[Bob Steele]

I filled the first set of tubes on Wednesday night for Cascade. Initially they just gave us the frame with no instructions. On Thursday morning the FTA talked to me regard the fact that the 7 and 8 inch widths were to be measured parallel to the flat of the tube. We had been measuring them normal to that flat. We went back that morning and redid every tube. (They all had to be pumped higher) They do seem quite large but we were just bringing them to a pressure that touched the inside of the wooden gauge.

I did notice that later on, when I was working with my team, the hardworking volunteer in charge of the tubes was filling them to a point that they had to be squeezed to get them out of the gauge. So they were larger than the 7 and 8" that we had already set. I did not feel it was proper for me to ask about that.. I felt that he must have been given instructions...I know they did look larger than the ones we had made up on Thursday night and Friday morning.

I believe the key is to blow them up the last little bit inside the gauge and to stop when the tube touches...

Even when that is done, most teams would be surprised how large they are...and how mis-shapen the triangle becomes when it is is blown up to 7" . I know our team was surprised so we adjusted to that and went on.

The field crew at Cascade was trying their very best to make everything as good as they could. I can attest to this as I helped a little bit on Wed night to construct the field. The care they took in getting the lines and the positions for everything was incredible.

I do think better instructions should have been forthcoming...

i would like to thank the Cascade field crew for a job well done!!