I was introduced to caving by Jay Alton when we both taught school in Paradise, Michigan. I know what you're thinking, caving in Michigan? Yes, there are caves, and the Hendrie River Water Cave was about 30 miles from where I lived. It is Michigan’s longest known cave, with about 1,500 feet of mostly high, narrow passages and a stream running along the floor. The cave is a karst formation in an abandoned limestone quarry.
Jay was an environmentalist and adamant that above all else, we had to respect the cave. That meant, not damaging or defacing the cave, not leaving anything behind, and not taking anything away.
I made 5 or 10 trips to the cave and was comfortable exploring it. My mom was visiting and she complained how I never took her caving, so off we went.
The cave was formed by erosion that started in limestone cracks. In many places, its shape is like a pyramid, getting wider as it gets deeper. A few passages are very tight and you have to crawl on your belly to get through. There is a river running along the floor of the cave, so you know you're going to get wet.
There were three explorers in the cave that day, my mom, my daughter, and myself. Our goal was to see the underground waterfall. To get to the waterfall, you have to crawl through a 20 foot long "tube" that we called the birthing canal. It's about 3 feet tall, round in shape, and littered with sharp pieces of rock covered by water from the underground river.
I led the group that day and was waiting for mom at the end of the birthing canal. She was having trouble, so I went back to help. I didn't know it at the time, but she was at her limit. She was agitated, and struggling to carry a small black rock while crawling on her hands and knees in the icy cold water. I tried to placate her, and told her to drop the rock because she could pick it up again when we came back through the canal.
I knew mom was afraid of snakes, but I didn't know she was claustrophobic. Panic set in and she cut loose.
"YOU MEAN I HAVE TO COME BACK THROUGH THIS DAMNED THING AGAIN? I THOUGHT WE WERE ALMOST DONE!"
Just before mom stopped making forward progress, I told her that we were 'almost there'. She thought we were almost at the exit. She didn't know that the exit to the cave was the same place we entered, ~800 feet behind us.
In her panicked state she called me two names I'll always remember. I've been called those names more than once, but this is the only instance I can clearly recall.
What can you say if your mother calls you an SOB? What if she calls you a 7 letter name that starts with B and questions your lineage? You can't very well argue with her, can you?
Mom never did see the waterfall that day, nor did she see the irony of calling me an SOB. Every time we talk about her cave adventure, she shows me the small black rock on her fireplace mantel that represents my inheritance.
I apologized to Jay and to the cave for mom taking the rock. That was the first time I saw anyone break Jay's rule. I can't remember taking any photos or video of my cave adventures, so it was a pleasant surprise to find this youtube video. http://youtu.be/glQcUkV48_s
What is the moral of this story? You decide:
1. All's well that ends well.
2. Go ahead and call me an SOB if you like, it's not like I'm going to argue with you.
3. The best adventures cannot be planned in advance.
Post your choice in comments.
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