Caving Near Echternach, Luxembourg

I’m 45, out of shape, with not a great deal of upper body strength, and 60 pounds overweight. (That’s 60 legitimate pounds, not imaginary “oh I need to lose all this weight so I can look like a walking stick-figure” pounds). Yesterday I went caving in Luxembourg – I rappelled down some sheer drops, squeezed through some narrow passageways and climbed up through others. At the end of the evening I had aching legs and shoulders, but had also had a lot of fun. I admit that I did not come away from the experience entranced with caving – but I did like rappelling and wouldn’t mind doing it again. First I’ll recount the story of my trip from beginning to end, and then I’ll finish with some notes on caving in general and caving near Echternach, Luxembourg in particular.

Background
The Journey
The Location
The Rappel
The Cave

The Background
I’m staying with my sister who is in the Air Force, stationed at Ramstein, Germany. Thousands of service people from the States and other countries are stationed in this area at Air Force and Army bases, and the various services offer recreation programs so that the service people available in the nearby communities – from hiking to canoeing to hangliding to caving. Service members can take advantage of these programs – and so can their visitors from the States (as long as they sign the necessary insurance waivers.)

My sister and I arrived at the rec area a bit late and were quickly issued our gear – a one size-fits-all helmet with a small headlight on the front, and a harness which we’d use to do our rappelling.

There were nine of us (five women, four men) and two instructors. It was a “beginning cavers” trip – none of us had ever rappelled or caved before. I was the only one not in the military, and the only one not really in shape.