|
|
|
9/7/2007 Misc. Ramblings I just realized that our software vendor never called me to tell me that the data transfer was successful. I didn't really think they would. It seems it's generally realistic to assume that people aren't going to do what they say they're do. I've learned to track everything that others are supposed to do and follow up when they fail. Deltacom is really bad about that. I'm sure people don't like it when I ask them when they want me to follow up but I don't really care. People suck. |
|
8/17/2007 2:39 AM EDT Knoxville
Yes, it really is 2:39 AM and if you checked the date right
then you'd have realized tomorrow is a work day. Why am I up so late?
Well... lets just say I flip flopped my sleep schedule this morning.
Anyway, I decided Our Knoxville location is definitely on top of technology. They all wear wireless headsets. All I could think was, I want one! I ate lunch with the VP, Brian Shinault. He brought out some pictures of himself rappelling and hanging 2,500 in the air working on some sort of tower from his youth. I thought that was pretty cool. I got back home this evening around 5:30 PM and fixed dinner. I'd been marinating some Tilapia in soy sauce, sliced garlic cloves, olive oil, and pineapple for the last two days. So I cooked them in a skillet and also warmed my noodle/veggie concoction in the skillet as well since my microwave is broken. After dinner, I finished the Children of Hurin. It was an alright read though rather depressing since the Turin's life pretty much sucks. I'm still considering reading the Samalirion though. |
|
8/16/2007 Haggard's Cave Work was kind of boring again today. The flame ups from the smoldering Deltacom embers -- thinking about switching to Deltacom?... DON'T! -- are becoming less and less which means that it's just me, my computer, IST manuals, and my radio. The radio has certainly been a welcome edition. I was considering getting books on CD to listen to at work but I suspect I'd need to wear headphones. I decided today that I'd travel to Knoxville tomorrow to make my day more interesting. After work, I drove home in ~5 minutes, - I LOVE the Market Street bridge - scarfed down the cold (microwave is broke) meal I'd prepared, read for 5 minutes, and drove to Kimball. Traffic was heavier than I'd expected and I ended up being 2 minutes late. Mae Kile, Dane ?, Julia ?, and Chris ? were all waiting inside Krystal when I arrived. Me and Dane piled gear into Mae's car and started drove south to Hubbard's cave. We parked alongside the road, changed, hiked ~400' to the cave entrance and geared up at the short entrance pit. Basically, this cave involves a short entrance pit to a somewhat decorated room, a down-sloping crawl leading to the second pit, a flowstone climb-up/squeeze/climb-down, and a fair amount of walking passage to explore. This was definitely a social trip and an enjoyable one at that. The highlight was chatting and caving with Mae and making her laugh -- I have way too little female contact in my life. Chris was also entertaining. He's a fireman and used to be a police officer. I could tell he's a talker. We got out of the cave late and drove back to Krystal where Mae, Dane, and I talked for awhile. I started driving home at 12:00 AM. As I drove, I saw that my neighbor, Misty, had called so I left her a voicemail and I called Alan just to see if he was awake. He wasn't. |
|
Lots of Dates 8/12/07 Howards Waterfall Cave - Dan Calhoune, Doug Strait, Alan Cressler, Manual Beers, Nick ?. Veggiefest at Doug Strait's. We had cow peas zipper cream, okra, peppers, potatoes, spinach, corn bread, rice, and tomatoes. 8/11/07 Unamed Cave - Manuel Beers, Doug S., Ashlie Chan, Andy Zelner, Marion Smith. Dinner at Western Sizzlin. 8/10/07 After work, I visited a park in progress off of Amnicola highway. I followed the windy gravel trail up the hillside past large sandstone boulders until I reached a road. Disappointed, I hiked back down to the car. Then I parked below the eagles nest and discovered the bike trailhead above it. I expect this is accessible from Ruby Falls. Weary of the $100 fine, I retreated to the Mystery Falls trail and hiked it through Kudzu curtains to its end. I then followed that road making a connection with the park in progress trail. Then I returned home, packed, and drove to Fricks. At Fricks, I setup camp and laid out on my thermarest to stretch and exercise my back in the cool breeze. 8-8-07 Swimming Moccasin Bend 8-6-07 Climbed up Middle Creek to waterfall. Swam. Climbed down. 8/5/07 Little River Canyon, Desoto State Park, Desoto Falls, Tony's Pasta Shop and Trattoria, Nickajack Bat Flight. Bat flight starts about 10 minutes after sundown and continues for about half an hour. 8/4/07 Riverbend Festival, Hunter Museum, Back-Inn Cafe, Hunter Museum, Suck Creek, Signal Point, and Lupi's Pizza. 8/3/07 Family showed up. Dinner at Sekisoui. Really good. I had chicken teriaki, a pyramid of rice, sushi, and a salad with ginger dressing. We went to Nightfall and walked around. Later I took Hope on a walk over the pedestrian bridge and back across Veteran's bridge. 7/29/07 Visited board tree falls, greeter falls, and Stone door. 7/28/07 Hiked Savage Gulf out to Rattlesnake Point. Kayaking Rules 1. The move is made in the eddy. 2. Paddle tough. Don't let the river control you. 4. Make it smooth. 5. Smile, this is a spectator sport. Big Frog Mountain Trail - marked as trail 5065. 4.19 miles one way. 7/11/07 Attended Chattanooga Grotto Meeting. 7/10/2007 Climbed Sunset Rock in about 36 minutes. Serendipity - 4 pits ~40, ~100, ~20, ~200? Elliot, Alan, Tymme Laun, Dave Stahl, Marion & Sharon. Nirvana - 250 - really 200 to ledge than 40' to bottom. Both very near road. Swam at Piney Falls upstream of normal swimming area. Not very deep. Slimy algae bottom. King Cave - Walked 1/2 mile alongside Collins river. Steep slope part of the time. Large spring alcove. Waterfall coming out of cave entrance, E1. E2 higher above. Higher yet is another cave. 7/7/07 Powerhouse Cave - Park in open area alongside road and walk down road. Follow animal trail. Cave located in 25' bluff. E1 10' H x 6' W above Collins river. 7/7/07 Collins River Cave - Went in E3. Belly crawled 40-50' to crawlway back to E1 & E2 which are separated by rock. Got fleas. 7/7/07 John Gibbs Cave - Kristin Bobo, Joe Douglas, Dave Stahl, Alan Cressler - E1 50' W x 27' H. Room goes ~75' ack. Lots of ferns in E1. Infeeding stream. 7/7/07 John Green Cave - E1 18' W x 8' H. Spring. Walking entrance. Raccoon noises. 7/4/07 Delayed in Chicago. Hung out with Jeremy and Jamie. Saw Ratatoullie. Ate at Biaggi's Restaurant. Mountain biked Bull Mountain Snorkeled Edewa River - Saw Edewa Darter, Bridal Darter, HOliday Darter, Yellow Finned Shiner, and cray fish. Visited Black Falls which is a 12' cascade. Cherokee NF Spring Creek Campsite. Cherokee NF Childers Creek Parking Lot. John Muir Trail. Kayaked the Hiwassee.
|
|
By Brian Killingbeck © 2006 |