Nice report Guru. You are very close to the goat! 73
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It’s always nice to read your reports about this region. I was there in 2003 doing the Pyrenees High Level Route and camped at the col below Urkulu [EA2/NV-022] just to the north:
I will always remember walking up that rough track from the Hermitage as far as Astobizkar and then heading north. It had been foggy all day and rather dull, but as I walked up the road I gradually rose out of the cloud to enjoy an inversion as far as the eye could see. I took this picture from Okabe [F/PO-175] the next morning, when conditions were much the same:
Such happy memories, thank you Guru.
73 de OE6FEG
Matt
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Hi Guru,
You are stirring up some great memories, of both Roncesvalles and Ortzantzurieta which I was fortunate to activate through the kind assistance of Ignacio @EA2BD and Jorge @EA2LU. It’s nice to see your photos of the summit again. 
Keep going for your MG award, you certainly deserve it. You are looking very strong!
73 Andrew VK1DA
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Hi Guru, nice write up and great photos. Thanks. 
Cheers to you 
Geoff vk3sq
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Nice report Guru. Stay strong. 
Eva, HB9FPM
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Mountain air, the distraction of radio, all wonderful for the soul.
Um, well, two West Coast US contacts as well eh? Those are a very nice catch to tell the SOTA community and log.
I have been in bed with COVID for the past four days. Today - having dropped my motorbike off for an MOT on Monday - I dragged myself out to retrieve it from the mechanic some 10 miles away in Kendal and it was wonderful to experience the outside again!
Best of luck with the next session Guru. Thanks for the report.
Mark. M0NOM
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Guru. Excellent activations with beautiful day and scenery. Also, I’m impressed with the high number of contacts. You setup is very effective.
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I also think my setup is effective, but being an experienced CW operator and contester (not much now, but quite a lot some years ago) makes my pileup handling quite efficient and that’s key for a good QSO/ minute ratio. I have partipated in a number of QRP contests and that’s also good training on copying weak signals.
Copying the chaser callsigns in just one go is key. Avoiding ? and repeats improves the QSO/minute ratio.
73,
Guru
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Indeed, I can feel my personal batteries recharge when I do SOTA.
Yes, those were great surprises to me. My first ever SOTA QSO with Alaska and very likely my first California on 17m. I will remember these QSOs for ever.
So you’ve needed 4 days in bed! That sounds not good at all. But the fact that you’ve felt good enough to drop your motorbike off for a MOT (don’t know what this is) and then retrieve it while enjoying being in the outdoors is a good sign.
The 5th session didn’t happen this Tuesday for different reasons and it will now happen on the 15th of March.
I hope I’ll be activating SOTA again soon.
73,
Guru
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It’s a pleasure to read my callsign in your impressive list, Guru. Such a number of connections shows your experience in telegraphy. I am working on it. 
Best wishes
Chris
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I also was very pleased with your call and QSO.
I’ve spent time working contests and that’s an excellent training but I’ve also spent long times late in the evening of the weekdays, after work and once the kids were in bed, just making standard ragchewing QSOs and that was for me a great way for my mind to disconnect of the daily problems at work or at home, as well as a great CW training.
73,
Guru
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I’m very happy to listen s2s with you this days. I talked with Alfonso EA4R about your mountain goat a few days ago. I recommended him some hi points summits near Madrid (8 and 6 points+ bonus) very easily to climb, some in the car other walking but if you need, there are there, to climb by you. If you need more info just write me or talk with Alfonso.
Best 73s Guru
EA4IS César.
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It’s the annual test of a vehicle to check it is still roadworthy.
MOT = Ministry of Transport
The government department is now called the Department for Transport also know as DaFT due to its inability to run our railway system and having a roads policy in direct contradiction to the government’s supposed desire to become carbon neutral.
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Ok, Richard, thanks for the info.
I see MOT, in this context, is equivalent to our ITV = Inspección Técnica Vehículos = Vehicles Technical Inspection.
My Ssangyong Rodius is 11 years old now and I must take it to ITV every year now. I took it last January and I got the pass card. I’ll have to take it again before the end of January 2023.
73,
Guru
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Hi César,
I’d love visiting and activating some or all of those summits, but things are not going too well regarding my health and a 400Km drive is not the best for me right now. Even a short drive might not be possible, as I’ve been having a very low blood pressure.
Let’s see if things improve in the coming days, but everything may degrade even further.
If I was stronger, I could achieve MG in one day. Moncayo EA2/ZG-001 and Peña Negrilla EA1/SO-003 are both 10 pointers with their corresponding winter bonus points and are doable as a pair for 26 activator points. I activated them in June 2018, but that’s not something I could do now. You can see the report here: 2x10 points in 1 day. Moncayo EA2/ZG-001 & Peña Negrilla EA1/SO-003 by EA2IF/P on 02/06/2018
73,
Guru
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My 1999 Yamaha R1, bought new when I didn’t have kids and turned 30 has now passed its 20th consecutive MOT (you don’t need an MOT for the first 3 years).
It is only 5% gaffer tape.
Mark
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A great report Guru and some impressive QSOs. Your system works very well.
I will be visiting France next month in our campervan/camping-car and if things go to plan later cross over the Pyrenees to visit the source of the Garonne/Garona after following the river from Bordeaux. That is the plan but the weather might influence things but I hope to then turn north west and head via Pamplona to the north coast of Spain and then back up the French west coast. This will be around the middle of May/Mayo. I will try a few SOTA activations on the trip - the opportunities are limited in Western France but the Pyrenees offer almost unlimited scope. Sadly, I fear I am not up to most of them so will be seeking easier summits.
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Thank you John,
Your plan sounds interesting. Let’s keep in touch via PM as your plan to get in Pamplona get closer.
I hope my broken health will still hold long enough as to be able to meet you and do some joint activation with you.
73,
Guru
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Ok, Mark, cars in Spain don’t need the ITV in their 4 first years. At that point they need ITV every 2 years up to the 10th year and everyyear beyond that point.
Motorbikes don’t need ITV in their 4 first years and every 2 years beyond that point.
ITV = Inspección Técnica Vehículos = Vehicles Technical Inspection
73,
Guru
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Guru, will do. The weather may be a factor - my wife likes the sun so we may have to change plans and chase after it!
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