This weekend, while attending the Arizona Regional Association meeting at Grand Canyon Caverns in northern Arizona, one of the members of Southern Arizona Grotto, after saying that he was a SAG member, was treated to the following reply:  “Oh, you’re recreational cavers.”  This comment was said with, as the SAG caver felt, some derision.

This got me to thinking, as Julie and I were driving back towards Tucson the following day.  Am I a recreational caver?  As I drove, I thought about some of the things I’ve done as a caver over the years. 

• Participated on a number of digs in various caves (and outside of caves that we were trying to get into). 
• Helped map caves in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, and Mexico. 
• Participated in several cave projects including LEARN, the Fern Cave Project, and the Cave Research Foundation. 
• Ridge-walked for and explored caves in many of the previously mentioned states and in Mexico. 
• Wrote articles for grotto newsletters, at least one of which was chosen for a Speleo Digest. 
• Held organizational positions such as grotto newsletter editor and vertical-trip leader for Huntsville Grotto, chair of the Southern Arizona Grotto, and board member of the Alabama Cave Survey. 
• Managed Kennamer Cave, one of the Southeastern Cave Conservancy’s cave preserves.
• Was a member of the Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit and secretary of the unit for a time, and also helped with the unit’s weekend long cave rescue training class.
• Attended NCRC level-one training to further my cave rescue skills. 
• Participated in a number of cave rescues in the TAG region. 
• Assisted (mostly as grunt labor) on several gating projects. 
• Assisted on a number of clean-up trips in and around caves.
• Assisted on many, many cave photography trips.
• Helped with archaeological trips in caves in the southeast.

No, I thought, I’m not a recreational caver. 

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the truth of the matter:  I am a recreational caver.  In fact, in my opinion, a majority of cavers are recreational cavers.  They may not think of themselves as such, but unless they support themselves with a full-time, paying job that involves caving, then they are recreational cavers.  Because, as far as I’m concerned, all of the above was done because I enjoyed doing it – it was done for the “recreation” of it. 

And, whenever I enter a cave, no matter what my reasons for being in that cave, I am there for a myriad of reasons.  If I find a piece of trash, I pick it up.  If I see a lead, I check it out.  If I notice a funky cave critter, if I know someone who knows about such, I talk to them about it.  If I see a pretty formation or photo opportunity that is beyond my limited skills as a photographer, I’ll point it out to someone who is a good cave photographer.  So, yes, I am a recreational caver.  But I’m also much more than that. 

So, there is a simple answer to the question posed at the beginning of this article.  A recreational caver is someone who caves because they enjoy caving, whether they are mapping, photographing, cleaning up, digging on a lead, doing scientific research, or merely escaping from the stress of their lives by immersing themselves in one of the few places left where cell phones don’t reach, and peace and quiet can actually still be found.