RE: [PolarBearQRP] Great Photos, fellow BARS

[WA3WSJ]

Hello Ken, WA8REI, and all!

This is Ed, WA3WSJ. We had a great time up at Pulpit Rock on the AT in
PA. I only had around six QSOs because I was on 40m CW and there must
have been a RTTY contest as they were all over the band. My very first
QSO was with Carl, K1EYY in CT. Carl won the Polar Bear Claw Replica.
Thanks for being my first Polar Bear Contact.  Ron, WB3AAL, and myself
hiked the ravine trail up to Pulpit Rock. It took us around 1.5 hours
due to the snow and ice. Yes the trail had only about six inches of snow
left on it after the rain storm, but the top layer was crusted ice. This
made for a slower ascent as we had to break through the top ice layer to
reach the AT on the ridge. As we arrived at the observatory, it was
clear that this Polar Bear Outing was going to be a very cold one.
We had temps in the low twenties and a very cold, biting wind that just
smacked you in the face.  Both Ron and myself had to immediately change
out of our wet gear and into some dry gear to keep from freezing. I must
say that after we took off our shirts and jackets to expose bare skin,
it felt really great as the sweat evaporated off our bodies. But, this
only lasted for a few minutes and then I put a dry shirt on. I then put
a light fleece jacket on and a heavy fleece jacket over that. I also had
a light pair of gloves on over which I had a heavy pair of gloves. I
kept the right heavy glove off to send cw and tucked it in my jacket
pocket to keep warm at times. On my head I wore a ski mask which covered
my entire head down to just below my neck. On top of this I wore my
Santa cap! This outfit kept me from freezing, but not warm!  
Mark, NK8Q, W3HF, his son and Ms. Morse couldn’t make the drive up the
mountain. The ice was just to much for their vehicles. So Ed, K3YTR,
drove back down the mountain and they loaded all their gear up in his
van for the trip to the top. We had a great time making contacts as the
sun sank over the horizon. But then the temperature dropped and the wind
picked up. As I glanced towards the rock, I could see a completely red
moon! Yes the moon was all red. I told Ms. Morse to turn around and take
a look.
The first word out of her mouth was WOW!  We all decided to meander out
to the rock for a look and it was just gorgeous! Every couple of minutes
you could hear geese flying over, but we couldn’t see them.  
Yes, it just doesn’t get much better than that.
After awhile we all packed up our gear for the trip back down the
mountain. Ron and myself decided to hike back down and we arrived at the
bottom around the same time as the rest drove down. It was very icy and
I almost fell several times. From there we all drove to a local pizza
place and had hot pizza and cold beer!  Santa even stopped in for a
visit and I took a picture of the motley group. Check out our Polar Bear
Yahoo Group Photo Section for a look at it.  So that’s the Pulpit Rock
Polar Bear Xmas Story. Until I hear you again in my earphones – Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year Everybody!

72,
Ed, WA3WSJ
Polar Bear #1

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Kenneth A Louks
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 2:32 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [PolarBearQRP] Great Photos, fellow BARS

Fellow Polar Bears,

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I enjoyed the many FB photos the PBs have posted on the Yahoo Groups so
far.  Tnx, Ed, for posting
some of mine.  I was just too tired to post 'em on the PB Groups page
last night.
I added several more photos to the WA8REI album which PB#1 started,
notably to show everyone the
terrain from which I operated.  The trail goes pretty much north/south. 
To the west of the trail,
it's all woods.  To the east of the trail, loggers have deforested
hundreds of acres, and just since
ARRL Field Day!  I operated FD from this QTH, parking east of the trail,
which was then mature
forest!

I had planned to take my GPS to get an elevation reading, but the door
locks of my motor home are
all frozen and the GPS is inside!  Drats.

Snow depth at my PB QTH  was about 11 inches, but with snow drifts 3
feet deep.  My cousin proceeded
to get his new Arctic Cat stuck in a snowbank!  ;>)

Martin, VA3SIE, had GOBS of snow at his Gatineau Park QTH.

How much snow on top of Pulpit Rock?

--Ken, WA8REI



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