Soon, light of the proper wavelength to promote plant growth bathed all of the planters. The full spectrum grow lamps produced a pure white light, much like that of natural sunlight. The clan stood looking over their latest project. With a lot of hard work and patience, this project would most likely save them from malnutrition in the coming cold winter and possibly many years into the future.
As they stood discussing their newly planted crop, Timothy walked up beside Randy and asked, “Father, why are the lights on. Are the plants scared of the dark?”
Chapter 17 – Life in the Mountains Gets Better
Sagittarius A is a radio source at the point where scientists believe the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole exists. For eight long years, the black hole spun at high speed, frantically feeding on everything within many light years of its center. Recently, the astrophysicists’ announced that the days were getting longer by a few seconds each month and they believed the black hole in the center of the universe was gradually slowing down. They had no idea how much it might slow, they could only hope the length of a day would eventually return to twenty-four hours. As it stood right now, a day on Earth (sunrise to sunrise) only lasted for a little over five hours. Granted, the sun rose every two or three hours, but that amount of sunlight never seemed to warm the surface of the planet as the longer days did. The plants on planet Earth were beginning to change. The maples and oak trees that normally produced large leaves now produced leaves no wider than a human thumb. The scientists said that the reduced length of a day did in fact affect plants, but others in the science community rejected the idea. Those who thought the resizing only affected animals had missed an important concept. Even though only animals physically changed size at the time of the original event, the plants on planet Earth were now beginning to feel the stress of the changing sunlight and changing weather patterns. Most plants on the planet were now growing much shorter and with less dense foliage.
The scientists tried desperately to explain the relationship between the rotational speed of planet Earth and the feeding of the black hole in the center of our universe, but very few of them seem to have a real understanding of the events taking place in our galaxy.
As the winter snow fell over the mountains, the clan worked to prepare for another hard winter. Having electricity made life at the Mountain House a little easier. Having a working radio to keep up on world events seemed to improve everyone’s disposition.
The guys had begun making chains for the truck and tractor tires. The three farms had a good supply of chains, but none of them would fit the two trucks or the tractor. After a couple days work, they guys had reworked them so they correctly fit on all three vehicles.
Randy had hoped to purchase a larger truck that he would outfit with a V-plow, but they had not found anything to fit their needs. When the guys made a run to the city, the owner of the hardware mentioned that he had seen a vehicle behind a house in his neighborhood that might make a good snowplowing truck, but no one had modified it to fit resized humans. The guys got the address from the man and went to check on the truck.
When they drove into the driveway and saw the truck sitting beside the garage, Randy got excited. The owner had outfitted the truck with a large V-plow. After looking at the vehicle for a few minutes, the owner saw them in the driveway and came out to unlock the vehicle and show them all of the features. The owner said he did not have the funds needed to convert the truck to his smaller stature and he could use the cash for fuel to heat his home and purchase food. After a few minutes of price negotiations, the men worked out a deal. Randy said, “I will return in a few hours with the cash or with gold, whichever you wish. I will have to find someone to haul the vehicle up the mountain to my garage. Do you have a clear title?” The man explained that the title was at the bank in his safety deposit box and they could do the paperwork their when Randy returned. A handshake sealed the deal.
When the guys returned later in the day, the men headed to the bank. Within the hour, Randy had the title in his hands. When the owner of a flatbed truck arrived and began loading the truck and securing it to the flatbed with chain binders, the guys got excited. This truck would be the answer to the problem of winter travel. The truck was a three quarter ton club cab so there was adequate room for five people to ride comfortably. The original owner of the truck had covered the bed with a lift up hardtop that would provide dry storage for groceries or other purchases they might make while in town. It would be easy to make runs to Hillsburg during the winter, if the city and county snowplows managed to keep the highways open.
When the guys arrived at the Mountain House, they had the truck driver unload the truck so it faced into the garage. Once they paid the driver for his services, they used the tractor to push the truck into the garage. Their first order of business would be to create seat risers so they could reach the steering wheel and see out the windows. They would also have to make seat risers for the passengers’ seats in back.
The guys hoped to start working on the truck in a few days. While the others prepared the evening meal, Randy took Jenna out to the barn so they could discuss his plans. Randy intended to pan for placer gold in the creek before the river froze over. Jenna asked if he intended to show everyone his man cave and where he hid away his gold and guns. He thought about the question a moment and said, “Maybe later on I will do that. For now, we will simply melt down the gold we find in the river into bars and store them in the mineshaft. The others really don’t need to know about the other gold.”
During supper that night, Randy explained to the clan that he had found gold in the river over the years and that he intended to pan for gold for the next week or so before the river froze over. The others sat quietly at the table and listened to his plans. Finally, Robert asked, “Have you ever found enough gold in the river to make the expenditure of your time worthwhile?” Randy looked at Jenna and said, “I have found enough gold to fund this clan for the last few months.” Robert sat looking at Randy and then asked, “Can you tell us exactly how much gold you have found over the years?” Randy looked at Jenna and she said, “Husband, I think you should just show them and get it over with.” Randy nodded and said, “When the boys are asleep, I will show all of you to what I have discovered in these mountains.”
During the rest of the evening meal, the clan discussed the upgrades to the new truck they had purchased. The guys soon worked out the details and decided to cannibalize the smaller truck that sat in the driveway for parts. They would not need the small truck once they had the new truck drivable. They soon realized that they had all of the parts they would need. There were truck parts at all three of the farms down the mountain and quite a few parts were stored in Randy’s garage and barn. By using the metal they scrapped out of the smaller truck, they should not have to purchase anything other than more welding rod. They would also have to have their acetylene and oxygen tanks refilled so they could use their cutting torches. They would take care of that later in the week.
Once the evening meal was over and the clan had cleaned up the kitchen and made another pot of coffee, the girls put the boys to bed. The adults sat in the kitchen and discussed the gasoline powered portable dredge that Randy had purchased a few years ago. He explained to them how the dredge worked and how they could get it down to the river using ropes and the tractor. Randy explained that he had taken the dredge down to the river dozens of times and never had any problem. He went on to explain that once they had reduced the river gravel down to fine black sand, they would use a gold pan to separate the gold from the sand. Once they had clean gold, they would melt it down and pour it into one-ounce molds to form gold bars. Rodney said, “I can see a lot of hard work for very little reward. There cannot be much gold in that river or every prospector in the country would be waist deep in mud trying to strike it rich.” Randy explained that he owned the mineral rights to the land on both side of the river. He went on to explain that the river below the Mountain House began just a
couple miles north of them. Since steep rock walls lined the river from its beginning, down past where Rodney and Bonnie’s farm is located, no one else had prospected the river. Then he said, “Just as we have discovered gold in this mineshaft that we are now living in, other large veins of gold are located in the mountains where the river begins. That gold continually washes down with the flow of water and settles in the silt. I have dredged only a small portion of the river and we will begin our search in an area north of us where no one has ever looked before. I am certain we will find a staggering amount of gold nuggets, some worth hundreds of dollars each.”
Randy did not want to argue with the others, so he said, “If you really think that way, how about if I show you how much gold I have pulled out of that creek and off of this property. I really don’t want any of you going to bed tonight thinking I am just filling you with a line of bull shit.” Rodney laughed and said, “Please show us your fortune. I am very interested.”
Jenna checked to be certain the boys were asleep and then they all headed out into the living area and down the hall to the bedroom. Randy opened the bedroom door and let everyone step inside before shutting the door. As they all stood there looking at Randy, wondering if he had lost his mind, Jenna could contain her giggles no longer. She put her hand over her mouth and tried not to take away Randy’s thunder, but she simply could not stop giggling. Randy kneeled down on the hardwood floor, found the loose board, slid it a couple of inches and let the opposite end tip up. Then he removed the board and took hold of the metal ring connected to the door. When he lifted the door and rested it against the wall so it would remain open, they heard Bonnie say, “Oh my. There is another room below us.” Rodney said, “I would have never in a million years guessed there was a trap door under this floor.”
Randy climbed down the metal ladder and lit the lantern. Jenna climbed down the ladder and sat in the rolling desk chair. She waited as the others climbed down and began looking all around. No one spoke, no one made any kind of sound. It was so quiet in the cellar that Jenna could hear her stomach rumbling as it digested her supper. Finally, Randy said, “Now that you have all had a chance to look around my man cave, which I recently renamed, The Randy and Jenna Retreat, I will begin the tour. Randy began by explaining the ham radios setup and then began working his way around the room, showing everyone his gun collections, ammunition storage and then he began unlocking the three safes. As he opened the last safe, everyone could see the stacks of one-ounce gold bars and twenty or so leather bags. Randy handed a gold bar to each of his guests and then picked up one of the leather bags. He placed a wooden board on top of the counter and carefully poured out a half pint or so of gold nuggets. Robert asked, “May I pick up one of the nuggets?” Randy laughed and said, “Of course you can. That is why I brought all of you down here. I have not had any reason to show anyone this room until recently. My wife has begun wondering how it is that I always have money stashed away, yet she had never known me to have a job or any outside source of income. I decided that it was time to share my secret with her. I intended that this room remain private to Jenna and me; however, I wanted you all to understand where all of my money comes from. I also intend to show you all how to dredge gold from the river and show you how to find gold in the mountains. We will try to use the new gold we find to fund ourselves and keep this stash hidden away for times when we might seriously need it. None of us has any medical insurance any longer, so if someone needs surgery or some other medical assistance, we will have to dig into this stash to pay the medical bills. I also suspect that gasoline and other commodities will over time become very expensive.”
Rodney walked up to Randy and said, “I need to apologize to you over my comments about you not being able to find enough gold to be worthwhile. I rescind those words and offer my deepest apologies.” Randy chuckled and said, “How could you or anyone know that I have dug this much gold out of these mountains. I accept your apology.” Jenna snuggled up against Randy and waited as the clan continued to look around the cellar. After a few minutes, Robert said, “I would like to tell you that I promise never to come down here without you or Jenna’s permission. I now consider this room off limits to anyone but you and Jenna.” Robert held out his hand to seal the deal. Randy shook his hand and said, “Thank you Robert. That means a lot to me.” Each clan member followed Robert’s lead and shook Randy’s hand.
After they all returned to the mineshaft and put the coffee pot on the stove, Robert said, “Randy, that room is vulnerable to fire and flooding. Have you considered replacing the wooden door with a lockable fireproof door?”
Randy explained that he had a new door out in the barn, but he had never taken the time to install it. Robert said, “I think we should bring the door inside before the snow gets to deep and install it as time permits. You have a big investment down there and its security affects this entire clan if one of us were to need emergency medical assistance. I would like to offer my assistance in panning or digging more gold so we don’t ever have to touch the funds you have stashed away.”
Randy laughed and said, “We will see how excited you are when you are wading in the river and stumble on a rock. The river is quite cold this time of year.” Robert laughed and said, “I am certain it will be hard, cold work, but it sounds like the results are worth the pain.” Bonnie said, “I guess you won’t want a pregnant woman climbing up and down the river bank, hauling cans of gasoline and buckets of black sand up to the barn.” Rodney laughed and said, “I suppose we could excuse you from carrying the gas cans if you can manage the five gallon buckets of black sand.”
As they all sat down at the table and poured another cup of coffee, Britney said, “We need to investigate how to grow coffee trees. We drink a lot of coffee around here.” Jenna giggled and said, “Coffee trees?” Britney giggled and said, “You know what I mean. The trees that coffee beans grow on.” Randy said, “Britney, you are almost correct. The coffee beans or cherries grow on a bush not a tree. Once the cherries ripen, then you have to remove the beans from the outer shell. That process if known as pulping. I have seen small hand pulpers at flea markets to make the job of removing the bean a little easier. Then you have to roast and grind the beans. Getting coffee plants to grow from seed is difficult, but some companies sell bushes that are a year or more old and they usually survive. It takes three or four years for the coffee bushes to produce their first crop.” Britney frowned and said, “In three or four years, I may not even like coffee.” Randy said, “Planting and caring for the plants would be a good project for the boys. With our help, they might actually enjoy growing and harvesting the coffee that we drink every day.” Britney liked that idea and said, “I will talk to one of the men at the farmers market and see if they know where we can purchase the plants.”
After the clan finished with their coffee, they walked out into the living area and began tending the vegetables growing in the planters. Bonnie had tried her hand at growing cherry tomatoes and they had successfully blossomed. Since they did not have insects in the living area, she was uncertain if the plants would self-pollinate. She had read that they needed human intervention so she decided to tap the stems in the morning and again in the evening to allow the pollen to move from the male parts to the female parts of each blossom. If that method did not work, she would begin pollinating the blossoms with a tiny paintbrush.
Once all of the planters had adequate water and nutrients, they turned on the grow lights. They would leave the lights on until morning and then turn them off. They were now getting about four hours of good sunlight into the living area, so they decided not to run the grow lights all the time. Later on, if they realized the plants were not getting proper lighting, they would try leaving the lights on longer.
Once they returned to the mineshaft, they all took turns washing before turning in. They had a bathtub that they could heat from the woodstove, but heating the stove hot enough to heat water for baths would overheat the entire mine and make sle
eping difficult. They had long ago discovered that heating bath water worked out best if done in the mornings. They each took a bath every other day, which seemed to work out well. The clan insured that Jenna soaked in the tub each morning. The warm water helped relax her back. She was getting quite large and the baby was pushing hard against her spine causing continuous pressure. Randy had rigged up one of his camping hammocks so it would hang a few inches over her mattress. When her back got to aching, she would simply hang the hammock on the two eyebolts Randy had installed at the head and foot of her bed and climb in. The hammock seemed to support her body much better than lying on a mattress and it often times allowed her to sleep through the night.
The following morning, the guys began the project of installing the new door on the cellar entrance. They used the frontend loader to move the heavy door to the front porch and then rolled it into the bedroom on some three-inch diameter steel pipes. Once the door was in the bedroom, they guys began cutting out the hardwood floor. The entire floor would have to come out. The guys had worked out a plan to install the submarine watertight door into the concrete ceiling of the cellar and securely anchor it with bolts and hydraulic cement. They had to chisel out a little of the concrete to make the opening a little larger to accommodate the new door. By the time the door was in place, anchored and the cement poured, they guys were tired and ready for supper.
The girls had prepared supper while Britney and Timothy cared for the plants. Timothy was old enough to understand how to water the soil without damaging the young plants. Britney had also showed him how to tap the stems of the flowering plants to get the pollen freed up. The boy would spend hours each day caring for the plants until they were ready for harvest. When Britney was tired and needed to rest, she would sit down in a chair and talk to Timothy while he tended the plants. Britney also discovered that she could talk with Timothy while they worked to insure he understood his school lessons. The boy was a quick study and he loved learning how things worked and how to repair the things that broke or wore out.
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