Saturday, October 28, 2006
Long time since the last post - about 3 weeks or more I think. Myself and Brian are now settled into our New Apartment. We now have a steady internet connection and thus it is posting time.
It has now been 5 weeks today that we packed up the wheels and hit the open Canadian roads for the west coast, cant believe that its been so long - doesn't feel like it.
As you knew I had a job working on a big Highway project. Brian now also has a job with the same company as I do but just a different project (he is working on a power plant in the jungle a bit further north of Vancouver). I have been working for 3 weeks now, with my day starting at 6am each day (5am I wake up) and then I usually finish around 530-6ish. The first week of work was relatively slow - it consisted of orientation style activities and office work. Since then I have started to get out onto the field more and more. This past week I have been assigned to the Drill and Blast Squadron. It is our job to blow up the rock, drill the rock and then install and grout any rock anchors that are used to hold concrete retaining walls to the bedrock (all fun stuff). It is quite a lot different from what I am used to, my previous job consisted of producing building plans and performing design calculations. This job involves equipping myself with steel toe boots, hard hat and then storming around a job site. We are in charge of Drilling, Installing, Grouting and then Testing all the rock anchors within our job segment. This segnemt of the highway (Segment 2) has the most anchors of the project - 3600 in total. There are lots of opportunities to do things I haven't done before and it is a different learning experience to that of the office. For instance last thursday there was a situation where we had to install some anchors on the face of the mountain thus someone needed to be tied off just to help guide them in. Taking the training course in this I jumped at the opportunity. I was strapped into a harness, tied off and then dangled over the mountain edge to help feel the rock anchor into the drill hole, it was all cliffhanger and shit.
A conc. retaining wall with all the Rock Anchors sticking out from its face.
The Rock Anchor Kubota - a 4 wheel drive golf cart (45km/h downhill = raw power)
These pictures were all taken early last week - while it was sunny. Since then the heavens have opened and it hasnt stopped pissing down. It just rains like crazy - and it doesnt stop. Last friday there was water running off the mountain face and it looked like water falls all along the edge of the road. I can see myself missing the cold but dry eastern winters.
I still havent adjusted to West Coast Life just yet. My TV schedule is still all messed up. I miss all my soccer on saturday mornings. I havent fully had time to really explore the downtown area of Vancouver. We have toured around most of the exterior though, while visiting apartments we were all over the place. The other night we drove past a filming set (not sure what it was though). There are movies being filmed all over this place - last week Fantasic 4 (Jessica Alba and Co.) were in town, along with people like Charliez Theron, Paris Hilton, Scarlett Johanson etc. I am going to have to get myself downtown more often to see whats going on.
Well I think this update covers most of what we have been up to for the last month, hopefully now I can keep up with my updates as certain events occur. I shall post some more pictures of work and the city as they come in. Until later -R
Elliott Street
Laurel Street Crossing - the Bridge that my previous boss in NB built while he lived in BC. Mirrors on the edge to reflect the sky and make the bridge "disapear".
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