This is what I saw when I arrived on location.
This is what I saw when I arrived on location.
The view looking over the edge! That hole was 100 Feet deep, and about 60 feet across.
The view looking over the edge! That hole was 100 Feet deep, and about 60 feet across.
They said "Get in the cage" - Yikes! It holds up to 8 people.
They said "Get in the cage" - Yikes! It holds up to 8 people.
They said "We're going to lower you to the bottom of this big hole". I'm thinking "You're gonna do what???"
They said "We're going to lower you to the bottom of this big hole". I'm thinking "You're gonna do what???"
So, once I'm at the bottom of this big hole - 100' deep, I look up and see this! As I look to my left I see a 14 foot diameter tunnel that goes back about 70 feet. To my right I see a tunnel about 30 foot long. How is it I thought this was a good idea??
So, once I'm at the bottom of this big hole - 100' deep, I look up and see this! As I look to my left I see a 14 foot diameter tunnel that goes back about 70 feet. To my right I see a tunnel about 30 foot long. How is it I thought this was a good idea??
Looking into the 30 foot tunnel, I see a boring machine. It's dead. It won't move, it won't drill.
Looking into the 30 foot tunnel, I see a boring machine. It's dead. It won't move, it won't drill.
I look up at the ceiling of the tunnel and it looks kinda like the inside of a wooden barrel - except this is about 14 feet in diameter. As I'm troubleshooting, I hear dirt falling on to the wooden slats above me. "Don't worry, it's just the earth relaxing from the relief of the stress caused by the tunnel." Wait - What?
I look up at the ceiling of the tunnel and it looks kinda like the inside of a wooden barrel - except this is about 14 feet in diameter. As I'm troubleshooting, I hear dirt falling on to the wooden slats above me. "Don't worry, it's just the earth relaxing from the relief of the stress caused by the tunnel." Wait - What?
So I spend the next 2 days trying to get the beast to run. When I do finally get it to come back to life, the crew gets excited and can't wait to get back to drilling.
So I spend the next 2 days trying to get the beast to run. When I do finally get it to come back to life, the crew gets excited and can't wait to get back to drilling.
I'm encouraged to quickly close things up, and step back out of the way while they made some preliminary test cuts.
I'm encouraged to quickly close things up, and step back out of the way while they made some preliminary test cuts.
So, as they brought me out of the hole, I look towards my Jeep and realize that it was sitting directly above me while I was working in the tunnel. Hmmm...
So, as they brought me out of the hole, I look towards my Jeep and realize that it was sitting directly above me while I was working in the tunnel. Hmmm...
I learned that the longest tunnel that I first saw would be drilled under the Trinity River on its way to a reservoir. The tunnel I was working in will break surface after about 150 feet. It will complete about 150 mile run to Fort Worth in a ditch. These tunnels will accommodate a 10 foot diameter water line.
I learned that the longest tunnel that I first saw would be drilled under the Trinity River on its way to a reservoir. The tunnel I was working in will break surface after about 150 feet. It will complete about 150 mile run to Fort Worth in a ditch. These tunnels will accommodate a 10 foot diameter water line.

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This is what I saw when I arrived on location.
This is what I saw when I arrived on location.
The view looking over the edge! That hole was 100 Feet deep, and about 60 feet across.
The view looking over the edge! That hole was 100 Feet deep, and about 60 feet across.
They said "Get in the cage" - Yikes! It holds up to 8 people.
They said "Get in the cage" - Yikes! It holds up to 8 people.
They said "We're going to lower you to the bottom of this big hole". I'm thinking "You're gonna do what???"
They said "We're going to lower you to the bottom of this big hole". I'm thinking "You're gonna do what???"
So, once I'm at the bottom of this big hole - 100' deep, I look up and see this! As I look to my left I see a 14 foot diameter tunnel that goes back about 70 feet. To my right I see a tunnel about 30 foot long. How is it I thought this was a good idea??
So, once I'm at the bottom of this big hole - 100' deep, I look up and see this! As I look to my left I see a 14 foot diameter tunnel that goes back about 70 feet. To my right I see a tunnel about 30 foot long. How is it I thought this was a good idea??
Looking into the 30 foot tunnel, I see a boring machine. It's dead. It won't move, it won't drill.
Looking into the 30 foot tunnel, I see a boring machine. It's dead. It won't move, it won't drill.
I look up at the ceiling of the tunnel and it looks kinda like the inside of a wooden barrel - except this is about 14 feet in diameter. As I'm troubleshooting, I hear dirt falling on to the wooden slats above me. "Don't worry, it's just the earth relaxing from the relief of the stress caused by the tunnel." Wait - What?
I look up at the ceiling of the tunnel and it looks kinda like the inside of a wooden barrel - except this is about 14 feet in diameter. As I'm troubleshooting, I hear dirt falling on to the wooden slats above me. "Don't worry, it's just the earth relaxing from the relief of the stress caused by the tunnel." Wait - What?
So I spend the next 2 days trying to get the beast to run. When I do finally get it to come back to life, the crew gets excited and can't wait to get back to drilling.
So I spend the next 2 days trying to get the beast to run. When I do finally get it to come back to life, the crew gets excited and can't wait to get back to drilling.
I'm encouraged to quickly close things up, and step back out of the way while they made some preliminary test cuts.
I'm encouraged to quickly close things up, and step back out of the way while they made some preliminary test cuts.
So, as they brought me out of the hole, I look towards my Jeep and realize that it was sitting directly above me while I was working in the tunnel. Hmmm...
So, as they brought me out of the hole, I look towards my Jeep and realize that it was sitting directly above me while I was working in the tunnel. Hmmm...
I learned that the longest tunnel that I first saw would be drilled under the Trinity River on its way to a reservoir. The tunnel I was working in will break surface after about 150 feet. It will complete about 150 mile run to Fort Worth in a ditch. These tunnels will accommodate a 10 foot diameter water line.
I learned that the longest tunnel that I first saw would be drilled under the Trinity River on its way to a reservoir. The tunnel I was working in will break surface after about 150 feet. It will complete about 150 mile run to Fort Worth in a ditch. These tunnels will accommodate a 10 foot diameter water line.