YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST BOARD MEETING!
The Helderberg Hudson Grotto proudly invites the National Speleological Society Board of Governors, all interested cavers and their guests to a Board Weekend November 4-6, 2005 in Albany, NY. Come to the Capital District to witness the NSS in action and to talk to the leaders who make a difference. The Board meets in various parts of the country so that they can meet local cavers and discus issues.
EVENTS
Friday Night Party, 5 PM to Midnight. PH: 518-346-1361
Centrally located and close to the airport, gather at the spacious home of Carl Snyder and BarbaraLapidis for one of HHG’s famous potluck suppers. Food will be spaced over a five hour period so you don’t have to arrive early. Registration for the weekend will be there as well as airport transportation and accommodation selections.
Saturday Board Meeting, 9 AM to 6 PM PH: 518-786-7636
Meeting at CT Male’s Conference Room, 50 Century Hill Road, Latham, NY. Registration will be there during the morning. Generally there is a closed session of the Board around 12-2 PM; members will go out for lunch then. Noon time phone: 518-786-7518.
Saturday Night Party, 5 PM to Midnight PH:_(Cells)______
Location: Point of WoodsRecreationCenter, end of Washington Ave. Ext., Albany, NY.
A catered buffet dinner by the fireside will be accompanied with a short presentation about the successes of the Northeastern Cave Conservancy. This may aid you in deciding where to go on Sunday. Also many of the NSS Board members will want to continue talking and local cavers will be their targets!
Sunday
Free breakfast at Speleobooks in Schoharie 7-10 AM! Check out your favorite vendor!
Surface Tours: See your dues money being put to good use!
NSS: Gage, Schoharie, McFail’s Preserves. (All close to Speleobooks.)
NCC: Sellecks, Knox, Ella Armstrong, Clarksville, Onesquethaw Preserves.
The Cave House: 10-2 PM open house. Originally built as Lester Howe’s hotel, it is in the HowesCave quarry. It is currently under restoration as a museum of mining and geology and houses some marvelous artifact of old HowesCave.
ShowCaves: Howe and Secret Caverns
National Speleological Foundation Meeting: Howe Caverns Restaurant. Details to follow.
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Caving Trips: (Weather and interest dictates.)
Clarksville
Onesquethaw
Schoharie
Vertical Caving:
Sellecks Preserve
Ella Armstrong
Non-Caving Activities in the Albany Area
StateMuseum: Special display is that of emergency vehicles. Ambulances never seemed so interesting! The 9-11 exhibit is a heart-stopper. Ride the wooden horses on the carousel. Regrettably search the mineral collection for speleothems from your favorite cave.
Albany Institute of History & Art: Details to follow.
ThatcherState Park: If it’s a clear day, you can see forever on the limestone escarpment overlooking the Capital District. If it’s stormy or foggy, study the limestone at your feet. It could be argued that the science of speleology started here in the early 1800’s.
CohoesFalls: Near the confluence of the Hudson and MohawkRivers, the CohoesFalls is the largest falls east of Niagara. If it’s raining hard, don’t fail to see it. If it’s not raining, buy the postcard because hydroelectric interests drain the falls of nearly everything and you are left staring at a 70 foot high by 900 foot wide rock cliff. The top of the falls is where the 10,000 year old mastodon was discovered in 1869 and placed in the State museum’s entrance. A replica is found in the Cohoes Library, 169 Mohawk Street.
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Of interest in the Cohoes area is the remains of the starting point of the Erie Canal, Governor Clinton’s Big Ditch that opened the West in the early 1800’s. That’s West, as in Ohio and west. The Music Hall, 58 Remsen Street, has good exhibits and self-guided tour brochures.
Also in the Cohoesarea at 154 Western Avenue is the oldest house in AlbanyCounty. Built circa 1727, the old Dutch farmhouse is currently under the stewardship of cavers Christa Hay and NiceBob Addis.
Schenectady/Scotia Air Museum: Old airplanes, what else? Details to follow.
Vroman’s Nose: If it’s a clear day, an easy hike rewards you with stunning views of the SchoharieValley. Take Rt. 30 south through Schoharie and Middleburgh. In about 1.0 mile after crossing the bridge at Middleburgh, take the first right and drive a short distance to parking. Signs are plentiful.
MORE TO COME!!!