AWW 09.03.2011: Três Figos and no Fountain

 

A blog writer´s dream…….Tina´s puncture and a silver-tongued Leader together mean that this blog is virtually autogenous. Let´s go straight into Paul´s report.

“AWW 09.03.2011: Três Figos and no Fountain.

“I think the sobriquet ‘Rain Maker’ which in the past I confess I merited, can now be laid to rest.     ‘Sun King’?  may be a little OTT.  Pretentious – Moi?
The fact of the matter is that, after a weekend of storms and long periods of lashing rain, not least during my recce on the day before with Ian S. riding shotgun in the G-Wagen, and a pessimistic forecast for the day of the walk, apart from a cloudy start and a few drops of rain in the 500 metres before we reached the shelter of Casa Pacheco, we enjoyed glorious sunshine and blue skies.
The recce was another matter. I had intended, with the assistance of modern technology and copious emailed notes and co-ordinates from Mike,the originator of the walk, to recreate his walk from Café Cansado, last attempted in 2008.
Alas, less than 300 m from the start point, where we should have headed into the scenery to climb to a ridge, we encountered a roadside torrent which could hardly have been more than a dribble in 2008. It was too wide for me to jump (even with a run-up) and too deep and too early in the walk to paddle, so with Ian S. commenting sagely from the front seat of the G-Wagen, we carried along the road to a track with a decent bridge. Things were going well until we got to another raging torrent which would have required scuba gear, so we wisely decided to leave Cansado to another day.
A quick recce of my favourite area round Romeiras, showed that we could accomplish a walk on fairly wide paths with no water jumps, should the weather be as forecast. It was a tribute to our modern communications that the late change of venue circulated at 1400 hrs on the day before the walk, resulted in acknowledgements from all who had previously signed up for the proposed Cansado walk.
Wednesday morning loomed grey and cloudy, but no rain, and things were going just a bit too well. Myriam and I set off early to give Dona Aldina time to fire up the coffee machine before the arrival of the AWW. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily) Tina had also decided to set off early, and as we drove along the road a couple of km’s north of Colinas Verdes, we spotted the damsel in distress parked at the side of the road. She had apparently been proceeding in an orderly fashion along the highway when a rock laying in the road had jumped sideways and taken her front nearside tyre out.
Out came the handbook, and we set to trying to work out how to lower the spare tyre from under the boot of her pristine Renault.  I had almost got to the point of giving up on the tyre release mechanism, and other AWWs were gradually arriving at the scene, turning it into a social occasion, when Hedley, with hands like spanners, nay JCB diggers, forced the lever forward and the tyre gently lowered onto the road.

Hedley´s engineering skills triumphant.

“Changing the wheel would not have been too much of a problem, but alas the car was parked on a sandy verge, which although giving the appearance of solidity, failed to hold as the car lifted on the jack.
The car was repositioned with some tarmac under the wheel, and with John H. demonstrating the art of loosening wheelnuts with carefully weighted kung fu kicks, (which I later emulated) the tyre was soon changed; as he commented “This Blog is writing itself!” (Yes indeedy.)

“ I´m OK now that Les BMA have arrived…..”

“….and Paul is doing all the hard work!”

“We all still arrived at Casa Pacheco before the appointed 0930 hrs, although the coffee machine had still to be started, but I magnaminously (sic) declared a delayed start to enable caffeine infusion.
As it was, we drove back down to Três Figos in 3 cars for the start and, after the opening photo, we still set off at 0950 hrs.

“By 10 am the skies had cleared to an acceptable shade of blue and the sun was on our backs, as we began the long climb to the N267 Marmelete Road. The track was wide and flat and enabled 4 abreast conversations, mostly on Rugby, the Cricket World Cup, the demise of Arsenal against Barca and referees in general. There may have been some shopping,  fashion or grandmothering chats among the ladies, but these I do not recall!

The start of the long climb.

“I didn’t hear any complaints about the longish stretch of tarmac from the top of climb to the beginning of descent above Loiros (sic), but it seems to be an insurmountable problem to go off road here without descending into very steep valleys or suddenly heading off in completely the wrong direction.
Above Loiros, even though it was still before midday thanks to our rapid progress, I found a very agreeable lunch spot with its own pond, and banks to sit in the sun. Bella rather let herself down by stealing one of Janet’s apples - but it is in her nature to forage.

 

View over Loiro.

“There was a short stretch of steep downhill after lunch - a shortcut back to the  track where we happily posed above a blooming bank of some unidentified but cultivated flowers.

No doubt, Lindsey will put her gardening hat on and identify the flowers for us.

Near Malhão, Tina thinks she has found alternative transport……

….but then realises she´s being watched by CCTV.

“Once on the valley floor we fairly raced along, until on the climb from Malhão the sky became a leaden grey, and despite reassuring all that it would not rain before we reached Romeiras, I secretly placed a wager with myself that the skies would open as is obligatory, about 500 metres before safety. Of course, as we reached the Romeiras road, a few spots started to fall and became slightly heavier for those at the rear of the group, but not even enough to dampen spirits.

“Now, where exactly did I leave my sunglasses?”

”Myriam drove the drivers back to Três Figos to retrieve their cars, and returned in time to mount a plastic chair in the middle of the road to record this strangely subdued picture of  the AWW ostensibly enjoying their drinks. Perhaps they didn’t ‘give a fig’ – or three!

Paparazzi have right of way.

“I don't give a fig!”

Meaning: Complete lack of concern about an event

“Origin: This phrase comes from the Spanish fico (fig) which gave its name to a traditional gesture of contempt made by placing the thumb between the first and second fingers. The gesture was common in Shakespeare's time and was known as The Fig of Spain. The modern-day equivalent is the "V" sign.”

Stats:-
Total Distance: 14 km
Total Time:       3hrs 40 min
Moving Time:   3 hrs
Overall Avg.:    3.8 km/hr.
Moving Avg:    4,6 km/hr
Total Ascent:    281 m.
Max Elevation: 354 m.

The Track

And that is Paul´s report, a very thorough one, I´m sure you will agree; almost as thorough as the dissertation he entertained us with over our beers about the superior merits of his preferred brand of hat.This went on at such length that Tina surmised that he was rehearsing for Mastermind (which is why he is off to UK in April) with T***** hats as his specialist subject.

Lindsey prefers the more adaptable Barbour…versatile certainly but not  a T*****

 

Rod sports a Peter Storm….. but can´t match Paul´s favourite model for sharp looks.

Fifteen minutes of this and by that stage, Janet was reduced to tears of rage and had a rant. Then the donkey tethered across the road joined in and, together, the two of them brought the sales pitch to a close.

Do remember that lines are now open for nominations to the post of Chief Blogger for next year; you will agree that, with his report this week, RCB has staked a pre-eminent claim to be re-appointed.

Let´s close with some music, the opening few lines of the lyrics being appropriately….

“Grab your coat and get your hat.
Leave your worries on the doorstep.
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street.”

On the Sunny Side of the Street

Post-script (thanks to Myriam for reminding us)

Leader: Paul

Walkers: Rod, Hedley, Myriam, Lindsey, Janet, Tina, Dina, Ian W, Frank, Hazel and JohnH.

Dogs: Bella, Misty.