Thanks.
That quote from Tom Robbins is still framed in my bathroom at home. Years ago, I read it and suddenly realized a basic truth about myself.
In regards to soloing, I did a lot of it. More than anything, I just liked being by myself and relying on myself. However, I never solo'd caving. The reason why was that it was way too dangerous. Not so much for me, but it was going to be for the people that tried to retrieve my body. If I was climbing solo and screwed up, I was going to more than likely fall into a place that was easy to get to. They'd scrape me off the rocks and that would be that. Going underground was considerably different. Even if I just broke a leg, chances were that folks were going to be risking their lives trying to get me out. What's more, with solo work, it was more likely that someone was going to call the sheriff's dept instead of the NSS rescue hotline, and a bunch of inexperienced deputies and paramedics would be trying to get me out. Look up the name Floyd Collins and get back to me. They even made a musical about him-- biggest news story of 1925.
This thing with the Russian chick kind of galls me the more I think of it. It's one thing to go get your ass out onto thin ice to quell your inner demon. It's another thing to go out, get your dumb ass frozen and then pop smoke, hoping the cavalry will come.
One other thing, and then I will get off my rant. I just want to put a bug in y'all's ear. File a trip plan. Writing for deer hunting media exposes me a lot to guys who like to leave and go hunting where no one knows where they are or when they are coming back--No cell phones, no explanations, nada.
I cannot emphasize enough:
1) Leave a trip plan with someone you trust
2) Give specific deadlines. "If I'm not by Monday night. . ."
3) Give specifics of who to notify, and where to search
4) Give the location of your vehicle
5) Give a location of where you will head in case of trouble
6) If you carry nothing else, carry a whistle
This is not for you. This is for your rescuers and next of kin. You may be comfortable with becoming mulch, but one of your stupid loved ones may call the sheriff a day early, they put a team out on the mountain or down the hole and some good people may be put in harm's way.
Take all this from a guy who made national news once. Somehow I became the 5th unnamed caver in a big flood-in story back in 1982. The truth was, I knew about the trip, but had not been invited. Despite this, my name ended up on the AP wire, and I spent the next week answering phone calls. Supposedly I was mentioned on the network news, but I never got confirmation. The cavers had known of the trouble ahead and floated a cache sealed in an oil drum ahead of time. They were fat and happy until the water receded, a lot better than the people trying to rescue them.
