AWW 20.12.2006:- Mike does an impression!

Mike authentically reenacts the 'more' scene from Oliver. 

AWW 20.12.2006: Rod presents a plate

Bravely brushing aside his personal discomfort, a skilfully patched-up Rod presents Myriam with the second version of the plate made to commemorate her organisation of the RTC Walk. The first one presented at the dinner during the walk was deemed to be of insufficient artistic merit by the plate organising sub-committee. 

AWW 20.12.2006:- Lunchers

 

AWW 20.12.2006 - Gack tackles the Curry!

The 'vegetarian' option for lunch was this fragrant vegetable curry, with all the 'bits and pieces'. 

AWW 20.12.2006 Don't take my profile!

Janet in front of a self-portrait taken during her 'Blue' period. Paul nobly tells Mike not to draw her attention to it! 

AWW 20.12.2006 Marguerite staunches the 'claret'!

Rod had the temerity to 'head butt' an Agave plant, blocking his way down the steps - and came off worse! 

AWW 20.12.2006 - Xmas Stroll and lunch.

The Christmas Walk Trig Point Shot.

Leader: Rod
Present: Paul; Myriam; Janet; Stan; Elaine; Ian W; Ian S; David; Gack; Sue; Richard .
Archie

The Christmas Walk and lunch at Patricia's in Montes de Cima, had been arranged for some time, but other events and arrangements had conspired to reduce the numbers. Lindsey and Andrew were away tending to yet another grandchild; John and Hazel had been forced to go to Scotland (well you would have to be forced!), Terry and Jill were collecting a daughter from the airport (quite inconsiderate arriving on a Wednesday!9 and Peter S. was convalescing after an operation. We wish him a speedy recovery.

There were no noteworthy events during the walk. We had been joined by occasional walkers Sue and Richard for the walk as it promised to be fairly brief and non-demanding, and so it was. a two and a half hour circuit of the Montes de Cima area, including a couple of fairly low trig points, at one of which we posed for a group photo (above) as is the custom. Ian S had been lulled into a fasle sense of security by Rod's description, and the fair weather, and decided to sport blazer, flannels and well-polished brogues (well almost), so inevitably it was not long before we were plunging across muddy bogs and through dense new growth of cistus. My photo finger was still a bit sore from the frenzied activity on the RTC, so I didn't get round to recording much of the actual walk.

We were joined at the restaurant by Mike (suffering from chestikoff) and Jyll, Susan F. and her mother (visiting for Xmas), Dinah, Marguerite, Chris and Antje (malingering), and Diane.

Copious quantities of mulled wine were provided on the terrace, but even though it was sunny, it was still quite cool and most moved inside.

Then - a moment's drama - an almost surreal compensation for the fact that Ian S., clad in 'longs' had not spilt any blood during the walk, Mike had not made his usual bloody contribution, so it befell to the leader, Rod to fall on his sword - or rather an inappropriately placed Agave plant, on which he spiked his forehead. Fortunately, Marguerite, a fully qualified medical practitioner was on hand, and stemmed the flow of claret!

Luckily the flow of 2001 Torre de Trindade, from the cellars of Rod's 'Hobbyshop', Wine Mine was not similarly staunched and we set about a delicious lunch, cooked by Patricia, and ably served by Mike and Jean.

After lunch, the eagerly awaited results of the RTC Photo Competition were announced and some splendid prizes were presented. I had arranged a computer slide show of the entries during the lunch, for those that hadn't been able to access the web Album site. The pictures (here) and results (here) can be seen by all, but the fascinating new Blog on the RTC 2006, and hitherto, can only be accessed by registered members from the link in the left sidebar. If you are interested then email me for an invite to join.

Some of the less controversial pix of the Xmas lunch can be viewed in blog entries above this one.

It was a very convivial occasion, and a worthy method of pruning the funds gathered from Aprés Walk drinks during the previous season. We raised a glass to Maurice and Esme and all absent friends, and some very happy memories.

AWW 13.12.2006

The topic was 'postage on french letters'

Alas I was not there so I cannot possibly comment. 

AWW 13.12.2006

Mine's a Large One 

AWW 13.12.2006 Ian's Inland Idyll.

The Pumpkin Eaters

Having a week off because of a rescheduled med check, Blogging duties were entrusted to Ian W., the Leader, and John the Pap stepped up to the photographic plate.

Leader: Ian W.
Present: Hilke; Lindsey; Gack; John; Ian S; Chris ; Antje; David; Stan; Elaine,
Archie; Oscar; Tiggy

Yesterday, despite being the 13th of December was not unlucky. We had fabulous weather, cool and sunny with no wind even on the high ground. There were 11 walkers and 3 dogs. The walk was about 16km. and took 4 hours 15 minutes, more or less as advertised! We walked from the Foz De Banho down the river valley from Caldas, crossed the river and headed West, then north in a clockwise circle. It was strange to see water (?) pipes running along the ridge on the west side of the Caldas Valley and eventally heading towards Portimau. We all wonderered why they were there. The first river crossing was no problem, the water being low and stepping stones usable. the second was a problem for the dogs and there were cries of "put in a dog bridge", but they managed eventually to find a better crossing with Gack,Chris and Antje´s help. the medronho man came out to greet us but there were no takers... We did find lots of medronho fruit along the way and the hunter/gatherers were able to do their stuff. the group photo was taken by the group member who never faces the camera, beside a pumpkin vine. You can see a large pumpkin just beneath my hand, if you look carefully... There was considerable debate at the Foz, as to the correct charge for the "giraffe" that Ian S is imbibing in the photo. It appears to be about double a caneka in size, and will need the accounting sub-committee to make a decision. You need to refer to John, concerning the french letter!

WW 29.11.2006. The Snake Shoes!

When I told Myriam we were going round the Barragem de Bravura she said "Wear the fox hat" - but as I prefer to wear my Tilley I decided to make up by sporting the 'Snake Shoes' for the Après walk drinks! 

WW 29.11.2006 Oh **** !!

Our Leader had a nasty moment when he realised he had left his stick on the wrong side of the crossing!! 

WW 29.11.2006: The Crossing!

Despite no specific mention of 'water hazards' a considerable amount of High tech. amphibious gear was produced from rucsacs! 

WW 29.11.2006 - Braving the Bravura!

The weather was so nice, even Romeiras looked good!

We were promised 30 km - we received a free bonus of almost 10%. Rod's report, in his own words below.
The track of the walk can be viewed by clicking the thumbnail below.

From WW Blog Pix

It was very encouraging that of the 17 "volunteers" for the Round the Corner 2006 walk, 13 turned up and completed this 'qualifier' with barely a whimper! Of the others, three were still in Uk, and Terry A. we have confidence in! True that there were in the intervening days a few precautionary "Well maybe I will only do ONE day because ............' expressions, but despite the lack of long distance training because of weather, which has been extraordinary this season, it hardly seems that we are all one year more decrepit than last!


Walk: Bravura and beyond! 32.35 km; Total time 7 hrs 30 min: Moving time 6 hrs 28 minutes.

Leader: Rod
Present; Paul & Myriam, Mike , Andrew & Lindsey , David , Ian S., Chris & Antje , John , Jim , Ian W.

Oscar & Tiggy

So maybe it did say a 27-30km walk, but as the ‘round the Barragem’ walk was a warm-up for the annual RTC it obviously made sense to ensure we did walk just a little further than either day of next week’s walk….anyway if it had been advertised as the 32.35 km. that it turned out to be, might it have put anyone off? But of course not ! So we set off, at 09.30 on a fantastic sunny morning, from the Barragem de Bravura along the water-edge route at the spanking pace of 4.9kph…(all these incredibly accurate figures supplied, of course, by the chief blogger and his presumably trusty H.Samuel Everight wrist GPS ).

There were no distractions until we made the first river crossing, ( a few mutterings at this point about lack of warnings about such hazards……mainly from those who seemed to think you could walk round a barragem without coming across the odd stream ! ….anyway it has been raining for about 90 days and nights if it hadn’t been noticed), which was really just a practice crossing for the next one; the Vagarosa near Romeiras. This was definitely a knee high paddle causing a splendid array of plastic bags, mostly Lagos Camera lixo bags, to be produced in a fruitless attempt to keep boots dry. Our dear leader managed to keep his feet surprisingly dry by dint of an attractive pair of Modelo shopping bags and then realised he had left his stick on the other side…..serve the b*gger right… the bags had disintegrated by then so he was kindly loaned a fetching pair of beach shoes …still full of Offa’s Dyke mud…by Mike P.

No further excitements and lunch was taken at about the furthest point away from the start/finish….. the barragem itself at this point is absolutely nowhere to be seen….a few more mutterings! Here however we were on the original route of the Via Algarviana and to prove the point came across the current cistus insignia waymarker and indeed a faded blue blob!

Eventually the waters of the barragem hove into view and we set off along the waterside route on the west side of the barragem. The sting in the tail of this stretch is that the final finger of water around which one has to walk is a big one and goes for seemingly miles in entirely the wrong direction…most dispiriting, especially after about 29kms.! Eventually we staggered… well Ian S. actually ran (although this was entirely to ensure he got there before the bar closed)… the last stretch of road to arrive some 7 1/2 hrs after setting out. That night most were mildly aware they had been for a walk, so next week should seem a straightforward doddle….although there are one or two more hills maybe !