The Tunnels

<p>Just a question for the current cadets…I’ll admit it, I was browsing Edodo and found all the stuff about the tunnels…maybe just for some discussion, but have any of you current cadets been down there? any intresting stories?</p>

<p>shhhhhhhhhhh, it's a secret</p>

<p>Ive talked with a few guys in RATTEK, a club i would like to join if i go cause its basically what i did alot in high school. He said most of the time they are locked or cadets are not <em>allowed</em> in them.</p>

<p>It's difficult to get in, and doing so would probably require destruction of government property (e.g. cutting a padlock on a manhole.) I'm going to find a way eventually, it would be a shame to leave here whthout seeing them.</p>

<p>They're locked, but credit cards do the trick.</p>

<p>Really? I know how to do that, but I thought they were all locked better than that. I'll have to a take a closer look. Have you done it before?</p>

<p>wow, haha, I'm glad someone finally responded...went a while there with it just sitting with 0 responses. I know what I read was all rumor, so its probably not true, but I found it pretty intresting that the US gov. replicated all those national artifacts and stored them down there.</p>

<p>West, can you give us some URLs to look at? Thanks.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usafatoday.com/Folklore/modules/news/article.php?storyid=199%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usafatoday.com/Folklore/modules/news/article.php?storyid=199&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>take it all with a grain of salt though</p>

<p>I went around today and checked a few of the doors. They're pretty secure. I don't think you could get into any of them with a card (the ones I checked all had those metal plates to protect the bolt). I think one of the best bets would be to get a key or use a manhole. I haven't checked the manholes, but they're probably padlocked. By the way, there's a lot of info about the tunnels on the edodo. They even have map, although I don't think it's complete or totally accurate.</p>

<p>haaa, surfnkid, if you get in there, you gotta let us know what you find...I mean, its college confidential, so no worries, eh?</p>

<p>I've definitely heard a lot of rumors. My element leader was telling us that he used to use a bent credit card to break in. This is in Sijan at least, maybe Vandy is different. I haven't been down there yet but I'm sure I'll get bored enough one weekend to check it out.</p>

<p>I've heard that they keep random "supplies" down there...anything from fake plants to desks and rolling chairs to emergency vehicles. From what I can tell they're not as exciting as they're made out to be. I think what make them exciting is the mystery and the "If I get caught down here I'll be in BIG trouble" adrenaline rush factor.</p>

<p>That said, if given the chance I would jump at the opportunity to go through them.</p>

<p>I came a bit closer to getting into the tunnels today. A buddy and I were walking by the south side of Arnold Hall and one the "Fall-out shelter" doors were ajar. All of these doors lead to the tunnels, so we decided to check it out and were quickly joined by a similarly adventurous cadet who saw us duck in. We went down about three or four flights of stairs below ground level and got to one of those doors marked "off limits." Beyond it was a tunnel leading off to the right but blocked by a chained gate and two doors to the left. It was mostly dark except for one caged, bare-bulb light flickering like it belonged in a rickety Hollywood mine. We tried several switches on the walls, but none seemed to do anything. Just as I was considering trying one of the doors, it began to open. Witnessing our frenzied flight, you would have been forgiven for mistaking us for little girls or a small French army. I've never acted so quickly and instinctually in my life, but as I wheeled around to make my escape, my accomplices were already a full flight of stairs safer than I. As I followed after, I think our rate of climb would have shamed an Eagle pilot. I don’t think we were ever even seen, but whoever it was must have heard us pounding our way to the surface. </p>

<p>I will consider myself a failure at life if I cannot claim a more satisfying sojourn into those august catacombs by my graduation.</p>

<p>heh, even as I was reading that my heart rate began to quicken!</p>