Back from the desert

[John M.]

Yeah Riverkilt, I come from a family background in hard-rock mining. Never worked them myself (unless you consider mineral collecting to be "working" them) but was taught a great deal about it all by my grandfather.

I've run across many mines I'd not dare venture into. If I do feel it's structurally sound enough to go in, I wear my hard hat with a light & carry a backup light ext. Plus Kim waits outside with instructions to call or radio for help if I'm gone to long or dust belches out the entrance. Safety is always my first concern.

Oh & just to rib on ya a little.
Wheres your proper mining terminology? I Didn't go in any mine shafts. I'm not equipped for that. Although I have thought about a mobile head frame & hoist.

Drift or Adit: A horizontal (or near so) tunnel. May rise or dip to varying degrees.

Shaft: A vertical or steeply descending hole that connects to drifts about every 300 feet or so.

Again, just messing with ya. Not to offend.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, you're right...

Its been 43 years since I was underground...but I did roam the main DRIFTS, and was often up in the stopes and crawled through a lot of dog holes to get there and rode skips to get to the dog hole.

Tell you what though, been hit on the head wearing a hard hat and it did save my skull but still was stunned. If another miner hadn't yanked me out from under as the whole thing fell I'd have been rock soup.

Kilts would have been great for guys working the drills...only I'd find a way to loop a bungie cord around my legs when riding skips...would hate for the kilt to snag on the ladder and suddenly bring me to a stop as the top of the skip whomped my head...

Ron