Jan 26, 2008

Setting the backhoe free



Behind and to the right of Ethan the ditch at the mouth of the cave has been filled in so the backhoe could get free. It was in a corner of our property where the only way out would have been through some bushes and trees or over the ditch that it dug at the entrance to the cave. Reminds me of a child's story about a steam shovel that dug a cellar for a house and then was trapped inside. Some of the rocks have been moved around behind Ethan where the backhoe used to be. I actually got the backhoe out a while back but have not taken pictures since then.

Ethan by my cave support vehicle.

Ethan and I got to the cave on Saturday while the sun was a bit higher in the sky than when I usually come during the week. The sunlight was going down into the mouth of the cave where we were working. I was removing some of that rock in the center of the picture and showing Ethan how I drill rocks and crack them with the bull pins.

So we stacked up some drums to give us some shade. I had put the drums there because I am thinking of filling them with water and using a 2 inch hose I have to siphon water out at high speed for cave digging.

And now we can work in the shade.

We removed some rock from the center of this picture.

Behind Ethan is where I burn stuff. The sticks are stuff that was on the outer edge of a previous fire and did not burn.

So we piled them up and burned them. This is after it has burned down most of the way.