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Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive Director Phone: 518-231-5420 Email: [email protected] www.cavern.com 1965 - Celebrating Our 50th Year - 2015 MAY 2015 Message From The Executive Director Greetings Friends, Much has been happening in the NCA office as we move forward with the production of a new brochure design Gary Berdeaux has been creating for us. We plan to have this in production by the end of the month or by early June. We would like to welcome two new Affiliate Members to the NCA. Prime Pedal Karts are safe, durable, low maintenance pedal karts that are being used across a variety of rental markets. All of Prime Pedal Karts are made for heavy duty commercial use, but any of their models are available for sale to private use customers. Thanks to Tim Lacy at DeSoto Caverns Park for bringing them into membership as DeSoto uses this product. Derek Lother is the sales rep and you may reach him at [email protected] or call him at 866-475-0450. Check them out at primekarts.com . L. W. Bristol Classics is no stranger to many of us as they have been displaying at our Vendor Shows at convention for quite some time. They offer a variety of custom products such as lapel pins, magnets, key chains, zipper pulls, patches and much, much more. Thanks to Steve Rawlings and Claudia Yundt for bringing them into membership. Barry Dutton is the sales rep and you may reach him at [email protected] or call him at 800-654-0777. Visit their site at lwbristol.com . Google has changed the way websites are displayed on mobile devices. If your website is not set up for mobile devices (mobi), then your site will not show up in a search engine. Steve Thompson has looked at several cave sites and has reported that they failed. You may want to test yours out before the busy season at: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ Recently I met Richard Jackson who is the VP of North American Operations for IAAPA. Rich will be working with the NCA to see how we may best work together and he will have a report for us in an upcoming issue of Cave Talk. Finally, thank you to many of you for your kind words of condolences on the passing of my 105 year old grandmother, Marguerite Holt. She lived a wonderful long life and we were blessed to have her for so many years. -Bob Holt, Executive Director OFFICERS President: Steve Rawlings Mercer Caverns, CA Ph: 209-728-2101 [email protected] Vice President: Patty Perlaky Raccoon Mt. Caverns, TN Ph: 423-821-9403 [email protected] Secretary Treasurer: Bob Holt Mercer Caverns, CA Ph: 518-231-5420 [email protected] Past President: Greg Beckler Natural Stone Bridge & Caves, NY Ph: 518-494-2283 [email protected] REGIONAL DIRECTORS Region One: (CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) Rob Arey Polar Caves Park, NH [email protected] Ph: 603-536-1888 Region Two: (MD, VA, WV, KY) John Graves Luray Caverns, VA [email protected] Ph: 540-743-6551 Region Three: (IL, IN, MI, OH) Claudia Yundt - Squire Boone Caverns, IN [email protected] Ph: 812-732-4382 Region Four: (AR, IA, KS, MO, NE) Dennis Boyer - War Eagle Cavern, AR [email protected] Ph: 479-789-2909 Region Five: (MN, MT, ND, SD, WI) Tom Hagen - Rushmore Cave, SD [email protected] Ph: 605-255-4467 Region Six: (CA, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK, HI, Barbados, Bermuda) Matt Doyle Lake Shasta Caverns, CA [email protected] Ph: 800-795-CAVE Region Seven: (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) Steve Beckley Glenwood Caverns, CO [email protected] Ph: 970-945-4CAV Region Eight: (LA, OK, TX) Ed Mayfield Caverns of Sonora, TX [email protected] Ph: 325-387-3105 Region Nine: (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Tim Lacy DeSoto Caverns Park, AL [email protected] Ph: 256-378-7252 Directors at Large Steve Runkle - Cave of the Winds, CO [email protected] Ph: 719-685-5444 Aaron Ginn - Sierra Nevada Recreation, CA [email protected] Ph: 209-736-2708
Transcript
Page 1: Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive ...members.cavern.com/Content/cavetalkfiles/201505.pdf · the song we’re debuting tonight is purple. The amount of detail

Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive Director Phone: 518-231-5420 Email: [email protected] www.cavern.com

1965 - Celebrating Our 50th Year - 2015

MAY 2015

Message From The Executive Director

Greetings Friends,

Much has been happening in the NCA office as we move forward with the

production of a new brochure design Gary Berdeaux has been creating for us.

We plan to have this in production by the end of the month or by early June.

We would like to welcome two new Affiliate Members to the NCA.

Prime Pedal Karts are safe, durable, low maintenance

pedal karts that are being used across a variety of

rental markets. All of Prime Pedal Karts are made for

heavy duty commercial use, but any of their models are

available for sale to private use customers. Thanks to Tim Lacy at DeSoto

Caverns Park for bringing them into membership as DeSoto uses this product.

Derek Lother is the sales rep and you may reach him at

[email protected] or call him at 866-475-0450. Check them out at

primekarts.com.

L. W. Bristol Classics is no stranger to many of us as they have been

displaying at our Vendor Shows at convention for quite some time. They offer a

variety of custom products such as lapel pins, magnets, key chains, zipper

pulls, patches and much, much more. Thanks to Steve Rawlings and Claudia

Yundt for bringing them into membership. Barry Dutton is the sales rep and

you may reach him at [email protected] or call him at 800-654-0777. Visit

their site at lwbristol.com.

Google has changed the way websites are displayed on mobile devices. If your website is not set up for mobile devices (mobi), then your site will not show up in a search engine. Steve Thompson has looked at several cave sites and has reported that they failed. You may want to test yours out before the busy season at: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

Recently I met Richard Jackson who is the VP of North American Operations for IAAPA. Rich will be working with the NCA to see how we may best work together and he will have a report for us in an upcoming issue of Cave Talk. Finally, thank you to many of you for your kind words of condolences on the passing of my 105 year old grandmother, Marguerite Holt. She lived a wonderful long life and we were blessed to have her for so many years.

-Bob Holt, Executive Director

OFFICERS

President: Steve Rawlings

Mercer Caverns, CA

Ph: 209-728-2101 [email protected]

Vice President: Patty Perlaky

Raccoon Mt. Caverns, TN

Ph: 423-821-9403 [email protected]

Secretary Treasurer: Bob Holt

Mercer Caverns, CA

Ph: 518-231-5420 [email protected]

Past President: Greg Beckler

Natural Stone Bridge & Caves, NY

Ph: 518-494-2283 [email protected]

REGIONAL DIRECTORS Region One:

(CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT)

Rob Arey –Polar Caves Park, NH

[email protected] Ph: 603-536-1888

Region Two:

(MD, VA, WV, KY)

John Graves – Luray Caverns, VA

[email protected] Ph: 540-743-6551

Region Three: (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Claudia Yundt - Squire Boone Caverns, IN

[email protected] Ph: 812-732-4382

Region Four: (AR, IA, KS, MO, NE)

Dennis Boyer - War Eagle Cavern, AR

[email protected] Ph: 479-789-2909

Region Five: (MN, MT, ND, SD, WI)

Tom Hagen - Rushmore Cave, SD

[email protected] Ph: 605-255-4467

Region Six: (CA, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK, HI,

Barbados, Bermuda)

Matt Doyle – Lake Shasta Caverns, CA [email protected] Ph: 800-795-CAVE

Region Seven: (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)

Steve Beckley – Glenwood Caverns, CO

[email protected] Ph: 970-945-4CAV

Region Eight: (LA, OK, TX) Ed Mayfield – Caverns of Sonora, TX [email protected] Ph: 325-387-3105

Region Nine: (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN)

Tim Lacy – DeSoto Caverns Park, AL

[email protected] Ph: 256-378-7252

Directors at Large

Steve Runkle - Cave of the Winds, CO

[email protected] Ph: 719-685-5444

Aaron Ginn - Sierra Nevada Recreation, CA [email protected] Ph: 209-736-2708

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Zedd Threw A Truly Insane Party For Fans In A Cave

The premise was simple. Six “Z” insignias were hidden along Austin’s Sixth Street. Kids stampeded through the heart of SXSW on a quest to take pictures in front of each of them, and then hustled to a designated magenta platform in a parking lot. You show the gathered staff the photos, and sign a release that states you’re down for whatever. The first 50 who made it qualified for a mysterious, all-night event headlined, in some way, by Zedd. Andrea Munoz, 21, met the friends she was with at a Zedd concert. All five of them galloped to top-10 finishes in the race, and were doing their best to quell the anxious jitters as the other kids filed in. “I have no idea what’s going to happen,” she told me. “I’m guessing maybe a music video? I don’t know.”

The vibe was almost like a field trip. Dozens of kids milling about, laughing, unable to stand still — those who were too late feeling the same sort of dejection you might feel if your parents refused to sign a permission slip. The only difference was, instead of school busses, we were riding in limousines.

If you haven’t guessed by now, the blowout, which took place last Thursday, was the first step in an elaborate promotional campaign for Zedd’s upcoming sophomore album, True Colors. In 10 different cities, 50 lucky fans will get shipped out to a truly unique location, eat gourmet food, drink free, colored cocktails, and hear a brand new song from the record. All of this is — until now — top secret, which means the kids in the Austin excursion thought we were headed to a venue, or a festival, not an hour-and-a-half drive to one of the largest caverns in the state of Texas. Thousands of years ago, an underground river cut through limestone sediment in Texas hill country, leaving behind a massive cave. In 1971, Longhorn Cavern State Park was declared a National Natural Landmark. In 2015 it served as an absolutely stunning place to throw a party and listen to some new music.

It’s hard to overstate just how beautiful the inside of Longhorn Cavern is. 42 Entertainment set up these dreamy purple lights that bounced around the crisp, sculpted walls. The ceilings were high, and impossibly knotted and resolute. You could occasionally see tiny bats hibernating in the holes that dotted the walls. One room was covered in these soft, sinewy crystals, which 19th century miners mistook for diamonds. Oh, and I should mention that the “lobby” of the cave was set up with a bartender, furniture, and dozens of waiters bearing appetizers (scallops! lamb! beet salad!), and a playlist curated by a certain producer who was secretly lingering in a private loft above the cave. You could feel the dreams coming true.

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“Every song on this album is associated with a color,” Zedd told me before he made his grand entrance. “And we decided the song we’re debuting tonight is purple. The amount of detail that went into that — from the purple skittles on the limos, the purple drinks, the purple food, the lights — it’s pretty magical.” Zedd doesn’t necessarily need to release albums in 2015. He’s an electronic musician in an era of SoundCloud and Spotify, and could easily subsist off singles. But that isn’t quite cohesive enough, he says. “I think it goes back to my history playing rock music and jazz music,” said Zedd. “When I first started making electronic music I was surprised at how everyone was releasing singles with maybe and EP here or there. That’s not enough time to tell a story. If I put out one of the True Colors songs out of context, they might not understand. It’s really important to me to share my passion in the form of an album. That’s what I love doing.”

Later he’d step down into the cave and receive a hero’s welcome. He mentioned he was more nervous for this than any of the shows he’s played. The kids are all handed a free pair of Beats headphones (purple, of course) and jack into the amplifiers scattered around the tables. That’s when perhaps the most touching moment of the whole night happened. Before Zedd debuted his new song, before he’s even entered the cave, the staff tests the headphones with “Stay The Night,” one of the producer’s marquee songs. Halfway through I take off my headphones and hear a room full of kids singing along, unaccompanied, completely unaware of the beautiful music they’re making together.

Then Zedd enters, the place becomes unglued, and he tells them about the whole purple True Colors concept, and that we’re about to be the only people outside of the label to hear this new song he’s about to play. It’s called “Addicted to a Memory,” and features psychedelic label mates Bahari. It reminds me a bit of early Justice — that glitchy, French-house grime that always blacks out a dance floor. It’s quite good, and actually kinda purple.

For the next couple hours Zedd meets with every single soul that managed to hustle their way into the cave. He signs posters, takes pictures, and stays his affable self. Every fan left with an authentic moment with their favorite producer. Not a bad night.

Thanks to Michelle Devaney at Longhorn Caverns for sharing this exciting event with us.

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Earl C. Hargrove, Jr., Owner Of Shenandoah Caverns Passes

Joe Proctor, General Manager of The Shenandoah Caverns Family of

Attractions is sad to announce that owner Earl C. Hargrove, Jr. has

passed away. Mr. Hargrove had a love for Shenandoah Caverns that

seemed to have no limit. He truly enjoyed showing this Attraction to

visitors from across our nation and the world. He will be missed...

Earl Christian Hargrove, Jr.-father, friend, entrepreneur and showman,

passed away peacefully on the morning of April 6, 2015, surrounded

by his family. He was 86 years old.

Earl Jr. was born on October 5, 1928 to Cecilia Garrett and Earl Sr. of Richmond, VA. He lived with his maternal grandparents until he was eleven years old, when he moved with his parents into a new home in Cheverly, MD. He graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1946 and, at seventeen years old, joined the United States Marine Corps. He celebrated his eighteenth birthday during basic training at Parris Island Marine Corps Boot Camp. He served for two years and was honorably discharged in 1948; he reenlisted in 1951 and served in the Marine Corps until 1954.

In 1955, Earl married Gloria Love of Cheverly, MD. In 1958, they purchased a 125-acre farm in Southern Maryland where he built a large antebellum home and raised five children. The Hargrove’s ‘Holly Springs Farm’ became well known in the area for the festive "Christmas Lane" decorations that grew to enchant almost 30,000 visitors annually until its final year in 2002.

A proud Marine Corps veteran, he began his career trimming store windows in Washington, DC at the end of World War II. In partnership with his father Earl Sr., their business provided holiday decorations, Christmas-themed props and patriotic flags for the annual celebrations of local townships. The father-son team built parade floats, which toured local festivals in the mid-Atlantic region, from Virginia to New Jersey.

Parade float production would become a major part of Hargrove Displays Inc.’s work. An important early milestone was building parade floats for President Harry Truman's inaugural in 1949. They began decorating the National Christmas Tree and Pageant of Peace in 1955 and was named the official decorator for the Miss America Pageant in 1956. Business and political connections lead to more opportunities to design, decorate and produce special events, which would eventually supersede float building as the primary activity of the company.

When his father passed away suddenly during a business trip in 1971, Earl Jr. took the helm to lead Hargrove, Inc. through four decades of growth and expansion. As of January 2013, President Barack Obama’s second inaugural was the seventeenth consecutive presidential inauguration in which the company participated. Hargrove, Inc. celebrated sixty continuous years of decorating the National Christmas Tree in 2014 and continues to expand, most recently into experiential marketing with its productions for brands such as Anheuser-Busch.

Earl fell in love with Shenandoah Caverns in New Market, VA, which he purchased in 1966. It became a vacation destination for his family. Most weekends were spent there with the Proctors, who became their extended family. Earl modified the caverns property in three major phases, each time building a new attraction to delight visitors. He played an active role in the management of the caverns until his final days.

He is survived by his wife, Gloria Love Hargrove of Lothian, MD; his son, Earl “Chris” Hargrove, III and granddaughter Cierra Cecilia, of Crownsville, MD; his daughter Kathleen Hargrove Kelly, her husband Clyde Vernon, grandson Robert Hargrove and fiancée Ashley Fay Manger of Grasonville, MD and preceded in death by grandson Clyde Vernon, IV; daughter Carla Hargrove McGill, her husband Timothy Patrick and granddaughter Kelsey Kathleen of Annapolis, MD; daughter Cynthia Diane Hargrove, her husband Michael Eli Busada, granddaughter Allison Victoria Kluh and grandson John Joseph Kluh of Lothian, MD; and son Carey Martin Hargrove, his wife Wendy Miller, and grandsons Carson Miller and Hudson Clyde, of Lothian, MD.

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A celebration of his life was held Saturday, April 11, 11 a.m. at St. James’ Church, 5757 Solomons Island Road, Lothian, MD, followed by internment.

Donations in memory of Earl C. Hargrove, Jr. may be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and be sent to: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Attn: Earl Hargrove Memorial Donations, 909 North Washington Street, Ste. 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 or by visiting www.mcsf.org/donate. Donations may also be made in his name to HEROES, Inc. at www.Heroes-Inc.org.

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WNS Report

The big news is the USFWS classified the Northern Long-eared bat as Threatened with an Interim 4(d) rule. The listing becomes effective May 4

th. It is my understanding that rules about caves, including commercial caves, will be

issued separately. I am contacting the USFWS and will send updates as I find more information. I hope that everyone will send comments regarding this. How to Comment on Interim 4(d) Rule The comment period on the interim 4(d) rule is open from April 2 to July 1, 2015. You may submit comments by one of the following methods: (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS–R5–ES–2011–0024, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment Now!” (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R5–ES–2011–0024 Division of Policy and Directives Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM Arlington, VA 22203. USFWS requests that you send comments only by one of the methods described above. They will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that they will post any personal information provided. Deadline for comments is July 1, 2015. When the listing was announced, the Center for Biological Diversity promptly filed a complaint before the US District Court requesting that the court 1. Declare the Service failed to engage in public process and did not prepare an environmental impact statement before adopting the 4(d) rule 2. Vacate the interim rule 3. Award Plaintiff fees and costs 4. Grant other relief the Court deems just Other Legislation: On 3/24, SD Rep. Kristi Noem introduced legislation to prevent the USFWS from making the threatened species listing, saying the efforts must focus on the disease. Connecticut is considering classifying 5 of its 8 native bat species as endangered. Maine had a public hearing on April 1

st about two bat species being added to its endangered list.

New Locations/Closings/Openings The fungus has been found in a Madison County, Arkansas cave. Six Missouri counties and Floyd County, GA has been added to the suspect list. Boulder closed the east face of a climbing formation until 9/1 to protect bats that are very sensitive to human disturbance. The Smokies reopened the Whiteoak Sink area with limited access. It was closed during the hibernating months for the Indiana bat. In North Carolina, the state’s northern caves are not showing as much decline, but it has worked its way south with a large decline in bat numbers in a cave in Swain County. Research: In a central Indiana study, three years after detection of WNS in Indiana, big brown bats seem to be showing signs of resilience at the study site. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have tested naturally occurring bacteria from the skin of four bat species. Six of the bacteria they isolated were able to significantly inhibit the growth of WNS in petri dishes. Joseph Hoyt, the graduate student leading the project, said the bacteria may be at too low a level to have an effect on WNS. He hopes to make a spray treatment with the bacteria which would be applied to hibernating bats. They are now experimenting with live subjects.

Patty Perlaky WNS Chair

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NCA Insurance Column - Members’ resource for insurance

information, news, education and industry hilarity!

Playground safety opportunities

Because some properties might include playground

environments, it is important for caves to recognize that they

are held to the same standard as a public playground.

Frequent inspections to remove obvious hazards and to

ensure proper levels of protective ground cover around

equipment are keys to reducing losses that may result on a

playground.

The National Playground Safety Institute (NSPI) has

identified 12 of the leading causes of injuries on

playgrounds, which they call the “Dirty Dozen.” Addressing

these areas as a routine checklist can help support a

positive playground risk management program:

1. Improper protective surfacing: Hard surfaces under and around playground equipment can cause injuries if children fall. Replace these surfaces with materials that are soft enough to cushion a fall, such as hardwood fiber/mulch, sand, or pea gravel. Maintain these surfaces at a depth of 12 inches, don’t allow them to become compacted, and make sure they are free of standing water and debris. You can also use unitary materials (synthetic or rubber tiles, shredded rubber, and mats) under play equipment. Consult a vendor certified in playground safety before installing these materials.

2. Inadequate use zones: A use zone is the area under and around playground equipment where a child might fall. Make sure to cover use zones with protective surfacing material that extends a minimum of 6 feet in all directions from the edge of the equipment. Some equipment (slides between 6 and 8 feet high and swing sets) needs a larger use zone.

3. Protrusion/entanglement hazards: A protrusion hazard is anything that could impale or cut a child who might fall against it. An entanglement hazard is anything that could catch an item of clothing or jewelry worn around a child’s neck. Children have been strangled when a drawstring from a hood or a necklace catches on an exposed bolt end or open “S” type hook on play equipment. Pay special attention to the area at the top of slides, where gaps and spaces could catch clothing. Anchor ropes securely at both ends so they cannot form a loop or noose.

4. Entrapment in openings: Children often enter enclosed openings on play equipment feet first and try to slide through the opening. Even if the opening is large enough to allow the child’s body to pass through, it may entrap the child’s head. Generally, openings on play equipment should measure less than 3-1/2 inches or greater than 9 inches. Pay special attention to openings at the top of a slide, between platforms, and on climbers where the distance between rungs might be less than 9 inches.

5. Insufficient equipment spacing: If there is not enough space between pieces of play equipment, children can fall off one structure and strike another. Each item of play equipment has a use zone around it, and for certain types of equipment, these use zones may overlap. Equipment less than 30 inches high can overlap use zones with 6 feet between each structure. Equipment higher than 30 inches must have 9 feet between each structure. The to-fro area of swings, exit area of slides, standing rocking equipment, and merry-go rounds cannot overlap use zones. Install swings and other pieces of moving equipment in an area away from other play equipment.

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6. Trip hazards: Exposed concrete footings, abrupt changes in surface elevations, containment borders, tree roots, tree stumps, and rocks are all common trip hazards that are often found in play environments.

7. Lack of supervision: Increased supervision on the playground directly relates to increased safety and fewer injuries. Design your play area so that it is easy for caregivers to observe children at play. Position supervisors so they can immediately respond to emergencies. Make sure that elevated play equipment is supervised at all times.

8. Age-inappropriate activities: Make sure that your play equipment is age-appropriate for the children who will use it. Areas for preschool age children (2-5) should be separate from areas for school age children (5-12).

9. Lack of maintenance: A sloppily maintained playground is dangerous, and can invite vandalism. Make sure play equipment has no missing, broken, or worn-out components, and that all hardware and parts are secure. Maintain the surface material of your play equipment, whether wood, metal, or plastic. Inspect equipment frequently, and replace it as necessary.

10. Pinch, crush, and sharp-edged hazards: Inspect play equipment to make sure that there are no sharp edges or points that could cut a child. Check moving components, such as suspension bridges, track rides, merry-go-rounds, seesaws, and some swings, to make sure that there are no moving parts or mechanisms that might crush a child’s fingers

11. Platforms with no guardrails: Make sure elevated surfaces (platforms, ramps, and bridge ways) have guardrails or barriers to prevent falls. Preschool age children are at greater risk from falls, so equipment intended for this age group should have guardrails on elevated surfaces higher than 20 inches and protective barriers on platforms higher than 30 inches. Equipment intended for school-age children should have guardrails on elevated surfaces higher than 30 inches and barriers on platforms above 48 inches.

12. Equipment not recommended for public playgrounds: Because accidents have been associated with the following types of equipment, the Consumer Product Safety Commission discourages their use on public playgrounds: Heavy swings such as animal figure swings and multiple occupancy/glider swings. Free-swinging ropes that may fray or form a loop. Swinging exercise rings and trapeze bars.

You can learn more about playground safety from the National Recreation and Park Association at www.nrpa.org.

Contact Us: If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for the NCA Insurance Column

Heather Ginn Insurance Committee [email protected]

Our 50th Anniversary - Convention 2015 - Wisconsin

Has everyone marked their calendars for this year's meeting? House on the Rock Resort will be the headquarters for our 50th anniversary celebration, with Cave of the Mounds serving as our gracious hosts. Our NCA room block is open and we have the entire resort reserved. Make your reservations now so you will be assured a room at the resort, instead of a substitute motel. We anticipate a larger attendance due to our anniversary. The dates are September 21-25. The number at the resort is 608-588-7000... Don't delay! Visit the site: https://www.thehouseontherock.com/ Susan Berdeaux Convention Coordinator

Bridal Cave ranked number one spectacular wedding venue by wedding style.about.com

Check out the site: http://weddingstyle.about.com/od/Destination-Wedding/tp/5- Spectacular-Destination-Wedding-Venues.htm

Bridal Cave wins the "Editor's Choice" Award for the 2015 Best of Rural Missouri Wedding Venue

Congratulations!

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Affiliate of the Month

Amaze ‘n Mazes adds to cave fun

Iconic Caves Welcome Marvelous Mazes Everyone knows that caves and caverns offer an amazing look into inner earth and the fascinations of stalactites and stalagmites in those hidden places where the “sun don’t shine.” In recent years, three iconic cave destinations in Pennsylvania, Texas and Colorado have added another “Amaze ‘n” adventure to their parks. The first “cave and maze combo” debuted in 2008 at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Located along I-70 midway between Aspen and Vail, Fort WhereAmI maze captures the flavor of the Wild West with this log maze complete with lookout tower--all set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. A log cabin serves as the ticket window as well as the maze entrance and exit.

An Amaze ‘n Maze specially designed to capture some of the cave and cavern mystique has also become a welcome addition at Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park in central Pennsylvania near State College and 30 minutes from I-80. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places and Prospector Pete’s Miner’s Maze was designed to provide a high-energy outdoor activity to contrast with the gentle pace and glittering shapes inside the dark cave. The 4,800 square foot maze is a labyrinth of twists and turns that create confusion and surprises around every corner, a light-hearted nod to what cave explorers may have experienced when they discovered a new cavern. Set adjacent to a wide grassy pasture and near manicured lawns, the maze site provides visitors with plenty of space to relax or have a picnic after racing the maze’s clock. The most recent member of the cave and maze

trio is at Natural Bridge Caverns, about 30 minutes north of downtown San Antonio and about eight miles off of I-35. Like all of Amaze ‘n Mazes projects, the Amaze ‘n Ranch Roundup integrates local history and character into their design. San Antonio has a long and proud family ranching tradition that goes back more than five generations in the Natural Bridge Caverns family. That rugged and rustic style is captured in the three different viewing platforms topped by distressed metal roofs to capture a historic feel as well as provide weather protection. Those elevated decks also allow spectators to watch their family and friends try to navigate their way through the maze. An open-air bridge also crosses over the top of the maze for an additional birds eye perspective. Every Amaze ‘n Maze includes a punch clock at the entrance and exit along with four checkpoints so visitors can time their speed through the maze and compete against the clock…and their friends and family. Mazes can be customized to highlight a particular theme from natural history and wildlife to cultural motifs. Best of all, for visitors to a park or attraction, human mazes can be operated in all kinds of weather so there is always something fun to do, even if rain or conditions impact other attractions. And the only energy required to operate a maze is the human energy of children and adults racing through the twists and turns. For more information about a customized human maze, visit www.amazenmazes.com.

Page 10: Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive ...members.cavern.com/Content/cavetalkfiles/201505.pdf · the song we’re debuting tonight is purple. The amount of detail

From Deep

Down In The

Archives...

California Convention 1998

California Caverns

23rd International Karstological School & 50th Anniversary International Union of Speleology (UIS), Postojna, Slovenia,

June 15 - 20, 2015

NSS Convention 2015, Waynesville, Missouri, July 13 - 17, 2015

NCA Convention 2015, (50th

Anniversary) Host: Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, September 21 - 25, 2015

NCKRI -The Sinkhole Conference, Rochester, Minnesota, October 5 - 9, 2015

ISCA 2015, Germany & Austria, October 17 - 24, 2015

NCKRI - National Cave & Karst Management Symposium 2015, Cave City, Kentucky, October 19 - 23, 2015

IGES/SSS 2015, Sevierville, Tennessee, November 3 - 6, 2015 & Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, November 4 - 8, 2015

Smokey Mountain Gift Show 2015, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 4 - 7, 2015

IAAPA 2015, Orlando, Florida, November 16 - 20, 2015

Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows 2016, Tucson, Arizona, January 30 - February 14, 2015

NCA Mid-Winter Board of Directors Meeting, Renaissance Airport Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri, February 22 - 24, 2016

NCKRI - Deep Karst Conference 2016, Carlsbad, New Mexico, April 11 - 14, 2016

NSS Convention 2016, Ely, Nevada, July 17 - 23, 2016

NCA Convention 2016, Host: Squire Boone Caverns, French Lick, Indiana, September 19 - 23, 2016

IAAPA 2016, Orlando, Florida, November 8 - 11, 2016

Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows 2017, Tucson, Arizona, January 28 - February 12, 2017

NCA Convention 2017, Host: Mark Twain Cave, Hannibal, Missouri (Dates TBD)

IAAPA 2017, Orlando, Florida, November 14 - 17, 2017

Got News?

Please make sure you let Bob Holt know when you have news to share with the membership regarding you and your cave. It is the goal

of the NCA office to produce more issues of Cave Talk and this can only happen when you help with the sharing of your news. Please

send your articles, photographs to [email protected].

June 2015 Cave Talk Deadline

Please have all articles to Bob Holt no later than May 15. Thank you.


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