiting at the top of the last drop for the next person to reach where I am so that I can rappel. I don't want to wait, I don't really like it... then finally they get close enough to see where I am. I ask to make sure they know where to come, when I hear yes, that's all I need to be free to rappel. Landing at the bottom, over to a ledge to sit and wait for the others. Only me and one other person in the room, the pool of water has gotten still again. It is perfectly round and clear and serene. The water is so clear and pristine you can easily see the bottom. This is near perfection to me, no words are spoken between me and the only other person in the room, there is no need for them. The silence is broken only by the zip of the next person rappelling into the room. Laughing as I watch them try to get closer to the edge of the pool where the water is more shallow. We wait for the others, then begin the 2000' long crawl out of the cave, which isn't bad at all. I see daylight, I always like that, gives me a major rush of adrenaline. A sense of satisfaction unlike any other.

Cavers can share moments like this, a moment of triumph if you will, man against the mountain, man's struggle to conquer, maybe just one's struggle to reach their own personal goal, I don't really know, it is just a moment in time. A moment that is held still for each of us in our own way, as we wait for reality to sink back in and it does, far too soon.

The total quietness is now replaced by the lovely sounds off little voices saying "cool" or "awesome" or "look at this over here" but that is all right too. The thrill knowing that I have something that I can do with them for the rest of my days is certainly a rush of it's own kind.

Exactly, a different kind of adrenaline rush, but no less enticing than the hard core trips of the past. Taking your own youngsters caving, opening up a rarely seen world to the next generation, and teaching them to respect and enjoy the cave environment has its own rewards. Watching as they grow, becoming more confident and agile, their knowledge of the natural world around them increasing each year. This too is a unique experience.

Cavers definitely have an adventurous spirit, determination, and an inner drive about them. Guess that's more than my two cents,....probably a couple of dollars worth.

[L Roebuck]

What makes us cave......

The lure of the underground! ;D

[madratdan]

For me it started out as a lure to explore unknown and yet to be found places. I also can't get over the sheer beauty of cave formations and how they form. Such stark beauty in such an unforgiving environment makes the trip worth it every time.

I've also come to enjoy the thrill and excitement of taking new people caving. Especially kids. A lot of times a trip that seems trivial to most, will be a life changing experience to a first time caver. It's pretty special to be there and experience that excitement over and over again.

[Azurerana]

For me it started out with a childhood of rock collecting, (since age 6), a trip to Indian Cave in a state park (give 30 10 year old Junior girl scouts flashlights, point out a cave, and tell them NOT to go there--duh), a trip at age 13 to my first big Missouri spring, a 50 page term paper at age 16 on the springs of South Central Missouri, my brother dating a grotto president (I didn't know there were cavers until I met her) and handing over my high school term paper to a cave diver/dry caver/enviromentalist 15 years my senior when I was 29 years old. He took me to meet people in the MSS-- people who were doing cave science and data collection as a hobby, not just sliming in the mud. A geology degree and website later, the rest is history.

[Brian Roebuck]

Despite the discomforts of caving, the aches and pains following each trip, and the investment of time and money I still find myself gazing at every limestone outcrop, every shadow and sinkhole, and any hole in the ground looking for more caves. It is obsessive and compulsive behavior and might even be clinically warped in some way. But none the less I continue to cave and enjoy it. There is a mental and physical escape from the normal world with all its troubles that occurs inside a cave. This is a good thing! The lure of discovery and the thrill of pushing some of our physical and mental limits is also one of the benefits of caving. I feel satisfaction after a long mapping or discovery trip. The accomplishment is genuine and the effect on me is always positive. Caving has been good for me in many ways and I always want to give back to caving when I can. That is what makes me cave.

[brentwalker500]

I went on my first wild/real cave trip this February and since then the hunger has been mine to feed. I put this story together recently in an attempt to explain to others what got me started.

dangerpop.com/2007/05/10/iron-hoop-first-cave-trip-dissected/

[Brian Roebuck]

Brent,
I like your story, the imagery, and the emotions conveyed about your first cave trip. It was a very enjoyable read and I am glad you posted the link to it. Thanks for your addition to the forum and keep posting! You write very well and should post more often! Oh yes - there is a nice photo sharing group on Flickr for cavers here www.flickr.com/groups/cavers/ that you are welcome to check out and join if you like.

Cheers,
Dr B

[L Roebuck]

I truly enjoyed reading your story Brent! You seemed to capture the emotions that most new cavers have when they first go caving. Good job!

BTW - Welcome to the forum!