Upon hearing that the Corsairs stationed at the mine wanted an escape tunnel dug before the Empire showed up, Gohan volunteered. He had heard stories from both his father and Krillin about the training they received under Master Roshi's eye, which included digging furrows for farmers to plant their crops with their bare hands. And while Gohan knows his strength has been reduced in this world, he's also confident that he's stronger than they were when they underwent that training.

And so, Gohan spends much of the time in preparation digging an escape tunnel by hand. So far, he's managed to get started on a tunnel about ten feet in diameter, all without the use of a shovel or any other tools. He's not even wearing gloves, because he expects they'd just fall apart due to friction. Despite that, he's making good progress, and not even rock has been able to hinder him -- all it takes is a few punches and the occasional ki blast, and it turns to rubble. The only real downside is having to get the material he's dug out of the tunnel. He opted for a tub rather than a wheelbarrow, since it'd be faster for him to just carry the material out than to wheel it out.

He doesn't work constantly, of course. He takes breaks on a regular schedule to avoid exhausting himself, and during those breaks, he can be found either outside the tunnel and drinking water, perhaps with a book open in his hand, or in the canteen, rapidly devouring a multiple-course meal.