Bike Ride... Two Lakes in the Fall
October 2017
It's fall in New Hampshire. Judy and I took a picnic lunch, our
bikes and
the KX3, and spent the whole day at two local lakes. It was
beautiful!
![](trees.jpg)
We left Potter Place shortly before noon. It was sunny and reached
nearly
70F. We rode west along the old rail route and reached Eagle Pond in
about
20 minutes.
![](lake1.jpg)
I chucked my 33 foot wire over an oak limb near the shore and sat
down against an old log. The
water sparkled in the sunlight.
![](jim3.jpg)
We stayed at Eagle Pond about an hour. The bands weren't great, but
I managed to work Belgium. Here's my log:
19 Oct-17 1657 14.060 WD5IWN CW 559 559 NM
19 Oct-17 1702 14.061 WA2USA CW 579 589 IN
19 Oct-17 1720 14.056 N9QS/M CW 599 599 Ill
19 Oct-17 1725 7030 WB2RPW CW 589 599 NJ
19 Oct-17 1745 14.011 ON4UN CW 599 599 Belgium
![](rig.jpg)
We packed up and rode back to Potter Place. What a fantastic day. We
couldn't quite head home, so
we decided to stop in East Andover and ride down to Highland Lake.
I'm so glad we did.
![](lake.jpg)
I found a small maple tree and heaved my line over a high branch. I
pulled up my antenna and sat
down near the water's edge.
![](jim.jpg)
We stayed at Highland Lake about 40 minutes or so. I managed to work
another QRP station as well as France. Here's my log:
19 Oct-17 1900 14.018 F6FJI CW 549 579 France
19 Oct-17 1912 14.020 KG9N CW 599 599
Ill
19 Oct-17 1915 14.060 WG4OMM CW 579 599 FL
19 Oct-17 1920 14.060 KG8YT CW 589 589 MI
The highlight for me was working Bruce, KG8YT in Michigan.
Bruce
and I have worked several times before, but not recently. He was
running 5W with a K3 and he gave me a 589. I was surprised. He
sent, "You must have a very good antenna for your signal to be
so strong." I told him him it was just a 33 foot wire. I'd say
we had a good path.
After the QSO with Bruce, I packed up and we rode our bikes
back to the Post Office where we'd parked the van. Before
leaving I got a quick snapshot of the little pond behind me.
A huge gray heron was in the shallows... but he doesn't
show in this photo.
In a few more days the colors will turn to brown. I'll make the
best of
the remaining splendor.