PDA

View Full Version : Where's Joel?



Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:17 PM
* At the request of a few of our clients who received the original email, I am now posting updates on this forum as well as the ones listed below. Please note that a few of the updates that I will post here are from yesterday. The most up to date info and the most replied to board is @ The Deco Stop, if you would like to check there also. So, with that... Can you find Joel?



As you know Joel can be a pretty intense guy. This past Thursday he came in to the office gathered Scott, Kathy, and I and informed us that he was taking off for three weeks. (He must have had this planned out for a while, he was pretty calm about it.)

As long as I've know Joel and as many of you know he's always sworn up and down hes a "wreck diver" and real wreck divers don't do caves! But, now he's heading cross country to take a cave diving course. He must have set this up on the DL as no one here knew about it.

He spent the last few days filling multiple sets of doubles, gathering some gear, mumbling and grumbling about tank boots, (my tanks will fall over) Wet notes, (who writes stuff underwater?) can lights, (mine's not big enough), re-spooling wreck reels with "cave line" and whined about having to change out all his non- compliant brass clips (the one's he just takes from stock) to get ready for his newest diving challenge.

So we asked him what's up with this whole three week LOA and doing the full 180 on cave diving.

His answer was pretty simple. He said; "I need a break. I just need to get out of here and not think about the office. You guys need to take care of it." He then added " I need to go and do something that will challenge me and require my full attention and not think about the business."

With that he told us that we have free reign to do what we like and to make sure that when he comes back it's all still here and prospering.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can You Find Joel?
He's heading across the country in a Dodge 1500 truck. The license plate is SUBAQUA (left over from the magazine days)

We expect he will take about a week to make the crossing and will probably be on Route 40 till Memphis and then drop down through Atlanta. (he can be predictable)

If you can find him along the way see if you can hook up with him. Buy him lunch, put him up for the night, let him buy you a beer or something. I'm pretty sure he would appreciate the hospitality.

He will probably check his email but forward to the office any business mail. I know he will take texts and cell calls.

Call or Text Him At: 928-230-3680

I have a good feeling that while Joel is out there "finding the real diver in him" you can get some interesting stories and some time with him along the way. IF you can find him.

Considering that he loves to make deals I bet he will do that along the way too!

To keep you all updated on Where's Joel, I'm going to keep a running thread on two of the web boards we are on a lot.

www.thedecostop.com

www.rebreatherworld.com

I will put up info as to where hes been spotted last, or where he's called in from (he can never leave without bothering us). I will encourage him to send me some photos from his Treo.

If you get with him get some photos and e-mail them to me, I will get them posted.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We sure hope that he will have a good time and that you get a chance to meet up with him. It would be a good thing . He mentioned something about diving in the springs before his course starts too. Maybe you can hook up with him and get in a dive too!

Visit those web boards and find out WHERE's JOEL?

Thanks for your support of Tech Diving Limited

Sincerely,

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:21 PM
This is what Joel looked like when he was leaving, pretty happy I'd say. Also I included a pic of his license plate incase you spot him driving down the road.

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:29 PM
These are a few of the first pics that Joel sent from his cell phone yesterday.

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:38 PM
These are some of the photos that I have received today. He started in NM, by the looks of it.

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:44 PM
A few more random pics from the road..... Look at the last one closely. Does it say Grandma's Titness? :eek: ........ no way right?

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 03:50 PM
I see a trend developing. How about you? By the looks of the last pic Joel has made it to the LSS.

Line Squirrel
12-04-2007, 04:14 PM
A cave trip isn't a cave trip unless to stop at at least one Waffle House :-D

Tim@TDL
12-04-2007, 06:55 PM
These are the latest pics from Joel. Looks like he has made it through Texas and now on to Razorback country....... More to come, so stay tuned.

SueG
12-04-2007, 09:30 PM
Tim,

Text over to Joel that Sue with the long hair said, "It's about time ya got around to it."

Thanks!

JS1scuba
12-05-2007, 02:00 AM
Tim,

Text over to Joel that Sue with the long hair said, "It's about time ya got around to it."

Thanks!


All things come to those who wait ......... let's see what happens next week.

I took the boots off my tanks the other day ..... so at least i have conformed ... a bit

nice to hear from you

jds

JS1scuba
12-05-2007, 02:04 AM
I made it to Arkansa. Had dinner this evening in Ft. Smith with Mike Young (thanks) great time -- good discussion on caves and rebreathers and other wizardry.

Tomorrow its off to Memphis then down to Birmingham......... then ?

It's an interesting trip so far.

Thanks for making me so welcome.

Cheers

JDS

Tim@TDL
12-06-2007, 05:51 PM
Ok, I'm back at work today (off yesterday to hang out with my kid) so it's back to the Joel updates. These are a few of the pic that he sent me between yesterday and today.

Tim@TDL
12-06-2007, 05:56 PM
More of Joel's fine dinning.

Tim@TDL
12-06-2007, 05:59 PM
Salvo and Extreme Exposure.

JS1scuba
12-06-2007, 10:10 PM
Day 3 ........

Left Arkansas got a coffee and powered on to Memphis, dropped into Mississippi and met up with Marc at U of M and had a nice chat about wrecking -- then pressed on to Birmingham and met up with Lab Rat (who is really an ER doc) we went to dinner at Cali Pizza and I had a salad ..... and a nice cocktail. Lab is a great guy. Glad I had a chance to meet him.

From there I hit the road and blew past Atlanta to Macon where i crashed at some Comfort in.

Day 4 ....... I made it in to Ft. White / high springs --- I'm staying till next week in my friend Darryl's Land Yacht .. this aint no trailer. It's probably the most expensive house in the area -- it's tucked away in the woods here and i can swear i was hearing banjos .....

I took a quick ride to town and first place I ran into was Extreme Exposure. I stopped in and spent a little time with JJ. He was very cordial and we had a nice chat. I'm sure i will stop in there again.

Then off to see my buds over at Salvo -- met with Barry and Cory. Great place they have there and i saw lots of boxes of stuff going out to ... TDL (so keep them light orders coming in) while I was there i ran into my old friend from NY Larry Cohen (B&H Photo) who was down with some friends training with Paul Heinreith (sp)

While there I picked up a nice big 21 watt 9 amp HID that they want me to check out and some "arrows"

Tomorrow gonna jump down to South Fla to see some friends then back up on Saturday/ O would love to dive on Sunday. Anyone want to take me in to the basin at Ginnie ? I cant cave dive yet but it would be nice to get wet (in a dry suit) if so text me at 928-230-3680

Thanks

JDS

deepairmike
12-06-2007, 11:04 PM
Hey Joel Thanks for taking some time out for a visit. I really enjoyed our chat. you have given me some great ideas to work on. Thanks Mike

Randy Thornton
12-07-2007, 12:00 AM
Day 3 ........


Day 4 ....... I made it in to Ft. White / high springs --- I'm staying till next week in my friend Darryl's Land Yacht .. this aint no trailer. It's probably the most expensive house in the area -- it's tucked away in the woods here and i can swear i was hearing banjos .....


JDS

Joel,

If you are hanging out in Ft. White, stop by and say hello with my good buddy Wayne Kinard at Amigos Dive Center. Good luck with the cave course!

Regards,
Randy

Tim@TDL
12-17-2007, 03:56 PM
Hi everyone,

I have a quick update for you. Joel is alive and well and enjoying his time in Florida. I have received a few more pics from Joel and also a few from Sue(divegirlsue) so I will post them here for your enjoyment. I like to call the last one, "Joel, sleep while standing drill"

Tim@TDL
12-17-2007, 06:26 PM
I have just been informed by Joel that he will be at ginnie tomorrow to dive the devil's cave system, so if you would like a chance to go dive with Joel you can meet him there and do so. Also, if you can get there and get me a pic of you and Joel together either in or out of the water. I will see that you get an additional 15% off of any internet order placed between now and December 24th at midnight. (some exclusions apply) Get the pic and then call me for further details.

928-855-9400

phishfood
12-17-2007, 07:40 PM
I am PRETTY sure that I spotted the elusive Joel at Little River this past Saturday morning, in a class with Mr. Green.

My friends were starting a dive as your group was debriefing between dives, I was hanging out over on the concrete steps. I didn't want to interrupt your debriefing, then you started another dive, and we had to leave before you resurfaced, so I never had a chance to say hello.

Hope that you are enjoying your class and your trip to cave country.

JS1scuba
12-17-2007, 10:54 PM
Joel,

If you are hanging out in Ft. White, stop by and say hello with my good buddy Wayne Kinard at Amigos Dive Center. Good luck with the cave course!

Regards,
Randy


Hi Randy,

Wayne and I have been getting on famously. I've been jacking my tanks there every day at the Amigos Drive n' Fill Station. I showed him how high we can get the compressor and what it's like to boost oxygen to 350 bar. :-) He was wondering why i kept reading my tank temp with my infrared thermometer till he saw the pressure gauge !

I've been having a lot of fun. Everyone here has been pretty cool. It's still wet rocks but my training is great. Larry Green is really a top dog at this stuff. I'm looking forward to doing some more training and diving with him.

Hope your leg is doing better !

Cheers

JDS

JS1scuba
12-17-2007, 10:59 PM
I am PRETTY sure that I spotted the elusive Joel at Little River this past Saturday morning, in a class with Mr. Green.

My friends were starting a dive as your group was debriefing between dives, I was hanging out over on the concrete steps. I didn't want to interrupt your debriefing, then you started another dive, and we had to leave before you resurfaced, so I never had a chance to say hello.

Hope that you are enjoying your class and your trip to cave country.

Yup that was us. I'm easy to spot I have the big white tanks with my name stenciled on both sides! You should have stopped over - it would not have been an interuption. Larry usually does not talk much!

I liked Little River -- cute cave. Sunday we were back at Peacock and did three nice dives and I ran into Lamar Hires there too.

Today we were over at Madison Blue -- I really liked that one - Tomorrow Devils System

Cheers

JDS

phishfood
12-18-2007, 07:18 PM
I have never been in the cave at Madison, just the cavern, but I could easily spend an hour just in the cavern there. Lots to see.

We dove the Devil's System on Sunday morning. Flow is down somewhat from what I am used to, but still noticeable. Visibility was good, though. Don't get shot out of the Ear!

JS1scuba
12-18-2007, 09:15 PM
Did 2 dives in the Ear today.

First was up the main line to the third marker set -- then jump over to the expressway and all the way around back to the first set of markers -- then back again to pick up our reels. It was a fun dive. And yes i did run a main line from outside the ear down through the flow with secondary tie off to the main line ............

2nd dive was up the main line and a jump off to July spring. We turned the dive when we ran out of cave ! ..... it was fun getting back out of that little tunnel and down the hole -- my body does not contort that way head first ! I did it wreck style with a flat spin and feet down ............

Both dives are a lot of fun and I did have a big smile!

tomorrow back to Madison for an extra dive before Larry awards us with our Full Cave certification. Then from there I am gonna head home -- three days on the road ......

ping me along the way -- i may take either the 10 or the 40 across .............

thanks for letting me come play in the caves ... its been fun

jds

Jay
12-19-2007, 08:33 AM
Joel,

Congrats!! I hope you enjoyed the trip.

Now you have to come back and dive the Ear during Mammal season!!

Jay

FW
12-19-2007, 08:46 AM
Joel,

Congrats!! I hope you enjoyed the trip.

Now you have to come back and dive the Ear during Mammal season!!

Jay
Yea, you just haven't lived, until you swim down the run, and have tubers walk on your tanks :twisted:

Some of them are nice to look up at, though :-)

MORGAN
12-19-2007, 09:36 AM
Some of them are nice to look up at, though :-)

And, regrettably, some aren't.

Mike