T-Junction Dig 14
The Troubled Week
Only 64.7' to go!

Diggers
   Saturday, 12/1/01
Greg Buckley, Jeremy Eaton, Tim Fuller, Tom Lounsbury, Dave McCool, Matt Sutcliffe, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters, Paul Worsey

   Sunday, 12/2/01: 
Greg Buckley, Jeremy Eaton, Tim Fuller, Tom Lounsbury, Dave McCool, Chris McCracken, Kerry Rowland, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters

   Monday 12/3/01
Greg Buckley, Bill Copeland, Tom Lounsbury, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters

   Tuesday 12/4/01
Julio Bonzo, Greg Buckley, Steve Dalton, Tom Lounsbury, Bob Strattford, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters

   Wednesday 12/5/01
Chris Wolters, Tom Lounsbury, Lisa Teufel

   Thursday 12/6/01
Julio Bongo, Tom Lounsbury, Bob Strattford, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters

   Friday 12/7/01
Tom Lounsbury, Lisa Teufel, Chris Wolters Paul Woods, Todd Heintz

   Saturday 12/8/01
Mike Cotter, Jeremy Eaton, Tom Lounsbury, Dave McCool, Eddie Simmons, Lisa Teufel, Ryan Freeman, Chris Wolters, Paul Worsey

Dig 14 ran for eight days from Saturday 12/1/01 through Saturday 12/8/01.  Chris Wolters and Tom Lounsbury were the linchpins.  They were there each day and provided direction and continuity for the daily crews.  Eddie Simmons helped recruit the daily crew.

Nine blasts were made.  Six of the nine were for depth, two were for cleanup and one was used to unplug the 9" hole. 

The total depth gained was 15.9' which puts the bottom of the dig 64.7' above the cave ceiling.  This number may get revised when I get the log sheets from the dig.  The numbers that have been reported to me for pull on the individual blasts add to a larger gain than that calculated from the last measured depth. 

On the first day the bottom was moved down over 10 feet in three blasts.  The optimism from the first day soon faded as equipment, manpower and technical problems slowed progress.  After the third blast an unexploded round was found and the 9" hole was plugged.  On following days the air compressor failed, drills failed, a drill stem was dropped into the cave, a second unexploded round was found and the 9" hole was plugged for a second time.  The equipment was repaired or replaced and with great effort the 9" hole was unplugged.  The last plug was blasted away.

Thanks to Chris and Tom for their marathon effort.  Thanks to Matt Sutcliffe for again bringing out a fire truck to wash down the sides of the 30" hole and wash down the debris pile in the cave.  Thanks to Danny for the continued use of his compressor that kept us in business when our compressor failed.  Thanks to Hertz in Springfield for again loaning us their pneumatic drill.  Thanks to Paul and Ryan for delivering the explosive and for retrieving the leftovers when we used less than expected.  We are all glad to hear that Greg Buckley is feeling better after falling ill and leaving midweek.  

A more detailed report by Tom Lounsbury may be published at a later date when we sort out the facts. 

Next Dig:  This weekend, December 15-16.  Please call or Email if you can help.  We need help!

Next Meeting:  Sunday, January 27, 2002, 1:00 PM at the Lake Ozark City Hall.

Rick
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