After Holyhead Mountain GW/NW-069, on Friday 6th September 2013, I drove the car back a bit down the A55, then across the island's country lanes to the parking area for Mynydd Bodafon GW/NW-071. Some very light drizzle had started so I put my jacket and waterproof overtrousers on. The walk from the car park is very short, but seemed to involve more height gain than I previously recalled, albeit not very much of it at all!

       

After setting up the antenna at the summit, I hunkered down into the bothy bag for shelter, and called on 12m CW. And 12m SSB. Then some more on 12m CW again. And again on SSB. Then some on PSK31. And back, again, to CW. Nothing. Zilch.  This was looking dangerously like my first failure to pick up a 12m Challenge multiplier from a summit. But John M6BLV saved the day with a contact on 24.905MHz CW. And just in time too, for the rain now got heavier and it was even a struggle to avoid water even on the inside of the bothy bag.

       

Looking for a "sharp exit", I broke into a local QSO on 2m FM. This got me Rob MW0DNK, who professed that Mynydd Bodafon is his own favourtie SOTA summit, and John GW4ZPL/P who he was in QSO with. John then passed the microphone to his XYL Fay GW4ZCY/P giving me a most welcome qualification.  So I hadn't quite managed to dodge the rain, and took a bit of a soaking packng everything away and descending. But sort of just in time as well, for when I shut the car door and put the heater on, the rain outside went from heavy to downpour - really intense stuff. I was very glad to have (just) avoided that!

The drive back to Menai Bridge and then up towards Conwy was accompanied by John GW4ZPL/P on 2m FM, and lots of driving through little "flash floods" as the rain continued to pelt down. A bit later I managed to chat with Richard G3CWI via GB3MP.  At home it was a quick turnaround before going back out to watch my brother playing with his band Butterfly Jam at Cabin 5150 - Macclesfield's main live music venue. It was a great gig.

Saturday was more satisfying, walking wise, with a 5km each way walk from home to Fools Nook, using public rights of way through the farms and Danes Moss. With a meal and beer at the inn of course! Walking 10km over almost exclusively flat ground was a pleasant change!