expoweb/years/2024/recovered-entries2.html.txt

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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-11z">2024-07-11</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wookey</u>,James Waite, Lara Bartleet, Charlotte Payne</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming (359) - Rigging in</div>
<p>[Main write-up above  - This is Wook's writeup of his somewhat separate trip]</p>

<p>Long walk over from Stone Bridge with all our gear, cairning and reflectoring on the way.</p>

<p>Dropped gear and went to look at Garlic cave (first visit for me) and grab some gear</p>.

<p>James rigged in, whilst the rest of us sat in the sunshine and got
changed slowly. So slowly in fact that he reappeared after about an
hour for the second bag of rope that no-one had delivered. Oops - we
are bad assistants.</p>

<p>The others headed down and I stayed at the back doing a rigging
resurvey, to get good rope lengths and an accurate rigging guide, as
the one we had was a bit vague. Spent a long time measuring both bolt
drops and rope lengths and knot types (and then later on the surface
measured how much rope various knot flavours use) in order to get
accurate lengths. This is quite tricky to do solo on longer pitches,
but my new SAP6 seemed to work, so that was good.</p>

<p>I had forgotten my main light batteries somehow so was on my Fenix
backup, and after a while I realised as I had no spare battery for the
Fenix and thus no light whatsoever if I had light or battery failure,
and was in a cave I'd never been in before with no real idea of where
to go, and I'd not seen anyone else for about 2hours, maybe I should
stop faffing about and catch up with the others. This is exactly the
sort of thing we tell people not to do in Austria :-)</p>

<p>Got a bit confused at an apparent dead-end before finding the
up-pitch rope, and soon enough was dropping a big pitch where I found
the others coming up, with a pressie in the form of a bagless dirty
rope to extract from the cave. Spent 40mins(!) undoing a knot in one
of the left ropes.</p>

<p>This cave seems notably devoid of floor after the first few
pitches. Out after a very civilised 4hrs, with a tedious slog back
to the Stone Bridge.</p>

<div class="timeug">T/U: 4 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-15z">2024-07-15</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wookey</u>, Wassil, Sieds</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming (1626/359)- 2nd Coming rigging</div>

<p>Wassil was excited to finally make some progress on 2nd coming, so
we walked over to Homecoming from top camp with a nice new rope to
have a serious rigging attempt.</p>

<p>Met Charlotte's group at the entrance and had an awkward
conversation about rope as they were short, but we wanted to use what
we'd carried over to rig down so couldn't really spare any.</p>

<p>In fact on packing we realised that we could spare about 40m, but
the others had gone. Sent quick-change Sieds down to try and catch
them up but he was too late, so that didn't help in the end.</p>

<p>When I got to 2nd Coming I was _very_ impressed with the draft,
which is massive despite a very tall rift. Wassil and Sieds went off
to start rerigging down the pitches and I was left to tart up the
dodgy traverses, using my nice new Miwaukee M12 drill. I'd not
actually put a through-bolt in since China in 2014 so a quick refresh
was done to be sure I didn't screw it up. I now spent about 7 hours on
my own except for 2 visits from Sieds looking for more bolts and/or
nuts. The existing rigging was pretty shoddy with a few bits of cut
rope on traverse segments, but not much rhyme or reason about which
bits were rigged and which weren't. It was true that much of it didn't
exactly _need_ a rope, but as a trade route it really wasn't very safe
without one.</p>

<p>I started where the previous trip had left off after a couple of
bolts, soon noticing that there was a perfectly good floor about 6m
down so went to see why not just go that way. It was a bit narrow in
places and after about 80m you end up pushed back up to the traverse
level by rockfall, so maybe staying at the traverse level made sense,
although it seemed marginal. Initially I replaced the old 2012 rope
with some in-date stuff, but rapidly ran out of new rope and had to
put the old stuff back on the next section. Someone to discuss rigging
with would have been nice, as it was very hard to decide which bits
should have a rope and which didn't need one, but as it was just me I
did my best to make it not-shit. Did some gardening too.</p>

<p>Hours with no floor is a pain. I had to unchain a ~60m rope without
anywhere to put the loops except one wedged rock. Turns out it can be
done, by draping the rope carefully over your legs braced across the
rift and taking a lot of care not to get things tangled, but that was
another 40 mins gone.</p>

<p>Eventually the others returned, having run out of nuts, even the
ones scavenged from my rigging. I had put 11.5 bolts in (with a 4ah
battery) and it still wsn't quite dead, so that was good. Wassil told
me to put rope on the couple of sections I'd decided were easy enough
to remain unroped, so apparently I should have just done the whole lot
  anyway.</p>

<p>I put one more hole in on the way out, near the top of Wallace,
just above the deviation, in order to get rid of the ridiculous offset
rebelay and epic return deviation, but that finally did finish off the
battery so I had to leave it as a job to be finished another time. 12
holes final score. Got out about midnight, and we still had that
bloody walk back to the Stone Bridge as Garlic was full of Charlotte's
team. It's 150m of height gain over the 2nd kilometre, plus another
35m of extra up-and-downing (according to my GPS), which is why it
feels like bloody hard work, especially carying all your gear at
2am. At least our improved reflectoring and cairning (and less cloud)
meant we didn't get lost this time.</p>

<p>A good trip, although it was a pity I didn't get to see more of the
route in the end, as I was now decamping to Balcony to help get that
rigged.</p>

<div class="timeug">T/U: 11.5 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25z">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dickon Morris</u>,Chi,Wassil,Marie,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Grabenbach Canyon</div>

<p>Ar ddiwrnod cinio'r expo ymgasglodd grŵp tag rag o ogofa o dan darp y cwt tatty. Roedd yr ogofwyr hyn i gyd yma am y rhesymau anghywir i gyd. Yn gyntaf, roedd y goruchaf arweinydd a'r cynllunydd teithiau Marie wedi mechnïo ar ogofa yn hytrach na golchi ei danwisg. Nesaf mae gennym Wassil a oedd yn gohirio ei draethawd meistr ac yn teimlo trueni drosto'i hun am ladd ei dennyn ei hun. Yn olaf mae gennym Dickon a benderfynodd fynd ar alldaith ogofa er ei fod yn casáu ogofa, ac o ganlyniad yn cael ei ethol yn mynd canyoning. Wrth fwrw ymlaen â ffurfio'r triawd gogoneddus hwn, penderfynodd Chi ddangos ei wyneb yn dilyn taith wersylla anghysbell na arweiniodd at wersyll yn digwydd ac a oedd ar ben colled. Mae'n debyg bod Marie, Wassil, a Dickon yn edrych fel grŵp addas i fynd â'r ceunant gyda nhw a rhywsut fe benderfynon nhw y byddai Chi yn gyd-chwaraewr addas.</p>
<p>
<p>Er iddi ddeffro am naw am a gadael am ddeg, llwyddodd Marie rywsut i faffio am ddwy awr. O ganlyniad i'r rhuthr i baratoi, ni astudiwyd y disgrifiad llwybr o'r canyon a ddewiswyd y noson gynt (er efallai na ddylai fod wedi cael cyfrifoldeb llawn y sefydliad o ystyried mai hon oedd ei thrydedd daith canyon erioed). Ar ôl tri stop pwll ar gyfer hetiau, sbaneri a hwmws post-canyoning (nid yn y drefn honno - bydd y drefn a'r cyfuniad yn cael eu gadael fel ymarfer i'r darllenydd), nid oedd Marie bellach yn edrych fel y mwyaf garw ar y daith. Yn anffodus, symudodd y bai yn ôl i Marie pan fu'n rhaid i Dickon yrru am gyfnod heb ei ddatgelu i lawr y ffordd i gael rhyngrwyd i lawrlwytho'r disgrifiad o'r llwybr fel ein bod yn gwybod beth oedd ar y gweill.</p>
<p>
<p>Gan fod Dickon yn delio â llanast Marie, gwisgodd Chi ei siwt wlyb a'i sanau gwlyb. Yn anffodus, roedd yr archeb yn is-optimaidd, ac roedd angen ei haddasu. Byddai hyn yn gofyn am gyfnod hir o noethni, a fyddai'n amlygu celciau beicwyr i ddyndod Chi ei hun. Ar ben hynny, byddai fflachio Dickon wedi newid deinameg y grŵp fel y byddai Marie a minnau'n teimlo ein bod ni'n drydydd a phedwaredd olwyn.</p>
<p>
<p>Ar y daith gerdded i fyny, cyflawnwyd bondio grŵp wrth i Wassil rannu ei ofn dwfn o dyllau gwlyb bach, a cheisiodd ei wynebu trwy fynd i mewn i dwll o'r fath (pibell ddraenio dan rod). Ar wahân i t, ni ddigwyddodd dim o unrhyw ddiddordeb ar y daith gerdded i fyny. Cyraeddasom ben y canyon, pan benderfynasom ein bod yn glaf o gerdded wrth ymyl y streamweay a disgyn i mewn iddo.</p>
<p>
<p>O ganlyniad i anghofio popeth a ysgrifennwyd yn y canllaw (cawsom ychydig o sesiwn darllen grŵp), roedd y Canyon yn llif cyson o syrpreisys. Roedd y diffyg gwybodaeth hwn yn atal ein gallu i neidio, gan ein gorfodi i droi at abseilio yn lle hynny. Un rhaeadr arbennig, Wassil abseilio gyntaf (nid yw'n hoffi dŵr cymaint â hynny mewn gwirionedd). Yna holodd Chi ynghylch dyfnder y pwll, ac atebodd Wassil "dau fetr", mewn gwirionedd yn golygu "o leiaf dau fetr". Y gwir yw, mae ofn dŵr dwfn ar Wassil ac nid oedd wir eisiau plymio ymhellach nag 20cm.</p>
<p>
<p>Aeth y Canyon yn ei flaen gyda set o feysydd diddorol ond technegol gan gynnwys rhaeadr ddwbl gyda throbwll a achosir gan hypothrtmia a llinell groesi hynod o uchel a rwystrodd Marie rhag gadael y pwll a grybwyllwyd. Ar ôl cael ei llusgo allan o'r pwll, nid oedd Marie bellach yn marw o hypothermia. Roedd ail gam y rhaeadr ddwbl yn cynnwys yr hyn a oedd yn edrych fel naid ond a ystyriwyd yn rhy dwp i Chi hyd yn oed roi cynnig arni. Er mwyn llywio hyn yn ddiogel bu'n rhaid abseilio i tua 3m oddi ar y dŵr ac yna disgyn yn rhydd. Ni chafodd Wassil y neges, gan arwain at dorri ei benelin ar silff fechan. Roedd yn ymddangos yn eithaf trist am hyn ac roedd angen cyfres o sesiynau cwtsh gourp i atal hypothrtmia yn ei siwt wlyb fer (pam fyddech chi'n canyon mewn hosrt wetsuit? - mae Wassil yn dadlau bod undersuit a oversuit yn gwella hyn. Nid yw'n gwneud hynny.)</p>
<p>
<p>Roedd yr ychydig leiniau nesaf yn llawer symlach ac ni hawliodd unrhyw anafiadau pellach. Fe wnaethom bhowever, aros yn eithaf oer a dechrau awydd diwedd y daith. Ar y ffordd daethom o hyd i rannau amrywiol o gloddio wedi'u gwasgaru ar draws y ceunant ac yn y diwedd cyrhaeddwyd y brif afon. Ar ôl taith gerdded fer yn ôl i'r car, gwledd a ffaff hwmw, penderfynodd Dickon fod yr arwyddion llwybr ceffyl yn amlwg wedi'u bwriadu ar gyfer cerbydau modur, er mawr siom i bawb arall yn llythrennol. Gan gynnwys cerddwyr. Dangosodd tri beiciwr eu diolchgarwch ar ffurf ystumiau wyneb amrywiol ac yn ystod ein hantur aethom drwy dwnnel diddorol a phontydd lluosog nad oedd yn ymddangos yn addas ar gyfer car o bedwar. Er gwaethaf protestiadau'r teithwyr, ni wnaeth Dickon droi o gwmpas ac roedd yn bendant bod ei "l</p>wybr" yn gyflymach. Daeth i'r amlwg bod ei "lwybr" mewn gwirionedd 6 munud yn gyflymach ac fe gyrhaeddon ni gyd i'r pryd expo ar amser.
<p>
<h3>APPENDIX A -- English Translation</h3>
<p>[See other logbook entry on this date]
<div class="timeug">T/U: 8.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-30z">2024-07-30</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Colin</u>,Fiona,Aidan,, Adam</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - what a way to spend a Tuesday</div>
Having scoped our lead the day before having failed to survey it, sorry Becka we dragged Adam and Fiona down with us to help. the SAP however couldn't do long enough legs so was a mainly pointless exercise. I blasted down to the bottom to re-rig Dickon's traverse so we could exit out of the entrance series for a bit of variety and compare routes. We pointed Adam and Fiona in the directions of the good leads I'd seen while waiting for them to join me at the bottom. 
<p>
we then decided to leave by the normal route to end up doing the round trip to do a sporting trip. which is ironic on an expedition. there was much cursing of how bastardly and awkward some of the pitches are. I had all of the bolting kit along with a 40m rope that we had de rigged a couple of days ago so that was a heavy bag resulting in some slow prussiking. I also waited occasionality to tell the others where to go for some of the navigation required. we were out of the cave for 18:00.

<div class="timeug">T/U: 8.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-26z">2024-07-26</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>*,,,everyone...who stayed up this late</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Expo Dinner</div>
It seems best that an article about expo dinner should be written during the expo dinner celebrations itself and so I task myself with the task of doing such a job. Yes I jacob chuck choose to take time out nof the celebrations to write this article(many of people have gone to bed I will igrnore that aside from : sorry i hope you can sleep wel;l my heartfelt condolences go out to you)
<P>
well what to say. A very eventful night. Expo leaded read a speech, Expo leader got thrown in the river, What else copuld have happened????
<p>
<P>
We're now sat in the tatty hut listening to the rolling stones.
<P>
<em>IMPORTANT TO REMBER</EM>
<br>-broken bottles cut hands
<br>-dont drink too much
<br>-drink water.... that reminds me
<br>-dont drink too much
<p>
<p>
well as I speak big tom himself has given up
he has collapsed on the floor, absolute scenes, he had to be lifted up be Chi 
<P>
he is back on the floor. Isaac begins to fight him.
"ill break your knee caps" says big TOm
"its comfy" he adds.
isaac gives up and returns to his seat.
<P>
now. Bon Jovi begins to play. May I(bier tent) add that this song fucking sucks. Ok well big Tom is up and dancing with Isaac(I know the development).
'we gotta hold on to what we got'
<P>
the music cuts.
<P>
the music continues.
<P>
Isaac and big tom are fighting.
<P>
now they are sat down... very civil.
<P>
the river is being discussed.
<P>
pink floyd came on for about 1.5 seconds.
philip S was happy about that.
<P>
ok about time that I (bier tent) joined in with this great party(went to sleep).
<P>
Just a reminder:expo is over, we found all the cave.
<br>
Expo is now more of a holiday really, just going down all these already discovered leads...
<P>
anyway
<P>
bier tent out! o7
<div class="timeug">T/U: -3.2 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-09z">2024-07-09</div>
<div class="trippeople">Ruairidh, <u>Philip S</u>, </div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Ruairidh arrived</div>
by train
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-09y">2024-07-09</div>

<div class="trippeople">Philip B, <u>Philip S</u>, </div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - COVID</div>
Philip B should have been arriving today but has caught covid from NSS in USA, so staying in Salzburg for a few days.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-10a">2024-07-10</div>
<div class="trippeople">Becka, <u>Philip S</u>, </div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Dentist and Amazon</div>
Becka went to the dentist (temporary filling) and then up the hill.

8kg of mashed potato and 2.5kg of milk powder arrived via amazon.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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