Shootin' grade in the sunshine

Today was fun for everyone because the office folk got to get out in the field, and the field folk got to do something other than push dirt around. For me it was fun because I learned something new. I learned how to shoot grade.

For those of you who don't know what that is (and I expect that's probably most of you), it's basically just figuring out whether or not you have to dig more, and how much digging needs to be done. Now, I bet all three of my readers are incredibly excited to read on! Well, let me first tell you about the lasers. Yes, that's right. LASERS! We use a stick with a laser thingy attached to it that sends signals to another laser thingy that's on a tripod. Basically, you hold up the stick every metre or so, then it tells you whether you have to do up or down and by how much. Then you, the gradesman (... err... gradesperson, perhaps to be PC?) communicates this information to the excavator operator, and they dig away. Good operators can dig precisely 3cm (not 2cm, not 4cm) in one swipe of the bucket. I'm constantly amazed at how they can operate these machines with such grace, such... finesse. Operators who are just learning, though, are a different story entirely. I hope to learn to run one at some point. It might not be at this job, but I have a few offers from people willing to teach me.

Here are some pictures of me... not doing anything particuarly productive at the exact moment these photos were shot. I swear I'm not as lazy as I appear.

This is a pretty typical look for me. Notebook in hand.

From right to left: Me wearing my green hardhat (so everyone knows I'm a newb), our safety guy, and one of our best excavator operators.

Just as a side note, the weather is really nice here again. I think we're officially out of the rainy season. This week, the temperature varies from 5 degrees in the morning to 30 degrees in the afternoon. Just try dressing appropriately.