Should I not be working? Well, yes. But there is more to life. When there was a Sunday party going to our dig I decided to join. It will rest my mind and I will be fresh as a fiddle the next day! And it is very exciting.
This time it would be David, Edwyn and me. I drove up with David, met Edwyn in the cafe, and off we were. We bumped into our fellow Thursdaynighter Briony, who was about to lead a group of tourists into the mine. Too bad she couldn't join us!
When we got in we first went into Dig 1. There might be stuff to do that takes three. If Miles would appear and raise the number to four, we could always split up! We did some more hauling out of rubble; there was enough to go by. David was at the coal face, but he came out at some point. I then took his place. It became clear to me where all that rubble came from! I just struggled to get to it; the rod we had was only just long enough, when combined with my short arms. After a short while I came out to report on that. By then David suggested a bit more shoring up needed to be done. That was a two person job; in other words, my cue for skedaddling to the other dig.
I went in. The blasting last time was partially successful; not all rocks we wanted to get rid of were as demolished as I had hoped. But progress was clearly made! I started to try to lug out the big rock that had escaped my tidying tendencies the previous time. A chunk had come off, but it was still big! Almost too big. But I summoned all my stubbornness and pulled it towards me, inch by inch. And when it was far enough from the far wall I crawled over and tried to kick it from the other side. It worked! I got it to the entrance, but no way I could get it over the step. I left it there. Then I went back for an almost equally big rock that now could come out from the side; we were not going that way, but getting rid of it made the space a bit bigger and it can do with that. That rock ended up in the queue behind the other one.
The next rock up was slightly smaller so I managed to get that one out on my own. Then some more smaller rocks came out. I decided to clean out the far end of the dig as far as I could. Would help! That involved me working as a human bulldozer and shoving the lot to the entrance, and then throwing it over the edge. I then started to try to get rid of some rocks in the direction we were actually moving. Then I figured I was blocking my way out and cleaned everything out of the passage.
I then went back to the back of the dig, but after a while I saw light. Edwyn was visiting! He was looking for scaffolding, but I talked him into first helping me with the two large rocks. He thought it was madness. I argued that if I could single-handedly get them to the squeeze, then surely we could get them properly out with the two of us. And we managed it!
By then David had been waiting too long for his scaff and showed up too. They took the bar that was lying around and left. I spent a bit more time trying to get rid of pendant rubble, but after a while I had had enough. I was a bit battered after all the hard work! I went to go and have a look at what the men had done. And they had done some stirling shoring-up work! I was impressed. But it was time to go. Almost!
David wanted to try out some enormous drill bit Mick had customised to his drill, so we fired up the generator and he gave it a go. It was a bit jumpy but it worked! Good to know. Then we were done and started to pack up. Then a light appeared! Miles had come after all. We had given up on him by now. We reported back on the progress in both digs, and then we each went our way. I hoped Miles would formulate a clear plan of how to proceed! The dig was at a bit of a crossroads...
25 November 2016
23 November 2016
Yet another night in the dig
Another Thursday night, another crew of three on the road. David was starting to worry if people were tired of our digs and pulling out. I struggle with concepts like that; most of the men are quite happy do do hard dirty work, and they have to pull out if we do something entirely different, because they have other responsibilities in their lives too. Anyway. It would be just the three of us! And again, Miles might or might not appear too. I foresaw trouble; David's dig needs three people to work optimally. We might be with four. Then what? I would feel morally obliged to be in both digs and that's not possible. We'd have to see.
We first picked up the key, and some cake, from Mick. We were also introduced to his new cat. It was good he was home; when we reached the parking lot I realized I had forgot my helmet. We had to go back and borrow one from Mick! Then we tried again.
In order to be ready for our dig I picked up two metal rods on the way to the pitch down; they could function as crowbars for removing big stuff in our dig. There's a big rock in there that won't budge without persuasion!
When we got to the pitch down we heard the generator: we had a Miles! That was confirmed immediately as he'd seen/heard us coming and was at the bottom of the pitch. We discussed for a bit what to do; we decided to all go into David's dig. He needed two buckets, and one of these was in the other dig, so I went there first. I took the liberty to also quickly remove the rocks I had thrown out the previous time. Miles showed up too; I figured he should have a look for himself. He still hadn't been in! And now he chanced it. He didn't seem entirely thrilled by the state the far end was in but well, we can work on that. Time to go and help the other chaps.
They were already working hard. They had some ingenious system with a bucket in the middle of a long rope; David could pull the empty bucket towards him, fill it, and then Paul could pull it the other way and empty it. Then he could reattach it. We brought the other bucket. As the original was only detachable on one side, and ours only attachable on one, it wasn't immediately clear how the system could be adapted to two buckets. David wasn't stopping to discuss; he kept filling buckets. Our improvised first attempt was met with derision. After some shouting to and fro I figured I'd rather be in the other dig. Miles wasn't feeling like his full potential was tapped into so we skedaddled to the other dig. David might need to work on his managing skills!
On the way to our own dig we came past Paul's bag; he had the cake. We first had some of that before we set to work. I started by attacking the big rock. I managed to lay it flat but it was SO big and heavy this still wouldn't do. We had to blow it up! So we changed to drilling holes and placing charges. Some more in-the-way rocks received one. Some smaller stuff got thrown out.
By the time all was ready Miles had to leave. That left me to set the charges, that were ready wired, off. First I had to warn the others. But David was still digging; I joined in. I don't know how well things went before I came, but I thought we were on a roll with the three of us. It works a treat! Just the number of four had been a bit unfortunate. It wouldn't be before 11PM that he was willing to come out. That meant not detonating until after that. Oh well! It did work. I will see next time how it had gone.
We walked back in the moonlight. It was stunning! A night that had started a bit iffy had ended well. On Sunday we would be back!
We first picked up the key, and some cake, from Mick. We were also introduced to his new cat. It was good he was home; when we reached the parking lot I realized I had forgot my helmet. We had to go back and borrow one from Mick! Then we tried again.
In order to be ready for our dig I picked up two metal rods on the way to the pitch down; they could function as crowbars for removing big stuff in our dig. There's a big rock in there that won't budge without persuasion!
When we got to the pitch down we heard the generator: we had a Miles! That was confirmed immediately as he'd seen/heard us coming and was at the bottom of the pitch. We discussed for a bit what to do; we decided to all go into David's dig. He needed two buckets, and one of these was in the other dig, so I went there first. I took the liberty to also quickly remove the rocks I had thrown out the previous time. Miles showed up too; I figured he should have a look for himself. He still hadn't been in! And now he chanced it. He didn't seem entirely thrilled by the state the far end was in but well, we can work on that. Time to go and help the other chaps.
They were already working hard. They had some ingenious system with a bucket in the middle of a long rope; David could pull the empty bucket towards him, fill it, and then Paul could pull it the other way and empty it. Then he could reattach it. We brought the other bucket. As the original was only detachable on one side, and ours only attachable on one, it wasn't immediately clear how the system could be adapted to two buckets. David wasn't stopping to discuss; he kept filling buckets. Our improvised first attempt was met with derision. After some shouting to and fro I figured I'd rather be in the other dig. Miles wasn't feeling like his full potential was tapped into so we skedaddled to the other dig. David might need to work on his managing skills!
On the way to our own dig we came past Paul's bag; he had the cake. We first had some of that before we set to work. I started by attacking the big rock. I managed to lay it flat but it was SO big and heavy this still wouldn't do. We had to blow it up! So we changed to drilling holes and placing charges. Some more in-the-way rocks received one. Some smaller stuff got thrown out.
By the time all was ready Miles had to leave. That left me to set the charges, that were ready wired, off. First I had to warn the others. But David was still digging; I joined in. I don't know how well things went before I came, but I thought we were on a roll with the three of us. It works a treat! Just the number of four had been a bit unfortunate. It wouldn't be before 11PM that he was willing to come out. That meant not detonating until after that. Oh well! It did work. I will see next time how it had gone.
We walked back in the moonlight. It was stunning! A night that had started a bit iffy had ended well. On Sunday we would be back!
22 November 2016
Teaching on the dancefloor
The BRITICE meeting was all about research. I did have a teaching experience, though. Not while presenting my results to my colleagues; on the dancefloor! A strange place to think about teaching? Not so!
When after the dinner in the Cuban restaurant we went downstairs to the bar. This bar had a big and prominent dancefloor. To my slight disappointment, there were several couples on it who could actually dance. That always makes me feel out of place! But one can just have a beer and watch the dancers in the company of one's equally wooden scientist mates, no problem. But then one of the dancers approached me and asked me to dance. I informed him I was shit at it. He said that was alright.
We got onto the dancefloor and he assumed a tight grip. Immediately, he started instructing. "Small steps... Ok, now one, two, three, back, and one, two, three forwards, and now sideways. Small steps!" I could do that. He later tried some more complicated stuff. Some went well, some didn't. He was very patient.
Later he also managed to get Louise onto the dancefloor. Louise is a much better dancer than me, and with her he could do quite some intricate moves. None of the other women were keen! Or rather, they were decidedly keen to not set a foot onto that wood floor. After a while, he was beckoning me again. More of my clumsy dancing? Well why not.
It was nice, but I was in proper nerd mode and I was mainly pondering the didactic aspects of this occurrence. The man clearly adapted his activities to the level of the audience, he was explicit in what he asked, he kept giving instructions, he didn't pick on mistakes but stayed patient. He kept the level of challenge at the right height. He just had some problems with student engagement; that happens to the best. They should give this man a PGCertHE! And me a 'just pass' grade... I suppose in this analogy I am a well-meaning, hard enough working, but rather dim student. One needs to cater for all, these included!
When after the dinner in the Cuban restaurant we went downstairs to the bar. This bar had a big and prominent dancefloor. To my slight disappointment, there were several couples on it who could actually dance. That always makes me feel out of place! But one can just have a beer and watch the dancers in the company of one's equally wooden scientist mates, no problem. But then one of the dancers approached me and asked me to dance. I informed him I was shit at it. He said that was alright.
We got onto the dancefloor and he assumed a tight grip. Immediately, he started instructing. "Small steps... Ok, now one, two, three, back, and one, two, three forwards, and now sideways. Small steps!" I could do that. He later tried some more complicated stuff. Some went well, some didn't. He was very patient.
Later he also managed to get Louise onto the dancefloor. Louise is a much better dancer than me, and with her he could do quite some intricate moves. None of the other women were keen! Or rather, they were decidedly keen to not set a foot onto that wood floor. After a while, he was beckoning me again. More of my clumsy dancing? Well why not.
It was nice, but I was in proper nerd mode and I was mainly pondering the didactic aspects of this occurrence. The man clearly adapted his activities to the level of the audience, he was explicit in what he asked, he kept giving instructions, he didn't pick on mistakes but stayed patient. He kept the level of challenge at the right height. He just had some problems with student engagement; that happens to the best. They should give this man a PGCertHE! And me a 'just pass' grade... I suppose in this analogy I am a well-meaning, hard enough working, but rather dim student. One needs to cater for all, these included!
A real Cuban venue. Pic by JialiangGao (www.peace-on-earth.org)
21 November 2016
Last BRITICE meeting within my contract
The BRITICE-CHRONO project, on which I am employed, has its annual meeting in November. I got my first taste of this event after the first cruise; that was both a good opportunity to meet my cruise mates again, and to see the project in a wider scope. The project involves onshore and offshore work, and I am not involved in the onshore stuff. It helps to be kept in the loop though!
What was the project about, again? We try to establish the pattern of retreat of the ice sheet that covered most of Britain at the end of the last ice age. We know very well where it was on land, but not quite in what way it disintegrated. On the continental shelf we are often still a bit in the dark. A lot of work still to do! If we figure out if it melted away homogeneously or some regions quicker than others, and what happens if the ice sheets retreats onland, and what might have caused the retreat (general warming? Sea level rise? Maybe internal mechanics?) we know more about what the West Antarctic ice sheet might do.
In order to find out, we would focus on eight transects going from onshore to sometimes quite far offshore, which would have been major drainage passages. Four are done by me, and four by by Durham colleague Louise.
I didn't have much of an overview yet during the first meeting. The first cruise was done, but the results still in progress. Things were already coming together a lot more the second time around; both cruises had been completed and we knew what material we had to work with. We also had quite a lot of results already! It is always highly motivating to step back from what you are doing yourself, and see everything in a wider perspective.
This time would be rather significant for me. It is my last month; I only have some two weeks of employment left after the meeting! Whatever I don't have to show for myself then, I am not likely to ever have to show. It would be a bit of a goodbye to all the BRITICErs.
We drove up with four: James, Ed, Catriona and me. We were late! James had rented a vehicle that could not be delivered on time and was delivered to the wrong location. Tom was already talking about one of "my" transects when we finally rocked up! And the project administrator gestured to me where the leftover sandwiches were, as we had missed lunch.
All transects were presented by their transect leaders. Most of them had ice really far out onto the continental shelf, which started to retreat really early. Exciting! Some amazing papers will come out of that. I even had a chat with James; he is away very often and not always up to date with my latest findings. I think I convinced him I had found evidence of ice further out than he so far had hypothesized!
Before we knew it the day was over. Time to check into the hotel, and then get a drink. I had a chat with Lou, who I have known since 2009, and who is my closest BRITICE colleague. She has another postdoc job lined up! That's good. More ice-related stuff. Then it was time for dinner.
We went to an adjacent Cuban restaurant. Soon the waiters started placing bowls of food on the table. There was sangria and wine too! And live music. This would have its consequences. I barely drink these days! But this was just the day to have a flashback. I rarely get to see all these people!
The food was great, the drink flowed freely, and our voices got increasingly croaked due to having to shout over the music. When we had all had enough we went down to the bar, where there was a dancefloor too. I ended up on it! But I didn't stay too late; there was another day coming up.
The next day started a bit hard; we had a rather long poster session, but only of posters on transects I wasn't working on. And I was hungover! Furthermore; my hotel room had been hot, with no windows you could open, and you couldn't open a window in the room we were having the meeting in either. I needed air! I sneaked out for five minutes. I felt better when the presentations began again. One about dates in general, one about problematic dates, and then it was time for a presentation by Catriona (about ice rafted debris) and me (on micropalaeontology). Mine went well, and Catriona's was very interesting! This stuff is coming together.
The meeting ended with a session by the modellers; they will have to take over now. We have pretty much all the dates and other information; now they have to see if they can produce an ice model that fits our results. And once they have that, they can let it loose on West Antarctica. That will still be a while, but it will be massively interesting!
What was the project about, again? We try to establish the pattern of retreat of the ice sheet that covered most of Britain at the end of the last ice age. We know very well where it was on land, but not quite in what way it disintegrated. On the continental shelf we are often still a bit in the dark. A lot of work still to do! If we figure out if it melted away homogeneously or some regions quicker than others, and what happens if the ice sheets retreats onland, and what might have caused the retreat (general warming? Sea level rise? Maybe internal mechanics?) we know more about what the West Antarctic ice sheet might do.
In order to find out, we would focus on eight transects going from onshore to sometimes quite far offshore, which would have been major drainage passages. Four are done by me, and four by by Durham colleague Louise.
I didn't have much of an overview yet during the first meeting. The first cruise was done, but the results still in progress. Things were already coming together a lot more the second time around; both cruises had been completed and we knew what material we had to work with. We also had quite a lot of results already! It is always highly motivating to step back from what you are doing yourself, and see everything in a wider perspective.
This time would be rather significant for me. It is my last month; I only have some two weeks of employment left after the meeting! Whatever I don't have to show for myself then, I am not likely to ever have to show. It would be a bit of a goodbye to all the BRITICErs.
We drove up with four: James, Ed, Catriona and me. We were late! James had rented a vehicle that could not be delivered on time and was delivered to the wrong location. Tom was already talking about one of "my" transects when we finally rocked up! And the project administrator gestured to me where the leftover sandwiches were, as we had missed lunch.
All transects were presented by their transect leaders. Most of them had ice really far out onto the continental shelf, which started to retreat really early. Exciting! Some amazing papers will come out of that. I even had a chat with James; he is away very often and not always up to date with my latest findings. I think I convinced him I had found evidence of ice further out than he so far had hypothesized!
Before we knew it the day was over. Time to check into the hotel, and then get a drink. I had a chat with Lou, who I have known since 2009, and who is my closest BRITICE colleague. She has another postdoc job lined up! That's good. More ice-related stuff. Then it was time for dinner.
The view from my hotel room
We went to an adjacent Cuban restaurant. Soon the waiters started placing bowls of food on the table. There was sangria and wine too! And live music. This would have its consequences. I barely drink these days! But this was just the day to have a flashback. I rarely get to see all these people!
The food was great, the drink flowed freely, and our voices got increasingly croaked due to having to shout over the music. When we had all had enough we went down to the bar, where there was a dancefloor too. I ended up on it! But I didn't stay too late; there was another day coming up.
The next day started a bit hard; we had a rather long poster session, but only of posters on transects I wasn't working on. And I was hungover! Furthermore; my hotel room had been hot, with no windows you could open, and you couldn't open a window in the room we were having the meeting in either. I needed air! I sneaked out for five minutes. I felt better when the presentations began again. One about dates in general, one about problematic dates, and then it was time for a presentation by Catriona (about ice rafted debris) and me (on micropalaeontology). Mine went well, and Catriona's was very interesting! This stuff is coming together.
The meeting ended with a session by the modellers; they will have to take over now. We have pretty much all the dates and other information; now they have to see if they can produce an ice model that fits our results. And once they have that, they can let it loose on West Antarctica. That will still be a while, but it will be massively interesting!
A pic I took during my short fresh air walk
19 November 2016
Half a PGCertHE done
One half is done! I think I forgot to mention I had uploaded the first part of my PGCertHE portfolio. But I had! In late September. It was already finished in June. And now it's been marked. I passed! I scored a B+. Not an A, but hey, I did the entire work on a research-only contract. I think I did quite well! Now I'll have to sort out the second part. There's still a fair amount of work to do: I have to evaluate my new assignment, and write up an observation and a workshop. I just hope the assignment went well! And when all that is done and uploaded it will (hopefully) get marked in April. Assuming I pass again I will then be qualified! Will be good.
18 November 2016
Autumnal rescue training
An email seemed to come out of nowhere: it mentioned rescue training the day before the upcoming big project meeting in Sheffield. That didn't sound ideal! But I had missed two training events in the short time I had been a team member, and it was time I showed my good intentions again. And it's just a good thing to do. That the day before I'd meet up with the PCG only complicated things, but you're not a good scientist if you can't work to deadlines. I had to just make sure I was ready! And by the Friday evening I had managed that.
We would do an exercise in Parc. I like Parc! We met in the car park, and there were informed of the scenario. A man had gone in the previous day, and not been seen since. He did not have SRT kit with him. We would have to find him and get him out! The controllers stuck their heads together and made a plan.
When they seemed to have worked out a strategy, a man called Bob asked for two volunteers for a long walk. A woman called Heather raised her hand, and so did I. We were tasked with checking the main passage; it's quite long. I like being on speed duty! Run down the endless passage, check out every rathole along the way; my kind of thing! And it was good I knew the way, as neither Bob nor Heather had ever been in Parc. And there were more like that; one chap was tasked with keeping tabs on who and what kit was where, but he had positioned himselof at a capped shaft you can't possibly get in. I showed them the actual entrance, and off we went. We looked into every hole in the floor we came across (there are many!) and shouted down every one of them. No answer! We moved fairly fast. No sign of a casualty.
Bob told me we had been instructed only to go up to the crawl. That was probably good; the casualty might be beyond, but by now maybe he had been found by the others, so it was good to touch base. We might be needed for stretcher carrying! And if the others didn't have him yet either we could just go back and continue where we had left off.
We went back. The casualty had been found! So we were put to work carrying kit in; we needed a stretcher, and enough ropes and metally bits to rig first a short shaft and then a tyrolean as the stretcher had to go over a weak spot in the false floor. We also had a field telephone and a heyphone in use. All together that's a lot of stuff!
Next thing up I helped getting the stretcher down that first pitch. By then the tyrolean was pretty much rigged. We got our casualty, Mark, across. Then it was just a matter of carrying him out! Not necessarily comfortable; there are several obstacles in the way, and a lot of thew way the floor is covered in water so you can't put the stretcher down to take a rest. But we did well! We even managed to get Mark over the fence at the entrance without him noticing. In no time he was out and free! I think the planners hadn't figured we'd manage so quick.
At the entrance, we had a small evaluation, and then people went in again, to de-rig all the ropes, have a look at the heyphone which had caused so me trouble, and take all the kit out again. Then we were done! David even considered popping into our dig afterwards, but we decided against. Probably for the best!
We would do an exercise in Parc. I like Parc! We met in the car park, and there were informed of the scenario. A man had gone in the previous day, and not been seen since. He did not have SRT kit with him. We would have to find him and get him out! The controllers stuck their heads together and made a plan.
When they seemed to have worked out a strategy, a man called Bob asked for two volunteers for a long walk. A woman called Heather raised her hand, and so did I. We were tasked with checking the main passage; it's quite long. I like being on speed duty! Run down the endless passage, check out every rathole along the way; my kind of thing! And it was good I knew the way, as neither Bob nor Heather had ever been in Parc. And there were more like that; one chap was tasked with keeping tabs on who and what kit was where, but he had positioned himselof at a capped shaft you can't possibly get in. I showed them the actual entrance, and off we went. We looked into every hole in the floor we came across (there are many!) and shouted down every one of them. No answer! We moved fairly fast. No sign of a casualty.
Bob told me we had been instructed only to go up to the crawl. That was probably good; the casualty might be beyond, but by now maybe he had been found by the others, so it was good to touch base. We might be needed for stretcher carrying! And if the others didn't have him yet either we could just go back and continue where we had left off.
We went back. The casualty had been found! So we were put to work carrying kit in; we needed a stretcher, and enough ropes and metally bits to rig first a short shaft and then a tyrolean as the stretcher had to go over a weak spot in the false floor. We also had a field telephone and a heyphone in use. All together that's a lot of stuff!
Next thing up I helped getting the stretcher down that first pitch. By then the tyrolean was pretty much rigged. We got our casualty, Mark, across. Then it was just a matter of carrying him out! Not necessarily comfortable; there are several obstacles in the way, and a lot of thew way the floor is covered in water so you can't put the stretcher down to take a rest. But we did well! We even managed to get Mark over the fence at the entrance without him noticing. In no time he was out and free! I think the planners hadn't figured we'd manage so quick.
Lowering the stretcher down a short pitch
Down he goes!
At the entrance, we had a small evaluation, and then people went in again, to de-rig all the ropes, have a look at the heyphone which had caused so me trouble, and take all the kit out again. Then we were done! David even considered popping into our dig afterwards, but we decided against. Probably for the best!
16 November 2016
Annual visit of PCG
There they were again! The PCG comes to North Wales every year, and the time had come again. And I had managed to get everything done that needed doing by Friday evening, so I could spend time with them on Saturday. On Friday I phoned Dave; he suggested we meet up near where they were staying at 9:30. I wan't sure where we'd go; I thought he had said Moel Fferna, but he also had said it was quite a drive south. Moel Fferna is east! But I didn't really care; I came for the people.
I got there at 9:30. Soon three cars appeared, and they started to eject people. Big Dave, Dave Jean, Dave P (do you see a pattern here?), Rich, Laura, the lot! Well, not the entire lot; I received disembodied greetings from Lionel and Rick. But it was lovely to see those who were there. We moved my stuff into their cars and off we went. We were going to Moel Fferna after all! Nice, I hadn't been there before. Dave followed his satnav along a wild goose chase to Bethesda. From there, things made sense. Soon we were close. We tried a very narrow, steep and slippery road to get to where we wanted to park up; that wasn't a success. We backed out and tried the other possible route. That just about worked! We parked up and more cars appeared. Oh dear! They turned out to be from NWCC, with which we have good relations. Several of them are even in the cave rescue team; I would see them the next day as well. We got changed and kitted. It took Dave a fair while. What else is new! I waited for him and we walked up. The previous year he had been the fittest I had ever seen him. But that was then, this was now! He struggled on the gently sloping path.
I got to the pitch. Rich was rigging it. It looked unnecessarily complicated, but well, I shut up. People went down an electron ladder with a safety line attached. If you have a safety line you clearly have a rope; why the ladder? Oh well. We waited our turn and the NWCC waited with us. In the end we were all down!
We set off down the adit. It was a nice place! Soon it opened out. It was a very dark place! The rock was black and absorbed all light. It was nice though! We just scampered off in random directions. We saw chains, pumps, winches and whatnot. It was cool! We also hoped to see a certain bridge and actually managed to find it as well. It was rather spiffing! But we didn't have a lot of time; we would have a pub meal afterwards, and people wanted to get back to the hut before. It was about an hour's drive, and we would have to all get out on that electron ladder. And walk back to the cars! A lot of faff. So not long after the bridge we headed for the exit and climbed out. The NWCC were right behind us; we agreed they'd just come up on our kit. They had their own; we would just carry theirs down, and they would de-rig ours and bring that down.
We went back down. It was a nice day! With nice autumn colours. We got changed, and exchanged kit with the NWCC. Then we had to get Dave down; the other car had managed to turn around and could just drive down, but Dave's car was too long and had to reverse a fair distance. He was afraid it would start tobogganing down the lane. But we got there!
We picked up my car and went to the pub. There the three who had not joined us as they had preferred to go into Cwmorthin instead. We had a nice dinner! But then it was time to say goodbye. I had a rescue day to get ready for, and a big fat meeting after that! I hope to still live here next year, and team up with them again!
I got there at 9:30. Soon three cars appeared, and they started to eject people. Big Dave, Dave Jean, Dave P (do you see a pattern here?), Rich, Laura, the lot! Well, not the entire lot; I received disembodied greetings from Lionel and Rick. But it was lovely to see those who were there. We moved my stuff into their cars and off we went. We were going to Moel Fferna after all! Nice, I hadn't been there before. Dave followed his satnav along a wild goose chase to Bethesda. From there, things made sense. Soon we were close. We tried a very narrow, steep and slippery road to get to where we wanted to park up; that wasn't a success. We backed out and tried the other possible route. That just about worked! We parked up and more cars appeared. Oh dear! They turned out to be from NWCC, with which we have good relations. Several of them are even in the cave rescue team; I would see them the next day as well. We got changed and kitted. It took Dave a fair while. What else is new! I waited for him and we walked up. The previous year he had been the fittest I had ever seen him. But that was then, this was now! He struggled on the gently sloping path.
Walking up past the old mill
I got to the pitch. Rich was rigging it. It looked unnecessarily complicated, but well, I shut up. People went down an electron ladder with a safety line attached. If you have a safety line you clearly have a rope; why the ladder? Oh well. We waited our turn and the NWCC waited with us. In the end we were all down!
We set off down the adit. It was a nice place! Soon it opened out. It was a very dark place! The rock was black and absorbed all light. It was nice though! We just scampered off in random directions. We saw chains, pumps, winches and whatnot. It was cool! We also hoped to see a certain bridge and actually managed to find it as well. It was rather spiffing! But we didn't have a lot of time; we would have a pub meal afterwards, and people wanted to get back to the hut before. It was about an hour's drive, and we would have to all get out on that electron ladder. And walk back to the cars! A lot of faff. So not long after the bridge we headed for the exit and climbed out. The NWCC were right behind us; we agreed they'd just come up on our kit. They had their own; we would just carry theirs down, and they would de-rig ours and bring that down.
Nice relics
Difficult to see how big this is!
"The cog"; another of the big sights of this place
The bridge (or mayby another bridge)
We went back down. It was a nice day! With nice autumn colours. We got changed, and exchanged kit with the NWCC. Then we had to get Dave down; the other car had managed to turn around and could just drive down, but Dave's car was too long and had to reverse a fair distance. He was afraid it would start tobogganing down the lane. But we got there!
We picked up my car and went to the pub. There the three who had not joined us as they had preferred to go into Cwmorthin instead. We had a nice dinner! But then it was time to say goodbye. I had a rescue day to get ready for, and a big fat meeting after that! I hope to still live here next year, and team up with them again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
