Pivja Jama

Beams are failing

Mine map 3D

At the bakery the next morning I am recommended to take the mine tour. Off to wonder the tunnels of the mercury mine and take in the healing vapors. Yes a large steel ball will float in mercury. Tour started when I got there so my timing was good. Only went down a couple of levels in the 700k of tunnel under town. Town is sinking 1 to 3 cm a year (ever see “Paint you Wagon”. Clint does a duet in it, I can’t say more). After providing the world with 13% of its mercury it closed due to some world wide environmental concern over mercury. The town understood the effects as nothing lived plant or animal near the smokestack that vaporize the mercury for extraction. Next time you break one of those environmentally friendly florescent light bulbs breathe in deep those mercury vapors. LED have no mercury and use a fraction of the energy that the environmental friendly florescent use. I am stepping down from soap box. The two liter bottles of mercury are no longer for sale in town. That would have made great ballast. The rain eased up as I leave town. And after a few more hills I am ready to cave Slovenian style. Step aboard the train and tour the cave at a nice speed where you can see the formations for only a glance before they are out of sight. Then came the walking tour where no cameras are allowed. The person in front of me video the trip and the girl behind had a tripod for her camera. Most of the tourist hurried along behind the guide trying to get to the good stuff which was right there. The rain hit hard again w hen I was leaving the cave. No room at the hostel, I should have known due to the crowds at the cave. It was only 5k to a camp and then setting up in the dark and the rain.
8/28/10
36.4 miles 4:18 hr / max speed 32.6 / avg moving speed 8.4 / stopped time 4:39 / 2077 ft total ascent. (Rain, a break and more rain)
Love & kisses
Steve