AWW 03.11.2010: A Blast from the Past or ‘Elevated Esperanças!’

By some subtle subterfuge, the CB has managed to blag me into blogging this walk – not sure why, since as the leader himself, he was in the best position to deflect criticisms, and pass over political posturings without pain. Some blandishment such as “Since you were not the Leader you will be able to take an unbiased and objective view of the walk” – As IF!
Anyway, to the walk itself, I got it completely wrong, as I immediately associated the start point at Casa Esperança with promises of coffee and ablutions, with a leisurely finish on his verandah being plied with Sagrés Bohemia, fine wines and Lays Gourmet crisps. I even went so far as to turn up with a 4-pack of the superior Sagres Bohèmia 1865 Reserva, in case he had mistakenly stocked up with the basic vintage. His look of astonishment barely matched my own when I produced the beer on arrival, and he blurted out “But we are having the drinks at Casinhas after’.     It was only then I remembered his proud Scottish Heritage!
Nevertheless, the toilets and coffee were very welcome – and he stashed away my Bohèmia for future reference. The move to have the drinks afterwards at Casinhas with the cars at Casa Esperança was to prove to be an error of judgement, leading to a rather fragmented finish, with only about half of the starters making it back as a unit.

The Whole Nine Yards (see HERE)

The first six inches (see HERE)

And now for John’s unornamented report.
Leader: John H.
Starters: Paul, Myriam, Chris, Antje, Hazel, Rod, David and guest Colin, Ian S, Terry A, Bob and guest Linda, Frank, John O, Hilke, Dina, Ingrid, Alex, Ian W, Tina, Peter, Lindsey, Yves.
Dogs: Maddie, Tiggy, Brontes, Misty, Bella, Shelley, Bob (f), Amos, Alfie, Rosie and Rusty.
Tilley Hats: Seven (pictured tho’ I am sure I counted 8 during the walk)

Oh yes, they were all there - at the start, anyway - 24 humans and 11 dogs! The Gang of Three in full voice: Bob able to get away momentarily from the day job: from East and West they came. The advertising must have been good. Was it the promise of Hazel´s aromatic coffee that brought them out in droves? Or had they fallen for the blandishments of the walk profile -
“Approx. 20km, easy tracks, no scrambling, very few and gentle updulations; this will help stretch legs.... 0.5 on the Paul Richter Scale. About 5 hours:less if we keep moving.”
Who knows.

How many sticks does one photographer need?

After 9 am coffee and 9.25 starter photo, we set off from Casa Esperança at 9.30 a.m. sharp. 25 yards later, Hazel led a Splinter Group off on a short cut scramble across the valley, while the elder and wiser went the easier level way round to the rendezvous. There we waited – no S.G. As the minutes ticked by, Ingrid seized the opportunity to check that every man there had greeted her in the approved continental fashion. The S.G. turned up eventually – some GPS failure in the depths of the abyss apparently.

At the double!

On the move again, at some speed to make up lost time, we headed into the Torres e Cercas hinterland and reached the back track to Poço Barreto. There, Maddie and Ian S. decided they had done enough and peeled off in the direction of Casinhas., leaving 23 and 10 to race downhill to Poço Barreto by 10.45 am.

One down……..

There, the dogs enjoyed a quick splash in the levada, and the leader and others a quick 10 minute slurp at Cafe Sustelo.

The leader needed a beer by this stage!

This photo took some organisation! Most of the dogs cooperated – but not the owners!

John O’ pondered two alternative means of transport home but decided to remain with us. He also lifted our spirits with a convincing demonstration of pole dancing.

Stop me and buy one!

Away from Cafe Sustelo, up the hill past the House of Words, Terry A remarking that this walk was “ a blast from the past” tracing as it did parts of Maurice´s old trails.

The ‘House of Words’

Soon after, we reached the last patch of shade for several kms; considerate as always, I asked if the group wanted an early lunch under the trees. Rod advised me not to put it to the vote - democracy wouldn´t work with this lot. So the ladies decided on lunch there and then. Rod then objected that 11.28 am was far too early to have lunch. Terry A, an old hand at dispute resolution, said that AWW lunches were permissible between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm. So we waited for a minute or two, and lunched. Or at least, most of us did.

Domestic bliss at the lunch bar

Ladies who lunch – separately!

Smartly off again at 11.45 am, the long haul then began. The next few kms through stretches of flat, agricultural land were, frankly, pretty boring scenery-wise. A flurry of excitement was caused by a weeks-old puppy which seemed to see Misty a mother figure and persisted in following us until Frank managed to pick it up and return it to its home base.
Turning for home across the Tinhosas road at Villa Perdiz, we then slogged on in the heat of the day to the Green Door (Music Cue: Frankie Vaughan singing “What´s behind the Green Door?”).
Note by RCB: I am not sure of the CB’s reference, but this one might be remembered by some of our group!

 
This became the parting of the ways; for a variety of reasons (whose genuineness I could not possibly for one minute question), Ian W, Bob, Linda, Peter, Frank and Ingrid plus Alfie, Amos, Bella, Bob(f),Tiggie and Brontes took the direct and shorter route to Casinhas. If my memory serves me correctly, that left 17 of us plus 4 dehydrating dogs to loop northwards over the hilltop, down past an older Casa Esperança into the Arade Valley, where Rod´s local knowledge quickly led us to a substantial pool in the river where the dogs had a restorative swim. Rod, by the way, was still expecting a proper lunch stop.

 Spot the difference competition see HERE

We crossed the Arade with ease – a mere 6 inches of water – through some pleasantly shady canes, crossed the bridge, and trekked resolutely past Cafe Casinhas – well at least a few of us did. Many, however, fell by the wayside and succumbed to the temptations of an immediate beer with the two Ians, or maybe to the sirenic charms of Victoria behind the bar.

 The early shift were cheered up by the presence of some bikers!

The doughty residue struggled up the final hill and duly completed the circle, reaching base at 2.30 pm precisely (Lindsey can vouch for that), collected the cars, and adjourned to the bar in proper order.

Horsing about!

Casinhas still has some shade at this time of year

Caption Competition – anyone please!

For the record (E. & O. E.), the residue of 24 starters and 11 dogs were:
Finishers: John H, Hazel, Hilke, Tina, Alex, Lindsey, Yves, Dina, David, Terry A, Antje, John O and Myriam (possibly Ingrid who made a come-back).
Dogs: Rosie, Rusty.
Postscript: also for the record, Rod and Misty did finally complete the walk at 3.55 pm, Rod having paused for his beer and his lunch (at last) before going up the hill and then having stopped again to advise a local farmer on his crop rotation.
For the record: Myriam took a total of 128 photos, I took 15 and John submitted 10 of his. Guess who had to sort them out?
Walk Stats: Short Course (to Casinhas – my GPS) and Full version (Myriam’s GPS):
Total Distance:           17.6 km                                  19.5 km
Total Time:              4 hrs 43 min.                         5 hrs 04 min.
Moving Time:          3 hrs 37 min                          4 hrs 30 min.
Moving Avg. :          4.9 km/hr                              4.3 km/hr.
Overall Avg. :          3.7 km/hr                               3.8 km/hr.
Total Ascent:           166 m.                                    a bit more (not recorded by M.)
Max Elevation:        115 m.                                      115 m.
(Simple explanation of anomalies:- Myriam walked round slowly at lunch time.)
A pleasant social walk, although the fact that we had to pass the drinks place before the end of the walk was  a strategic error on Marshal John’s part, but we won’t take action ‘pour encourager les autres’ as a similar thing happened at Castelejo Beach the previous week . The AWW Walk Leaders’ Manual will be amended to reflect best practice procedures!
       Of more concern is the 166 metres of climb would probably only have taken us to the Praia de Murraçao on Day 1 of the imminent RTC 2010. Don’t panic though…..
“The social kiss is an exchange of insincerity between two combatants on the field of social advancement. It places hygiene before affection and condescension before all else.”    London Sunday Correspondent