Subject:
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Re: Faucets
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Tue, 27 Nov 2001 12:59:27 GMT
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Viewed:
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777 times
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Mr L F Braun wrote:
>
> In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Ross Crawford writes:
> > In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Frank Filz writes:
> > >
> > > An interesting one I just saw yesterday in a book I'm reading. I had
> > > already determined the author of the series was English (or at least not
> > > US American). In one part, the characters were talking about exploring
> > > some underground areas, and one mentioned getting some rock climbers.
> > > The other said, no, more like potholers or cavers.
> >
> > Also known by the amazing title "spelunkers"; not very commonly used (except
> > among spelunkers!), but made infamous when included by Willie Crowther in his
> > brilliant advent game (the elusive last point in the game is obtained by
> > dropping a copy of the magazine "Spelunker Today" at Witts End).
I read an interesting story about Adventure. A woman who was a very big
fan of the game got a chance to go caving in the portion of Mamoth Flint
Ridge cave that Adventure is set in (the game was originally created as
a "map" of the cave, Woods came along and added all the creatures and
treasures to make a game). The woman was invited to show how well she
knew the cave, and led them around. At one point, she dashed behind a
boulder and went down an obscure side passage. When she returned, they
asked her why she went down that unexciting passage. Her response: "I
just had to see Witts End."
Crowther's wife was one of the folks who participated in an event which
won the cold war back in the 70s way before the Republicans came
along... You see, there were three caves vying to be the longest in the
world. One in Russia, and two in the US. Cavers connected the two US
caves, Mamoth Cave and Flint Ridge. Crowther's wife was one of the
members who made the connecting trip.
> IIRC, "spelunker" and "caver" do not refer to precisely the
> same thing. The contours and qualifiers are different. But,
> of course, Frank can give you a better litany of the defining
> factors than I. ;)
In the US, people who explore caves prefer to be called cavers rather
than spelunkers. At caving events here, you can buy bumper stickers
saying "Cavers rescue spelunkers". This is a snide reference to the fact
that folks who wish to hide their ignorance about safe caving use the
fancy sounding title of spelunker. These folks have a tendency to think
that one flashlight with about 30 seconds of battery life left is
sufficient to provide light for a group of folks who plan on delving
into the cave to have a beer blast and perhaps a little romance (you
really wonder what people were thinking when you find those little latex
sleeves in a back room of a cave...).
--
Frank Filz
-----------------------------
Work: mailto:ffilz@us.ibm.com (business only please)
Home: mailto:ffilz@mindspring.com
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Faucets
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| (...) IIRC, "spelunker" and "caver" do not refer to precisely the same thing. The contours and qualifiers are different. But, of course, Frank can give you a better litany of the defining factors than I. ;) best LFB (23 years ago, 26-Nov-01, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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