I used to think potholers were mad - but . . .

[Pitlamp]

The Dutch take the prize . . . .

 

[Edwardov]

I could see a war waged with some of this stuff. I felt like I was watching world war 2 footage!

 

[Tripod]

My Sardinian son-in-law told me that when he was a lad, he and his friends would use a mix of kerosene and water, which when ignited would send a an empty food can into the air. They raised their funds to buy the kerosene by collecting scrap metal and selling it. One day they collected a lot of scrap metal and bought a lot of kerosene. Their minds then turned to a bigger can and they quickly acquired a large oil drum. Preparations were made and when someone had finally been persuaded to ignite the charge the oil drum was sent skywards. It was only when the drum had become a mere speck in the sky did they think that it would have to come down - somewhere - and decided to disperse rapidly.

 

[paul]

The Mexicans also have a claim for madness:

 

[wormster]

BEC members do well enough - 100 shot fireworks strapped to the crotch as I remember

 

[CJ]

The Bun Bang Fai Festival in Isan and Lao is definitely up there too.. some horrific accidents happen every year when lighting the massive rockets. (No accidents in the link attached). Rouketopolemos in Greece is also pretty mad.

 

[Speleofish]

Wow! I want one!

 

[Babyhagrid]

Looks like the BEC have some work to do on their bonfire night display . Carbide mortar this year??

 

[Roger W]

That looks a good way of getting up unexplored avens. You could be a bit dizzy when you got to the top, though.

 

[Pitlamp]

Going off at a slight tangent, did anyone else spot this news story?

Venice canal patch turns fluorescent green

Theories abound as to why the waters below the Rialto Bridge in the Grand Canal turned bright green.

www.bbc.co.uk

Apparently the Venice "authorities" are having difficuty identifying a certain green colour.
I'm sure most potholers could advise them . . . .

 

[Babyhagrid]

An alpine dye test that went really really far? Can only hope

 

[mikem]

Unfortunately it's more often used for drains...

 

[mrodoc]

One of my cousins built a spud gun. It fired spuds about half a mile. He tested it one night. A few hours later there was bang on his door. "It's the police rapid response squad!". He told them it was a prototype rook scarer and commented later that 5 hours didn't seem much of a rapid response.

 

[mrodoc]

I also have a video of a certain MBE recipient doing something decidely non HSE approved with some fireworks, gaffer tape, and a frying pan.