Bike Ride to Eagle Pond
April 2014 (All Photos by W3ATB)

Tim W3ATB and I rode our bikes to Eagle Pond along the old rail
route. We worked Hungary, Israel, Ukraine, Indiana, and Virginia.



We traveled along the old Northern Rail route about four miles. It's 60F and a perfect
spring day. We skirted back and forth across the Black River starting out in Andover.



We stopped at the covered bridge to enjoy the scenery and rest a bit. About a mile
and a half from Andover is Potter Place. The local historical society has turned
the old station into a museum.



The route is a perfect bike path. Railroad grades are very slight so there are no
hills at all. We come to Eagle Pond after riding 40 minutes or so. It's glorious.
Blue sky, sparkling water and some good DX. I'm running the KX3 with a 33 foot
wire. I operate mostly on 15M and 17M.



Here's my log:

25 Apr-14 1855  21.010 HA9RT  CW 599 599 Hungary 
25 Apr-14 1900  18.076 EM90WF CW 599 599 Ukraine  
25 Apr-14 1910  21.018 HA8FK  CW 559 599 Hungary  
25 Apr-14 1915  18.091 KA4RRU CW 559 599 VA 
25 Apr-14 1922  18.078 4Z5IW  CW 559 599 Israel  

Tim is sitting about 60 feet away running an HB-1B and the Par End fed wire. He's operating
on 20M. He has a nice QSO with an Indiana station. Amazingly, we don't interfere with each
other even though we have parallel vertical wires in close proximity.

We pack up our gear for the return trip and stop several times along the trail. Our butts
are sore and our muscles feel the exercise. We'll be in better shape next time. We pass
a few spots with telltale signs of winter. They'll probably be gone next time too.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow.