spelunking

[qwertysaur]

Have you ever done it? :p

[Pike]

I have not, but there is a place nearby called Lewis & Clark Caverns and I always wanted to go :bigsmile:

[Night Fury]

I'm actually quite afraid of the idea of caving, and I can't even watch The Descent without feeling sick, so no!

[Formalhaut]

I think I'd feel claustrophobic, and while I don't have a phobia of the dark, I'm not too keen on it either, especially if I'm in a dark, dank cave somewhere.

I'd like to try it though, but dear god I'd want an entire party with me though to keep me safe.

[Shorty]

There is no way in hell I would lower myself into a cave with equipment and ice picks to hack away and crawl around the inside with godknowswhat sort of creature from nightmares is in there in the dark and you can't get to your weapon because your arms are pinned down low from having to army-crawl through tunnels.

I would go wander around the insides of well-opened caves with a convenient entryway, though.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I did a little spelunking at Mammoth Caves with the Scouts aaaaages ago. It was one of the smaller routes. It was fun.

[Formalhaut]

I don't know why, but whenever I hear the word spelunking, I always imagine it's being said by some wise old man.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Nah, it's pretty much a Mike Rowe, or his female counterpart, type person with no nonsense pants, boots, miner's helmet, and gloves.

Not that they don't have lots of good experience, but they don't really match the "wise old sage" motif.

[Shorty]

Oh, Mike Rowe's involved? Yeah, he can lower me into a cave if he comes, too.

[Formalhaut]

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTY2bSMIWjEg_SDi8A5hOzpdjaBVjvNep9vqNd_DXFlP0Vu3tgRog

[Endless]

I've done it a couple times as a teen with school on a school trip. I remember we crawled in mud, walked with cold water up to our thighs, and I burnt my hand because helmet lamps were the carbide kind with an open flame.

"Serene" is not the word I'd use to describe it xD

[Jinx]

I've never been, but Denmark spelunks me all the time.

Oooooh yeeeeah. :smug:

[Endless]

I've never been, but Denmark spelunks me all the time.

Oooooh yeeeeah. :smug:

46039

[Formalhaut]

I've never been, but Denmark spelunks me all the time.

Oooooh yeeeeah. :smug:

Were I to take this literally, my mind can only assume Denmark goes on spelunking expeditions into the deepest darkest caverns of your vagina.

[Shorty]

Okay, alright. Move along, folks.

[Agent Proto]

I've gone spelunking while in Cancun. It wasn't really much, but it was more like a pool within a cave so it was wet and pretty fun.

[Jinx]

Y'all really know how to pick a joke apart with the obvious and kill it, don't you? :p

Serious answer: I've never been, but I'd probably be up for it. I'd just be really scared my ropes would break or something.

[fire_of_avalon]

I've been in a few big caves with tour groups, but not hobbyist spelunking. I think I would like to but, as with so many potential hobbies I could have, I don't have anyone to go with.

[Jiro]

I went cave exploring with Jentleness when I was in California. It was great! It was a pretty nice little jaunt through the caverns (I forget the name), but I would be interested in trying something a little more ~extreme~ someday.

[Mindflare]

I grew up near Laurel Caverns in southwest Pennsylvania. I've been there before, very dark and cold. Very fun.

[yukina]

I actually had the chance to do a mini-spelunking of sorts for a school trip. Basically, we went to this 'trial mountain' where people who wish to repent for their sins by means of physical activities can go to. To immerse ourselves in the experience, we had to walk barefoot along a 50-meter mountain trail of moss and rocks (poor feet, I swear) then enter a cave which name translates into 'The Judge'. If you come out of the cave unscathed, you are deemed sinless; if you come out full of trout, then you've got a lot to repent for haha.

Seems simple enough but the save is an EXTREMELY tight fit. In fact, it's so tight inside that only a maximum of 2 people can fit, a guide and you, so we had to traverse it by ourselves. Plus, the guide is in no position to help you - he just tells you what to do like put your left foot on the rock to your lower left etc. Claustrophobics will probably spazz at the entry which has us dropping around 2 meters with no safety gear whatsoever. And the only illumination inside are the dozens of candles at some of the handholds. I had to go through around 5-7 chambers which necessitated squeezing into a hole so tight I barely fit (I'm 5'2, 100 pounds) and pushing myself up into another hole passageway roughly a foot on top of my head, among other maneuvers. By the end of it, I was just so glad to see the light, even when I had to climb a steep incline on smooth rock.

It was actually pretty fun. :) We wanted to do the other harder caves but apparently, there were recent deaths in the area so they were closed off for a while.

[rubah]

I wouldn't say it was 'serene and amazing', maybe if I had gone in by myself. but I hear that's dangerous.

There was a really cool (lit.) place on the other side of the cave network where all the cold air was rushing to the surface, and the temperature outside was about 30 degrees cooler than the ambient summer air. they called it the icebox (http://cedarjunctionstudio.blogspot.com/2010/07/devils-den.html)