Week 1 Mini Expedition

Andrew Berry

This Saturday we visited Worley's Cave in Bluff City, Tennessee.
I researched Worley’s cave online and this is what I discovered:
Worley's Cave is known for its voluminous size. It has more than 37,000 feet of mapped passages on two levels. There are rooms more than 75 feet wide and 250 feet long, with high 100 feet.

I love Worley’s cave because you get to crawl through it. I like to crawl around in caves. We also got wet and muddy, as we had to walk through small rivers in the cave that were up to our knees.


David Hollander

On our mini expedition we went caving. We went to a cave in Tennessee called Worley’s. The cave is about eight miles deep. It is a very muddy and wet cave. About half way through our caving experience we started to hear someone yell, “help!” At first we thought it was just a joke, but we kept hearing someone yell help.

Our counselor Kit decided to go see what was going on. After about three minutes we heard Kit yell for us to come to him. We starting walking towards his voice and then his voice vanished. We kept calling his name and we got no answer. We then all thought that it was a trick and someone killed him. Thankfully, after about five minutes we heard his voice again.

Kit told us that a couple had been stuck in the cave since 10:30 in the morning; it was now 5:30. He also told us that the husband had fallen about 30 feet and could barely walk. He had a punctured lung and broken ribs. Once we got there you could tell that the guy was in a lot of pain and it was very hard for him to walk or move.

We decided to walk back to the opening of the cave while helping the couple through the obstacles. It took about four hours to get back to the opening of the cave. When we got out of the cave the couple both said that we had saved their lives. I felt very good knowing that I could help someone in this way.

Dylan Smythe

The first time I went to Worley’s Cave, my group wasn’t able to go through the whole cave. We were only able to sleep in the cave, but then we had to leave. This time we got to go farther into the cave because we were a smaller group.

While we were close to the ‘end’ of the trip, we heard a yell “help” that came from ahead. We found out that a couple was in the cave; the woman just had a hip replacement and the man had fallen 30 feet and had broken some of his ribs.

We backtracked the four miles to get out of the cave. After three hours, the couple was relieved to finally get out of the cave. Once everyone had changed into clean dry clothes, at 11:00, we started to drive back to base. I slept through the night because of the long, exhausting day our team experienced.

Jon Adkins

Hello my name is Jonathan. This is my first semester at SOAR. My group and I are going to go to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian this Friday. Here are some links for information on this museum:

· http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/
· www.cherokeemuseum.org/education-warriors.htm
www.cherokeemuseum.org/education-experience.htm


Here is more information about the museum:

The museum reaches beyond its walls to help tribal members revitalize traditions of stamped pottery, Cherokee dance, finger weaving with beads, rivercane basketry and more. By sponsoring the Warriors of AniKituhwa, the museum has helped bring to life Cherokee dances from three centuries ago, and has enabled these cultural ambassadors to travel to the National Museum of the American Indian, Colonial Williamsburg, Quebec, Germany, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and throughout the Southeast.
Learn more about us on our website, and visit us in the beautiful mountain homeland of the Cherokee. Denadagahoyv—We will be seeing you!

Michael Strange

This semester has been awesome so far. We have had one mini adventure to Worley’s cave. It is eight miles long and 37,000 feet deep.

Before our fist adventure we had first aid, CPR and life guard training, so we knew how to handle what was ahead. When we got to the cave our instructors Cassey, Kit and Amanda gave out headlamps and helmets to wear in the cave. We headed down the trail to the cave. We walked about 20 feet into the cave and then we saw a metal gate. As we went a couple steps into the cave we saw a bag - we didn’t touch it because we knew it was someone else’s property.

We went about two and half-hours into the cave and we had to go over a formation called the Sattle. (Believe me its hard). As soon as we took a couple steps I heard a cry for help. Kit, our instructor and an Emergency Medical Technician, said, “Stay right there” and climbed over the rock and disappeared. We had to sit for a minute and then we called for Kit.
Then Amanda said, “On the count of three we’ll call for Kit.” “One two… hey Amanda, Cassy - it was Kit! (Feeww!) Then we see Kit coming over the rocks. After that we voyaged on towards the hurt couple.

When we first went looking for the couple, we passed a rocky passageway that led into another room in the cave. We went into a room of the cave with a little stream going into it - we followed the stream back to the couple. The husband was trying to find the river and get out so he climbed some rocks and fell 15 feet straight down and then another 15 feet. He had a fractured rib cage and amazingly we all worked together. Even with our disabilities we made it through the cave; now we know “how to save a life."

For more information visit http://www.mtnadventureguides.com/sitepages/pid98.php