How was your decade??

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
HAPPY 2020!!

I'll not be the only person looking back over the past decade rather than the past 12 months, this New Year.

Caving highlights include fabulous (if bloody hard) exploration trips in Mulu at the beginning of the decade and being fortunate enough to get to know Mark & Jess Burkey so now having a wonderful collection of Mark's photos and caving memories - here's my favourite:

wl


...and of course Tim and I bought UKC - what a learning curve that has been.  The forum is in a much better place than it was when we took over so I'm glad we did it, despite at times wondering what the hell were we thinking?!  ;)

I've been underground less these past few years as I now have a horse and have learnt a whole new way of riding which has been fascinating, fulfilling and addictive - it has taken years, however is pretty cool to nowadays be able to ride with little or no tack  ;)

wl

Look, no bridle....

Tim's back in Mulu so I was going to be on my ownsome for New Year - but no!  Went on a lovely walk up Ingleborough (which didn't play ball and was shrouded in cloud and windy as hell until we got back down to look back on it in a cloudless sky!) with Matt & Gary before an invite to the Pennine. I ate some delicious food (blimey they can cook at the NPC!), watched some very slim cavers get through a very tight squeeze machine and finally learn what 'Pan and Sling' looked like.  I saw in the New Year surrounded by cavers who made me feel really welcome - marvellous, thank you NPC  (y)

wl

Yes, this really is the top of Ingleborough :)

I hope this next year and decade brings you lots of caving adventures, fun and happiness.

How was your caving decade?

All the best, Pegasus xx


 

2xw

Active member
At the start of the decade I just finished puberty and to be honest it's all been uphill from there. This might not seem relevant to caving but it's when I started to grow a proper beard so yano....
 

aricooperdavis

Moderator
I've had a great decade - started a BSc, discovered caving, started an MSc, still caving, started a PhD, still caving!

So lots of caving, and practically no real hard graft!
 

ttxela2

Active member
I'm still a little nervous about the millenium bug, can we be entirely sure the danger has passed now?
 

mikem

Well-known member
From couple of days ago:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/31/millennium-bug-face-fears-y2k-it-systems
 

yrammy

Member
Well I did go underground once - down Giants to raise money for charity .  But I am still working as the BCA Training administrator and cave librarian. I am much greyer now LOL.

I defo want to go underground again this year - be it an easy trip for  one with the knackered body and total lack of fitness :) But to prove I did used to cave years ago here is a picture of me quaffing a beer after doing Aggy. Note the ancient headgear and lighting.

Happy New Year to all my LCMLAs CICs TAs and library users.

Mary
 

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Goydenman

Well-known member
Thanks Pegasus...

Our last big breakthrough was 2009 with the linking of Frog pot/Aquamole series with New Goyden pot. The last decade since then has not see another big breakthrough but steady progress with....
2012 Opening of Guscott pot with two further inlets opened up 2013. The pot is now after a lot of digging 30m deep and also just 30m from Frog pot.
2013/14 We reopened Thrope pot, Lofthouse pot and Low Egins
2015 we dug out new (non-srt) bypass to Goyden sump 1, Gargett Way
Since then we have been resurveying the system and Swallowneck has gone on to run beginner surveying course for others
Finally Ralf and I have started diving and made our first small extension to Bridge Hall beyond sump 3

Personally for me in the last decade I now have 8 grandchildren and moved house

Hoping for a lot this next decade
 

Cavematt

Well-known member
The discovery of Jenga Pot in the North York Moors (2013) was a big highlight for me, and the subsequent connection (2015) to Excalibur Pot to create a 2.8 km system with a memorable 3 hour through-trip available? not bad for an area where 15 years ago large caves were thought not to exist! Through our digging group (still active most Wednesday evenings) I?ve met some great friends.

I?ve had the privilege of getting involved in the CNCC, meeting and working with some great people to help improve northern caving. This decade has seen access to most areas become available to all cavers with relative ease, while sustaining good relations between cavers and landowners.

On a more personal level, in 2018 (and made possible thanks to a 2014 change in the law) I married my amazing partner, who introduced me to caving over 15 years ago.

The last decade has seen my own club, York CC, expand from just the founder five members to a thriving club with 30 active members, regular meets and a strong social scene. I remember hearing people say at the start of the decade that caving seemed to be in decline, but my experience of the last ten years has suggested totally the opposite.

I?ve discovered the joys of caving in France with my other club, the NPC. Like several other Dales-based clubs, they seem to be enjoying a considerable influx of younger cavers at the moment which is great news (although strangely my definition of ?younger? seems to change as I get older).

Fingers crossed for more discoveries, adventures, and more people starting caving in the ?20s.

Happy new year!
 

royfellows

Well-known member
I have hesitated on this as its really a willy wave, but anyway.

2010, the worst year of my life, thought I was going to die. Wont say anymore.
Then, some kind of weird miracle I don't understand and a big turn around.

Restarted karate at 67 after an absence of 30 years
Started aikido at 68
Founded Cambrian Mines Trust to acquire the Cwmystwyth Mines.
Helped Stuart France in the setting up of Cave Access Ltd
Incorporated Natural Amenities Ltd to acquire the Craig y Dinas mineral rights. (Upper Silica Mine)
Completed underground works at Cwmystwyth to secure future access
Broke new ground in Frongoch Mine
Broke new ground in Henfwlch mine
Organised a very successful NAMHO 2019

and had a cracking good time along the way!
 
 

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
royfellows said:
I have hesitated on this as its really a willy wave, but anyway.

2010, the worst year of my life, thought I was going to die. Wont say anymore.
Then, some kind of weird miracle I don't understand and a big turn around.

Restarted karate at 67 after an absence of 30 years
Started aikido at 68
Founded Cambrian Mines Trust to acquire the Cwmystwyth Mines.
Helped Stuart France in the setting up of Cave Access Ltd
Incorporated Natural Amenities Ltd to acquire the Craig y Dinas mineral rights. (Upper Silica Mine)
Completed underground works at Cwmystwyth to secure future access
Broke new ground in Frongoch Mine
Broke new ground in Henfwlch mine
Organised a very successful NAMHO 2019

and had a cracking good time along the way!

There is nothing wrong with posting about positivity especially with so much bad news about.  Glad you had a great decade and thanks for posting ;)
 

ZombieCake

Well-known member
A bit limited although:

> Discovered and uncovered various Witches (quite literally actually!)
> Probably annoyed slightly a churchy bloke pointing out the witchy stuff they had there.
> Uncovered various esoteric musical tastes on a strange forum to do with underground stuff (hopefully didn't annoy people too much - apologies if did)
> Changed job a couple of times
> Blew up a gearbox (69.50 MPH as opposed to 69.25 MPH was just too much)
> 60,000 words plus so far penned on a caving related Witchy book on my stop-start project
> Only got one forum post banned, so about that access...
> Finally, after many years, got a copy of Descent No. 1. (Many thanks Pitlamp)
> Managed a few caving trips.
> Took loads of rubbish piccies but enjoyed doing it.

I guess that's about it. Need to avoid daylight much more this decade.
 

benshannon

Active member
Mostly good for me, with a sprinkling of bad.
- 2010 discovered Adventure Racing
- 2011 lost my grandad (My hero)
- 2013 got married
- 2015 European Adventure Racing championships. inherited my grandads vincent motorcycle
- 2016/17 my wife had multiple misscarriages and a failed IVF round
- 2017 Started university to study physiotherapy after 3 years of trying to get in. discovered caving through a friend. (I really wish i had known about this amazing sport sooner)
- 2019 lost my other grandad. The year i caved properly and got numerous trips done.
 

bagpuss

Member
Started caving whilst parenting as a working single parent. We'd done a walk around Burrington Combe and seeing the cave entrances made me think it was something I wanted to try. As a non car driver with no kit I was lucky to join 2 Bristol clubs which lent me kit and gave me lifts. I managed to have trips in some of the Welsh cave systems which was an  amazing privilege. Seeing things I'd never imagine I could see, managing my fear of heights and other anxieties.
At that time I also took my daughter in lots of the easier caves on Mendip & South Wales.

Work and life became stressful so I caved less but did a lot of mountain climbing and outdoor swimming at the weekends, still working my way through some of the shorter more obscure Mendips caves. Daughter was less keen to cave so we stuck to other sports with her.

Last 2-3 years I've been mentally very unwell which has impacted on my physical health. I've spent months in hospital. Despite this my club have stayed in touch, we've done a few easy Goatchurch trips and have watched caving films. Being well enough to join in with the club's Chistmas caving party was a mile stone in my recovery. Aims for this year is to get back to caving a few times a month, to visit Porth Yr Ogof which I've been wanting to do for years after many swimming trips to all the waterfalls there, to take my daughter to GB when she turns 16 in Feb (she's started to want to come caving again) to see the Frozen Deep and to arrange a few other leader trips to caves I've not been too before (a few in Fairy Quarry &1 in Burrington Combe)

I appreciate this post has turned more into a caving resolutions thread, but probably easier to look forwards than back!

*oh and I'd also love to go on a caver Keith/Dudley filming trip, watching their videos whilst in hospital helped me to keep looking forwards.
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Get back to me re Fairy Cave Quarry and The Frozen Deep if you have any problems. I hope you continue your recovery and have a happy new decade.
 
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