Keno Hill District
Elsa Minesite
The Yukon
18 June 2008

I have heard of complaints that I have not been spending enough time on the blob.
Well you know it is tough when you work all day and most of the night and the sun doesn’t really go away either. And quite apart from all that the only really good parts of a second whole summer at Keno are the parts when I came home for a break.

The best break was between November and April, and you know about that. After a big family xmas, Lynne & I improved our diaper changing skills, escaped to Wellington and Ohiwa, and with Aaron and Kerrys help gardened, mowed and cut wood.

The Canucks left enroute to Ontario about a week before I headed north, and I was lucky enough to see them enchaos in Vancouver.

It was supposedly spring for my arrival - it snowed about 5cm the first night I got to Whitehorse - then driving north the next day on roads barely visible between still frozen lakes with their crazy skidoo quilting - I made it to Keno and overnight it was minus 20oC with deep snow cover still on the ground. Since then it has slowly improved, the spring melt is over and the days are in the mid-teens and overnight it hovers about 5.

Of course I have already had one 2 week spell back home with a lot garden work, beach walking and an occasional glass of the favoured Mortons. Next time it will be school holidays and Lynne & I will try for a few nights at a beach bach.

The project work continues at much the same pace as last year although the geological numbers are down, two drills have been producing steady progress and at the current rate they may be finished this seasons work by the beginning of August. Meanwhile the new underground work has commenced at the old Bellekeno Mine - a road and adit portal have been established and the driving will start in a couple more weeks. A whole new camp bunkhouse has been put together at our camp and with a stunning view over the flats of the South McQuesten River it is starting to look like one of those glossy page resorts, perhaps just lacking a few palm trees, bures and bikinis.

Shall I book you in ? Saturday night is steak night - and otherwise you take your chances with the menu, but it doesn't stray too far from pork chops, dry salmon, chicken niblets, turkey with the ones to avoid being more like meatloaf and macaroni and cheese.

I have devised a way to have a healthy granola breakfast at my house so the temptation of bacon, eggs, pancakes and French toast every morning is reduced.

My field work is just starting so hope to be away from the blue screen some.
Hey guys take it easy out there - I will try to get back to you soon

Al