WW18102006 - The Walk that Wasn't

View near Ponte de Piedade at around 0930 hrs.

The Walk that Wasn't!

After last Wednesday's slightly abbreviated walk, it was my turn this week, and the intention was to do a version of the walk from Ponte de Piedade through Luz inland and back along the coast. The weather forecasts had been threatening rain and 45 mph winds for some days, and the decision had to be made early, taking into account the sensibilities and liability to sulking if they got their hair wet, of the Walkers that had told me they were coming.
Myriam and I went out on Tuesday for a check of the course, and found that it was drying, though it was fairly easy to build up a set of 10cm mud stilts in certain places along the route. I opined that if it didn't rain again we would go for it.
However, it did and we didn't!! I must admit that my decision to cancel was slightly coloured by having been woken up at 3 in the morning by an enormous clap of thunder and torrential rain, and thereafter not recovering the quality of sleep so essential to making difficult decisions first thing.
The phone call system seemed to work well and by about 0815 all had checked in and accepted the sad news of the cancellation manfully (or womanfully).
Myriam and I had to walk the dogs anyway, so we drove to the start just about 0900 hrs, and had some satisfaction in seeing an incipient rain system approaching from the SW. No stragglers turned up., so we drove out to the Obelisk (trig point) above Luz, and recorded the second photo above, just before the heavens opened. I did feel a certain sense of vindication, although thereafter, while there were strong winds there were only a few light showers.
At around 1030, while I was digesting a rather better breakfast than is usual on a Wednesday, I received a call from Rod, rather breathless and with what I hope was only wind noise, claiming to be (unofficially) walking in the sunshine round the Barragem, with certain unnamed companions. I await the blog contribution and evidential photos!
Which brings me on to the final philosophical point - Can a Blog exist without a Walk? - OR can a Walk exist without a Blog? You have just read some compelling evidence!!