YERKES STORIES – WEEK 3 – Featured Story –
When we started this week’s theme, the long-awaited handoff of Yerkes to the YFF was just a rumor. Here we are May 1st. It seems fitting that the favorite story from several people this week was about the 2013 cleaning of the Great Refractor. The event was put together rather quickly. It was spearheaded by former Education Director, Vivian Hoette. I thought the idea was crazy and stayed home. I was still living in Trempealeau at the time with two young boys in tow. For the people who participated, it was a memorable event. Here are a couple of pictures from Jeff Setzer with comments from Steve Diesso. If you were there too, tell us about it!
Jeff Setzer-
I was part of the crew that cleaned the great refractor back in May 2013, and I thought some might be interested in a different perspective. Here are a few shots from that day — I have many more.
We had the movable floor raised all the way to the top for the duration, and water buckets had to be filled in the bathroom on the main floor, brought up through the stairs and catwalks, and after a while, brought back down to have the dirty water dumped and refilled with fresh, that was then brought back up. I spent some of my time doing that and it was quite the “stair-master” workout for me!
Oh, and why the masks and Tyvek suits? Bird poop is toxic
Steve Diesso
In May 2013 I was one of a team of volunteers that helped clean the Great 40.
I had the pleasure of cleaning the gears and setting circles.
