Dan,

There is no physical way professional CRM teams can shovel skim the earth in
California, unless they are digging a sand dune. People hereabouts use small
trenching pick mattox, trowels, rock hammers and chisels (or screwdrivers with
metal handles). Some outfits use shop vaccuums to recover the dirt, but most
use plastic buckets. I have heard talk of conveyor belts, but that was on a
site comprised of cobblestones. I have even seen people use those fancy new adobe
hammers (small jackhammers) to loosen the indurated soils. Small air hammers
are another option. Back in the dark ages I saw a training film of people back
east using foot long trowels to slice through black dirt like butter and my
entire class roared with laughter. Nah, not out here in California.

Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.