Tales From Below!

So we went underground. We only went about 20 meters down. Trout Lake Mine was holding a Safety Competition and groups of spectators could go with them. It's only time you can go underground so I didn't want to miss it. We got a short introduction/orientation before suiting up and walking down. Everyone got coveralls which were much, much too big for me. I felt like a teenage boy with the crotch riding around my knees. Then we got (large) rubber boots, but I got used to those. We also got a hard hat with a light on it attached to a very heavy battery pack strapped to the (large) belt. I was a little unsure where to put the belt, under or over the belly. I decided on under because the battery pack weighed it down. And boy did it ever! I thought lugging around a developing child was hard well, add a fully charged battery pack and see how easy it is to walk around. There was only one point when I was a little uneasy. We had been standing around for awhile watching the team look through a smoke filled room and carry their now injured captain out of the scene. I was so glad to be back to walking. It's really cold underground and the wind would hurt my ears. They have a giant fan at the end to keep the air flow and does it ever blow! Bill gave me his sweater before he left and I needed it once we got to the lowest part. It wasn't as narrow and scary as I thought it would be. I should have known since they have to drive really big machinery down. The walls are covered in dust so when you touch them, they feel soft. It's from years and years of blasting and the dust rushing out.

So when we got back home, we had some BBQed hamburgers and then took a nap. I was really tired after that and we're going to a movie tonight. And since it's at the Drive-In, it won't start until 10:30 so I need my sleep now.