Saturday, May 31, 2003

Good Morning. The weather - warm and sunny. Yesterday began as most around here, cloudy and cool, looking like rain could begin at any moment. By mid-day the sun came out and it got fairly warm for these parts. There has been very little breeze so it has also been rather hazy and humid. Last night at the pub someone mentioned that yesterday was our summer here in North England, but today looks to be much the same.

Byron and I headed off to the mine with the intention of firing up the saw and removing the backlog of large bits that had accumulated about the mine. Stopped by Watson's to pick up the charged battery for the hydraulic power unit and dropped Jonina off to get her now serviced car. She is now completely mobile for the season. While heading up the stairs at the mine to get things opened up I realized that several days of strenuous collecting had resulted in a ladder that had grown much longer and harder to climb. I told myself that I either have to do this more often or not at all.

First order of business was to move the hydraulic power unit out of the mine and get it fired up. Fortunately, the unit was parked in front of and not behind the Eimco mucker, which would require the not yet delivered compressor to move. I like to think that his was the result of foresight at the end of last season, but most likely just luck. Anyway, we wheeled it out onto the landing, installed the battery, turned the key, and nothing happened. After a moment of paranoid fantasies fueled by our experience a few years ago with our old diesel compressor rational thought takes hold. I saw the battery come off the charger so that problem is out. Next (i.e.: easiest) thing to do is to clean all the power contacts going to and from the battery. Fortunately, this did the trick and the unit sputtered into life for another season.

Byron then headed down to the container to get the parts to reassemble the saw and I busied myself with carrying the large specimens destined for the day's surgery out of the mine. After completing most of this chore Byron had still not returned so I went down to see what was happening. Well, after closing up each fall we usually put some of our more valuable items such as the detonator and saw parts into an old safe that we inherited from Lindsay and Mike. What I found was Byron at the safe, turning the key, pulling on the handle, and nothing else happening. After a few minutes of attempted key turning by yours truly, we came to the conclusion that something in the lock mechanism must have failed - evidenced by the fact that not only could we not open the safe but we could no longer withdraw the key either. Fortunately, all was not completely lost as we had a new bar and chain for the saw and could assemble a working unit for the day's chores. We will, however, have to get into the safe before we can do any blasting. Anyone out there know how to crack a safe?

Most of the afternoon was then spent slicing and dicing up our collection of large bits, and I think a few of them will be really nice specimens. On cold days the water spray given off the saw can be rather miserable, but with the sun out it was rather refreshing. One side effect of this is that anyone in close proximity to the sawing operation quickly acquires what I refer to as a "Mine Tan". This is because the water coming off the saw is loaded up with rock dust from the specimen being cut. On a sunny day the water evaporates fairly quickly and soon all exposed skin is evenly coated in mud. In our case the visual effect if heightened by the fact that our rocks are fairly rich in iron oxides. Because of the evenness of the coating one just looks well tanned until an attempt is made to wash up, at which time the wash basin turns into a raging torrent of mud.

After finishing up with all specimens we deemed worthy of sawing (there are always some that are best left behind), we headed off to the Mill Race in Wolsingham for a couple of pints and some Whitby Cod. It was Friday after all, and we had survived our first week on the job without too many catastrophes. Jonina joined us there, and we fell in with a local chap I had met last summer. Evidently, he's quite a music fanatic and we spent a good part of the evening discussing old San Francisco rock bands.

Byron and Jonina are having a bit of a sleep-in this morning - the cumulative effects of jet lag and a week of rushing around having caught up with everyone. After finishing this missive I think I'll inspect yesterday's handiwork to see if anything required further attention by the table saw in the garage. Byron and I may go to the mine for some more collecting, and I know that David Rennison is due by this evening.

Today's photo is of Byron in his role as mineralogical surgeon.

Stay tuned for more...

Cheers,

Jesse, Byron and Jonina

The Doctor is in...

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