Team Vinzant, Brian Williams and Becky Dettorre slipped out of the TAG Fall Cave-In campground early Saturday morning and headed up to drop Cagle's Chasm in South Pittsburg, TN. All of us had been here before except Becky, this would be her first time at this 185 footer.

Cagle's has multiple entrances with varying depths and different routes to the bottom. The main pit is about 30 feet across and 185' deep. The second entrance is also known as "Jeepside" and lies just up the hill and to the right. This small entrance is a multi-drop where you rap 100 ft to a room with a few small side leads, then drag your rope on through a fissure and use the bolts to redirect and drop the final 85 ft to the bottom of the main shaft. Once we were all on the bottom at 100 ft., Matt crawled through the 20' foot fissure and rigged the second drop. Matt went first, followed by Woody, Becky, Brian and Andy. It was really awesome to see them rappel from a hole in the wall half way down such a deep pit.

We spent time taking pictures, cutting up and enjoying the beauty of the sheer black glistening walls of this chasm. Then we started the climb out. Woody went first and waited there to help Becky negotiate the "lip". After everyone was back up to the first room, we started climbing again. Becky was next to the last coming up and got treated to the Vinzant rendition of "Itsy bitsy Spider." It's wonderful "gallows humor" and I'm sure the person climbing really appreciates it each time we sing it. This song should be sung loudly and with gusto, then really shout out that last part.

Becky's a spider climbing up the web. Beck's a spider hanging by a thread.

Becky's a spider if it breaks, She's DEAD!"

That's just wrong isn't it ? (That's Team Vinzant )

We sat and laughed a while, then headed back down the mountain. It's exhilarating to be back on the surface after a long climb, but it seems like we all have similar thoughts while climbing... .how strong is this rope, what's it rubbing against, why am I trusting this little piece of webbing to hold me up, why am I doing this?" But then you get out and look back and think "Man that was awesome!"

After a quick dinner at Sonic, we headed over to Orme, Tennessee to hunt for Waterworks cave. Brian had been there several years ago but had not explored the whole cave. He wanted to go back and show it to us as well as spending a lot more time there. Well, he got his wish... we did end up spending a lot of time there... but that's another report.