Minutes of the Chouteau Grotto Meeting

June 7, 2000

    The meeting was called to order at 7:08 P.M.

    16 members attended.


    There were three guests or soon-to-be members: Mag Matlock, Paul
Lowry, and Chris; we didn't get Chris' last name but she is an EMT who
was at the NCRC orientation. We hope some day you'll join us (and that
the world will live as one).


Treasurer's report $1218.40 are in the coffers.


MSS Director's report: The meeting will be on June 10 at Onondaga State
Park and will be combined with the MCKC meeting. Besides business, it's
a cavers' picnic and should be fun. Mike Morgan will not be able to
attend, and Dave Webster will stand in for him. Mike encouraged more
Grotto members to become MSS members. Only four of the 16 people at
tonight's meeting are members. Dues are reasonable...


The Foresight: Rick Walk was not able to attend this meeting. He is
looking for someone to do the 2000 editions. Please contact Rick and
Rita if you are interested in taking on this important role.


Grotto Reunion planning report. Much of the meeting dealt with this
issue. There are problems with the proposed dates of the weekend of
15-17 September. One of these is that Jim Huckins will be out of the
country, and many members felt strongly that Huck ought to be present
for the occasion. Also, as planning is still in the early stages, it
was suggested that a later date would be better. And it was pointed out
that mid-September can still be hot. Therefore the New Official
Tentative Dates for the Grotto Reunion are 29 September-1 October 2000.
Please mark your calendars. If there is any compelling reason the
reunion should not be held on those dates please contact Rita Worden
immediately. But unless you hear otherwise, these are the dates.


Patti Williamson will look into having the MU Alumni Association do an
ad inviting former campus grotto members to the reunion.


A much-anticipated and controversial Missourian article on cave
vandalism has not yet made its appearance.


Cave Reports


Patti Williamson and Ben Miller attended the NCRC Cave Rescue
Orientation at Lone Hill Onyx Cave. Rick Walk was one of the
instructors. See Chouteau News 3(6) for details.


Joe Hobbs reported on his trip to look at human uses of caves in
Madagascar.


Rita Worden and Ben Miller visited Spring Cave. Despite the tight spots
there are some large rooms with fine speleothems. Also too much
graffiti. These two removed some graffiti and will return with
toothbrushes to do more.  They also visited Tumbling Cave on this trip
and went as far back into it as they could.


Mike Morgan spoke about the incredible traces of historic human
activity in Lon Odell cave. These include bare footprints left by a
Native American youth in a mudbank, and torch remains that have been
carbon-dated to about 1400 A.D.


Ben Miller and Bob Lerch went to Cathedral Cave and Fittons Cave. Ben,
Rick Walk and Bill Elliott visited Breakdown Cave and Watkins' Cave
over the MVOR weekend.


Also during MVOR, Rita and Grace Worden, Jeff Williams and Bob Lerch
visited Garrison Cave. Orin Worden and Jeff Williams joined Grace and
Rita at Marvel Cave, which Rita described as really sensational for a
commercial cave. Grace said they used to offer hot air balloon rides
inside the cave, so vast is the entrance chamber!


Mike Walk will be speaking at the International Society of Optical
Engineers in San Diego, on the topic of using lasers to test the
integrity of vertical climbing equipment. Rarely has a high school
student participated in this convention. Congratulations Mike!


Jeff Williams, a.k.a. Sir Toby of Twelfth Night, will soon be making
crepuscular appearances at the Maplewood Barn Theatre. Go cheer for
Jeff!


The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 P.M. The festivities continued at G
and D.


Respectfully submitted, with huge thanks to Patti for covering my
duties in the past few months,


Joe Hobbs