Bicycle on tower near Bartlesville

[vees]

In November of 2003 I was driving near Bartlesville and Pawhuska when I spotted the outline of a bicycle attached a hundred feet up the side of a radio tower. I snapped a picture and continued on my way without writing down what road I was on or anything else about the area.

Now looking back at my old pictures I'm curious who the tower belongs (or belonged) to and if anyone knows the story behind the bicycle.

 

[bravo14]

Weird how that bicycle is sitting like that had been more than 1 person do that.

 

[vees]

Another clue: looks from another photo like this tower site shared property with what appears to be a water tower labeled Rural Water District No. 5 of Osage County.

 

[bravo14]

Another clue: looks from another photo like this tower site shared property with what appears to be a water tower labeled Rural Water District No. 5 of Osage County.

Do you know if that bike still there as you know of?

 

[vees]

Do you know if that bike still there as you know of?

No idea. The only time I was in the area was that visit in 2003.

 

[n5bew1]

Judging by the HF beam antennas it is a ham's tower.

 

[bravo14]

No idea. The only time I was in the area was that visit in 2003.

Still good find!

 

[K9WG]

Weird how that bicycle is sitting like that had been more than 1 person do that.

Duh :lol:

ET - Phone home....

 

[vees]

Now looking back at my old pictures I'm curious who the tower belongs (or belonged) to and if anyone knows the story behind the bicycle.

Got an answer from a friend on Twitter here:

Mark Beckwith's Ham Radio tower on Hwy 123

Bartlesville Pedalers Photo Gallery :: 2003 FreeWheel - Bob Lummis :: tower_bike_I

 

[radioman2001]

Care to share, I don't twitter, tweet, or text.

 

[talkpair]

Weird how that bicycle is sitting like that had been more than 1 person do that.

The bicycle had to be easy compared to the beam antenna above it.

Maybe it's a new antenna design

 

[K9WG]

Could be the Strange Antenna Challenge

http://www.strangeantennachallenge.com/misc/k0s_backgroound.php

 

[n5bew1]

QRZ.com says his call is N5OT.

 

[zerg901]

Twitter doesnt give an explanation - it just IDs the tower

 

[n5bew1]

QRZ.com says his call is N5OT.

If one goes to QRZ.com and search the name given it will tell you the ham's callsign, etc.

 

[vees]

Twitter doesnt give an explanation - it just IDs the tower

The caption of the picture linked from Twitter gave the name of the ham that privately owns the property and the towers.

I sent him an e-mail asking if there was a story about it. If he responds and doesn't mind me sharing, I'll post it here.

 

[vees]

Well, here's my definitive answer on the bike. Hope everybody enjoyed this thread.

From: Mark Beckwith
Subject: Re: Bicycle on the tower
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:45:57 -0600
To: Rob Carlson

Hi Rob,

I registered at radioreference.com and read the thread, and I don't mind contributing. I see a thing at the bottom that says I can read it but not post. I suppose I have to buy a subscription to do that? Anyway:

I have a big ham station (my towers and antennas are not your usual tribander-at-60-feet-on-a-city-lot). I am also a retired bicycle racer, and have a few old bikes laying around. One day I heard that the big annual Oklahoma Freewheel bicycle event with thousands of riders was routed right by my place. I thought I would give them something to make them smile. It worked. People have been talking about it for a long time.

I have since taken down the antennas for maintenance and the bike was really in the way, so it's back in the barn. Future plans include more bikes in places of prominence, but I have not gotten around to those plans yet. The more I think of it, the more it takes on a feeling of "sculpture" or "modern art." Which sometimes can be quite silly.

I did put it up myself. As one poster correctly commented, compared to the antenna above it, the bike was relatively trivial.

73 - Mark, N5OT