why enter a cave

[MXGratefulDiver]

I my case I am by nature extremely risk averse, to the point of a sort of cowardice. Oh, I do things that involve risk, from piloting airplanes to riding motorcycles, single handed sailing, and so on, but I do them with what some have told me is a rather extreme focus on risk avoidance/mitigation. As in I won't start my car until my passengers have buckled their seatbelts, and I when sailing the calm pacific ocean I and my crews had safety harnesses on where other boats had girls getting sunburned on the foredeck. When I was learning to fly, my CFI liked to tease me that I was always looking for an excuse not to, but the reason we had so many canceled lessons was that I was the guy who watched the plane I was to fly taxi in and tie down, went to do my own preflight, and found that the fuel caps were missing - to give just one example. I'm also an extremely analytical person for all that I've been known to make a good intuitive leap when called for.

I'm going to make a prediction right now that within a year you're going to discover and embrace DIR ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Them]

LOL!

I wish I had a picture to offer, but imagine a motorcycle with bright yellow pelican cases bolted to the back as saddle bags. Imagine the bright yellow cases have retroreflective tape on them. So do the engine guards. Oh, and the bike is a very tall orange dual-sport style bike.

Imagine the rider is wearing this jacket:

(the picture doesn't do it justice-think fluorescent yellow and orange)

Plus riding overpants, boots, brightly colored helmet, and gloves.

And it was over 100f today, so all that gear is f'ing hot, but I'm still wearing it, because as hot as it is I'd rather swelter than deal with skin grafts.

That's me.

I thought the DIR guys had better dress sense/a thing for tasteful black.

 

[JamesK]

Have you ever been to Florida on your bike? I saw someone just as you describe some years back on I75.

 

[Them]

Have you ever been to Florida on your bike? I saw someone just as you describe some years back on I75.

Not yet. Just TX, NM, AZ, UT, NV, CA, MO, OK and AR so far with this bike.

Nice to know I'm not the only dork around though.

 

[Fish-R-Man]

If you ever decide to get rid of your gear, send me a note. I could cut it up and make salmon lures out of it...

 

[Them]

If you ever decide to get rid of your gear, send me a note. I could cut it up and make salmon lures out of it...

It's a shame I threw out my old jacket. It started out a slightly more tasteful yellow but I hand sewed a 4" reflective strip across the back and did a few other things...I went into a restaurant one time with it and someone asked if I was a fire fighter. I bet it would've been even better salmon lure material.

I'll think of you when this one packs it in.

(Side note: bright jackets don't make motorcyclists safe, but, coupled with training and some sound practices, they do help mitigate one of the biggest risks motorcyclists face.)

 

[JamesK]

(Side note: bright jackets don't make motorcyclists safe, but, coupled with training and some sound practices, they do help mitigate one of the biggest risks motorcyclists face.)

You sound like an AFN commercial. WE are constantly bombarded with commercials telling us that we are unsafe on motorcycles, don't wear seat belts, can't package something right for the post office, beat our wives, gamble our rank away, yell at our kids, and drink until silly. Got to love military commercials. We are not allowed to ride a motorcycle, or bicycle, without a reflective vest of some sort.

 

[Them]

You sound like an AFN commercial. WE are constantly bombarded with commercials telling us that we are unsafe on motorcycles, don't wear seat belts, can't package something right for the post office, beat our wives, gamble our rank away, yell at our kids, and drink until silly. Got to love military commercials. We are not allowed to ride a motorcycle, or bicycle, without a reflective vest of some sort.

Hah... I've seen brightly colored MC vests referred to as "DOD compliant" ... didn't really connect what that meant. The whole "nanny military" approach (absurdly low speed limits on bases, etc.) has never made much sense to me, but I'm a lifelong outsider to that experience.

I don't have the "orders" excuse for the ridiculous gear I choose. Here in Texas you aren't even required to wear a helmet.

 

[ipsc1911]

My personal line in the sand (usually) is turning around before the light goes out behind me. This is usually not far past the reaper.

This is still dangerous, there are some cave systems that will go to a zero vis with just one wrong kick in the cavern. I am a trained cave diver and I have zeroed out the vis is a cavern that was very silty. It does not take much to make a pretty cool cavern that is full of light to go black in just a manner of seconds.

I thought the caves looked cool also, that is why I have spent the time and money to get the proper training. Not only for my own safety but also those that I dive with. We are under water living off of a life support system. We all need to know what it will take to allow us to end our dive safely regardless of what type diving we are doing and techincal diving is more of a task load, but you learn some great life saving skills that will save you and your buddies.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is an Alert Diver article.