What a Cartoon!

You may remember the photo above from a post I did back in October. The 3 friends in this photo all work at Simplot with me. Ki Ealey is the Maintenance Manager, Robert (Whompa) Roberts, is the safety specialist, and Jeff Miller is the HR Manager. This particular hunting trip caused a lot of 'talk' at work. You see Jeff shot an antlerless elk in an antlered only area. It was a mistake and it was reported. Jeff received a $210 fine, and was allowed to keep his hunting privileges and the elk! But of coarse, at work he took a lot of ribbing.

Recently this cartoon started popping up on the walls in the office at work! It was drawn by Harold Sweeny, a Mechanic. I think it is great!

Vegas - The Hotels

Angela and I spent 3 nights in Las Vegas this past week. JR Simplot sent me to the MineExpo that was held there. I thought it would be nice to take Angela along. We stayed on the 20th floor of the Bellagio for one night, and 2 nights in the Luxor Hotel on the 10th floor.

The highlight of the trip was visiting family. Angela has several cousins that live in Las Vegas. My next post will be about them.

We also had the opportunity to see David Copperfield preform. It was an outstanding show.

Angela in the Bellagio

View From Our Room at the Bellagio

The Excalibur Hotel as Viewed From Our Room at the Luxor Hotel

Photos taken: September 21st and 22nd, 2008

Spending the Morning at the Mine

Spencer has been bugging Dad to take him to work and show him the mine. Dad finally committed and today I took the entire family for a tour. The kids were amazed that Dad would have pictures of them in his office.

Thanks to Jed Miller for having the Yukon nice and toasty warm when we arrived, and Whompa (Robert Roberts), for the shirts he gave the kids.

After playing around the mine all morning we drove back to town and took the kids to Burger King.

The Ultimate Big Wheel

Ruby, Spencer and Preston pose next to a 150 ton haul truck.

Sitting on the Edge

Spencer, Ruby, and Preston sit on the highwall of panel B3. Before rushing to judgement, that I am putting my children in danger, pictures are not as they always appear!

Photos taken: February 15, 2008

Smoky Canyon Mine

Smoky Canyon has a new website! It has been created in response to negative publications and media adds by Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's) and environmental groups such as the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC).

Check it out! You can click Here or on the picture above. It will take you to the sight.

The phosphate at Smoky Canyon is used to make fertilizers. But check out what else phosphate from SE Idaho is used for by clicking here. A small sample of products include coca cola, baking soda, round-up weed killer, and many many more. Find out what else here!

Bill Whitaker - President Simplot Agri Business

Dry Valley Phosphate Mine

Phosphate Mine of Old

Thursday and Friday I spent on my quad touring Bill Whitaker and Martin Hunt, from Corporate, around the SE Idaho phosphate patch. We were joined by Dale Butler and Lori Hamann out of Pocatello, and Dennis Facer, Chad Gentry, and Scott Donahoo from Smoky Canyon Mine on Thursday. Fridays tour included myself Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Hunt along with Terry Douglas, Verlen Andrews, Sadie Thompson, Dennis Facer, and Brian Woolsey from Smoky Canyon. Martins wife also toured with us both days.

Photos taken: September 07, 2007

Cotton Candy

Preston

Ruby

Spencer

Yesterday was Smoky Canyon Mines family day. It was held at the county fairgrounds in Afton. They had many rides for the kids, a great dutch oven style lunch, door prizes, bingo, etc. All the usual family day activities. The kids took great advantage of the cotton candy, snow cone, and popcorn machines. They ate more junk yesterday than any kid has a right to in a years time.

Photos taken: August 25, 2007

Spotted Pair

You can see the fawns much better in the upper photo if you click on it!

These two fawns were playing outside my office window today. They were chasing each other around the red storm water drain. My office is four stories up and above the truck shop. This pair were playing within a couple hundred feet of mechanics changing tires on a haul truck. Their mothers are just out of the picture at the top of these photos.

They are not the best of photos, but they are the best I could do from 40' up!

Photos Taken: July 12, 2007

Busy at Work

My job has been keeping me extremely busy lately. I have been trying to finish a new mine plan for Smoky Canyon which includes an updated forecast, waste balances, new pit designs, and equipment requirements.

Also we have started a new project that, if goes as planned, we will begin mining in about 15 years. This particular project will take that long to develop, because of various factors. This new project has required some travel as of late. Today was one of those days. I had to go to Idaho Falls to meet with the USFS and the BLM to present a preliminary plan for this project. There will be a significant amount of permitting to do, and that process was kicked off today. The permitting will take years to complete. The amount of work and money spent to permit a project like this one is mind boggling. It will cost millions of dollars just to permit, that is before any mining will even begin.

Because of my busy work schedule, I haven't had as much time to devote to my blog lately. But I am still trying to keep up with post of the kids for the Grandpas!

Early Morning Pow-Wow

Dump here! No Dump there! Over here, over here!

This is one of those photos that is much better when expanded.

Photo Taken: May 4, 2005

A Tough Day at Work

Big Basin

View From the Top of the Aspen Range

Denver Winslow

Lori Hammon, and Chad Gentry

Dennis Facer

Today I spent my 'work' day quading the mountains. I gave a tour of a Simplot phosphate lease to some folks from JR Simplot. Dennis Facer is the Mine Manager at Smoky Canyon Mine. Chad Gentry is the Engineering Manager at Smoky Canyon. Denver Winslow is a Mining Engineer at Smoky Canyon. Lori Hammon is an Evironmental Engineer out of Pocatello. Because of confidentiality issues I can not say much more about our trip, other than besides the work we did do, we also had a lot of fun! I slept in an hour, played on the quad all day, and was home an hour early! Not a bad day of work!

Photos Taken: May 31, 2007

Take the Stairs!

I have decided to start a new tradition on this here blog. Now first off I must confess that I have stolen this idea from a fellow blogger. She has a great blog and I enjoy it very much. She and her family are also some of my old Nevada friends.

I have followed her blog the last few weeks as she has been participating in "Smart Habits Saturday". To find out about "Smart Habits Saturday" you can go to the Beehive Academy and check out Montserrat's blog.

Now I have checked out how to join the group and get in on the fun, and have thought about it a time or two. The only problem I have had is that I noticed that the entire group is made up of women. Now don't get me wrong I like women. Heck I'm married to one. But anyway joining kinda felt like being the only man at a Tupperware party. It just didn't fit. My wife use to sell Mary Kay. I was dang good at finding things to do when she was having one of her "lets all get pretty" parties.

But I still think the idea is great! So each week I am going to try and start a new 'good' habit! Now to start, my habits are all aimed toward a goal. The goal is to improve my health. So each week I'll try to begin a new habit to help with my main goal.

This week my goal is to take the stairs. You see my office, at work, is on the 3rd mezzanine of the building. There is an elevator that I have been in the habit of taking to reach the floor of my office; however there are stairs! 72 of them! So my habit, which I started today, is to use the stairwell to get to and from my office. I made the trip up twice today. My knees hurt and I am out of breath by the time I hit the top. But if I keep the habit it should get much easier, and improve my health along the way. My job is sitting at a computer about 99% of the time, so I do not get much exercise at work.

Next week I'll will let you know how it's going, and hopefully start a new habit!

My office is the small middle window at the top right side of the building.

The Stairwell!

Photos taken: April 30, 2007