Since my last entry we have enjoyed a few more days off and then some business.
We had three days in Yosemite National Park. This is a very beautiful place. It is just amazing scenery we have seen. We stayed in a timber cabin in the national park and despite not being overly cold we got the fireplace going every night and even enjoyed the outdoor spa. There are huge volcanic plugs and sheer cliff faces gouged by glaciers. We went to see the Giant Sequoias. These trees are simply awesome. They are up to 10 metres across at the base and the oldest are over 2,000 years old. This is just another place everyone should have on their “bucket list”.
On the final day we started early and drove the northern road across to Tiopa Pass. It is over 10,000 feet above sea level and there was snow on the ground. Out the other side and we are driving on the edge of cliffs as we come down the other side. Here we worked out the car had a major problem with the brakes. The car shuddered violently when breaking under load. It is always a good time to find out about such a problem when travelling down the edge of a cliff with a thousand foot drop off the side of the road.
We worked our way down and headed into Death Valley. The strata on the way down is like mince meat with many colours and different rock formations. Unfortunately the problem with the brakes was again a constant reminder of potential mortality if we went too fast. Death Valley is a contrast to Yosemite. It is nearly always hot during the day and cold at night. On average they get 64mm of rain in a year. The hottest day recorded was 58 deg C and the coldest night -9 deg C. The day we were there was 39 deg C. However, after dutifully informing Judy that it never rains in Death Valley …… it rained (a brief storm on our way in – well if they average 64mm of rain in a year then in must rain some time). It is just simply desolate. I can imagine in early days a team of men on horses might get in but there is virtually no way out and you can’t go back across because of the intense heat. We drove down to Badwater Basin which at 300 feet below sea level is the lowest point on the American mainland. So in one day we went from 10,000 feet above sea level to 300 feet below in a car which complained violently when breaking under load (going down hill). From there we headed across to Las Vegas. When we arrived at 9.00pm we had been going for 14 hours through national parks and desert. Dealing with the 10 lanes of traffic was difficult when so tired.
Las Vegas. The location for the world’s biggest mining show (we were a little early as the next one is in 2012). Every miner dreams of investing their handsome salaries into this meca of lights, noise, shops and ……… casinos. We spent three nights in New York New York and one night at Treasure Island. It is sensory overload. Walk the streets at 2.00am and there are people everywhere and the casinos are still full. However, I can report that no small fortunes nor large fortunes were made. In fact, we think we are two of the very few people who never lost a dollar in Las Vegas. It helps that we don’t gamble at all.
Due to timings for meetings in Denver we stayed an extra night in Las Vegas. Found a room, extended the hire car and had all sorts of problems changing the flight. But eventually the extension was arranged. Funny thing though. When leaving a day later than planned we missed the flight. Just one extra shop to go into, horrendous traffic, rental car return several km from the terminal, a shuttle bus and then check-in as far away as it could be and yep we rocked up 10 mins before the plane was due to leave. Anyone who knows US airports knows this is not a good thing to do. Don’t even ask to get on the flight. By the time you queue, go through security, catch the train to the concourse you really need hours not 10 mins. So we got to spend another 2 hrs in Las Vegas (airport). Just as well there were more shops there.
We finally got to Denver and met Trevor and Dick. Friday was a meetings day with Austrade and other mine suppliers.
Saturday was catch-up day. We did some shopping and got haircuts and had a look around Dallas. We went to Cherry Creek Shopping Complex. Now that is an upmarket place. The weather forecast was ominous for Gillette so despite the Indian Summer we had been through we prepared ourselves for the onset of winter.
Sunday we flew to Gillette. Funny thing happened. We were two hours early for the flight.
When we got out in Gillette we knew winter had arrived. Cold and windy. Forecast for snow Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday we visited Black Thunder Mine. It was 3 deg C, windy and raining. This mine (now combined with Jacobs Creek) produces 120 million tons of coal a year. Wow!!! What a logistical exercise moving that much coal? We returned to Gillette for a late lunch and preparations for Tuesday. Unfortunately I got sick and was taken (for the second time since leaving Australia) to the emergency department of the Gillette Hospital. A couple of hours later with vomiting under control returned back to the Motel at 12.30am. During the evening there was a little snow but I was too unwell to care.
The planned meetings with potential distributors and mine visit to Buckskin on Tuesday went ahead with Trevor and Dick but not Judy and me. I was not great and Judy was my nurse. Tuesday night is snowed a bit more so that when we left Wednesday morning there was a lot of white on the ground, trees and houses and ice on the roads.
On Wednesday we visited North Antelope Rochelle Mine. What an amazing mine. I have always wanted to go there to see how they operate so productively so for me, despite still being dehydrated this was something I really enjoyed. It was however too cold for a mine tour which is OK – it is a coal mine and I have seen plenty. Judy was disappointed – she bought her steel caps and carried them around the world and really want to get them dirty more than a few times. I just wanted to find out first hand what they did that sets them apart. And I did find out. My beliefs about equipment productivity has again been confirmed – it all starts at the top and is all about culture.
We flew to Texas on Thursday. When we landed I had a message on my email that there was a meeting arranged with a Group Executive and VP in Gillette on Friday. Phone meeting to Gillette will have to do. We drove to Texas and the Garmin took us on a peak hour journey through the centre of Dallas. Our 1.5hr drive became 3 hrs and we were late for dinner with the Luminant people. Travel makes you tired. All that sitting around doing nothing is very wearying. On Friday another 5am start, another 3 hr presentation to Luminant, four hours of driving and dinner with the Vice President. 11pm we crawl into bed after 18 hrs.
At time of writing we are at 37,000ft flying to Milwaukee – our 30th flight (as if that is something to boast about). Conference next week. Hmmmmm….. better start preparing.
We had three days in Yosemite National Park. This is a very beautiful place. It is just amazing scenery we have seen. We stayed in a timber cabin in the national park and despite not being overly cold we got the fireplace going every night and even enjoyed the outdoor spa. There are huge volcanic plugs and sheer cliff faces gouged by glaciers. We went to see the Giant Sequoias. These trees are simply awesome. They are up to 10 metres across at the base and the oldest are over 2,000 years old. This is just another place everyone should have on their “bucket list”.
On the final day we started early and drove the northern road across to Tiopa Pass. It is over 10,000 feet above sea level and there was snow on the ground. Out the other side and we are driving on the edge of cliffs as we come down the other side. Here we worked out the car had a major problem with the brakes. The car shuddered violently when breaking under load. It is always a good time to find out about such a problem when travelling down the edge of a cliff with a thousand foot drop off the side of the road.
We worked our way down and headed into Death Valley. The strata on the way down is like mince meat with many colours and different rock formations. Unfortunately the problem with the brakes was again a constant reminder of potential mortality if we went too fast. Death Valley is a contrast to Yosemite. It is nearly always hot during the day and cold at night. On average they get 64mm of rain in a year. The hottest day recorded was 58 deg C and the coldest night -9 deg C. The day we were there was 39 deg C. However, after dutifully informing Judy that it never rains in Death Valley …… it rained (a brief storm on our way in – well if they average 64mm of rain in a year then in must rain some time). It is just simply desolate. I can imagine in early days a team of men on horses might get in but there is virtually no way out and you can’t go back across because of the intense heat. We drove down to Badwater Basin which at 300 feet below sea level is the lowest point on the American mainland. So in one day we went from 10,000 feet above sea level to 300 feet below in a car which complained violently when breaking under load (going down hill). From there we headed across to Las Vegas. When we arrived at 9.00pm we had been going for 14 hours through national parks and desert. Dealing with the 10 lanes of traffic was difficult when so tired.
Las Vegas. The location for the world’s biggest mining show (we were a little early as the next one is in 2012). Every miner dreams of investing their handsome salaries into this meca of lights, noise, shops and ……… casinos. We spent three nights in New York New York and one night at Treasure Island. It is sensory overload. Walk the streets at 2.00am and there are people everywhere and the casinos are still full. However, I can report that no small fortunes nor large fortunes were made. In fact, we think we are two of the very few people who never lost a dollar in Las Vegas. It helps that we don’t gamble at all.
Due to timings for meetings in Denver we stayed an extra night in Las Vegas. Found a room, extended the hire car and had all sorts of problems changing the flight. But eventually the extension was arranged. Funny thing though. When leaving a day later than planned we missed the flight. Just one extra shop to go into, horrendous traffic, rental car return several km from the terminal, a shuttle bus and then check-in as far away as it could be and yep we rocked up 10 mins before the plane was due to leave. Anyone who knows US airports knows this is not a good thing to do. Don’t even ask to get on the flight. By the time you queue, go through security, catch the train to the concourse you really need hours not 10 mins. So we got to spend another 2 hrs in Las Vegas (airport). Just as well there were more shops there.
We finally got to Denver and met Trevor and Dick. Friday was a meetings day with Austrade and other mine suppliers.
Saturday was catch-up day. We did some shopping and got haircuts and had a look around Dallas. We went to Cherry Creek Shopping Complex. Now that is an upmarket place. The weather forecast was ominous for Gillette so despite the Indian Summer we had been through we prepared ourselves for the onset of winter.
Sunday we flew to Gillette. Funny thing happened. We were two hours early for the flight.
When we got out in Gillette we knew winter had arrived. Cold and windy. Forecast for snow Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday we visited Black Thunder Mine. It was 3 deg C, windy and raining. This mine (now combined with Jacobs Creek) produces 120 million tons of coal a year. Wow!!! What a logistical exercise moving that much coal? We returned to Gillette for a late lunch and preparations for Tuesday. Unfortunately I got sick and was taken (for the second time since leaving Australia) to the emergency department of the Gillette Hospital. A couple of hours later with vomiting under control returned back to the Motel at 12.30am. During the evening there was a little snow but I was too unwell to care.
The planned meetings with potential distributors and mine visit to Buckskin on Tuesday went ahead with Trevor and Dick but not Judy and me. I was not great and Judy was my nurse. Tuesday night is snowed a bit more so that when we left Wednesday morning there was a lot of white on the ground, trees and houses and ice on the roads.
On Wednesday we visited North Antelope Rochelle Mine. What an amazing mine. I have always wanted to go there to see how they operate so productively so for me, despite still being dehydrated this was something I really enjoyed. It was however too cold for a mine tour which is OK – it is a coal mine and I have seen plenty. Judy was disappointed – she bought her steel caps and carried them around the world and really want to get them dirty more than a few times. I just wanted to find out first hand what they did that sets them apart. And I did find out. My beliefs about equipment productivity has again been confirmed – it all starts at the top and is all about culture.
We flew to Texas on Thursday. When we landed I had a message on my email that there was a meeting arranged with a Group Executive and VP in Gillette on Friday. Phone meeting to Gillette will have to do. We drove to Texas and the Garmin took us on a peak hour journey through the centre of Dallas. Our 1.5hr drive became 3 hrs and we were late for dinner with the Luminant people. Travel makes you tired. All that sitting around doing nothing is very wearying. On Friday another 5am start, another 3 hr presentation to Luminant, four hours of driving and dinner with the Vice President. 11pm we crawl into bed after 18 hrs.
At time of writing we are at 37,000ft flying to Milwaukee – our 30th flight (as if that is something to boast about). Conference next week. Hmmmmm….. better start preparing.
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