<p><i>Typed up David Loeffler, January 2004. I've done my best to decipher this but bits are still illegible; there are also a lot of dangling cross-references to trips that never actually got written up. Editorial comments (in italics) are mine.</i></p>
<h1>EXPO 2003</h1>
<p>(20th Expo at Staud'n'Wirt)</p>
<p>10-12/7/2003 -- Packing and Journey to Austria -- <u>Mark S</u>, Earl (driving), Olly M, Martin, et al. (packing)</p>
<p>In fact it's not the 12th July at all, it's Wednesday 16th but we've only just gotten around to buying a log book. It appears that I have
the pleasure of inscribing the first of what will</p>
<p>[LARGE DEAD FLY STUCK TO PAGE, COVERED IN CELLOPHANE, LABELLED "3D FLY-O-SCOPE - DIE FLY"]</p>
<p>Never look a log book in the mouth. As I was saying,</p>
<p>no doubt be the usual collection of impecably <i>[sic - I can't tell if this is deliberate!]</i> written reports, each written
longingly with due care and attention (ignoring distractions such as <i>[illegible]</i> insects), with the authors in a sufficiently
sober state so as to recount the superbly accurate tales in the worst manner possible.</p>
<p>Horse flies in Austria weren't the only ones taking the piss. AN excellent sponsorship effort by Julia led to the delivery of 125kg of
noodles (912 packets, just think how far those noodles would stretch!) in 33 boxes of varying size. A mammoth van-packing effort,
including trips to every corner of Cambridge (and Bury St. Edmunds, root of all evil) [<i>footnote:</i> Greene King Ltd. (PLC?)] managed to cram
100kg of the noodles and an amazing pile of other shit into Mark's van.</p>
<p>The drive out - Mark and Early - was good, except for a few minor hiccups (Eurotunnel had told us the wrong time & we had to wait an
hour, etc). Van temperature light came on twice so we paused briefly to cool down. Driving all day - 4am to 10pm - in 1 1/2 - 2 hour
shifts works <u>very</u> well - could have done the journey in 12 1/2 hrs without the tunnel + cooling problems. Arrived at 11pm prompt
and headed for Hilde's bar.</p>
<p>T/U a bit (in tunnels).</p>
<p>At this juncture Mark noticed that the front two pages of the logbook were stuck together. By gaffer tape of course.</p>
<hr></p>
<p>16/7/03 -- Dour, <u>Julia</u>, Dave travel out</p>
<p>Having quit my job on Thursday, and with Dave dossing on our floor Thursday night, I wasn't worried about packing the car and hadn't done
much beyond throwing a few things into a useful box, and packing the top-camp meals into a suitcase (of course). However, first job of
Friday was to go to the DVLA in Wimbledon to get a tax disk for Dour. That done, and journey food bought, the morning was waring on so a
massive pile of gear was collected and assembed next to the Tunnocks mobile. I then discovered that, whilst an inordinate amount of
noodles had safely arrived, there was no sign of any Tunnocks bars. Disaster! Alsoa bit annoying, as I'd confirmed sponsorship to folk
almost a month ago. So I rang Tunnocks and left a polite message inquiring about the lack of Thomas Tunnock Ltd products. The result of
this was to be told that my e-mail confirming dates and a delivery address was never received...oh poo. However the nice man aat Tunnocks
was only a bit grumpy and agreed to send the stuff on to another address. Sorted. I then had a bit of a stress about the size of the
shit pile.</p>
<p>
** NEWS FLASH 8.51pm - it's gonna rain **
Hurrah!</p>
<p>So went upstairs to a create more gear whilst Dave organised the stuff already by the car. Once Dave had done the hard work (well the flat
needed cleaning) it started to look OK, and we ahd a good half an hour sitting around before Dour got home from work. Then we were off.
Made it onto the 7pm ferry and after that it was just the occasional coffee + petrol stop. Dour drove pretty much all thru the night.
Arrived at the Pötschen Pass to find some major bike race going on, and it was still going on in Bad Aussee, actually quite handy as
there were marshals on the silly corner to wave you through when it was safe to go. The three of us arrived; five minutes later Tony
arrived chauffered from the station by Hilde. We sta and festered for a bit, then got round to putting the bier tent up. Not long
afterwards, when the frame was up but far from stable the heavens opened, and we all lokked a bit silly, stood there getting drenched
whilst supporting a massive metal structure. We got bored after a while and went over the road. Karin: "It is funny. You are here ...
and it is raining."</p>
<hr></p>
<p>17/7/03 <u>Becka</u></p>
<p>Got here ~ 3.30pm. Baking hot + everything locked up. Ate last night's slop + got a beer in. Bad head from no sleep at all last night
(blame Richard Branson).</p>
<hr></p>
<p>18/7/03 -- 204: rigging down towards Razordance -- <u>Dave</u>, Mark -- T/U 5hrs</p>
<p>Rigged 204a ent pitches to Wolpertinger Way. Stuck a rope down Pot-u-Like; we weren't very convinced by the bolting + came out again.</p>
<p>On reaching surface were soundly patronised by Dour and Becka who went on to rig rest of Ariston.</p>
<hr></p>
<p>18/7/03 -- Rigging 204e ent pitch -- -- <u>Dave</u> -- T/U 1hr</p>
<p>Got bored so put a rope down 204E. Couldn't remember route from bottom of pitch so came straight back out again.</p>
<p>Abbed down to bottom of Ariston and followed crawl to head of Kiwi Suit. Proceeded to watch Dour shit his pants over the head of the 54m.
Two bomber naturals ensured a safe descent. Into a nice stream canyon, down the next short pitch to the top of the 20m. Rope (101m, or so
it said) didn't reach the bottom, even though the traverse and backups at the thead of the 54m had been rigged on another rope. We
resolved to bring more rope and went home. Met Haines and co. at the bottom of Wolpertinger, at the end of their tour of 204. Prussiked
out and went down the hill. Drank Gösser.</p>
<hr/>
<p>20/7/03 -- 204E to Helter Skelter -- <u>Becka</u> + Martin -- T/U 6 hours</p>
<p>Walked up hill + Julian+Earl doing traverse at Gaffered to the Walls so thought we'd rig down Gaffered + be sociable. Obviously we didn't
think too hard about it as when we got there they were lobbing endless rocks off their ledge. Rigging Gaffered not an option. Watched
them a moment + adminred the long drop into space then retreated to QMs back nearer 204E. First went up Crowning Glory to end to <b>QM
2001-10A</b>. andclimb rope left from 2001 up then rigged down (like I did on yesterday's trip). Pit at bottom of this pitch
<u>blind</u>. Walked up boulder slope on the other side of pitch + gardeded the next drop then Martin down on rest of rope from first
pitch with a tackle sack rope protector. To left was rift with aven (went 3m). In LH wall, 2m up, small crawl (QM C). Straight on, rift
continued down moderate pitch (QM B) + above passage continued (QM B) which could be reached by bolting up ~3m. Then went down Helter
Skelter to far end. We moved boulders + stacked them up for some time until could finally get under the low wall at end. It went right,
under another low squeeze, + then opened into a small pitch which Martin descended on naturals ~8m. 2m slot in floor. Pitch <u>blind</u>
+ drippy (got wet when we surveyed it the next day + it rained on the surface). Came back up Helter Skelter slowly looking at QMs. Martin
found <b>QM 2001-14B</b>, a sandy crawl with a draft + pushed it into <u>new stuff</u>. Yahoo (embarrasing we didn't spot it in the
original 2001 survey though). Looked at lots until time to go home. Met Earl + Julian back at the 204E rope + exited together. Good trip.</p>
<hr></p>
<p>21/7/03 -- 204E to survey Sandpit off Helter Skelter -- <u>Becka</u> + Martin -- T/U 9hrs</p>
<p>Julian + Earl still bolting above Gaffered to the Walls so no point trying to rig below them so off to survey yesterday's stuff in
Sandpit of Helter Skelter. Sandy crawl (was QM 2001-14B) leads to small passage. Closes off up + to right; main way goes past <u>dead
furry bat</u> to sandy hole which we'd dug out yesterday. This tube goes up steeply. At top, straight ahead leads up into small chamber
with a pitch to right + up from there. Go left another rift/pitch which probably links to the first one. Main way from sandy tube follows
the draft to the <u>left</u> along a crawling tube past a couple of not-bad straws into a small chamber. Rift, thin, deep, narrow to the
right (leading to small shaft?). Ahead, nasty loose hole to left but main way is under low wall + crawl up ramp on right side. Over a
loose boulder wall, to the right went to a pitch head with a huge boulder perched on top. It's possible to free-climb down this rift to
the left to a drippy floor + Martin climbed a further 2m below this but still not down to bottom of shaft (doesn't look promising
though). Various tubes above pitch head, probably don't go. Main way is to <u>left</u> after boulder wall, crawling to edge of ramp. Can
climb down to left, to bottom, nasty loose pitch to left at bottom. Ahead, clamber over boulders. At far end, small passage leads off +
up but gets too small. At left climb up + then follow up a solution tube several metres up to top of aven then tube closes down. Main way
on at ramp is across + up to small sandy tube. Down this + to right. Small crawly passage with odd boulders in it needing gardening +
more bat skeletons led up + past final squeeze into q. large drippy rift. Into this + we climbed up two levels (first one a rather dodgy
free climb) until too hard to upclimb but aven continued up beyond this point. End of that survey. Back + down to bottom of Helter
Skelter + surfeyed down to the pitch we found yesterday (last leg a joke plumb as we didn't rig the pitch). As down there, rain started +
everything got drippy + worse. Checked off most of the Helter Skelter QM's on way up (2001 - 56C, 58C, 15C all don't go; 16A downgraded
to B). Also M 2000-20C dead from day before this in Treeumphant. We left QM 2001-17C in Helter Skelter which is over attractive white
mud, while 2001-56C might go if you want to climb diddly tubes.</p>
<p>Headed off with Martin;s GPS above various bits of 204. Ended up at the top of the Hinterer Schwartzmooskogel then went back to 204 Top
Camp near the top of the ridge logging various holes, dead + otherwise. Met Mark, Julian + Dave at camp. Had lunch, then me, Julian +
Dave up North to prospect for an hour. Found a couple more holes. Finally Earl + I watched Mark desced 2000-08. Possible way on to side
of it - narrow rift, needed a rope. Earl + I found a couple more holes, ended. Back down hill. GPS positions etc. in survey folder.</p>
<p>22/7/03 -- Surface wander -- <u>Dave</u>, Julian T -- T/U ?? <i>[must have been about 1 hour]</i></p>
<p>Returned to holes 'up North' minus Becka but plus gear: rigged one hole down pitch (see sketch) + tagged that as 2003/03. </p>
<p>[ SKETCH ]</p>
<p>Julian's other entrance, tagged as 2003/04, is a small down-sloping crawl in the western side of a depression visible from the stone
bridge. (At the south end of the depression is a short tunnel leading out onto the hillside, the other end of which is clearly visible
from 204). Anyway this gives access to some bouldery phreatic passage perhaps 5m wide + high heading westwards <i>[actually it was
northwards, as we found when we surveyed the thing some while later]</i> which is choked after perhaps 30-50m (we should really return +
survey it, alhtough it has no obvious leads left to push).</p>
<hr/>
<p>23/7/03 -- Razordance rigging (+ pushing a bit) -- <u>Dave</u>, Dour, Mark -- T/U Mark 12h, Dave 13h, Dour 14h</p>
<p>Rigged <i>[Julia's handwriting in margin:</i> No you didn't, Anthony did <i>]</i> bottom two pitches of Kiwi Suit and commenced the merry
task of hauling a huge tackle sack containing our 200m pushing rope through Razordance itself. Dour bolted Steady Now, the pitch at the
old pushing front (Duncs descended it last year on the rope from the previous pitch, which must have been rather damp). This gave access
to some more rift and another wet climb (rigged as a pitch). An awkward climb up through some boulders leads to a sizeable chamber
(originally named The Brewhouse, now renamed God Loves a Drunk). Another pitch was visible around the corner, provisionally named The
Mash Tun; rather than bolt this we turned around and slogged out, eventually emerging at intervals of about an hour with the last man
(Dour) emerging at about 3.30 am. (We must all be nuts!)</p>
T/U Martin 8 1/2, Becka 10 1/2, Julian 8 1/2, Earl 6 1/2 or something like that</p>
<p>Julian + I in first with new-from-Eisenhof, 50% bigger crowbar to prod boulders. Across Gaffered 21-Bolt Traverse (mmm, acrobatic), up
the boulders, to the top of the tube + looked at the boulders. Not much room for manoeuvre, or for a quick escape when they start
raining on your head. Nevertheless Julian + I alternated levering them out (all too easy - some came out even from chucking a rock at
them) for an hour or two. Bloody cold in the draft. Finally got enough out to see that the good-looking way on was just a solution pocket
whilst the draft was coming from directly above + there could be many, many boulders funnelled up there. Decided we'd stretched our
nerves enough. Out + I de-rigged the traverse. By then Earl + Martin had turned up. I then went with Martin rigging into Gaffered (we
hadn't wanted to start before the traverse was derigged as loose stuff kept dropping down the pitch). Rigged the 70m, the next pitch, the
traverse + pitch and finally the eyehole pitch so 4 pitches in all with Martin adding extra spits here + there to beef up the rigging +
avoid dodgy naturals. Meanwhile Julian + Earl had been going to look at Pleasuredome for horizontal leads but got distracted + ended up
finding the squitty squeeze off Dutch Beauty which Earl linked up to the end of the 21 Bolt Traverse (doh!)</p>
<hr/>
<p>25/7/03 -- Survey Rhino Rift from Dutch Beauty -- Julian H + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 10hrs</p>
<p>Off to survey Earl's link to the end of the 21 Bolt Travese of Gaffered. Having squeezed through, discovered there was <u>much</u>
more cave than Earl had described - yahoo! Julian disappeared off for <u>some</u> time + came back very excited. First surveyed up to
link to 21 Bolt Traverse with Julian doing the squeeze through the dodgy boulders onto the loose boulder pile perched on top of Gaffer's
70m pitch. He'd missed seeing the passage we'd emerged from from the other direction when I asked him about it yesterday, because Earl
had popped out of a tube just below it which Julian thought was what I'd seen. We then continued surveying Rhino Rift until we ran out of
time. This was supposed to be Julian's las caving trip before he went home but he decided he'd have to come back tomorrow...</p>
<hr/>
<p>26/7/03 -- Rig Deviated + survey On A Mission -- Julian H + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 1/2 hrs</p>
<p>Underground by 10am, ouch. Back through the squeezes of Rhino Rift. We'd intended dropping the short pitch at the end of yesterday's
survey but on the way Julian suggested dropping the Deviated Pitch. I wasn't keen, it looked like a modern chamber with more pitches but
we slung a rope down with dodgy rubs all over. At the bottom, as expected, two more pitches, dull - but, a-ha, also a walking passage
leading off - + bigger round the corner. I went 30m to check it went then told Julian to come down. I let him see a little bit but the
wrestled him away from stoping off down + we surveyed in all the way down the main passage. We'd just about run out of time at the end
when Earl + Martin turned up + en mass we jerry-rigged the pitch at the end which Julian shot down before Earl had put in the pitch head
bolt! He then poked around until Earl had rigged it properly then Julian + I had to run out [<i>footnote:</i> Fortunately, on the way in, Earl +
Martin, being well-trained riggers, had fettled Deviated Pitch so it actually did deviate and didn't rub] in time for Julian to head down
the hill in the last of the light, drive Anthony's car down + draw up surveys until the wee hours before heading home early the next day.
Excellent trip.</p>
<hr/>
<p>27/7/03 -- Continue surveying in Rhino Rift + On a Mission -- Julian Todd + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 hours</p>
<p>First went to the end of the 25/7/03 survey of Rhino Rift + continued until we ran out of horizontal + I put a bit (not enough) of
conservation tape around the mud pretties. Cold. Then down Deviated Pitch + showed Julian On A Mission. Surveyed Rat Biscuit to
frustrating end in drafting boulders (lost most of the draft before then though?) Finished up by surveying into Belief (last leg
<u>before</u> main chamber, in the phreatic passage).</p>
<hr/>
<p>28/7/03 -- On a Mission -- Julian Todd, Martin, Tony + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 1/2 hrs</p>
<p>Tying up the last horizontal main leads of On a Mission. Martin + Tony surveyed the chamber at the end of On a Mission whilst Julian +
I surveyed Swallow Hard, up pretty steeply. All 4 of us then tied up the survey in that chamber + looked at the leads there. Then did a
partner-swap: Martin + I surveyed Crimper - tight + awkward + not much draft but is a reasonable horizontal way on at the end, just needs
a bit of a clamber, + it's in an interesting place. Meanwhile Julian + Tony rigged into Unconformity. Julian, Tony + I had a quick look
down the pitch before we all headed out.</p>
<hr/>
<p>29/7/03 -- Rigging + survey down Gaffered -- Martin + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 10hrs</p>
<p>I'd promised Martin I'd go down Gaffered today if he did On a Mission yesterday but I wasn't particularly looking forward to it,
especially as I'd got miserably damp on the 70m last time as it was raining on the surface. In the event, though, it was a fine trip to a
very starnge bit of cave with stunning pretties, best I've seen in Austria I think. Down to top of last pitch that Martin + Earl had
rigged to (on their trip - on 26th or 27th?) <i>[Not written up apparently]</i>. I looked at the mud tube (Eeyore) that went off from the
bridge - it led, after a a short crawl, to a huge chamber. We surveyed to it then I left Martin there + went down the final pitch into
the Underworld + walked around shouting but Martin couldn't hear me so that chamber seems to be separate from the Underworld despite
being so close. Then we went to the end of Earl + Martin's previous survey + rigged down Poohstyx (Mark's name!) This dropped 25m in a
drippy shaft to end in a flat floor with a v. thin rift going off, cold + small stream running. I clambered up 2-3m up a wall at the
bottom of the shaft + looked over - a passage continued on down - perhaps not needing rope but looking wet + sharp + <u>not at all</u>
inviting given how cold I was so we consigned it to a B QM and went up the pitch. Martin, ever the keen surveyor, then insisted on
looking across the top of the pitch - and yes, that went too. A cold survey ended in a fine aven <i>[There is an asterisk here but
apparently the footnote it corresponds to was never written.]</i> via some odd, mud-coated passage + random lumps of ceiling that had
landed on the floor. Oh, and bat bones which had been washed donw the cave. All rather strange. Had a little time left so Martin pointed
out another unpromising QM which I climbed up into - which emerged in a <u>huge</u> chamber (Sirens) with stunning bright white active
stalactites, as well as loads of cauliflower and a couple of exciting-looking potential QMs as well as the usual dull pitches. Finished
that survey + I was <u>freezing</u>. Martin fettled the rigging a bit on the way out + I'd just about got warm at the top of Gaffered.
</p>
<hr/>
<p>30/7/03 -- Survey down Unconformity + push in Rhino Rift -- Julian T + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 7hrs
<p>Down to where Julian + Tony had finished their Unconformity survey yesterday. Julian put in a spit for the pitch/ramp/climp down below
the <i>[illegible]</i> whilst I poked around. I found a tube they'd missed yesterday + crawled past a dead + partially <u>calcited</u>
bat skeleton into a small chamber (which they'd been able to look into from another passage yesterday but they'd not been able to climb
into). A clamber of ~2.5m up the far side got to a bridge overlooking a <u>v. large</u> pitch. This (or the chamber itself) was where I'd
made a vocal connection to Julian when I'd gone up the passage higher up Unconformity which ended in sharp limestone + which Julian +
Tony had rigged yesterday. We then went down the pitch Julian had put a spit in for. At the bottom was another pitch and, much more
interesting, a possible <u>horizontal lead</u> from an easy traverse over the top of that pitch. Surveyed out + up the pitch + into the
small chamber. In the small chamber I climbed up ~3m into the continuation of the bat calcited phreatic passage which soon became mud
filled. Out, up the Deviated Pitch + along Rhino Rift to the pitch where Julian H + I had ended our survey on 23/07/03. I put in a spit +
down on it + a dodgy natural + 6m + 8m of rope. Just made the floor. A mud crawl with little draft let to an uninteresting looking pitch.
No time to survey so derigged the 8m to put back on the traverse above Deviated + showed Julian Swings + Roundabouts so he could take
some more photos on the way out. Down the hill to <b>showers</b> + bread - oh, + inputted at least 750m survey.</p>
<hr/>
<p>30/7/03 -- Razor Dance -- Frank, Dave + <u>Anthony</u> -- T/U Frank ?, Dave + Anthony 11hrs</p>
<p>Plan was for me and Frank to go pushing in Razor Dance (my last chance for a trip down there before going home). However, Frank had a
trapped nerve in his back, so Dave got roped in too in case Frank had to jack. Dave and Frank went down so that Dave could bolt the pitch
at the pushing front under supervision. I followed 1/2 hr later to find the y-hang almost rigged. Frank headed out at this point to test
his fitness, whilst Dave put in a deviation and descended what turned out to be an 18m pitch. Dave inadvertently dunked the drill in a
puddle at the bottom, and the battery promptly started discharging itself. Attempted to start surveying, but the clin was terminally
fogged. Faced with the prospect of total gear failure, we went for a quick push. From the bottom of the pitch a rift heads off - similar
dimensions to that higher up, but the rock is less catchy (have we moved into a different bed?) eventually reaching a pitch. By the time
we got back to the bottom of the pitch the clino still wasn't working, so we dragged the rope and bolting gear off to the new pitch.
There was enough life in the battery to get 3 bolts in for a descent of ~10m. Dave was freezing his nuts off by now, so I went on for a
quick look at the next bit. More rift leads to a bit where the water goes down a very narrow bit. It might be possible to follow it, but
it seems foolish given that there is a comfortably wide section higher up. I followed this to a widening - couldn't see round the corner
but some rope will be required, either to descend to stream level or protect a bad steop if the traverse level continues.</p>
<p>With that we pottered sedately out. Thanks to Frank & Dave for accompanying me down Razor Dance when they would clearly rather
<p>Did a surface survey to link 204C tag bolt in, then went to survey Tröpfelnhöhle (so called because the surveyors got
thoroughly dirpped on in their dry (ha!) grots). Chucked a ladder down it, this was just long enough to get down the 4m pitch at the
bottom, there are a couple of small passages off the bottom of this pitch which are full of rocks. That's it really.</p>
<p><i>[In different colour pen and noticeably less legible]</i>There might be giants, or worse!</p>
<p>I should do more caving, caving is nice, but I never quite get round to it. I want to go to Hauchhöhle and nobody else does
everybody likes pitches.</p>
<hr/>
<p>1/8/03 -- Left Tatty Hut after Expo Dinner at 5.55 am. -- <u>Mark S</u>, Frank, Olly M - "The Survivors". -- Time underwater: Julia,
Martin, Dave 10sec.</p>
<hr/>
<p>31/7/03 -- Surface wander -- Earl, <u>Dave</u>, Olly -- T/U Not very much</p>
<p>Walked to 204d. Pottered around a bit, took some photos; had a look at a small nearby cave which has a window to the 204d
shakehole.</p>
<p>Mark had messaged up from base camp the bearing + distance from 204d to the position of the end of a passage he, Earl + Olly had found
the previous day in On a Mission. This took us to a gully leading down to a huge choss bowl.</p>
<p>We split up + poked around a bit in the bowl. I found a small slot with a slight draft; Olly succeeded in wedgeing himself down it and
reported that there was a pitch beyond with a 1 sec drop but he couldn't see beyond this as the light he had borrowed (mine) was too
feeble.</p>
<p>This was eclipsed by Olly's discovery - a large entrance, choked after a few metres but with a slot on the right. The slot was low and
blocked by pebbles; but a howling gale was emerging. Some moving of rock later Olly (the thinnest member of the party) forced himself in,
reporting a walking size passage beyond, which was not explored due to lack of time + gear. Based on the strength of the draft Earl
offered to stake a crate of Gösser it would connect to 204.</p>
<hr/>
<p>4/8/03 -- The walk back from top camp without using a helicopter. -- <u>Julian</u> (+Becka, Martin, Earl) -- T/U N/A</p>
<p>Arrived at top camp on 2/8 early walk up all excited, and had a slip-up on the slab below the cooling rock in the stone bridge. It
didn't hurt, but I had a lie down. Then I got up and it hurt like hell. Like a piece of razor wire had been substituted for a tendon
between my lower back and right knee. If I could just get around without it flexing and slicing through my flesh, it was bearable. But
most movements caused pain that amost heated up the region and made my left thumb go numb due to neurological noise across the regions of
the humunculus (brain area that has the body map). <i>[I have no idea whether or not he is making this up - editor.]</i> So I didn't go
caving. I sat on the slabs the whole day happy when not moving because it didn't hurt. Often I thought I was cured, only to have to get
up for a pee and scream with each step. On Day 2 I could move a little bit more. The pain intensity was the same but the barrier was a
little further away so I was more mobile. Since I wasn't dead it was probably not a ruptured spleen. It just hurt like an inaccessible
splinter. The sun beat down on the carrymat over my head. I sat like a cripple and was driven insane by the inefficiency of team fester
who didn't get a move on and leave me in peace until 4.30pm. Man! <i>[As a member of 'team fester' I should point out that I hadn't got
out of the cave the previous day until 4.50am and was possibly more knackered than I have ever been in my life before. - DL (editor)]</i>
Meanwhile Earl + Becka were doing lots of wonderful caving, discovering lots of stuff and doing useful work. Becka's going to marry Earl
if I don't pull myself together. I climbed into bed after it got dark, after team fester had left all the litter all over the slabs until
it was dary so they couldn't see it and therefore couldn't clear it up. In the morning I was still sore. I was not going to spend another
day like this, like a refugee cowering under a scrap of cardboard waiting for food handouts and for someone to care, just happy to be
alive. So while everyone was discussing stretchering me off (not possible) or calling a helicopter (last resort) I drifted off to the
path to the derision of people observing how long it was <u>taking</u> me to get out of sight. Once out of earshot I could howl, which
helped overcome the pain (I've always been a crybaby). Becka joined me later, carrying my pack. It was better if she walked separately so
I could pick my pace, stopping for refueling stops. Martin arrived from base camp and we headed for the Bergrestaurant. Earl followed
after an hour and drove us all down. I haven't experienced pain of this sort in a while. I've learnt my lesson. I hope it gets better. I
just want to go home and not get carted off to some pill-pusher for some pointless ointment. Get me out of here.</p>
<hr/>
<p>2/8/03 -- Rhino Rift Fester -- Earl, <u>Becka</u>, Dave + Frank -- T/U Dave ?6, Frank ?8, Becka + Earl 10.</p>
<p>Me down 204E with Frank + showed him Treeumphant + Swings + Roundabouts on a quick tourist then Earl + Dave caught up with us at the
Taking the Piss / Deviated pitches. To the chamber at the end of On a Mission + continued Mark + Earl's survey in What No Butcombe
through various loops. [<i>footnote:</i> Notes for this are in file #24 but not yet drawn up as I am going home tomorrow and THE FUCKING BLOODY
PRINTER ISN'T WORKING so I don't have a centreline - DL]. I showed Dave the way out whilst Frank + Earl finished surveying. We then
derigged everything at the end + Frank headed out. Earl + I then went down Unconformity. Earl snooted at Julian + my rigging then put in
one measly bolt with his drill to get across the traverse at the bottom of our last pitch. Pitch itself q. short, only ~10m, but this is
only a ledge + the pitch continues. Over the traverse is another 20 or 30m horizontal with holes in the floor + possible QMs up. Needs
surveying but we had to get out as our time was up.</p>
<p>Went to look at hole I discovered with Dave and Earl before the dinner. It blows very hard, so we thought it must go somewhere. Surface
surveyed to 204d first, then we crawled into the passage on the right of the entrance, where the draught was coming from. (Earl and I had
previously cleared rocks from it to allow entry.) After a crawl the passage opens up with scatterings of ice and snow. A passage goes up
to the left as the main way on turns a corner. It enters a large (> 10m diameter) chamber with an ice floor, and an ice stal on the
floor. There is some passage with dodgy boulders to the right, but the draught comes from a very dodgy boulder slope on the left (reached
by climbing round the edge of the ice). Might be worth poking, but it's quite unstable. We looked up the passage on the left but it
doesn't seem to go anywhere. (Maybe a tightish meander in the floor might go (blows outwards a bit), but awkward to enter. QM C.) About 100m of survey in total.</p>
<hr/>
<p><i>[Long list of stuff left in supply dump at the end of Expo]</i></p>
