Hello all!

We finally made it to the cave! It’s been a long haul but we finally made it, and it was not easy. We are in a small town at the base of a mountian Tetutican or something like that. The cave is 7,000 feet above us just past the town of Conception Pápalo or somethng like that. First off the road there had many splits and no signs, so we would ask farmers and local people. Eventually we were on the right road and it was a long rough climb, like I said, 7,000 feet! Eventually things started to cool off and get plesant, it is so hot down here in the valley!

We stoped in Conception Pápalo for breakfast and directions, this is where we ran into trouble. The restaraunt was closed. But the owner poked his head out and we started a conversation, he spoke a little english, so we asked directions. Soon we had a nice map drawn and a crowd round us. Eventually one of the men insisted we follow him into an office. There, very freindly, he told us it was impossible for us to visit the cave. We started telling him why we should be allowed to go. Soon more men were in the office. Police cheif, on down to clerk. Both sides had a good argument, but neither side could understand the other´s language.

My freind Rusty had warned me about this, and had coached me on a speech. So in a grandios manner, I made a grandly eloquent plea. Bigger words than I ever use, “Honor, respectfully, permission, deep gratitude, some more honor” I went on and on. Chuck was suprized and kept interjecting that they did not understand what I was saying and adding “O” to my key words. In return the Presidente made a big elaborate speech that we didn’t understand. We were at a stale mate. We had our passports out, our drivers licences, our mexican insurance papers, Chuck had even gotten out a wad of cash to let them see we were not beyond buying a “pass” to the cave.

I got out my translation book and wrote out a short note, using some more respectful big words, promised not to go in the cave it’s self, then printed and signed my name, Chuck printed and signed also. They passed it around and the mood started to swing.

Then Chuck told them we had been on televison the day before and they were hooked. Soon he had out his digital camera showing his photo infront of the camera crew and we were now celebrities! We were granted permission! Oh thanks to the digital camera!

We jumped on our bikes and headed up the hill with the whole town watching, unfortunatly we took a wrong turn and came back by the same group! They all waved us in the right direction and we were off!

We found a cool restaraunt up on the hill with an incredible view and the very best orange juice I have ever tasted! More eggs, hold the babies. The girls here were very sweet and freindly and open to meeting new people. The town I am in now is totally afraid of me and I have a huge circle around me where no one will get near me.

Although the map was very good, we still got a little lost and wound up exploring many little roads untill we found what appeared to be a cave. This hollow area was very cool, lots of moisture and spanish moss hung from the trees, we spent about an hour exploring this micro jungle. It was very out of place this high in the dry highlands. Any how we gave up and moved to another road to explore.

This trail was awesome, pine needles covered the ground then out into grassy openings just following our instintcs to which way to go. Eventually we came to a huge rock wall, probally 300 feet tall. At the base was another grassy pasture and at the far end we could see a black hole. The trail go too difficult to ride, although Chuck tried to ride the last few feet but was stopped by a series of rock steps. Later he had to ride the bike back up this trai and it was tough! He had the big 950 just pinned running down any thing in it{s path, it was an awesome sight. He still has game after all these years!

I left my bike at the top of the hill and started hiking, down the steps, across the pasture then I could see what we were looking for, Cueve Cheve, the deepest cave in the world! It was no Yellowstone adventure trail, this was the real thing, unspoiled by the parks service. Nature at it’s finest.

Yes we HAD promised not to venture in to the cave, but we ignored our promise and started climbing down. We could hear water cascading down into??? It was cool and shady, a nice respite from the hot sun at 9,000 feet. We climbed over boulders and down to the waters edge, very cool. The main opening was maybe 100 yards across and funneled down to a hole in the wall with the shape of a key hole and the water was flowing through the key part. We took a bunch of photos and took a moment to reflect why we were here.

Like I´ve said in earlier postings, a freind of my family´s came down here exploring with a team 10 years ago. He didn´t make it back. My freind Rusty Riley got involved with the team from Indiana who came down to recover the body. It is a tremendous story and I plan on writing about it some day. I felt it was important to the story to visit the cave. To help me understand why some one would want to explore somthing like this.

Chuck and I were discussing it, the caver is alot like a dirt biker. We both desire to know whats around the next corner, see over the next rise, find new trail. Dirt Bikers are explorers too, maybe not as hard core as the cavers but we both have to have control of our selves when in a tricky situation. How many times have you been coming down a steep hill with the bike just swapping every direction and all you can do to save it is gass it? In control while out of control. How many instances while deep in a cave do you have to ignore what your mind is telling you and just gass it? See we are cut from the same cloth, and now I can see it. I guess I could have gone splunking in an Indiana cave and gotten the same idea, but what kind of story would that have made?

We lounged aroung the entrance for a while, talking and retelling the story that I had been told, I´ll tell you all about it later, but for now it´s back down the hill. We were exhausted. We had to stop back for more orange juice and photo´s with the family there, then back to Conception Pápalo to give a report. This went smoothly but on the way down to town, my brakes over heated and went away. The fluid is shot, after all the climbing and decending we have done, the fluid is just ruined. So I had to ride down a 7,000 foot rough gravel Mexican road, with no brakes. I was still with in my safe little envelope, well with in my skill level. Skills I had learned back in Indiana and brought here to test in the real world. Like my freind Chris, who had learned caving skills in Indiana, he brought them to the deepest cave in the world to test.
Unfortunatly, a small mistake cost him his life.

Okay, we made it off the hill safely and back to our motel room, we both fell asleep on the bed as soon as we got home. Then up for showers and dinner and internet. I checked the Pay Pal account and donations have been coming in, I want to thank my freind Dan Baker for his generous contribution, Thank´s buddy.

Chuck and I have come up with a plan, for every one who makes a donation, they will receive a small stone from inside Cueve Cheve, I grabbed a pocket full of them today. Also, and this was Chucks idea, any contributor will recive an autographed drawing of Chuck and I along with a note about the stone you recive. How about that? Are you excited now?

Okay, we don´t know what we are doing tomorrow, maybe south to the beach, maybe east to the Mayan ruins, we need time to look at the map and come up with a plan. We did get some good photo´s today, but this computer is so slow….. We will post them soon. So until then, thanks for visiting, keep the cards and letters coming and we will talk to you later.

Charlie and Chuck