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TAG TEAM - Team Vinzant Drops TAG Woody Vinzant Team Vinzant (Woody, Matt, and Andy) went to TAG for a few days. We were invited to stay at the TAG House by some of the TAG cavers we met at the Florida Cave Cavort. We arrived Friday around 11:00 am. We had until 2:00, when we were supposed to meet the TAG caver who invited us. The three "Vinzant Boys" went to Sue's Store and headed up to Rusty's Cave. We knew this was supposed to be a good photography cave, so we brought plenty of cameras. It was a good thing Andy brought the vertical gear, because I was to busy with camera gear to know what to bring. The 40 foot drop was beautiful. The astonishing cave was heavily decorated with "unusual formations." We went back to the TAG House and met up with our host who took us on a long hike to "Moses Tomb." This is a 230 foot drop inside a three foot wide fissure. The Tomb is shaped like a huge scuba tank. The three of us dropped the pit and climbed out. This was by far the deepest rappel and climb for any of us. After dinner, the three of us decided to go night caving at 10:00 p.m. in Howard's Waterfall. We wanted an easy cave after all the hiking and climbing earlier. This exceptional cave was much bigger than I thought it would be. It had plenty of walking passage after all we didn't come to TAG to crawl (much). We got back to the TAG House just before 1:00 am. When we got up at 6:30 am there was another caver named Keith sleeping on the floor. He got up with us and he, our host, and us went for breakfast where we met up with Jeff (GPS man). He has GPS listings for almost every cave in TAG. After breakfast, we went to a little pit called Valhalla. To make it up there you have to have a four wheel drive. The logging road can get nasty. Valhalla is a massive, gorgeous pit. With my stomach in my throat, I was the last to drop. For 230 feet I thought "This is beautiful, I have to climb out, This is beautiful, I have to climb out...etc...." Looking up is amazing! To me, this is the only other place as pretty as Stephens Gap. We took turns climbing out on the two ropes we rigged. It took me at least 20 minutes to climb out, while it took Andy 15, and Matt 10. After everyone was up we packed our gear in the trucks and headed around the mountain to Neversink. We kept hearing terms like "Hell Hike"; and "The hike is harder than the climb out." I now know why. With our climbing gear, cameras and ropes, in combination with the thin air we aren't used to (and we just climbed out of Valhalla 45 minutes ago) made us some sweaty, panting cavers. Neversink is a 167 foot deep, wonderful open air pit. It has water splashing down one side making a nice rainbow inside the pit. It didn't look that tough after doing the two deeper pits. It wasn't as hard climbing up as the "Hell Hike" leading up to it (where did I hear that before?). Moss and fern lined walls made this a picturesque site. An overhang made a perfect place to sit and watch the water fall in while cavers climb out. The hike down the mountain was easy and filled with talk of Neversink (and women). After we ate at a local Mexican restaurant, our host went back to the house. Jeff (and his GPS) went with us to "Manitou Cave" in Fort Payne. Matt and Andy have told me numerous times about this neat cave and wanted me to go there. It was only about 6:00 p.m., so we went. As we started up the hill we could feel the cold air of Manatou rolling down to meet us. The four of us spent over two hours poking and looking around. Matt and Andy ran from place to place "This is where Bill Birdsall went down into the stream bed," they told me. I doubt it. Bill only does the entrance to caves, he doesn't really go "into" them, I thought. "Here is where the Beck's and Brian went" it made me feel as if I was there with the FSS during the last Fall Cave In, even if I wasn't. We got back to TAG house around 10:00 p.m.. Jeff spent the night also. The next morning the host gave us directions to lock up TAG House, and he went home. Jeff gave us GPS coordinates to caves on Fox Mountain. The three of us hiked for hours, but didn't find much (except for ticks). The coordinates we got from Jeff didn't line up. That was okay because we were beat. After cleaning and locking up, we started our 11 hour drive home. Thanks to TAG House for the hospitality and Brian Williams who let me borrow his Rope Walker (otherwise, I would be hanging dead on a rope somewhere in TAG). Rusty's 
Howard's Waterfall 
Valhalla 
Neversink 
 
 
Manitou 
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