WW22.11.2006 - "He marched them up to the top of the hill"

Mike receives 'The order of the (returned) Boot'.

Walk: Monchique Helipad - Madrinha - Foia - Monchique Helipad; 21 km 5hrs 15 walking/ 6 hrs 25 total time

Leader(notional); Ian S.
Present: Paul; Myriam; Andrew; Lindsey; Rod; Chris; Antje; John; Mike; Hilke; Thyl; Jim; Paddy & Mary (1st time visitors)
Tiggy; Oscar.

Despite the forecast weather a good turnout for a walk designed to be a good workout, and to give some much-needed uphill and distance. Not sure whether Ian had briefed Mary and Paddy on his intentions, but their recent high-level trek in Bhutan should have stood them in good stead. They hadn't reckoned on the rigours of the ascent of the east face of Foia!!
Another first for this Blog is that I have determined that the leader engaged the services of a 'Ghost Writer' to enhance his literary credibility. Despite the three day wait for this masterpiece, I have only exercised my editorial muscle on spelling (typos?), grammar, punctuation and fact!! It comes in several installments with photos which I hope match the script!
The track of the route (including some interesting diversions is below, and can be enlarged by clicking.

From WW Blog Pix

Outside the Cafe Descansa Pernas,(no need - yet!!) before the walk, Mike was presented with the Order of the Returned Boot, thereby being reunited with a treasured talisman.

This over, the walk got under way promptly at 0930 hrs beginning with an easy half-hour stroll upwards through Monchique and Peso. First appearances were deceptive and at 1015 , after a few moments of indecision between Leader and Consultant, a left-hand swing round the hill brought the first test: an Outward Bound obstacle course circa 1960's-style of fiendishly felled eucalyptus trunks which tested the group’s limbo and high-jump skills.

After this mini-Becher’s Brook, steady climbing brought us up to the architectural delights found at the summit of Foia.

Such was the foul changeability of the weather at this stage that the more fashion-conscious began to require frequent stops, the excuse being to adjust/change their outer gear, to which the leader too readily consented. About 1130, during one such pause, an instance of blatant banana skin-throwing provoked a sectarian altercation between adherents of, respectively, the Partido Verde (Marxist-Leninist) and the Partido Verde (Trotskyist); the former asserting that this polluted the environment, the latter that recycling vegetable matter reduced methane emissions. (Rod studied that subject briefly if informally during his University days and his comments will be welcome.)

This revolutionary dialectic dispute plus with the length of the halt provoked mutterings on the part of Rebellious of Odiaxere who began, sotto voce, to suggest the deposition of the Leader. However, the calm diplomacy of the Consultant quelled such talk before it gathered too much volume and guided R.of O. tactfully back to topics nautical such as Brass Monkeys, Powder Monkeys, etc.

Luncheon was taken at 1230 at a site of peculiar verticality, albeit sheltered from the wind, where we grasped our fodder with one hand whilst clinging to the vegetation with the other, like gorillas feeding on the precipitous, rain-forest slopes of the Virunga Mountains. New walker, Paddy, lately returned from the luxurious, carpeted caravanserais of Bhutan, was not overly impressed with the Leader’s choice of locale, comparing it afterwards to “the north face of the Eiger ...only with brambles.”