The Massachusetts Caver - Boston Grotto

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struggled to keep up with about 1,300 hot bodies. As the attendees finished their meals, somebody rolled open several of the garage doors on the side of the building to let air into the big event hall. Several dozen people stepped out for some air as the NSS officials continued to read off awards and call people to the stage. Rich, John and I were talking to a woman from the Met Grotto when somebody ran up from the direction of the campground and yelled “a big storm with 80 mph wind is headed this way!!” Sure enough, the sky to the west looked ominously dark. Rich and John sprinted for our tent site, intending to pull down the two awnings before the wind struck. I was a few minutes behind them and about halfway across the field to hill and trees where we were camped when the wind started. At first I thought this was just the usual precursor to rain. But no rain came, and the wind got stronger . . . and stronger . . . I started running as fast as I could. I could see a huge cloud of dust and debris approaching from the direction of the beer tent and shower building west of me. Then a massive blast of wind hit — probably AT LEAST 80 mph, and I had to dodge flying tents, reams of paper and numerous small objects. The heaviest wind lasted maybe 10 seconds. At the moment of the peak wind, Rich, John and Steve were feverishly trying to break camp and pack the trucks, when Rich suddenly heard Joanne shouting “THE TREE, THE TREE, RUN, RUN!!” Rich jumped out the way as the black walnut tree split down the middle and two thirds of the tree came hurtling to the ground. One piece landed on Rich’s truck, another hit John’s screened awning, from which Rich and John had just removed the poles, and another section of the tree hit Steve & Joanne’s truck. About this time John’s tent went airborne and he almost went airborne with it, but he recovered his feet in time to stop his tent and catch a second passing tent with his free hand. The wind let up to around 40—50 mph, and I resumed running, but I could no longer easily recognize the way to go. Most tents were gone. Any awnings (wind shades, screen porches, flags, tarpaulins etc.) were gone or flattened to the ground. After I got to our campsite and assisted in getting our remaining stuff into the trucks, I be- The Massachusetts Caver Piercy’s Mill formations, photo by Michael Chu. Giant rimstone dams, photo by Michael Chu. gan to take in the tree damage. Our tree, a mere twig of its former self, was leaning at a crazy angle, and several large trees behind our tents had fallen down. I saw two big trees (3 - 4 foot in diameter) that had uprooted and squashed a car and a truck. The wind continued, now with light rain, as nightfall approached and it started to get dark. We were told by a running caver that another storm burst was just minutes away. By this time a group of survivors had donned hardhats and lights and organized search teams to look under Page 6
Vol. XXXI No. 4 July — August 2012 downed trees for injured conventioneers. We decided not to stick around. Rich Holub pulled his truck away from the trees and John and I jumped in, and soon we were on our way to Route 64 East., but not so easily. The electricity and all traffic signals were out in Lewisburg, with many trees down across the roads, and we had to use GPS to find creative ways around the many blockages that included Route 219, the main north-south road through town. No gas stations were operating, which thwarted many from leaving. We phoned Steve and explained our route to him. On the way East on Route 64, the damage extended for at least 50 miles into Virginia, with a few more downed trees blocking highway 64 and emergency crews working to remove trees and the occasional squashed car. Steve and Joanne arrived home in the Washington DC area at 4 AM to discover that the electricity was out even in Washington. Steve and Joanne had to tie the doors as much closed as possible with rope and drive carefully to keep from falling out. Steve’s truck sustained $3,500 in damages. When Rich and John and I reached working street lamps and gas stations in Virginia, it was immediately obvious that the tree limb had caused a crack in the rear fiberglass cap and numerous large and small dents in the top and side of Rich’s truck. We later learned that Rich’s truck sustained at least $4,000 in damages. We arrived in Boston at 9:30 AM the following morning. Most of us lost at least a few camping items or a convention beer glass or two. I lost my camera and a weeks worth of cave pictures in the chaos. The rain fly of John’s tent got shredded. But, not one of us was injured. Later we learned that the NSS managed to get the beer taps flowing around 1:30 AM, and then The Terminal Syphons rock band found a generator and entertained the dazed survivors until 4:30 AM. Most were too shaken up to sleep, if indeed they had any place TO sleep. I guess this is what happens when cavers trifle with the Mayan prediction of the end of the world. The storm hit just a few minutes before the ceremony to unite the 13 crystal skulls, preventing the ceremony. Post-storm carnage at Mayacon 2012, photos by Michael Chu. More photos can be found at cavechat.org. I believe that in reality the Mayans conned us. They were actually predicting a disastrous end to a certain Mayan-themed convention, not the end of the world, and 1,300 of us got caught up in the con. Harr, Harr, Harr! Page 7
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The Massachusetts Caver - Boston Grotto

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