A fascinating day for me.
I had a load of pipe and fittings for a copper mine up in the mountains near Miami, AZ.
I have viewed the vast expanses of copper mines that they are from "scenic viewpoints", I have never been IN a copper mine.
Well, today, I definitely went in.
First was the guardhouse. Back your truck up and park over there. I hand the man the information to call the person who is supposed to come and guide me in there. He says he'll call the man "after you park over there", as if, for someone reason, I wouldn't do so.
I then just wait in the truck. I have had plenty of experience with guard shack guards - they want you to do things their way or they are simply going to make life miserable. I waited about 15 minutes - they fnally come out and wave me in.
I only go into all of this because of the rather massive amount of paperwork I had to read and sign before going in there. 1st document was a rather lengthy disclaimer - you are going in at your own risk, you assume all liability for any injuries or (whatever) that may occur. Yada, yada, yada. On and on. These people insisted I read the whole thing, so I did. And then I signed it.
Next, rules. LOTS of rules. I read all of that. Signed it.
Next, equipment. They have a huge list of things you must have and how much you will pay when you leave if you lose or break any of it. Well, I had a hardhat; steel-toed shoes; safety vest; safety glasses - all of it except a flag on a 10 foot pole that everyone that goes in there must have waving around for every one to see. $40 for that if you break or lose it. Wasn't very keen on signing paperwork for it, but I did anyway and kept my mouth shut.
Next - an ID card. I would like to say here that it is easier to get into the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Plant - of which I have been in many times - than it is to get into this mine. It was worth it, though. I sign the ID card, they tell me it's good for a full year. They hand me a flag and yes, they give me tie-wraps to attach it to the passenger side mirror on my truck.
I then wait. In fact, I fell asleep waiting so long. There is some 6th sense in me that wakes me up - every time - I did so 2 seconds before a pickup comes pulling up, waving me to follow him.
Now comes the fascinating part - driving down what I guessed was a 7% grade on a dirt roads, driving on the wrong side of the road because that's what they want, all lights on, extreme switch backs and all. Down and down and down. At the bottom, we cross over a small divide and head back up. We go on a major haul road - GIANT dump trucks - the tires on those things were about 8 FEET tall . We got stuck behind one that was trying to pull a hill with at least 100 tons (I'm guessing) of dirt and rock in it. There must have been 50 of those things in there.
It was at least 20 minutes of driving on these roads before we got to the destination. They are building a lake. Not any ole' lake, either, it's an ACID lake. A little shocking to hear them say that considering from the looks of this lake, it is going to be millions and millions of gallons of fluid, if not MUCH more than that. The lake? Will be used to leach the copper, I guess and however that works. I am very inquisitive about such things, the man was not really giving up any real amounts of information.
We get the load off the truck, spend 20 minutes going over the paperwork and justifying it against the quantities there, time to leave. I have seen safety being put to the nth degree at many places, this one takes the cake. And why not, there are thousands of tons of heavy equipment - very heavy equipment - running around all over the place. People can easily get killed without stringent safety measures in place, I am totally FOR all of that, trust me, I am.
No surprise, either, that most of the men working there were at least in their 30's, if not 40's and up. 20 somethings simply don't have the life experience of older individuals who have experienced dramatic situations at work places and have learned wisdom from it. I'm guessing these boys are getting paid very well.
Really, an experience of a lifetime, at least from my perspective. You do not just get to drive in to a copper mining operation. Good luck trying to. You can pull of the side of the road at the scenic view stops they have all you want, but driving down into one? Don't think so.
Well, that took more than a day's work - meaning I will get off early tomorrow - cause' - we aren't allowed any overtime at all unless it finally ends that way at the end of any given week. Tomorrow is going to not be so wonderful, either. A HUGE return, I am gathering, why is it the big returns are always in the middle of a very hot summer? You just die out there in the heat and now humidity, gag. I'm thinking of buying one of those huge convenience store chiller mugs, loading it with ice and taking a gallon of water with me,I am not into dehyration while working my @$$ off.
Not unexpectedly, I have done nothing at home. I got home, plopped down into this chair - remembered the fishies and fed them - those Koi are RAVENOUS eaters, they eat FAR more food than those goldfish do. No biggies, it's not like it's hundreds of dollars worth, I'm just saying. Probably 4 times the amount that any goldfish in there will eat.
Regardless, I am trashed and I'm outta here.
G'day/nite.
ben
7 comments:
Tuesday
So, I'm reading the news. A crock of S***, most of the stuff going on, especially these ethics charges against 2 democrats in "high profile" cases, they're calling it. Pelosi takes the stand that it doesn't matter, look what the Republicans did.
I see, so because the Republicans did similar type of things, that therefore excuses Democrats for doing the same types of thing? This is why I am not in love with either party - they take rsponsibility for nothing, shift blame, point fingers, do whatever to keep the limelight off of them - excepting when they have won some sort of victory, then their faces are plastered all over the place with their pathetic voices squeaking out their BS. They can ALL go bug off.
The tragedy, however, this morning with 3 teenaged brothers from one family and a sister and 2 teenaged brothers from another - drowning in a river.......leaves me scratching my head.
I'm just curious how you can go through life without even learning how to swim? Further, if you don't know how to swim, why would you be playing in a river? I first started reading the story thinking that river must have some swift, powerful undercurrents to be able to pull under and kill 6 teenagers, but getting further into the story, it was proclaimed that none of them knew how to swim. I can't imagine the grief those parents must be going through right now. Losing one child is too much, losing 3 in the same day?
There's some really strange stuff going on in this world - I am not going to comment on everything I have seen in the news this morning, there is too much of it.
Unfortunately, the only thing in our truck routing system today is a return - and from what I am hearing, it is a large return. Another return at another contractor tomorrow. Not a fan of returns, burning up in the sun is not my idea of fun while doing this stuff. I will, undoubtedly, be getting off early today since I went 2 hours over yesterday on that trip to that mine. Another trip to that mine tomorrow. We didn't have some of the materials and they want it delivered. I suppose the bigger bummer of the deal is that it will be in a pickup truck, not the semi.
Anyway, work day approaches and I have a few more things I wanna look at online before signing in.
g'day
ben
Get a lot of rest and take care of yourself (and the Koi!), Ben.
:)
Pretty cool to read about the adventure down the mine. I take it that acid bath is a massive environmental hazard that will be there long after the mine closes!!!
Thanks Doanli, I'm definitely taking it easy this afternoon
Bobby - a lake full of SULPHURIC acid, no less. Really, unbelievable.
Wednesday
Well, somehow I totally forgot to do anything with entries yesterday.
Umm, take that back: after getting done with that ordeal yesterday morning and feeling sick for the rest of the day from heat exhaustion (I'm guessing, anyway), that's what messed me up.
It was a large return, it was very hot and humid outside, I worked nonstop sweating like a pig and - well it just took it's toll on me. I'm not a 20-something anymore. I was drinking a lot of water but I still ended up with a "heat headache" is what I call them and once I get one, it can take the rest of the day and a good night's sleep to get beyond it.
Today was slated for an even LARGER return. Fortunately, it has been put off until tomorrow as I am still not feeling quite right from yesterday's event in a pool of hellish heat.
My dad sent me another letter yesterday - he has been helping me out with a tidy sum of money every month to help me through this financial chaos and the money has been MUCH appreciated. He wants me to come down for another Thanksgiving visit. Last year, mother graciously made Thanksgiving plans around my plan to visit dad - I hadn't seen him in a long time and I hadn't visited him on a holiday in - I don't even remember how long ago - it was definitely time. The problem is his wife's families are going to be there again and frankly, it was very uncomfortable around those people last year. When you're around a man that is so full of himself that he wants to do all the talking and listen to nothing anyone else has to say, well, I really am not into that at all. In fact, people like that REALLY turn me off, having to sit there and listen to it for hours on end is ridiculous. If it goes on long enough, I start to get mad. I know, I can be juvenile at times, but I don't WANT to be subjected to another person's BS for THAT length of time.
I'm gonna have to think about that one, that's all I can say about it. I think I would rather spend a few days at Christmas instead.
Meanwhile, the vacation, unemployed, behind on rent tenant is still gone. I was going to write up a 5-day notice the other day here, but I forgot and got busy with work. I was going to write one up at home, but my printer is out of ink and I'm not sure that buying ink is of such great importance right now, especially considering I can print stuff at work for free.
If I am facing another $500 month for electicity - which I SINCERELY hope I am not - money will be tight yet again. Especially if this woman doesn't pay up, I have to get rid of her and lose that money I would otherwise have had with a paying tenant.
Pond work has come to a standstill and may not be taken up again until this weekend. Just don't have it in me to do all this stuff at work and then come home and start digging away as if I'm a 5 year old with limitless energy. I have plenty of energy, yes, but when the sun is helping zap it out of me, that makes things a bit different.
2 days in a row now my weight on the scale has shown 194! I've been coming in here - work that is - and seeing it all over the place. 198,195, 196, but NOT 194 - at all. I ate a foot long subway sandwich yesterday with all the veggies, mustard and vinegar - no cheese, no mayo, no creamy dressings. I got home and ate 2 hamburger patties. Patties only, nothing else on them. I then consumed - because I was still hungry and it was early - a 280 calorie diet dinner thing. Whatever it is, it's those frozen dinners that are supposed to be good for people on diets. They are low in fat but I forgot to look at sodium content. Usually it's higher in sodium content which is also a dieter's enemy. Still, just the fact that the weight is down a little more is very encouraging.
My goal is the low 180's, but I'd take 185 and be happy with it - I'm 6'2" which makes 185 a good weight range for my size.
Again, when dieting and especially when on one for so long, the temptations come from all sides. Donuts here, ice cream there - anything you want is right in your face. At other times, of course, that stuff is nowhere to be seen.
The news.
I always love the news in the morning.
Apparently ANOTHER kid is lost in the woods and has been since Monday night. What is with all these kids disappearing in the woods? Is there some sicko or sickos out there looking for young boys to take advantage of? I don't quite understand why I'm seeing so much of this in the news, I do hope they find the kid alive and in good condition.
Apparently the mud being pumped down the well on the BP disaster is working. Calling it in "static condition". Well, whatever they want to call it, get the damned thing plugged permanently and then they better not start disappearing JUST when the REAL cleanup efforts should be getting started - after the well is permanently closed.
Certainly, they must have a blueprint of sorts at this point to be able to deal with any future s*** like this that may occur without it having to take MONTHS to figure out how to stop it.
So, Missouri is setting it's own tone and voted - by 71% - to reject federally mandated health care. I'm on that boat, I've been on it since this government controlled healthcare crap came to the surface. It seems states are taking their own stances against things that this out-of-control Obama administration is trying to shove down all of our throats - Virginia being another. Fun to watch all of this, the democratic process might actually work in November!
A congressman is advocating to kill the person that leaked the information to Wikileaks if he is found guilty. There is substantial room here to create a stance that the man committed treason. It IS the law of our land. Dunno about that one, another watch as it plays out situation.
White House: Afghan war is not lost. Well, it isn't won, either, and I don't see it EVER getting won, meanwhile our boys and gals are getting killed over there on a daily basis.......forrrrrrrr.....what? I'm all for getting the bleep out of there, it's never going to change, there is no point in us trying to change people that have lived they they are for centuries.
They wanna kill each other, let them have at it, why should we interfere?
That's it, cause' time is up, I'm outta here.
For those that don't know, I'm writing my morning entries on a previous day's comments section because I can no longer access my account at work.
No biggies.
Later.
ben
Nation building is not a thing that works except when the nation is building itself. I agree that it is not something we can win over there. Defense is one thing, idiotic unsuccessful manipulation of other places is another.
I'd love to see that copper mine. But I ain't going for a swim in their pond
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