Cyber Kittens and Cowboys Ipam (reading a book txt) 📖

Black Warrior River. Lake has 500 miles of shorelinesurrounding water surface covering 21,200 acres of land. Ibet….probably leaks like kid’s diaper directly into the heart ofBirmingham forming an underground cavern which is probably alsooff-limits.” She reads, softly. “Lake lies adjacent to BankheadNational Forest, home of Alabama’s largest trees, north of Shadesand Double Oak Mountains and many underground caves. Some famousones are Russell Cave, DeSoto Cavens and Rickwood Cavens.”

She eye burns screen, ponders, deeply. “It’snot here. No wonder it didn’t display during search.”

She clicks on satellite imagery of Alabamapinpointing Birmingham showing pink suburbs, dark green forest& dark midnight black rivers north of Shades and Double OakMountains, many fresh water lakes feeds Black Warrior River withpopulation of 242,820 people. She verifies the location & has anew plan. Pamela clicks on “caving.”

Library Public Telephone.

Ring! Ring! Pamela begins, swiftly topresident of caving organization located in Birmingham. “Hi,I’m…Pat. I’m new to caving. I just read info on your website andhave some questions.”

Pause.

“Ya know, I’m…like a beginner and would likeexplore just simple one cave for starters. Maybe, one that’s easyto get in and out with minimal equipment. Can you assist me?”

Pause.

“Birmingham Grotto, website quoted that ya’llknow where the caves are.” Pamela studies her written notes onpaper.

Pause.

“I read that, also. DeSoto Cavens, RickwoodCavens and Russell Cave in the north of the state. So, your nextmeeting, Monday, 7:00pm, Public Library of Southside. Yes, writingit down. Can you tell me what’s it like inside a cave, being a landlover mostly?”

Pause.

“Yeah, I’m a funny girl.”

Pause.

“Why’s Russell Cave near Warrior closed? Isthat usual, I mean this is nature? Why would nature be closed?”

Pause.

“Yeah, I’m humorous.”

Pause.

“O! Got it. Park rangers escort you severalhundred yards along the boardwalk to a locked gate. Once opened,you can walk to the dry creek bed, then follow the bed to a couplepuddles of water. Don’t drink the water. Noted for futurereference.”

Pause.

“So, you can walk around the water but not onthe archeo sites. What’s an archeo?”

Pause.

“Archeologist site, yeah, makes sense. Okay,so when do you glide under the stalactites?”

Pause.

“Not allowed without special permission fromthe state government mining office. Gotta make certain I’m not aterrorist belonging to an underground organization to blow MotherNature, huh?”

Pause.

“O! So, cavers in Alabama and Tennessee arerequired to be escorted by park rangers and file paperwork with thepark people. That’s takes the fun out of exploring?”

Pause.

“Yeah, terrorists have all the fun.”

Pause.

“Really, that’s cool! Your wife discovered acave near your house. Did you enter it?”

Pause.

“That sound like fun. Are there undiscoveredcaves closer to Birmingham? I know the location of Warrior. That’sa hefty drive from Homewood where I live.”

Pause.

“Keystone Bridge Cave, Gate City Cave, ChalkCave then there’s Quarry Cave in Trussville. But ain’t quarriescurved by man, not Mother Nature?”

Pause.

“I’m witty and smart. Tell me about Gate CityCave?”

Pause.

“Strenuous mile and ¼ hike up Ruffen Mountainoff nature trail into small cave of wet water past your waist going547 feet, I don’t like that one. Is there a dry cave...you enjoy?What about Gate City Cave?”

Pause.

“Requires permission slip, check. How aboutChalk Cave?”

Pause.

“Chalk Cave? What can you quote about ChalkCave?”

Pause.

“Closed? O! No ranger guards or terroristsleft.” Pamela chuckles, lightly.

Pause.

“Accident, when?”

Pause.

“Two years ago, the cave never re-opened. Whoclosed it?”

Pause.

“Feds, huh? Any more background?”

Pause.

“Spelunking Snail Cave, tomorrow, near-by toChalk, might see some terrorists. Ha! Ha! That’s fun, Roger.”

Pause.

“Bring gear, lunch, sturdy shoes, helmet andwater, tomorrow, meet at Patterson Farm off Highway 31. Okay? Yeah,I do have basic knowledge of rigging and safe practices.”

Pause.

“You’re a nice person, Roger. See ya’ll atsix.”

Time: 6:03 pm. Snail Cave.

Pamela appears as pic on magazine for grotto.Helmet contains portable flashlight, turtle neck cotton longsleeved shirt over old baggy jeans, hiking boots, black rough cowhide gloves on hands, thick plastic cloth-covers on knees holdinglight all-purpose weather jacket in right arm with left arm coveredin rope for rigging after spending close to $1,000 for new cavinggear.

She taxis, loungingly in back of cab,ponders, deeply her money, her time and her person. She has beenspending lots of money on taxi cabs moving quietly around city ofBirmingham, purchasing disguises, food and now, equipment for herlatest endeavor, spelunking. She has $200 and pennies left in herbackpack not enough to pay for another week of renting the cheapmotel room. She sighs, breathes, deeply.

If she doesn’t find the answer at Chalk Cave,then she steals more money from another innocent person. Right?Wrong? She sighs, breathes, deeply. Pamela has to make an executivedecision after investigating cave site without or with answers.

If she finds the answer, she runs to Prestonfor help. He might be mad at her, now but he’ll assist her.

If she doesn’t find the answer, she’ll turnherself into FBI for arrest going to Preston before she goes toGeneva. Preston’ll be highly upset and mad but she doesn’t have achoice.

Taxi jolts, swiftly to local farm as she paysthe fare.

She meets her new fellow cavers. Afternon-fanfare ceremony of her new acquired fake name of “Pat” andreal Grotto T-shirt, she hauls, heavily one sleeping bag, threeblankets & single picnic basket of tin cans to Yamaha UtilityATV, quad 4-wheeler. She guns, slowly little vehicle while Juliasnaps pics and records Mother Nature sleeping. She halts as otherlittle trucks line like baby ducks waiting for Mama.

Pamela slings, heavily gear out and down ontopartially damp ground lacking sunshine in shade. She camps,seriously the night enjoying lousy jokes, scary tales, and off-keysinging of natives. Finally, she studies, studiously map as SnailCave intersects Chalk Cave on Northwest shoot-off.

7:08 am. Saturday. Snail Cave.

Roger shouts, obnoxiously at the nosilyherds. “Back-up batteries? Over here? Extra biners over there?Decension devises? Right here?” He checks, swiftly watch. “Movingout in 10 minutes, finish up!”

Male tenor voices of Roger, explains, fullyto Pamela. “Called Mitchell Climbing System includes caving gear,vertical gear, rotary hammer drill, batteries and back-up batteriesor short version…cavepack…or survival pack.”