I was a little disappointed when we arrived at Sue’s because that meant we had to go back out in the dismal, dreary cold again.  I felt heat flow by me as I exited the car.  Byer Cave was about a mile away.  The weather had sucked all motivation from me.  I piled on another couple layers and left my photo gear behind in hopes that I might still enjoy the hike and cave.  Sue’s Market was packed but everyone managed to find a parking spot.  We bid Brent goodbye as Jeff, Alan, and I met with Eric Jacobson, Brian Grindling, and Paul Bowen to began the hike.  The 6 of us walked along the Kuzoo lined trail and hopped the fence.  Soon our footsteps echoed through a walking drain pipe and we hopped another fence following the trail to Rusty’s Cave.  Alan led the charge and I followed close behind.  Not far ahead we veered off trail and started uphill.  I soon felt the need to shed my Goretex layer and was glad to feel warm outside for the first time that day.  We hiked up and down a fair amount as we contoured along the edge of Fox Mountain towards Byer Cave.  After what seemed a little farther than a mile we descended into the Ravine and followed a short trail past the entrance to Deans cave and soon spotted gear strewn about the entrance of Byers Cave.  We’d heard rumor that a large group of Kentuckians were in the cave but hoped they hadn’t found it. 

Just as we arrived, talk and movement were heard from within the cave.  A large tired man exited and told us that a large group of Kentuckians did indeed congest the passages of Byer Cave.  He mentioned that they were rigging all of the climb downs and went on to talk about the stereotypical “Hey watch this” so often generalized to hillbillies and newbies.  His female companion soon joined him and they disappeared into the woods.  It appeared that our crew was about ready to enter so I secured a spot behind Alan and we soon launched into the cave. 

I really like the entrance to Buyer Cave.  It’s located in a small rock bluff on the side of a remote, wooded ravine.  It felt like the fearful entrance to a children’s story animal den.  A brief dirt slope ascends into the narrow mouth of the cave leading to an 8' climbup.  Were I the King Fox on the Fox Mountain this would surely be my lair.  Anyway, the launch couldn’t be delayed forever.  Alan soon shot into the cave and I followed close behind.  After a brief stoop walk, we were soon tearing through the cave on all fours much like an important fox messenger carrying vital information of an impending attack to the great Fox King.  Alan and I wouldn’t lose our heads that day; we made haste to rip down the passage at top speed.  After stooping and crawling back and forth on all fours for a few minutes we reached the first climb down. 

I first noticed a piece of webbing slung around a rock projection.  It seemed strange that it hadn’t been better tied off and unfortunate since it would have been useful.  The climb down is exactly the type of climb down I dislike.  A heavily worn, slick flowstone slope descended 15 feet steeply to the floor.  I'd hate to slide down something like that even though it’s not that far so I tried to simulate Alan's approach.  He'd made the descent look easy but once I got out on the slick ledge I couldn't find any good handholds.  My boots don’t grip this type of surface well so I hesitated for about a minute and then worked my way down.  I felt dumb delaying the group but I did manage to descend the slope fully under control.  As Alan and I rushed further into the cave I heard one person accidentally slide down. 

We zoomed down slope briefly in walking passage and shot straight down a narrow slot to a left hand bend which led to a sloping climb down and emptied into walking canyon passage.  To the right, the canyon soon narrowed and we chimneyed and then crawled a brief distance to walking passage. 

Further ahead lay a rather intimidating chimney traverse.  The group before had rigged it and had I been on my own I might have done the same but I watched Alan jet across so I quickly followed.  Along the left wall I found a strong ledge to hold onto.  I clung to the ledge as I stretched my body horizontally across the 5’ void where my feet barely held the other wall.  I felt quite extended as I chimneyed across.  After chimneying for 7 feet the canyon narrows and S’s to the left.  You can’t continued straight because the S is a little too wide and steep to get a hold at this awkward angle.  Somehow, I carefully redistributed my weight and maneuvered across the 30' pit to the now wider ledge my feet had held firm against.  Soon after we met Anne Elmore in walking passage above the first real climb down.  The Kentuckians already rigged a rope here but Alan rigged a second to the bolts and we descended 20' down a crack which quickly opened ahead into a big canyon.  Past that we maneuvered down a tight slot and caught up with a group of Kentuckians clambering about trying to chimney along the canyon.  Alan laid himself on his belly and we slid below them in a lower canyon belly crawl.  After a longer session of hands and knees crawling we reached a double 8' climb down.  I don't see how Alan and Brent first descended the second of the two without a hand line.  It must have been especially intimidating since below the second climb down a hole descends much further into the lower cave.  We chimneyed along the narrow canyon.  A fall here might drop you into the lower cave 20 - 30 feet below since the canyon had no floor.  However, a floor soon developed and we popped into big borehole. 

Now the race really began.  From here, we stayed high in an upper level heading downstream still moving very fast.  I briefly glanced to my right and noted that I didn't want to fall that way.  We'd just traversed along the left wall above a slope descending into a 40' pit.  Not far ahead, we reached the big formation room where the famous Alan Cressler captured this year's Cave-In cover during his prior trip.  We scrambled along the stream and then flew up to the balcony overlook bouncing from rock to rock.  I enjoyed watching Paul's green laser slice through the misty air as we briefly took in the view.  Then we retraced our steps.  I secretly hoped we'd take a different route back since I could think of one spot I didn't want to go back down the way I'd come up.  I did a controlled jump down and quickly followed Alan downstream.  We then came back out the pop out and toured upstream towards the waterfall but didn't make it quite that far.  We probably saw about a mile of cave before we routed back to the entrance briefly delayed by the exiting Kentuckians. 

All light had left the sky but that made little difference.  Alan flawlessly led us back through the dark woods skillfully placing our forest exit at the entrance to Rusty's so that we could follow the trail the rest of the way.  After we got back to the cars, Jeff, Alan, and I decided to get dinner at Subway.  Jeff lucked out and got to eat some greasy chicken instead.  He was exceedingly happy.  Afterwards, I got to drive Alan's truck back up the steep, curvy Sulphur Springs road.  Once atop the mountain I quickly learned that having headlamps placed higher on a vehicle makes it nearly impossible to see in dense fog.  I could barely see the center line on our way back to the Cave-In site.  I got a little confused where to turn because some dummy was parked just past the turn in the grass so I assumed that must be where the road split off since I couldn't really see anything.  Therefore, I passed it and had to reverse and then try to get the gears to catch as the truck started to descend backwards down the hill.  I tried and tried and tried but it kept dieing.  Having to catch first gear while the truck lurches backwards and starts descending into darkness rather intimidates me.  To be honest, I really don't like having to go into first gear at all.  Everything else is much easier after you get started.  Anyway, after what seemed about a dozen tries I finally gave up and turned it over to Alan.  To Elkhead Shelter Cave