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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1986-7 pp 9-10</font>

<h2>A Bird's Eye View of Austria - 85</h2></center>

<p align=right>by Tina White

<h4>The Journey</h4>

<p>Team Fiat (Stephan and Chris) won Team Speed (Mike M and Brian), but only
by catching an earlier ferry. Stephan tells us he loves his Fiat, even if it
has got a small petrol tank. Team momentum (Rover, Mike R, the author and
lots of gear) got there a day late with the help of a new fan belt.
M.U.S.S.'s car was espied waiting for the ferry, but they missed it trying to
find something to deface Rover's decoration with. Tee hee !

<h4>Caving</h4>

<p>Due to not taking the logbooks from the year before, there almost wasn't
any. However, the memories from hardened expeditioners of yesteryear proved
good enough to guide us instead.

<p>Night trips prevailed this year - there were two types of these. The first
was of the accidental variety, owing to CUCC's habit of not being able to get
going early. Inevitably a so-called day trip meant traipsing up the mountain
at the time of day when most Austrians were scuttling for the cover of the
Bergrestaurant. Some expedition members were noticeably worse than others at
appearing from their pits before lunch, eg. Gavin "I try to avoid mornings"
Andrews. He managed very well. An entry in the logbook reads "P.S. - Gavin
got up".

<p>The second type of overnight trips were the planned ones. Given the
group's proclivities for lying in in the mornings, it was thought best to
leave all that nasty caving to the night time. This worked nicely - the very
first proper trip being one of these, to give the SRT novices a practice in
142.

<p>As you will find from the rest of the journal, there was much heroising on
this holiday (sorry, expedition). With <span lang=de>Das
Bananah&ouml;hle</span> (after Mike M's yucky car colour) and the connection
and other bits and pieces, people generally queued up for the kudos of a hard
trip - couldn't resist the contrived alliteration there.

<p>With bright sunshine the first week, there was some caving every day. 152
was found and rigged. 144 was rigged, and thanks to Mark chucking himself
down a very dubious looking hole, a connection to
<span lang=de>Stellerweg</span> was found. Legs were scratched from Bunde
bashing trips to find more caves to squeeze our bodies down, but
unfortunately 150 and 151 didn't go. Even the author was a real man - so to
speak. Caving was most people's main concern, people being too shagged out to
do anything but drink <span lang=de>bier,</span> eat and sleep the rest of
the time. Oh, and Caroline S. visited us for the weekend, so there were two
women for two days.

<p>Then the rain set in and the caving lost its attraction somewhat. The rain
caused a certain amount of "musical tents" with the author, Mike R, Stephan
and a hedgehog all ending up in Chris's nice big waterproof tent. It should
be stressed that this wasn't all at once, and the hedgehog wasn't invited.

<p>Still, even the weather couldn't stop Teams Superhero-go-for-it (Mike M,
Mark and Chris) going for the connection found earlier and surveying out.
They returned "bloody freezing" and clutching a chopped date wrapper (proof).
The more sensible ones had a day out as tourists to the
<span lang=de>Eish&ouml;hle.</span>

<p>The next day the rest of us were so bored - no caving for days. We needed
a fix. So five went down 144, trampled around and drank some cave solution
called "tea".

<p>The weather cleared just as Mike M and Brian zapped off home. The last
week was on us so we surveyed the big chamber in 142 and played about with
some magnesium tape "acquired" from the <span lang=de>Eish&ouml;hle.</span>
And then everything had to be derigged as it was going home time.

<h4>Other things</h4>

<ol>
<li>Whatever anyone says, the author and Chris did not get rescued. There we
were, coming down the mountain after some prospecting, perfectly happy, when
all them noisy cavers met us on the path and claimed a rescue. (admittedly
we were moving very slowly 'cos we'd miscalculated how long it took to get
dark and we hadn't any lights). Still, they had to prove themselves real
heroes after their hard day out on the <span lang=de>Dachstein</span> had
turned out to be a tourist route.
<li>The bean (!) caving breakfast became almost compulsory for evryone. This
was after horrific stories from the year before and we had lessened the
amount so someone mustn't have had their share. Forgetting the beans (if
that's possible), Brian must be remembered for stationing himself by the
frying pan, unselfishly and beyond the call of duty. Brian and the beans
kept us all regular.
<li>Mike R deminstrated why he likes Landrovers, and showed off its
four-wheel drive up and down some humps. It was a pity about the dint left
in the tarmac after the ground lost an argument with the back hook. However
he did let us all have a go with his plaything.
<li> Horseflies were out in force this year. Lounging around in the sun
meant a running battle for the selected few who were obviously more tasty.
Mark almost found a solution at <span lang=de>Grundlsee,</span> but the fly
had the last word.
</ol>

<p>That's all folks, except to say - more women wanted next time.

<hr />
<!-- LINKS -->
<ul id="links">
<li>Cambridge Underground 1986-7,
<a href="http://cucc.survex.com/jnl/1986-7/index.htm">Table of Contents</a></li>
<li>1985 Expedition info:
<ul>
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
<li>Cambridge Underground Expo Report:
<ul>
<li><a href="report.htm">Austria 1985</a></li>
<li>Guidebook to the <a href="144-41.htm">144-Stellerweg connection</a></li>
<li>Summary of caves <a href="loser.htm">explored 1976-85</a><br>
<!-- </ul></li>
<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br> -->
</ul></li>
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1985">Index</a> to all publications</li>
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
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