Pocahontas County in West Virginia falls within the National Radio Quiet Zone. It’s home to quiet country living, friendly people, and one of the most impressive engineering marvels in the world—the Green Bank Telescope. The GBT measures radio waves from throughout the universe, but due to the telescope's extreme sensitivity, any operating wireless device can have a negative effect on its observations. But to the people who live in the NRQZ, the restrictions and the quiet, peaceful life that comes with them are welcome.
In 2005, Brad Soden invented a modified wheelchair for his wife Liz, who is paralyzed from the waist down, so she could actively participate in more activities with their family. These fearsome-looking machines can traverse rugged hillsides, sandy beaches and snowy embankments.
