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Jul. 24th, 2004 12:21 amAfter some late-night conversation and ouzo.... I feel warmer. Virtually so, since it is beginning to snow outside the tent.
( couple of photos from this afternoon )
( couple of photos from this afternoon )
Jul. 24th, 2004
adapting, waiting
Jul. 24th, 2004 07:06 pmConstruction of a new building is lagging. A workspace tent lacks its cover (being shipped late). Therefore, there's a shortage of "indoor" space to store gear and put laptops and such. And 7 more people arrive tomorrow... so the dome tent I'd been promised to cover the drill in the field, will be needed at camp instead. I asked if I could get a replacement, smaller 7' dome tent from Polar Shelf... they were out.
At the same time, the boxes are too heavy to move on our little ATV trailer. So... I asked to use the Humvee. Ok... except it hasn't been run this year, has a flat, and the battery is nearly dead. Then an idea.... build an 8' frame, place it behind the parked Humvee, run out ropes and then drape a large plastic tarp over to make a tent. The humvee becomes our mobile drilling station. Fine. Everyone buys into this idea, we get the vehicle for the next week.
So... we use wood blocks for a jackstand and change the flat, using a ratchet tied to a tent stake to get the lug nuts off (no tire iron). Then I nearly burn myself when I replace a loose (hot!) connector, which sparks at high amps. Bits of melted metal. But still functional, after we disconnect the batteries before reconnecting the line. Then we run it to recharge the batteries...
And load the drill and base and controls and tools into the truck. And the frame for the makeshift field tent.
Then... a group of three gets bogged in waist-high mud, down in the crater, and four others ride off on ATVs with ropes to pull them out. Problem is... now we can't go (not enough ATVs left ) I'm pissed because they took *my* project's paid-for-with-NASA-plates ATV, which my project owns, without asking me. So... two hours spent sitting here in the snow flurries, ready to go. Grr.
The stranded party was extricated and everyone's back now. I've been working on a proposal due next week.... after dinner I've been promised full support. I'd better get it.
At the same time, the boxes are too heavy to move on our little ATV trailer. So... I asked to use the Humvee. Ok... except it hasn't been run this year, has a flat, and the battery is nearly dead. Then an idea.... build an 8' frame, place it behind the parked Humvee, run out ropes and then drape a large plastic tarp over to make a tent. The humvee becomes our mobile drilling station. Fine. Everyone buys into this idea, we get the vehicle for the next week.
So... we use wood blocks for a jackstand and change the flat, using a ratchet tied to a tent stake to get the lug nuts off (no tire iron). Then I nearly burn myself when I replace a loose (hot!) connector, which sparks at high amps. Bits of melted metal. But still functional, after we disconnect the batteries before reconnecting the line. Then we run it to recharge the batteries...
And load the drill and base and controls and tools into the truck. And the frame for the makeshift field tent.
Then... a group of three gets bogged in waist-high mud, down in the crater, and four others ride off on ATVs with ropes to pull them out. Problem is... now we can't go (not enough ATVs left ) I'm pissed because they took *my* project's paid-for-with-NASA-plates ATV, which my project owns, without asking me. So... two hours spent sitting here in the snow flurries, ready to go. Grr.
The stranded party was extricated and everyone's back now. I've been working on a proposal due next week.... after dinner I've been promised full support. I'd better get it.
