rucavers

Welcome For All New Cavers!

Interested in joining us? Want to find out more? Why not visit our stall at the Fresher's Fayre on Thursday? Or come to our presentation in the HUMSS Building (room 125) at 6pm afterwards...

This Saturday, we'll be going on a day trip to the nearest caving region (The Mendips, in Somerset), so you can try some caving and see what it's like. The club will also go on 3 longer weekend trips this term - see our trips page for details. Every Monday we get together and find out what's planned, and there will also be several social events - always entertaining, and sometimes just bizarre!

If you are interested in joining, or would simply like to find out more about the club, take a look at our information page and our FAQs. Or get in touch with Mesh - our president. We look forwards to meeting you!

New photos!

It seems like an age since any new photos have been put on this site, so I thought it would be an idea to add some of the ones that have been floating around over the past year or so!

Hopefully this will also give any new cavers an idea of the kinds of crazy things we get up to...You have been warned!

Here are the photos that have been added - many thanks to the people who created them:

• South Wales - October 2009 (thanks Elsie, Jo and Mesh!)
• Mendips - November 2009 (thanks Mesh!)
• Give it a Go - November 2009 (thanks Jo!)
• Caveman Social - November 2009 (thanks Mesh!)
• CHECC - November 2009 (thanks Elsie and Mesh!)
• Christmas Party 2009 (Burlesque Theme) (thanks John, Elsie and Mesh!)
• Pub Golf (Fancy Dress) - February 2010 (thanks John!)
• Mendips - March 2010 (thanks Sophie!)
• Reunion Trip (Wales) - March 2010 (thanks Barry!)
• Henley Pub Crawl - June 2010 (thanks Sophie and John!)

Enjoy!

P.S. there should also be some more dramatic developments on this website within the next few weeks or so - watch this space...

News! Reunion Retro Event Type News Shock

In case you are an ex-RUCC member and in a state of unawareness (quite possible this) the current and oh-so-vibrant club are organising a reunion event. It will be taking place on the weekend of 13-14^th March, at the South West Caving Club. I think the intention is that newer members drink from the font of wisdom of the older members and the older members look at the newer kit and say things like 'it was never like this in my day. The cave almost rigs itself!' Although recreational drinks may also be involved. If anyone wants to go leave a comment/contact me/the current Secretary Jo.

Currently rutting down for a good frolic:

1              Kevin Welch      

3              Andy Kuszyk + Mesh

5              Henry Dawson + Shiv

6              Jonathan Majewicz

7              John Kitching

8              Joel Newnham

9              Jon wichett

10           Tom Foord FB - actually not due now

11           Charlotte Harris

12           Tim Morgan

13           Steve Chalker

14           Joel Newnham

15           Jo Hardy

16           Simon Sutton

17           James Thatcher

19           Jon Martin + Caroline

21           John & Lisa Methven

22           Richard Haylen

23           Nikki Connors FB

24           Duncan butler

25           James Bouchard

26           Paul Fellows

27           Jude Haigh

28           Andy 'Bob' Burns

29           Alastair Starnes

30           Katharine Goddard

31           Henry Patton

32           Chris Seal

33           Henry Bonham

34           Julie Robertson

35           Patrick Hathaway

36           Lucy Evans

37           David Wyn Jones

38           Helen Magoriam

39           Robertson, Julie

40           Slug

41           Anthony Roberts

P.S Can I do 'Play Your Grapes Right'?

P.P.S I still have control of the caving club home page...... wah ha ha ha... By the way, is this a good idea?

P. P.P.S If you're reading this Mr Kitching, I've just seen the photos of the Burlesque evening on Facebook and the one of you fondling Jon's bottom will stay etched in my memory forever.

Radio 4 on Mossdale

Just come across this Radio 4 piece on Mossdale Caverns (direct MP3 download)- early days of exploration, going back to 1967.

AGM Election Results and Caving Hoodies

As everyone's probably aware, we now have a new committee! They were elected during the AGM on Monday, and are as follows:

President: Martyn
Secretary: Lucy
Treasurer: Ben Whetton
Tackle Master: Ben Wilson
Social Sec: Penny
Webmaster: Duncan (oh dear...!)
Permits and Access: Jo Hardy

The committee page will be updated shortly with these details; and some photos of the AGM should be appearing also...

Well done to all those who were elected, and good luck in your new roles! We'd all like to thank Andy for the effort he's put in as our former president, and for everything he's done for the club.

In other news, Jon W has kindly agreed to sort out caving hoodies for us! Send him all thoughts, ideas, possible slogans / designs etc by the end of this week, so we can vote on which we like best. This page might provide some inspiration! Click on the image on the left for a useful template to start that creativity flowing!

Finally, you can expect to see some more recent trip photos on this website, before I hand it over to Duncan next term...

And another term begins...

Welcome back everyone - we've a term full of amazing caving, socials and all kinds of other things to look forwards to!

This term, a trip to Wales and 2 trips to Yorkshire are planned; details of these are on the trips page... SRT training for the Yorkshire trips begins on Tuesday, so it's a good idea to turn up to the pub tonight if you're interested!

In other news, I've FINALLY got round to adding the photos from the Mendips trip last term - view them here.

Many thanks to Lucy, Jon W, and J for taking all these pictures - there are quite a few, so I hope you all enjoy them!

Photos from CHECC and the socials last term will also hopefully appear here shortly.

P.S. Newer cavers will notice the homepage is a bit different this term - the website is now in 'standard' mode, and will continue to be until around the end of summer.

South Wales trip photos

I've just added LOADS of photos from the recent weekend caving trip to South Wales. View them here.

Many thanks to J, Chris and Thomas for making this possible!

The club is going on another trip to the Mendips this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Expect lots of caving, fireworks, fancy dress and alcohol. I'll look forwards to seeing you all there.

There's also an upcoming social on Wednesday 7th November at the Student's Union with a 'Caveman' theme - if you need inspiration about what to wear, check out the photos from last year. Meet at the Upin Arms around 8.15, before proceeding to the Union around 9.15. For more info or union tickets, email Helen.

See you Friday.

Day Trip Photos

Yay! I finally have a reason to post to the main page!

For everyone who's interested, I've now added the photos from the Mendip day trips 2 weeks ago to this website. You can see them here... Thanks to John K for taking them!

Could anyone who is planning to take photos on the trip this weekend to South Wales let me know please? It'll be great to put up as many of them here as possible...!!

Also, any photos of the Pub Golf Social (Wednesday) would be much appreciated!

See you all on Friday...

Pub Golf!

The RUCC Social Secretariat are pleased to announce that the club will be holding the fifth inaugural pub golf event on Tuesday 16th October. Players will be requested to assemble in the College Arms at 7.00 p.m ready for teeing off. Second hole will no doubt be the Upin Arms at Cemetery Junction but after that your guess is as good as mine. If you are planning on being late (in which case your chances of winning are significantly handicapped) your best bet is to contact event commissioner and referee Andy K.

There really ought to be an award for silliest trousers or anyone caught in the rough.

In other news I have been alerted by outside contacts to more important YouTube footage of our esteemed leader. Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you the Mendip Formation Dancers:

It's That Time of Again.

Interested? Come and have a chat and a piece of confectionery with us. We'll be the ones in the fashionable leisure wear, grinning. You can also look us up on Facebook. If you can't make it please contact Andy Kuszyk should you want to join.

Lost In Music

We've just been to the Hidden Earth conference in Tewksbury, and stood out. Some brief photos are here. Darth Vader could sadly only make the Sunday as he had importaat Imperial business to attend to on the Saturday. An ever so brief snippet of our esteemed leader throwing shapes to the blues music at the legendary 'stomp' can be seen below:

A Reading University Caving Club Production.

John K and I were in the pub the other day saying that it's about time we made another film. 'Die Hard 4.0 - Service Pack 1' was mentioned.

I mention this as the club once had an illustrious history in this area, with its own film making unit. To prove it I've just posted the club's 1997 remake of 'Aliens' - 'ALIENSS!' online. It can be accessed, together with an explanation via my blog.

And amateur filmmaking is so much easier these days...

By the way if anyone wants a lift to Hidden Earth Andy K & myself are going for Reading on the Friday night.

Summer Fun

Just to let you know that while school's out an elite hardcore of caving club glitterati (well me, and assorted Johns) will be lounging around the Upin Arms on Mondays. This will be followed by an inadvertent swing into Up The Junction, no doubt against everyone's will. All welcome.

Coming Soon.

Forgot about this (as posted on the Daniel Beddingfield Speleoshrine). And this.

New From Speleolabs - Breakfast In A Tube!

In a final attempt to abuse my position as ex-RUCC webmaster (and best of luck Patrick) I give you a youtube proto-classic, Speleolabs 'Breakfast In A Tube'. This stars me, Andy Rumming, Tom Foord and some bad liquidising action, and was our attempt to come up with a nutritious and portable breakfast solution for the busy caver on the move.   

This product was revealed at Hidden Earth 2005 and for some reason never caught on. I'm guessing it was due to the strong aftertaste of congealed fat with a hint of brown sauce and tea... 

Beer Fest

Yes its that time of year again. Time for the Reading Beer Festival, a chance for us to drink more than is good for our selves with the excuse of trying to taste all the beers, ciders and wines. I know normally we dont need an excuse but its good to have one now and again.

The plan is to meet this Thursday in the back of beyond at 4, its is because some people want to get there when as soon as it opens. I'm not going to say who wants to go so early but you know who you are, don't you Jack and Jon. If you can't make it that early don't worry you can meet people in there when you arrive., and I'm sure you won't be the only one who misses the 4 o'clock start.

More information can be found here, and directions can be found here, though they are not the best.

See you there

NEW COMITTEE!

We've had a revolution and a new committee have taken over. Ok so I lied as we’ve just had the AGM and elected a new committee, well we forced them to do it, we have the photos. Andy tried to resist so we had to make an example of him. The new committee are President: Andy Secretary: Helen Treasurer: Jon M Tackle Master: J Social Sec: Ben Webmaster: Patrick Surveys and Access: Jo Chief Lamo: Nikki Freshers fayre co-ordinator: Anne-Marie International relations: Amy Inter-club relations: Charlotte Inter-club relations (away correspondent): Max Food sec: John K Navigation: Jon W.

(Note for former users: the photo of Andy posted replaces a previous one of him wearing a sock, but not in the usual place. John K would like to apologise for any distress that this may have caused. Paul).

More Photos than you can shake a stick at

More Photos this time of the Caveman Social to the union. I finally got some photos of the night.

You can see them and make comments here

Not just one set of photos but two this lot are from the South Wales weekend just gone

See them and comment here

I know doing photos on a Friday night, I need to get out more

Photos from the Ribiks cube party are avalable here and for the first time you can comment on them

If it works well I'll add it to all new photos and eventaually the old ones as well

Photos from the weekend

Photos from the weekend are now on the Photos page.

you can find them here