Since global warming is all en vogue now, I have decided to get with the program and learn to love the heat. It started yesterday, when all of a sudden I decided to begin running. To be completely honest, it is more like hiking in a hurry. It was 5:00 P:M, and we were pegged out at a mild 95 degrees, and like a hypothermic who wonders into the delirious snow filled night, I felt irrestibly drawn to the shimmering waves.
It was moist. I was moist.
Moist, moist, moist I tell you, but not bad, kind of pleasant in a slippery way.
1.8 miles later it was over, and I had something to feel proud about. I parlayed my victory straight into a ride at the Arvida Nature Preservation Trail, aka “Munson Hills” with S’quatch and ‘Tops.
So once again Newton is validated. A body in motion and all of that.
I’ll be doing more of this runhiking at particular venues around town and country. If anyone is interested, you are more than welcome. We can go slouching together.
I would love to hear about your near death experience in Climax, Aucilla. Please feel free to elaborate. For those unfamiliar, Climax Cave is an extensive underground system just over the GA line. I know I spent 10 hours down there and didn’t see it all. Much of that was face down in the mud too. Good times.
Other notables, FAT LAD and his lady Sarah tied the knot. Drop by and wish them well won’t you… http://www.bigalsplace.co.uk/fatlad/
And, Team Type 1 is underway in the RAAM, chock full of Tallahassee lokes. See the post below if you need that address. Homie don’t link.
I sure do hope it hits 100 again today.
Juancho
I’m glad you’re getting yourself in shape for the Yucatan, Hijo! However, last night we had a delicious downpour and slept a great sleep with no a/c! One B-50 vitamin and the mosquitos visited but didn’t bite. This morning I woke up and took a leap into my own “cenote.” (For those not familiar with the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico it is synonymous with 100º in the shade!) So, now that I see that I’ve mentioned nothing scary (like Climax Cave) or even mildly uncomfortable (like walking), I realize this post will have to be rejected by the moderator of BRC esp. w/his board chairman S’quatch nixing it as IM’ing at that! 😉
Love you!
Mom
same thing here. way too hot to run. I sweated like like spin class with the heat turned up. Good for you for running. Are you thinking about CX?
We will gosh darn IM all we want!
And what in the heck is CX?
Cyclocross? Hah!
The water level was low and the sump passageway was reported to have several feet of air at the entrance. It was decided to see how far down the sump passage we could go.
I hung out with the FSU Cave Club for a few years in the mid-80’s but never became a true Caver. This trip intrigued me though and I hauled my mask and dive light all the way back in there. As Juancho says and the link below shows, there is much crawling in Climax to get to the main passages and rooms. Three hours into it and we were ready to go sumping. Mostly, the water was chest high and there was 2 – 4’ of air above that. There were several spots where the roof and the water briefly met but hold your breath and take two steps and the passageway air is there again.
At one point, I noticed a submerged 3’ rounded hole on the side wall indicating another passage. I stuck my dive light in and could see it opened up. “Hold on” I said, “I’m going to poke my head in here for a peek a loo”. So I handed my helmet to Larry and donned my mask and breathed deep and went under. I could immediately see the passage ballooned out into a room that was about as big as a large mini-mart. Of course the water was crystal clear and it was an awesome site. I swam out into the middle of the room and gawked with my mouth shut at the stalactites and stalagmites (don’t ask me which is which). Back in those days, I could hold my breath across the Apalachicola bridge and halfway back.
It was time to breathe again so I turned around to swim back but to my dismay all I could see was a 20’ x 20’ cloud of silt and my destination was a 3’ opening somewhere behind it. I realized then that if I died, I friggin deserved it and if I lived, it was going to be at least two semesters before I did anything that stupid again. With about 5 seconds of air left in my lungs I figured I had one shot so I swam toward the middle with my arms outstretched. About 8’ into the silt cloud my hand collided with Mr. Cerro’s outstretched hand and he yanked me through the hole and up to air.
I had lived to drink another beer but no more stupid cave snorkeling forays for me. No sir, it was going to be asinine mountaineering moves or a car wreck before I danced with the Devil!
A.S.
http://www.caves.com/fss/pages/trips/Climax_6-18-05.htm
Jesus, that story just about gave me a panic attack. Sheesh.