Can you believe there are only 6 days left before we kick things off for the 2024 Weeklong Mammoth Cave Restoration camp?! It’s shaping up to be another incredible camp with lots of work and fun planned. We are kicking things off with a Resto Camp Thanksgiving Howdy Party on Sunday evening around 5 PM, please join us if you can. I’ll be frying up some turkey and serving it with all the fixings!

We will once again be working with the James Cavers on Monday and Tuesday. If you are comfortable with Vertical work don’t forget to bring your gear as there may be opportunities to get on rope. Wednesday – Friday, we will be returning to our favorite of all places, El Ghor! OK, fine, but hear me out, there are lots of objectives to keep us having fun. Transformers, transformer parts, concrete demo, if that wasn’t enough to draw you in, we will also have more work on George’s Pass! Our always fun wetsuit river run will make a return as well. If you have gear for cave water work, please bring it as there will be opportunities to get in the river.

Wednesday night is pizza night in the park, followed by our special Wednesday night camp photo and educational trip. Thursday night we are very thankful to have been invited to the Mammoth Cave Employee Awards dinner in the park. We will enjoy a potluck dinner and have an opportunity to meet and spend time with all the amazing employees of the park. There is so much more but I’ll save that for camp.

One special note, the ferry is running reduced hours and will be open 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. Better than no ferry at all but there will most likely be times when we will need to drive around (Wednesday and Thursday evening for sure). We will adjust and go with the flow as always. I am so looking forward to spending a week at Mammoth with all my amazing friends and family.

Brian

Dates and schedule:

Group dinner will be Sunday, Aug. 4.
We'll be underground the 5th-thru-9th (1/2 day on Fri. 9th).
Pizza party on Wed. 7th, followed by a short Reward trip.
Awards/dinner Fri. 9th.
Reward trip (short or long, your choice) on Sat. 10th.

On Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 01:14:27 PM CDT, Sophi Reaptress <sophi.reaptress@...> wrote:

Hi Brian! Super excited about weeklong! What are the dates again??

Thank you!

S

@sophireaptress?

Philadelphia Grotto Vice Chair?

NSS #?70920

On Fri, May 31, 2024 at 10:19?PM Brian via <macarestocamp=[email protected]> wrote:

Prepare yourselves for the grandest adventure of the summer! The much-anticipated August Weeklong Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp is coming your way, and I’ve got some BIG news for you!

?

Mark your calendars and set your alarms because the registration form will go LIVE on June 1st at the stroke of Midnight Eastern Time! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the gates to the extraordinary world beneath the surface will be flung open at the witching hour!

?

Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to join fellow adventurers in preserving the natural wonder that is Mammoth Cave.

?

You can find the registration form at or directly at the link below.

?

?

Brian

Prepare yourselves for the grandest adventure of the summer! The much-anticipated August Weeklong Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp is coming your way, and I’ve got some BIG news for you!

?

Mark your calendars and set your alarms because the registration form will go LIVE on June 1st at the stroke of Midnight Eastern Time! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the gates to the extraordinary world beneath the surface will be flung open at the witching hour!

?

Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to join fellow adventurers in preserving the natural wonder that is Mammoth Cave.

?

You can find the registration form at or directly at the link below.

?

?

Brian

Prepare yourselves for the grandest adventure of the summer! The much-anticipated August Weeklong Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp is coming your way, and I’ve got some BIG news for you!

?

Mark your calendars and set your alarms because the registration form will go LIVE on June 1st at the stroke of Midnight Eastern Time! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the gates to the extraordinary world beneath the surface will be flung open at the witching hour!

?

Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to join fellow adventurers in preserving the natural wonder that is Mammoth Cave.

?

You can find the registration form at or directly at the link below.

?

?

Brian

Rick, I think the 2x6 clamps and slings would be valuable. And we will be sure to get you all the latest pictures, news, and gossip from the excavation!

Brian?

On Apr 29, 2024, at 11:23?AM, Rick Olson via <rickardolson16=[email protected]> wrote:

?

Sounds great Brian and all!

I am recovering well, but it apparently takes 6-8 weeks to heal up. So don't have a thoracotomy/lobectomy recreationally. I am really curious to see how the excavation near the elevator goes. I can offer encouragement from the peanut gallery.?

Should I bring the two by six for carrying panels? Can't recall the best rig with it so let me know if clamps and slings are needed.

Best, Rick?

Oh, I hung lanterns on either side of my calendar. They go well together.

On Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 8:10?PM Brian via <macarestocamp=[email protected]> wrote:

Can you believe it’s less than a week away before the start of May Camp?! Well, I certainly can, and I better start packing.

It’s shaping up to be a great camp with not two, not three, but FOUR tasks on hand to keep everyone busy. Leading off we will of course have the always popular Lint Crew led by Linda and Pam. We will continue our work in El Ghor/Silliman moving the now much beloved transformer parts. In addition, our work on George’s Path will continue and we also now have approval to start working from the other side and removing concrete. I know, I had the same thought, “I love concrete!”. Lastly, we have been informed that some local hooligans have tagged an area of Cedar Sink so I will take a small torch brigade to see if we can’t burn it off.

We will be staying at Maple Springs and hopefully the weather will cooperate for the much-anticipated burn off between Dave and Chuck! We will be continuing the Saturday night potluck dinner as this has been a great way to hang out and catch up with our resto family. If you are in the area and looking for something to do Saturday night, bring a dish and join us for dinner. We plan on starting around 6ish.

Can’t wait to see you all.

Brian

<PXL_20240329_190830549.jpg>

Can you believe it’s less than a week away before the start of May Camp?! Well, I certainly can, and I better start packing.

It’s shaping up to be a great camp with not two, not three, but FOUR tasks on hand to keep everyone busy. Leading off we will of course have the always popular Lint Crew led by Linda and Pam. We will continue our work in El Ghor/Silliman moving the now much beloved transformer parts. In addition, our work on George’s Path will continue and we also now have approval to start working from the other side and removing concrete. I know, I had the same thought, “I love concrete!”. Lastly, we have been informed that some local hooligans have tagged an area of Cedar Sink so I will take a small torch brigade to see if we can’t burn it off.

We will be staying at Maple Springs and hopefully the weather will cooperate for the much-anticipated burn off between Dave and Chuck! We will be continuing the Saturday night potluck dinner as this has been a great way to hang out and catch up with our resto family. If you are in the area and looking for something to do Saturday night, bring a dish and join us for dinner. We plan on starting around 6ish.

Can’t wait to see you all.

Brian

Hi Resto Crew,

As you may or may not have heard, our good friend, longtime NPS liaison and now-retired Mammoth Cave Park Ecologist, Rick Olson, underwent surgery last week to remove a polyp on his lung.

Brian and I spoke by phone Thursday evening with Rick, who was recovering at a post-surgery facility.

Rick said his surgery was deemed 'successful,' however the pathology report (up to 2 weeks from now) would tell more. He was jovial, as always, and was looking forward to being released and back at his home this weekend.

In the meantime, to cheer Rick's spirits and aid his recovery, I'd urge everyone reading this to reply with a one- or two-sentence sentiment, which I will condense into one email message and send to him.

Here's mine:
Rick, here's wishing you a speedy recovery. We're all pulling for you! -GaryG

Hi Resto Crew,

As you may or may not have heard, our good friend, longtime NPS liaison and now-retired Mammoth Cave Park Ecologist, Rick Olson, underwent surgery last week to remove a polyp on his lung.

Brian and I spoke by phone Thursday evening with Rick, who was recovering at a post-surgery facility.

Rick said his surgery was deemed 'successful,' however the pathology report (up to 2 weeks from now) would tell more. He was jovial, as always, and was looking forward to being released and back at his home this weekend.

In the meantime, to cheer Rick's spirits and aid his recovery, I'd urge everyone reading this to reply with a one- or two-sentence sentiment, which I will condense into one email message and send to him.

Here's mine:
Rick, here's wishing you a speedy recovery. We're all pulling for you! -GaryG