Not all SOTA's are glamorous
If you watch activation videos on YouTube, when you think of SOTA you think long hikes up steep mountains for a breathtaking view of rugged landscapes. You don't think of kneeling in the snow in the ditch of a busy two lane state highway. However, that is W9/WI-008 Meteor Hill.
The summit proper of Meteor Hill is on private land, but Wisconsin Highway 48 runs through the activation zone. So midwest SOTA activators set up in the right of way for the highway. Not ideal, but it works.
I talked to my online SOTA guide on this activation
If you research SOTA summits located in the upper midwest, you will find activation reports and routes to the summit form Paula K9IR. Paula has been my virtual guide on many of my SOTA activations and summits I still plan to activate.
I was surprised when I heard her callsign come through the small pileup I was working. It was a most interesting QSO to say the least. While located in Illinois, K9IR was calling me with her remote station that was located only a few miles away. A SOTA contact via ground wave on 15 meters, with the activator kneeling in the ditch of a two lane highway. We had a nice little chat about the area and I thanked her for all her help with my adventures in SOTA.
I've not always played radio in the road
The property that the summit is on is owned by a timber company. The first time I activated Meteor Hill I sat up my station by the gated entrance to the property. As luck would have it, the property caretaker drove by as I was operating. Naturally, he stopped to see just what in the world I was doing.
After a quick explanation of what Summits On The Air was, the gentleman offered to open the gate so I wouldn't have to sit in the ditch. He even offered a ride to wear the summit benchmark is located, since my little commuting car I was driving at the time wouldn't have the clearance required for the logging road.
Not wanting to take up his time and keep to the spirit of SOTA I declined his offer for a ride and hiked to the summit. This was a good reminder for me to reach out to landowners of private property SOTAs. Doesn't hurt to ask. My one regret is I didn't ask for the gentleman's contact info so I could ask permission for future visits...