My life was at risk on a daily basis for five years. During the summer and fall I spent nearly every day digging exploratory holes and then tunnels as deep as 36 feet below ground in my own backyard using a mini jackhammer and a variety of shovels and wrecking bars. I escaped numerous deadly tricks designed to prevent anybody but Drake from recovering the treasure. These included flooding tunnels, collapsing rooms triggered by pressure sensitive stones, sand and quicksand tricks designed to trap and suffocate and a false ceiling waiting to crush any unsuspecting treasure hunter.