Meet the CBITD Team

Well I suppose I should actually introduce the CBITD Team, without whom the CBITD Events would not take place

First off we have our most experienced Underground Exploration Team Member Anthony, aka Ant. He's a highly experienced Underground Explorer. And is the Teams Mine Locator.

He's also the Teams Action Man, Ropes, Ladders, tight spaces no problem.

His favourite phrase down a Mine is "come on". Ant suggests the locations which are suitable for the CBITD Events, his knowledge of navigation underground, is fantastic, he can read a Mine Map, like some can read a OS maps. Because of this Ant is also known as Charon the Guide to the Underground.

Ant is also our Geocoin Designer, and is responsible for the first CBITD Event Slate Geocoin, but more of that to come.

Next we have David, whilst not as experienced as Ant, he does have a good level of Underground experience. He's the Teams Hand Holder, the one who encourages and  supports CBITD Attendees who need it.

David talked me through walking down the incline in Cwmorthin, despite me suffering from Acrophobia. David is also a Cave Cache Owner.

David is into Kite flying/Surfing and Skiing, hence his geocacher user name of surfski.

Both Ant and David, are into Underground photography, in a major way, the photographs they take are fantastic

And finally myself, I'm Dave, the least experienced Underground Explorer on the Team, which helps with the organising of CBITD Events, a explanation of that to follow

I'm the creator of the CBITD concept, and the Teams Event Organiser. My role is to insure everything is put in place for the Events. As a Team we work hard to insure that safety of Attendee's is priority. So my lack of underground experience,  means that even though the events have got tougher and tougher, they remain within the abilities of the huge majority who wish to attend. Having to fight both Acrophobia and Claustrophobia, something I'm learning to cope with due to the events. Helps keep them open to as many as possible, as the events are set to my abilities.

During the events, I take the over watch role, to insure that Attendees do not put themselves in to difficulties. 

I mentioned the Slate Attendee Geocoin earlier on, well this came out of a discussion between Ant and myself, about a Attendee Wooden Geocoin. Ant designed both sides, and after the designs had been viewed, took the concept to Chris at NE Geocaching Supplies, with a query about whether they could be done in Slate.

To give him his due, Chris did not flinch and put in much time and effort to find just the right slate for the coin Attendee Slate Geocoin

The Front of the Slate Coin is Mine specific and customisable with a persons name, and to make it more unique, they will be handed out at the Miners picnic, at Queen Mary's Cafe

The Belly of the Weyre

So GC4PT9C The Belly of the Weyre  was the toughest up to that point of the CBITD events, not only to plan for, but for Attendees. Well this one had to be called that, for reasons that will become clear

Our walk started from Station Camp Site, our base for the weekend GC4WMDE Camping with the Cavemen! 

This shoot was taken from up the Hillside, on the Way to Penarth the home of the Ddraig.

All attendees meet up at the camp site, received their  Celestial Bar, before making the long assent up the hillside, the climb getting steeper the higher we got

Until we reached our Final Assembly Point, for a Final Briefing. Unfortunately due to being confronted by a local Bird Group, this was cut short and everyone quickly sent into Penarth.

 Once inside we let everyone roam freely, as whilst largish, it is hard to get totally lost. And members of the CBITD Team, had already been in the Mine, marking off danger points.

I've not posted too many pictures, just in case the CBITD Team, revisits Penarth, so as not to spoil the sheer awesomeness, you get from going into Penarth for the first time.

Whilst inside, we held a Miners Picnic, a thing the majority of attendees had never experienced before

Eventually it was time to head our way out, and back to our base.

I would like to Thank our Safety/Brew Team Phill  and  Jan - Sir and Lady Lannies/Lady Wasmiss for being ready with URNie the Trackable Urn, so we had a brew waiting for us, after our long trek back down

I'd also like to Thank

Charon our Guide to the Underworld without whom the CBITD events would not happen, so Thank you Ant- Ant89. And the other CBITD Team Member David - Surfski

In total the Celestial Bar In The Dark Team, took 82 Attendees, from the age of 6yrs, up to 60+ years old. Into and back out of unharmed (except for their jaws, from the jaw dropping experience they had ).

Maybe if we ever visit again, we will have to take everyone the direct route, straight up the Incline ( it's ok folks I'm just kidding )

 

Celestial Bar In the Dark-Tartarus

Celestial Bar In the Dark-Tartarus was the first and only, up to now CBITD Event, to have a Geocache, specifically put out for it, by CBITD Team Member Charon AKA Ant89.

Our target was in Ceriog Slate Mine, but to begin at the start.

Because of the limited amount of parking, near the Mine, we had everyone park in a Local Car Park, and meet up at the Shuttle Car point to hand out the Celestial Bars and load people into the Shuttles.

Once all the Shuttles were parked up, we set off on our Journey, though the early runners got caught out, and tried going completely upstream, rather than following the path further along, then crossing the stream, to the path leading to Cariog Entrance

Though the picture was taken on a dry day, the pipe can have one metre of water flowing out of it.

The pipe though only 20m long, is a back break, leg killing walk. And you are so relieved to be able to stand upright again

Then began our search for Ceriog Challenge: Perpetual Darkness

On reaching our goal, Adam - Skippy from Skippy and Pingu was sent to retrieve the container, as there was a very special surprise waiting in the container for him



Unbeknown to Skippy, Rebecca - Pingu had been deviously plotting and scheming with the CBITD Team. And had arranged for  1,000 Finds Geocoin, to be placed in the Container, for  Skippy to find


Once the Cache and Geocoin had been retrieved, the Log Book signed, and the Container put back, we took a diversion on the way out. To visit the fabled Jurassic Park

Before it was time to head back out of Ceriog, we had to face the tunnel of Pain again

My Thanks Goes to Charon - Ant89 without whom this Event would not have happened, so I close this Post with a Picture of Charon the Guide to the Underworld, leaving and coming back into the  Daylight

Celestial Bar In The Dark Event 3 Daylight

So GC4CX6V Celestial Bar in the Dark-Daylight the 3rd CBITD Event, and the most extreme yet.

This one took a lot of planning, involving detailed referencing to Tide Tables. It also had the first Camping Event, connected to CBITD Events GC4HHNH Go Wild 'Camping' on Anglesey

The Event was organised to visit GC12QCH Moe's Tavern which is a genuine high Terrain cache

We meet at the car park and after handing out the Celestial Bars [having learnt my lesson] we made our way down to the beach

In the picture can be seen the entrance to the Sea Cave, you have to access to get on top of the island.

Now in the week running up to the Event, I'd already made a Reckie visit, only to have failed to get on the top, due to my fear of heights. as after a scramble, you have to climb up 3 ledges, the last one being 1.2m bellow the Islands surface. Means a return journey, involves lying down and putting your feet over the edge, and lowering yourself down on to a tiny ledge.

So on the day of the Event, there was a Access Team, with Ant - CBITD Charon, going ahead and putting out a Grab Rope. Others on the Access team, helping people up and down the climb.

The Group set off from the Beach ad had to Traverse the Walk of Death

Walking on this is worse than walking on Ice.

Once cleared, we were at the Sea Cave Enterance

And our upward scramble started

until we could see Daylight, and with the help of the Access Team, got on to the Island. Which is where the Acrophobia kicked in again. I stood in the centre of the island, my knees knocking and wind pipe constricting.



I made myself stand and watch, until only the Access Team and myself were left, before going down. Only whilst scrambling down, to slip, and drive my shin from ankle to knee down a rock.



Once outside the Sea Cave, I stood and waited, until all the Access team were out, before we all made our way back to the Beach

Celestial Bar In The Dark Event 2nd event

I'd yet to start appropriately naming the CBITD Events, so just used CBITD, not original I know.

Celestial Bar In The Dark 2

So number 2, and another Mine Adit Event to do  GC2EVT3 Suitable for Ninjas which was a reincarnation of Suitable for Minors.

I knew from the start, that this one was not one I could face doing on my own, as you have to go through a very narrow hole, before the Adit opens up.

So having broke the duck, I decided to organise this one, knowing a Group find would get me in the Adit.

Once again I hauled the Celestial Bars, up a Lung Busting, Heart Shredding hill [I'm a slow learner]

At the coordinates and everyone met up, and the Celestial Bars were handed out.

 Then time to go into the Adit. Stood in line waiting my turn, and I was panicking that I'd not do it.

My turn came, and my heart thumping out of my Chest, and my wind pipe getting tighter and tighter, I put my legs into the darkness and started the climb through the tight hole,

 which was luckily enough less that 2m long, before getting slightly higher and a lot wider,

A good job, as we had to go past a dead sheep, which had been there at least a week, though after I got past it, there was a scream, as someone put her hand on it.

The Adit soon opened up to over 6ft high,

 we all strolled to the end, where the Cache was quickly found.

Then it was time for the Group Photo

Before it was time to head out, and reform up, before making our ways


   

What Why Who

CBITD events - Celestial Bar In The Dark Events started off completely unintentional and by accident

I organised GC3Z39Q 8-9-10-11-12 at Pant Y Fachwen as a Event to celebrate the 8th hour 9th minute of the 10th day of the 11th month of the 12th year of the 21st Century  

Pant Y Fachwen is a derelict Miners Cottage, on Prestatyn Hillside, which has Offas Dyke Long Distance Path running past it. Which I thought with the views out to sea, would be a ideal way to celebrate a memorable date.

However I'd forgotten that Pant Y Fachwen is directly above the Mine Adit, where the start of GCZWX8 The Fish Caves is. In fact at the cottage, you are literally stood on top of the Adit. So when someone suggested doing the Multi cache, after the event, I jumped at the chance.

I'd had one previous attempt, but had not gone in the Adit, due to having my daughter and Poodles with me, and there was a group of lads, hanging around at the entrance to the Adit. And I did not want to leave my young Daughter stood on her own with them.

So after the event, a large group entered the Fish Cave Adit in search of Stage One

After we all got out, and several expressed how I felt, that they would not have gone in on their own. The idea of Celestial Bar Events was born.

At this point, I can hear you saying "why Celestial Bars?"

I'd chosen to get to the event, by parking at the start of the Off Road section of Offas Dyke LDP, and take the long Lung Busting, Heart Shredding climb up Prestatyn Hillside.

And thought that anyone who made it to the Cottage, at that time of the morning, by which ever route, deserved a Reward. So each person attending was given a Mars Bar.

Now I could not mention "Mars Bars" on the Event page, so I had to think of another name for them. Mars being a Planet, it is described as a Celestial Body. So I had my name.

So from a accidental start, CBITD Events were created