2005 TAG Fall Cave-In

[Tech Support]

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick update here on the progress up at the new TAG Fall Cave-In site! Work has been going on every month since the last Cave-In and will continue right up until this year's event. There are two major projects we are tackling this year. First, we are dramatically expanding the number of roads and campsites in order to improve traffic flow and to ensure that everyone gets a great place to camp. Second, we are making major, permanent improvements to the spa area. The wet and dry saunas will be completely rebuilt, wood decking will be installed, and a wooden fence will be built surrounding the entire area. Other projects will be undertaken as time allows. It's also of interest to note that a permanent wooden stage is almost complete thanks to the sole efforts of Chuck Henson!

As always, we could certainly use your help if we are to accomplish these goals this year. So, if you're interested in working on any of the above projects, we'd love to see you up at the site. You don't have to have any special skills to help out; there's plenty for everyone to do. But, if you have skills in carpentry, construction, chainsawing, etc., those skills can certainly be utilized.

Please note that the showers are up and running and will be all summer long, so you don't have to camp out in filth after working all day!

If you are interested in joining the Cave-In Yahoo chat group, please go to www.tagfallcavein.org and click on the "Join Yahoogroup" icon. This is where announcements and updates concerning the various Cave-In projects are posted.

Following are the scheduled upcoming work weekend dates. Other dates may be added and will be announced accordingly:

July 23-24
July 30-31
August 13-14
August 20 (Saturday only on this weekend)
September 10-11
September 24-25


***Also at www.tagfallcavein.org you will find a PDF download of the Cave-In pre-registration form. Pre-registration is now open and the first 300 registrants will receive a collectible Cave-In ID lanyard! Register now to get yours!***

Thank you so much to everyone who has already helped out this year! Your continued support of the TAG Fall Cave-In is greatly appreciated and is key in ensuring that the Cave-In continues to be a great event. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns.


Sincerely,

Branden Johnson


-Please feel free to distribute this to any appropriate listing-

[Jennifer]

So who's going to TAG???

[Kelly]

ME!!!

[Sharon Faulkner]

I'll be there too!

[Sharon Faulkner]

The TAG Fall Cave-In is only nine days away! ;D

I attended the work weekend and Chattanooga Grotto auction this weekend at the TAG site. Many more campsites have been cleared and other improvements have taken place that I believe folks will find impressive.

Be sure to check out the carving of a salamander into a tree stump at the entrance to the sauna/hot tub area. This very nice carving was created by David McRae of Birmingham Grotto this past Saturday.

[madratdan]

Sharon,
Do you know where the closest major airport would be?

[Sharon Faulkner]

Hey Dan, I believe the closest major airport would be in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That is the closest larger city other than perhaps Fort Payne, Alabama, but I'm reasonably certain that Fort Payne doesn't have a major airport.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Let's see if this works. If it does, you should see a photo of the salamander carved onto a tree stump (referenced above).

[L Roebuck]

That's a cool salamander carving!

[Cave Rat]

I will be at TAG bright and earily Thursday morning. I want to get in there when they open the gates up so I can get signed in and get a good camping spot close by the Vendors and Bon Fire area.

I camped a good ways from that area last year and I do not want to walk back and forth to camp a good ways this year.

[Cave Rat]

Sharon,

You are right. The closest Airport is Chattanooga. The other one is Nashville

[L Roebuck]

TAG Forecast

Friday
Showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning...then a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. North winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. North winds around 10 mph.

Saturday
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain showers. Highs in the mid 70s. North winds around 10 mph.

Saturday Night
Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain showers. Lows in the lower 50s.

Sunday
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain showers. Highs in the lower 70s.

www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=Trenton%2C+GA

------------
Sounds like a typical TAG to me.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Definitely a typical TAG. ;D

TAG is the one event held each year (at least in this area) where you have to pack shorts/short sleeve shirts, long pants/jackets, and all your fleece pants/shirts. I have attended past Cave-In's where I wore short sleeves on Thursday and by Saturday had to wear polypros with fleece on top of that. ;D

I'm heading up this afternoon, see you there!

[L Roebuck]

Ooops....and don't forget to pack rain gear! ;D

See you there!

[Sharon Faulkner]

Back from another TAG and the rain gear came in very handy Thursday and Friday. ;D Rained for the most part of both days, creating quite a nice mud bog, but cleared off and turned cooler on Saturday for the band and bonfire.

Kudos to the staff and volunteers for their hard work hosting this fun event!

[L Roebuck]

What a fabulous Cave-In!

Nice fog, bit of rain, cool temperatures, great band, great dancers, great bonfire and enjoyed so many old friends and met some new friends. ;D

The SKTF/Byers Cave Clean up was held on Saturday with 35 caver volunteers coming out to lend a hand on the project. Hats off to the volunteers! SKTF Volunteers ROCK! ;D

Dogwood City Grotto, as always you ROCK! ;D

P.S. Thanks for the gift Mark!

[L Roebuck]

Let's see if this works. If it does, you should see a BFBF photo from the TAG Fall Cave-In.

Yes! It worked!!

[L Roebuck]

BTW, The Buddy Bones Band placed some photo's from Saturday night at the TAG Fall Cave-In on their web site!

www.buddybones.com/index.html

[Sharon Faulkner]

Good photo Lynn...I love the Cave-In bonfires!

[Jennifer]

I had a great time at TAG, the DCG and all of the volunteers did an outstanding job!! I didn't make it to TAG last year so wasn't sure what to expect from the new campground. I was totally blown away by the campsites, facilities, trails, and little custom features that really made it feel like TAG! I like the new site much more than the old one... it seems more like a real caver gathering, especially now that we can make fires and camp under the trees. Great job everyone! I'm already looking forward to next year!

[Cave Rat]

Got home Sunday afternoon from another wonderful TAG Cave-In. But, yet again, Murphy's Law as struck. I arrived Thursday to what I thought would be a great weekend. But, come to find out about 3 hours after that, I would have Starter problems when I went to crank the Rat Mobile to go and load up some boxes from the NSS.

So after a caver I meet there ran me down to Trenton to get a Starter, find out from Advance Auto there in town that my Lifetime Starter did not come from there, and having to buy one, I spent the rest of Friday morning on my back in the wet grass and rain, changing out my starter.

Sunday afternoon, on the way home after getting gas, I had the same problem again. A local man help me get it cranked by me and him turning the crank shaft by hand to get it cranked.

I got the starter checked out Monday and it is determined it is the Fly Wheel after all. I found one on the bolt that holds the Bell Housing to engine block is backing out causing the Bell Housing to come loose from the Engine block. Also a hairline crack is forming from the center of the Flywheel out.

But I did get to do some caving Saturday in Cemetery Pit, so that cheered me up and eased my depression about my truck.

[Cave Rat]

Well, after 3 Starters since the event, 8 hours of repair work, a new Fly Wheel, and a grand total of $310 in parts and labor, I am glad to annouce the Rat Mobile is finnially back on the road. I hope to not go through this again for a really long time.