Sean Lewis, Jessica Deli, Tymme Laun, Marianne Batchelder, Thomas Duselis
I woke up overjoyed that I didn’t have to get up and that I didn’t need to keep track of the time. It felt so wonderful sleeping in until 8:45 AM. I hadn’t slept in since I left Puerto Rico. I drove down to Bloomington the night before after our drawn-out, dining experience at the Cheesecake factory. No man should be forced to wait 2 hours for his food! Happy Birthday Jeremy. My back felt slightly sore this morning from a ruff ride racing a 45 mph potential, go-kart the night before. I got dressed and soon Sean and I pulled into Taco Bell. A minute later Tom pulled up; windows rolled and whatsups were exchanged. Not 30 seconds later, I saw motion to my left. Marianne had pulled in, and I saw Tymme making a goofy face through the window. Everyone was ready to drive. We formed a caravan of caving cars.
I exercised restraint and successfully prevented the curvy roads from separating the caravan. The route there was quite simple. I wonder where I went last time I’d gone looking for the nature preserve? We passed a graveyard and parked at the dead end entrance to Green’s Bluff Nature Preserve. The weather hadn’t fully deteriorated. It was actually pretty nice for February. The drizzly, temperate conditions were refreshing. Everyone geared up and boots soon sloshed up trail through the muck. As we crested the hill I spotted an aqua blue river below. We continued and soon the trail was lost amid the briars and brush. We followed the river along a brambly power line cut. The branches lightly smacking my face reminded me of Arizona. That evening we discussed how much we preferred brambles to cacti spines. We crested another hill and I snapped a picture of Tymme, Marriane, and Jessica ascending the scenic field above the river. We trekked on and spotted a structure. Not far ahead, I spotted a thinly layered, fractured limestone bluff. Below, a large stream emerged from a rectangular entrance 24’ W x 10’ H.
Sean plunged across the stream to a dry, rocky bank inside the cave. My boots were already pretty wet so I followed committing my feet to wetness. I snapped a couple entrance shots and got my gear together. Everyone prepared for their “leisurely” Sunday cave trip. Sean headed upstream and I followed. Sean, Tom, and I splashed upstream through a neat canyon passage. It was about 4 feet wide and often 20’ tall. Sean chimneyed most of it. Past the canyon, the passage enlarged. The walls looked very fractured and banded. Several hundred feet in, we arrived at a breakdown collapse. Sean instructed Tom to follow him and then covey back directions how to slither through the breakdown puzzle. They weren’t moving quickly. This must be more complicated than I’d expected, excellent!
Soon it was my turn. I climbed up into a crawlway, crossed a flat slab, and descended headfirst down the other side. Sean had warned us to take off our packs and helmets. I rarely take off my helmet. I judged the passage size and decided to leave my dry box attached to my side. As I descended, I begin a tight corkscrew around a breakdown rock and through a small hole in the floor. I came through the hole upside down with my back to the floor and wormed ahead and slid up into a small, drippy room. From inside the breakdown puzzle, I thought I could probably squeeze straight through the breakdown above. The squeeze looked much smaller from this side. I snapped a few pictures while we waited on the others to emerge. My firefly slave was beginning to act up.
I quickly followed Tom through a small hole in the floor to escape the cold drizzle dripping from the ceiling. We followed Sean through a wet stoop walk that edged towards hands and knees height. The cave was a little wetter than I’d anticipated. Eventually, we climbed up through the breakdown and paused in a small breakdown room. Sean said this wasn’t the way. The breakdown floor moved a little as he started back down into the water. Not far ahead Sean spotted the correct climb-up and determined the way Tom began climbing was the easy way. I spotted Marianne and Jessica up the climb and then pulled myself up. We enjoyed a larger breakdown room and dropped down a small hole midway through. I think E2 exited nearby here. I looked up into the light through a tight rock-walled climb and was greeted by cold, dripping rain. I thought that I might check it out on the way out. From here, we followed walking passage for awhile. We went through a decorated section of passage. Calcite leaked out of many cracks in the ceiling creating a box work look. Calcite also flowed down the right wall. It was rather pretty. Further ahead many stalactites hung from the ceiling. I’d been taking pictures so I was at the back of the group. Soon I came upon the group clustered around a large breakdown slab. They were all looking a fist sized chert cannonball suspended in the air held only by a funneling limestone arm. I took a couple close-ups of the cannonball. Sean’s hand posed next to it for scale. I think it looks like a rocky planet.
Further ahead many chert cannonballs protruded from the ceiling. I took a picture and waded into the knee deep water to get a better angle. Tom and Jessica posed for me. My firefly was really acting up. It consecutively fired the flash and didn’t always set it off when the camera flash fired. The ceiling lowered to a stoop walk and soon the camera retreated to my dry box and I began crawling. I was glad I had my good knee pads today. We crawled and stooped ahead getting much wetter than I’d thought we would. My feet were beginning to feel the effects of the cold water but I was still having a great time. The passage sporadically opened into eroded standing joints. Sean reassured us that Nate saw more walking passage ahead. We soon found it. Sean stalled as the water begin to look deeper. It didn’t look that deep. I waded through thigh deep water which soon shallowed. We walked, stooped, and crawled ahead and eventually came to a passage form. Two streams entered the standing room. I went left and crawled ahead until further exploration required bellying in water. I called for a retreat. Back at the junction room, Sean begin down the other passage which remained a stoop walk leading to a small dry standing room that smelled of coon shit. A coon size hole continued through the dry dirt fill. We paused in the room to warm up. All of us had long ago lost feeling in our feet.
We routed. I led the way out. I moving fast. It felt so good to be caving. When the passage enlarged to a stoop walk I upped the speed. I was almost stoop jogging down the passage and I thought it odd that I wasn’t tiring. It just felt good. I was happy to hear loud splashing; not far behind Sean and Tom were keeping up. I reached a standing room and decided we would regroup. Sean and Tom caught up and sat down. I turned off my headlamp in hopes that my strobe would stop seizuring light. I brushed against a very large breakdown slab and it begin to move. I jumped back and hit my light on. I stepped around the rock and told Tom and Sean to watch as the slightest amount of pressure slid the large chunk of rock a foot and a half to the side. I got a couple pictures of Sean trying to warm his feet but failed at a larger passage shot because Cannonball Cave so completely fills with mist that even a side flash can’t overcome the fog. I’d noticed this as soon as we passed the breakdown contortion and entered the Cannonball side. Everyone caught up and we routed back to the climb down. I started down and Sean told me I was going the difficult way. Oh well. I got down to the ledge and after finding good handholds swiveled around so my belly was against the ledge wall. I lowered my foot to a ledge and then gripped the walls for balance as I maneuvered my legs through the air honing in on the opposing, sloped breakdown slab. Sean and Tom came down and I asked Sean to please spot the others. I took some climb down pictures as the others came down. At one point, Jessica had 3 spotters. The four of them formed quite a jungle gym of supporting limbs. After Marianne was down we begin routing again. Sean, Tom, and I arrived at the climb up into the small drippy room. I made sure the others saw the way before climbing up and beginning the breakdown contortion.
It was a little more difficult coming out mainly because I have longer legs and I hadn’t properly aligned my body. I ended up flipping about 270 degrees around and worming slightly so my joints aligned with the breakdown bends. Once past the corkscrew, I climbed up, crawled across the breakdown slab, and started down the next climb down face first, suspending myself between the walls while my legs rotated beneath me to solid footing. The cover of my camera had grimed up and was stubbornly staying shut. I got it open and caught a picture of Marianne crawling atop the breakdown slab above the breakdown contortion. We paused there until everyone emerged from the breakdown and followed the canyon out of the cave. Tom and I followed Sean’s chimneying route for awhile before descending 10 feet back into the stream. I was rather disappointed to see the light of the entrance.
I noticed dim light up a slope to the left. I climbed up and discovered a dry overflow route that I should have spotted on the way in. I tried to take a few pictures looking out towards the entrance when Tymme caught up and asked if I knew what type of bat hung on the wall. It was a large, brown colored bat with leathery wings. He seemed rather awkwardly placed. I didn’t know what species he was but did take a picture so we could find out later. Tymme thought it might be an Indiana bat. We climbed down the rocky slope to our packs and collected gear. I grabbed my tripod out and everyone posed in front of the entrance to Boone Cave. I thanked everyone and we hiked back to the car.
My feet felt like hard wooden logs. As I begin to feel a slight tingle in the ball of my right foot, I was certain that my boot was filled with sand. I removed my boot but found nothing. I wrestled my boot back on and caught up with Tymme, Marianne, and Jessica. Both of my boots now felt like they were filled with sand. I kept unintentionally trying to sprain my right ankle. We neared the bottom of the first hill and Sean asked if anyone would like to see Green’s Bluff. I said I was game. Everyone agreed and we continued along the river. I had finally regained feeling in both feet and was glad few pins and needles were involved. I commented “Oh no we have to get our feet wet” as we splashed along the river edge. The cool water in my boots was a welcome sensation.
We joined the nature trail and were soon hiking along short hemlock covered bluffs. Tymme commented that it was almost like spring seeing the green hemlocks. At the end of the trail we started to ascend the hill and cut down below the sandstone bluff before climbing all the way back up the hill. We were soon slopping down the muddy trail. I chatted with Jessica and Marianne about what they should have been studying today and learned a little bit about legally allocating water. We’d probably hiked about 3 miles to and from the cave and possibly 2 miles round trip within the cave. I felt good but it was too early to truly call it a day.
It was definitely time to eat something. We retreated to Bloomington and ate dinner at the China House. I really enjoyed its food this time. The table we sat at had a neat mural of a sleeping Japanese lady. I received the largest slice of lemon I’ve ever gotten for my water. It was almost ¼ of a lemon. We ate Chinese and had fun discussing an array of topics ending with the reading of our fortunes adding in bed to the end to liven them up.
Sean and I had earlier decided to go climbing. It turned out Marianne and Tymme were going climbing as well at 6:00 so Sean and I went back to his place to kill a little time. I watched some more Pirates of the Caribbean but wasn’t in a passive enough mood to truly enjoy the movie. We went to Hoosier Heights at 6 and climbed for 2 hours before it was time for me to go home. I was tired. I was surprised that after my filling Chinese dinner I was already quite hungry again. I snatched some food from my back seat and drove home. The drive seemed longer than normal. For some reason I chose to go up 37. I soon begin to miss 67. As always, I looked forward to seeing my pictures as I drove.
Green's Bluff
The entrance to Green's Bluff Nature Preserve.
Everyone gearing up for the mile + hike.
Green's Bluff
Tymme and Marianne gear up next to the grave yard.
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Green's Bluff
As we crested the hill, I spotted an aqua blue river below.
The river is so blue because it runs over limestone bedrock. Unfortunately, all that water doesn't exit a cave.
Green's Bluff
I quickly snapped this picture as I walked by.
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Green's Bluff
Sean, our veteran Boone-Cannonball caver, led the way to the cave.
Looking back down the power line cut towards the river. Tymme, Marrianne, and Jessica ascend the hill.
Boone Cave
Looking out the entrance of Boone-Cannonball Cave.
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Boone Cave
Jessica and Marianne prepare to go caving just within the entrance of Boone-Cannonball Cave.
Not far from the entrance, Sean chimneys through the canyon.
Boone Cave
It looks like he's really moving doesn't it?
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Boone Cave
I snuck underneath Sean and caught a picture of him and Tom traversing the canyon passage.
Sean and Tom pose in the entrance canyon passage.
Boone Cave
The passage widens. Sean continues upstream. Notice how layered and banded the limestone is in this area. Pretty cool!
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Cannonball
Sean and Tymme wait within the small, drippy room for Marianne to emerge from the breakdown puzzle.
Marianne emerges from the breakdown squeeze.
Cannonball
Marianne and Jessica ascend the breakdown slope in one of Cannonball's larger rooms.
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Cannonball
Tom ascends a short climb up to continue ahead. Sean said this was the easy way up.
Marianne, Tymme, and Jessica watch Tom climb.
Cannonball
Marianne and Jessica ascend the breakdown slope in one of Cannonball's larger rooms.
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Cannonball
The group pauses to enjoy the pretty calcite covered walls and ceiling.
Looks like everyone is ready to get moving.
Cannonball
Tom, Tymme, and Sean traverse Cannonball's walking passage. What a neat ceiling!
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Cannonball
I caught a picture of the group checking out the defining feature of Cannonball Cave.
Sean's hand poses next to the suspended cannonball.
Cannonball
I've got the whole world in my hand :)
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Cannonball
What a neat chert cannonball! It reminds me of a rocky, iron planet.
Cannonballs protrude from the ceiling in this section of cave. Quite a battle must have been fought here :)
Cannonball
Jessica poses beneath the cannonballs.
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Cannonball
Tom was kind enough to pose next to the cannonballs as well.
Despite firefly problems, I still managed to get one stoopwalk picture.
Cannonball
Sean requested a picture of him majestically standing atop a natural bridge.
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Cannonball
Marianne joins Sean's majestic pose.
As I was waiting, I photographed some more cannonballs.
Cannonball
As I was waiting, I photographed more cannonballs.
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Cannonball
Sean tries to warm his numbed foot while we wait on the others to catch up.
Cannonball cave doesn't have very good airflow. The passage quickly fills with fog.
Cannonball
Tom took the easy route. I came down the way Tim is.
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Cannonball
Sean spots Tymme as he reaches his leg back to the sloped breakdown slab.
Sean spots Jessica as she descends the tricky climb-down.
Cannonball
Sean and Tymme spot Jessica as she descends the tricky climb down.
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Cannonball
Tymme offers a helping back.
The whole group got involved in spotting.
Cannonball
Marianne also makes use of Tymme's back as a stepping stone.
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Cannonball
Marianne descends the climb-down.
Marianne crawls across the flat slab just past the breakdown contortion.
Boone
Marianne climbs down into the small room from atop the breakdown slab.
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Boone Cave
Looking towards the Boone entrance from the overflow route.
Sean tells me that this is a big brown bat.
Boone Cave
The group poses outside the Boone entrance.
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Boone Cave
It begins to rain as we take our second group shot.
Tymme and Marianne hike down the Green's Bluff Nature Preserve trail.
Green's Bluff
I really liked the green reeds, Equisetum hyemale, growing alongside the river.
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Green's Bluff
Marianne splashes along the rivers edge.
We begin to ascend the hill and head back to the cars.
Green's Bluff
Tom is taking a short cut.
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