News Archive - Page 12 of 14

National Speleological Society convention, Shippensburg, PA

August 9, 2013

Highlights included:

– This great video by Dave Socky of Charles Kahn crawling through CaveSim:

– Over 200 people explored CaveSim for free at Convention this year. That’s about 1/3 of all registrants!

– We worked with 22 under-privileged high school students (and 7 college students) in the Upward Bound program for about 2.5 hours on Monday. Most of the students had never been caving before, and they had a fantastic time exploring CaveSim. They asked brilliant questions, and it was a great opportunity for us to teach the general public about cave conservation. A big thank-you to Mary Sue Socky for helping us so much by teaching during this great event.

Dave gives a closing talk to Upward Bound students, telling them to pursue education in order to create things like CaveSim. Photo by Juli Jackson

– We worked with the JSS for 3 hours on Monday. In addition to exploring CaveSim, they experienced sinkholes with a hands-on activity, did patient packaging and transport with a real sked, played with real cave phones (field phones), played a bat migration game, and played a bat ecolocation game.

Dave leads sinkhole activity. Girl in blue eats some sugar! Dave teaches patient packaging. Photos: Juli Jackson

– Quite a number of university students from right here on campus have stopped by during the last few days to explore CaveSim. We’ve had several football players explore caves for the first time, and it’s a good thing their first trip was not in a real cave!

Beatrice (Dave’s godsister) explores CaveSim.

– I brought 3 high school students with us from Colorado. These 3 students (Brian, Emily and Sierra) are all cavers back home, and they’re learning about educating others about cave conservation. They’ve done a great job of teaching the younger participants.

Sierra and Emily (center) help JSS participants get geared up while Brian (seated) runs the computer and Dave (right) looks on. Photo by Juli Jackson

– The wife of a long-time NSS member experienced caving for the first time by exploring CaveSim. She told us CaveSim was the highlight of the convention for her, since she had never been caving before!

The woman above was thrilled to make her first caving trip in CaveSim.

– We’ve had quite a number of people compete in the speleolympics thus far. Our best scores so far are:
Women: 0 damage, 2mins, 41secs
Men: 1 damage, 2mins, 7secs
Youth: 0 damage, 2mins, 49secs

The field phone challenge involves running communications wire and military telephones through CaveSim. Photo: DJ

Thanks to our fuel-money sponsors: Dick Blenz, SpeleoSoap, SWAYGO, Inner Mountain Outfitters, MET Grotto, York Grotto, Baltimore Grotto, Philly Grotto, Boston Grotto, the Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy, the Cave Conservancy Foundation, the East Tennessee Grotto, Central NJ Grotto, Flittermouse Grotto, Central Connecticut Grotto, Commander Cody Caving Club, Central Ohio Grotto, Cleveland Grotto, Philadelphia Grotto, Nittany Grotto, Frederick Grotto, Charlottesville Grotto, Pine Mountain Grotto, Franklin County Grotto, Helderberg-Hudson Grotto, and Bubble Cave LLC.

CaveSim at “Gotta Love Local” Fiesta in Colorado Springs

June 1, 2013

Hundreds came to Mountain Mama Natural Foods (map here) on Saturday, June 1st between 10AM and 4PM to check out CaveSim for free! In addition to CaveSim, Joe Uveges played fantastic music and there were many vendors. The event was sponsored by Gotta Love It Market and Kitchen. Thanks to Leslie of Seeds Community Cafe for inviting us, and thanks to Gary Amarill for helping out a huge amount today.

Two friends learn about field phones after exploring CaveSim. Learn more here: http://fieldphone.blogspot.com/. Thanks to Jeff Polk for putting the phones on loan. Photos by Dave Jackson.

CaveSim to build a cave at CityROCK Climbing Center

May 17, 2013

We are very happy to announce that CityROCK Climbing Center has decided to work with us to build a cave in their climbing gym. The cave system will have hundreds of feet of horizontal and vertical passage, and of course it will have CaveSim formations and electronics. Construction will start soon. Stay tuned!

Falcon Middle School 6th graders explore CaveSim

May 15, 2013

Quote of the day: “This is the best science class I’ve had — ever!” 150 6th graders explored CaveSim today at Falcon Middle School. They’re studying rocks and the rock cycle, and they learned all about speleogenesis (how caves form). They also learned about cave rescue, and some even saw a TP-6N field telephone, used for in-cave communication during rescues (see http://fieldphone.blogspot.com/). A big thanks to Jeff Polk for putting these phones on long-term loan. Also, a big thanks to Margaret Browne (Falcon Middle School science teacher) for inviting us, and for helping so much during the day (helping with gear, providing lunch and helping to maintain order!)

Falcon Middle School teachers David (math) and Margaret (science). Photo by Dave Jackson

Mountain Equipment Recyclers open house crawls with fun

May 11, 2013

Several hundred people turned out for Mountain Equipment Recycler’s spring open house today. Many of them enjoyed CaveSim. A big thanks to MER for inviting us to take part (and for donating several Petzl helmets!) Be sure to check out their store on Tejon St. for great used gear.

Brendan, Mike and Julie Mazzola of MER. A SpeleoSoap bat hangs behind Mike. Photo: Dave Jackson

National Cave Rescue Commission Orientation to Cave Rescue

April 14, 2013

About 40 rescue personnel, fire fighters, EMTs and cavers learned about cave rescue, and participated in a mock rescue in a real cave this past weekend! CaveSim took part in the NCRC Orientation to Cave Rescue by giving rescue trainees a great sense of what a real cave is like. Two evacuation teams carried volunteer patients through CaveSim, as shown below. Rescuers found that communication and patient safety can be difficult to manage in tight spaces filled with delicate formations. Visit www.coloradocaverescue.org to learn more about cave rescue in Colorado. Photos by Steve Reames and Dave Jackson.

Middle school students teach 4th graders about caves, bats, history

April 11, 2013

We took CaveSim to the Manitou Elementary School today for the 4th graders. Today was the Day of Service for the middle school, so 15 middle school kids volunteered as guides and taught 75 4th graders all about caves. Everyone did an awesome job, and we had fun tying caves into what the 4th graders are studying (Colorado history) by talking about native peoples and their rock art and artifacts. It was so cool to see the middle school students each use their strengths (teaching, public speaking, computer skills, etc.)

37 teachers visit CaveSim and Cave of the Winds to learn cave ed.

April 6, 2013

How much cave education can you fit in four hours? A lot, as 37 teachers learned today at CaveSim and Cave of the Winds. The teachers took special trips through CaveSim, did hands-on cave science activities at several stations with Tracy, and took custom cave tours at Cave of the Winds led by Dave and Tracy. We did the program for the Peak Area Leadership in Science group, which lets teachers earn continuing education credit. A huge thanks to them for including us in their program.

Highlights of the CaveSim portion of the program included cave survey work for a few teachers, along with searches by other teachers for archaeological artifacts and ecological evidence within CaveSim (thanks to Tracy for getting the terracotta jug). In the process, the teachers learned about lampshade spiders, Golondrinas swallows, micro-habitats, corrosion residue, and a host of other speleological topics.

At Tracy’s science stations, the teachers created miniature sinkholes. They grew cave formations, and they worked at mineral identification.

After the CaveSim and science station work, we went to Cave of the Winds to explore a real cave on trips led by Dave and Tracy (thanks to Cave of the WInds for allowing us to be tour guides for the day!) The teachers built on what they learned earlier by seeing real beaded helictites, corrosion residue, joint-controlled cave systems, shields, and more. Some of the teachers even got to see lampshade spider webs.

If you’re a teacher or if you’re interested in our cave education programs, check out our new programs brochure. We love using CaveSim to teach kids about a wide variety of subjects (almost every subject you can think of ties into CaveSim: science, technology, engineering, math, archaeology, history, geology, biology, ecology, chemistry, art, and even physical education).

Colorado Springs School (CSS) students visit CaveSim

February 27, 2013

10 high school students from The Colorado Springs School came to visit CaveSim today (here’s an article written by the students about the trip). The students are in a seminar course about rock art (petroglyphs, pictographs, etc.) Their teachers decided that CaveSim would be a great way to introduce the students to the concept of exploring fragile environments. Tracy added cave paintings to CaveSim specifically for this group, and Dave added sensors to the cave paintings to warn visitors when they get too close to the rock art. As the students crawled through CaveSim, they toted their sketch books and learned that it can be difficult to sketch in small cave passage! The students also learned about a host of other topics, including geology, history, cave safety, and biology (e.g. rock varnish and white nose syndrome). The students did an excellent job, and we enjoyed working with them.

Tracy’s cave painting. If you come up with a good story for this painting, tell us and we’ll post it!

Middle school student learns electronics in CaveSim lab

January 9, 2013

Anna came with her dad to visit the CaveSim mad scientist lab to learn about electronics for her school innovation project. Before she had ever heard of CaveSim, she decided that her project would be to build a voice recording / playback device to help her remember to do things. When I heard about Anna’s project from her dad, I invited them to the CaveSim lab to learn about electronics. She explored CaveSim, which has voice modules (the modules say things like, “Please do not shine your light on the bat!”) The modules are the same ones that she could use for her project. In the picture above, she is talking with me about the electronics of a voice module. She is wearing a helmet because she enjoyed CaveSim so much that she didn’t want to take the helmet off! She learned about various electronic components, and about how they’re like the plumbing in her house. She also got to watch her voice make waves on the oscilloscope!

We enjoyed having Anna over because we believe in inspiring young people to follow their passion, whether that be electronics, science, art, or something else. As we always tell kids, if you’re willing to learn and work hard, you too can build cool things like CaveSim.

Thanks again to everyone who supports us — you help us to teach kids like Anna to follow their dreams.

Anna’s voice being played back on the scope. Photos by Dave and Tracy.

US Air Force Academy Youth Center hosts CaveSim

December 20, 2012

About 43 kids from the US Air Force Academy’s Youth Center explored CaveSim today and learned all about bats and caves. They even practiced cave rescue using the sked that was donated earlier this year by Nigel Dyson.

A boy exploring CaveSim. Kids kept asking to go through again! Photo: Tracy Jackson

Kids and staff thank Corporal Dick Blenz, a WWII veteran and caver who sponsored the CaveSim trip to USAFA. Photo: Dave Jackson

Kids learn about how difficult cave rescue is. They’re moving a sked (like a stretcher) that contains the weight of an adult man. Photo: Tracy Jackson

Kids gather with Kyla (USAFA staff) and Dave to thank Dick Blenz for sponsoring the CaveSim program.

First birthday party at CaveSim

November 10, 2012

Happy 14th Birthday, Skyler! Skyler and his friends joined us for the first CaveSim birthday party today, and they had an awesome time. We donated a party to the Catamount Institute fundraising auction as a way of supporting Catamount’s outdoor and environmental education programs. Skyler’s parents, Julie Francis and Howard Drossman (Catamount’s founders), won the party by donating generously to Catamount.

Do you want a CaveSim birthday party? Check out our party page! Your party will help us continue our mission of doing cave education programs and conservation outreach. And you’ll have a blast!

CaveSim at Cave of the Winds

October 14, 2012

A big thanks to Cave of the Winds for hosting CaveSim during the CoolScience week!

The cousin of one of our backers emerges from CaveSim at Cave of the Winds. Photo: Floyd Fernandez

Biggest day on record for CaveSim

October 13, 2012

Thanks to the generosity of our backers, we had a record day at the 2012 CoolScience Festival with over 320 kids (and some adults) exploring CaveSim.

The enclosed CaveSim trailer on a busy day

People gather around the CaveSim trailer at the CoolScience Festival. Photo: Jay Alexander.

A boy avoids the cave bacon while exploring the deepest part of CaveSim. This photo was taken by looking in one of our three emergency exits. The black box to the right of the boy is a cave rescue cache like the ones located in many Colorado caves. Photo: DeeAnn Rothstein, CoolScience.

Dave, at the back of the trailer. Participants enter and exit at the front of the trailer. Photo: DeeAnn Rothstein, CoolScience.

Maiden voyage of CaveSim trailer was a great success

September 28, 2012

75 kids had a blast crawling through CaveSim and learning about caves and bats at Gold Camp Elementary School in Colorado Springs today. The 5th grade students are studying ecosystems, which fits perfectly with the CaveSim lessons; while visiting CaveSim and our activity stations, they learned that every ecosystem on the planet can contain caves. They also learned about the importance of bats in the food chain. The maiden voyage of CaveSim was made possible by many people. Thanks to the 100 people who helped us purchase the trailer, and to Marty Grove for lending us is truck (again!), and to Tracy Jackson and Steve Roach for taking the day off to change the lives of 75 children. Also, a big thanks to Jesse Rochette for helping to construct more cave passage inside the trailer, and to Rudy for his expert welding work.

The CaveSim trailer and Marty’s truck after a hard day’s work educating 5th grade children. Photo: Tracy Jackson

Installation of CaveSim into trailer progressing quickly 8/18/2012

August 18, 2012

How do you fit a cave into a trailer? With a lot of careful design and hard work. Dave has been working daily to put CaveSim into the new trailer to get ready for events in September, including the Flight For Life conference and a trip to Gold Camp Elementary School for 75 kids. The six boxes that make up CaveSim used to be configured in an L shape, but the boxes get connected differently to fit in the trailer. This means that Dave is building additional cave passage to connect the boxes together. In the picture below, Dave reinforces some heavy-duty cribbing that elevates one of the boxes above another box. When the additional passage is complete, CaveSim will be about 10′ longer, and will include more climbing, with an alternate route for those who aren’t ready to chimney up 4′. The new passage allows CaveSim to be left in the trailer so that setup time is eliminated. The original passage can still be removed from the trailer if needed for indoor events.

We have also been working hard to send out rewards to our Kickstarter backers. If you haven’t gotten your reward yet, don’t worry, we’re working on it. Some of you haven’t received your t-shirts yet due to printing errors at the shirt company. These errors have been corrected and your shirts will ship soon.

One of our awesome Kickstarter backers asked, “How do I order more [CaveSim gear]? I’m thinking of Christmas gifts that I can purchase in support of CaveSim.” Great! Visit our online gear store to help us pay for all of the lumber that it takes to put CaveSim in the trailer.

Above left: Dave installs a giant mending plate to reinforce some cribbing in the new CaveSim trailer. Dave makes many of the mending plates from scrap electronics enclosures. This helps reduce the cost and environmental impact of the project. Above right: Dave about to install a wall in the new passage in the trailer. The old passage will continue to be used — we’re just adding to it. Photos: Tracy Jackson.

The trailer before any of the CaveSim pieces were installed. We’ll soon be able to post a picture of the finished product. Photo: Greg Pring.

Dave installs some screws in the new passage inside the trailer. Photo: Dave Jackson

Rudy does some excellent welding work to build a door for the cave passage. Photos: Dave Jackson

Dave leads cave education workshop at US Air Force Academy

August 11, 2012

The Force Support Squadron of the US Air Force invited Dave to lead a workshop about cave education at their education conference. Dave taught five cave-related activities and games during the 90 minute session. The group was really fun to work with, and everyone seemed to enjoy the session.

Central Connecticut Grotto newsletter features CaveSim

July 15, 2012

The Underground Movement, the Central Connecticut Grotto newsletter, featured great photos of CaveSim in their recent issue. Click the excerpt below for a larger version, or view the full online edition. A big thanks to Danny Brass for sharing his work with us.

The Underground Movement article on CaveSim

Click the image above for a larger version. Credit: Danny Brass

SpeleoSoap donates to make CaveSim smell like a real cave

July 8, 2012

Debbie Moore and Rick Gordon of SpeleoSoap have generously donated a large number of their new car fresheners to make CaveSim smell like a real cave. The car fresheners inside CaveSim were a big hit at MayaCon, where people were amazed when they smelled the fresheners. Dave opened the back of CaveSim for photographers and special guests several times, and each time a wave of awesome cave smell would waft out. One man said, “No way!” when Dave told him that we had cave scent inside. When he smelled the freshener hanging on the entrance of CaveSim, he was totally convinced.

SpeleoSoap is now a proud sponsor of our free general public and caver-specific events. To paraphrase Debbie Moore, SpeleoSoap wants to give back to the caving community by sponsoring CaveSim because cavers have been so supportive of SpeleoSoap over the years. At CaveSim, we’re really grateful that SpeleoSoap is supporting our cave education and conservation outreach initiative, and we hope that you will purchase amazing soaps and other products from SpeleoSoap. You can shop for SpeleoSoap here, or visit their blog, or check out SpeleoSoap on Facebook. Thanks!

Oh, and one more story: I spent so much time with CaveSim at MayaCon that when I went caving in Piercy’s Mill on Friday I thought for an instant, “It smells like CaveSim in here” until I realized that it was the other way around. Totally true story.

A caver at MayaCon competes in the Communication Challenge by trying to string comm wire through CaveSim without touching the formations. Note the black SpeleoSoap bat hanging between the entrance and exit. Photo by Natalie Pheasant.

MayaCon a great success

July 4, 2012

The 2012 NSS Convention (“MayaCon”) was a great success. Convention attendees took roughly 350 trips through CaveSim during our week in Lewisburg, WV. CaveSim is now safely back in Colorado, and we’re working on putting CaveSim permanently in a trailer. Here’s our scoreboard with the Speleolympic winners (none of the CaveSim world records were broken). If you’re a winner, contact us to claim your prize. Click each image to enlarge it.

Left: Cavers gather around CaveSim waiting to explore it. Right: JSS kids try the Loyalhanna squeezebox. Photos by Natalie Pheasant.

The final Speleolympic scores. Click to enlarge.

In case you had any doubts, CaveSim is great for people of all ages. We had a great time talking with this Airborne veteran at MayaCon, and he did really well crawling through CaveSim.

Here he is reviewing his score with Tracy and Carolyn Parsons:

Photos by Gill Gilliland

Thanks to the National Speleological Foundation Vehslage grant for making our trip to the 2012 NSS Convention possible. Your support allowed us to reach hundreds of cavers and non-cavers, including many young cavers.

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