AWW 11.05.2011; Return to Hedleyland or Moinho da Rocha once more

While sitting idly by, with a glass of vinh´tint´ in my hand, waiting for blog inspiration and for my fellow paparazzi to send in this week´s art work, my eye fell on a magazine advertisement which asked me “Is cloud computing secure computing?”  Search me; I hadn´t a clue. The ad went on to say that the emerging computing option known as cloud delivers everything from music and photos through a public cloud to email and data storage through a private, corporate cloud. It added that cloud resources face the same risks as other shared resources. May be so, but I was and am no wiser.
Does anyone out there among the AWW Blogfans know what any of that stuff means? What would Wordsworth have made of it?
Anyway, the paparazzi and the red wine have now done their stuff, so I can proceed to report that we had a great walk last Wednesday, with Hilke and Lindsey successfully recreating a favourite of Hedley´s. Maddie failed to come under Starter´s Orders, but RCB, for the second week running, turned up in striking new equipment.

The only known example of its kind in Algarve (the vest, I mean)

The Starters opposite the “Café with No Name”

The track

Participants
Leaders: Hilke and Lindsey
Walkers: John & Hazel, Frank, Paul & Myriam, David, Dina, Yves, Tina, Chris Whittle, Rod, Terry Ames.
Dogs: Tiggy, Misty, Shelly and Rosie

Statistics: Confirmed by 5 GPS (perhaps a record)
Distance – 15.3kms
Total Time – 4 hrs 50mins
Moving Time – 3hrs 48mins
Moving average – 4kph

The Leaders´ Report
“We all met up at the ‘Café with No Name’ where some had their caffeine fixes and we all had the photo shoot. A few walkers were already limbering up at the “start” of the walk but were requested to assemble by the Chief Leader and Senior Paparazzo for the photo nearer to the café. One walker thought there was already dissent among the Leaders! (Perish the thought.)
"Then we all set off at 9.30 am up a slight incline and passed an old farm house. Then on through a field of wild flowers and long grass before meeting the main track and a bulldozer who was kindly (or was he under orders?) widening the track for the important AWWs.
“We carried on up hill with good views of the Autodromo and countryside, with one very steep descent, until we came to some Eucalyptus trees and beehives, whereupon we turned right and headed down to the first water crossing which the dogs were very grateful for.

Steep enough

“We then turned left passed Quinta da Palmeira and The Lodge and crossed 2 more streams, whereupon Paul decided to retreat home with a terrible headache – or was the walk too easy or too difficult?!

In the nick of time, Myriam retrieves her lunch

There were frequent, undemanding water crossings
“From there it was a steady ‘up hill’ for an hour or so, during which the peace and quiet of the countryside was momentarily disturbed by 4 Geographic Safari vehicles with loads of tourists; thankfully their passage was dust-free.

Getting their kicks on Route 66
“We eventually reached the top and had good views all round and some breeze! The morning was getting hotter. Combs and lipstick (salve) were produced -  and that was only the men!

At Os Cabeleireiros
“We walked along the plateau and upto a few Eucalyptus trees and high above a small reservoir which only David’s dog found and enjoyed. We carried on a little further to some more trees, logs and shade for lunch.

Nearly all found comfortable seating
(Then there was an outbreak of GPS-mania.)

Two compared data

Then three

Then five!
(Meanwhile, the more laid-back took in the view towards Foia and Picota. By the way,does anyone know what the collective noun for a proliferation of Garmins is?)
“After lunch we continued along a good track to some more Eucalyptus where, at Con(sultation) Corner, the track divided into 7 – the Leaders had a little discussion as to the best one to take - and luckily they were right. They recognised an arrow on the ground to show they were on the correct track!

Yves does have a good eye, doesn´t he?

Hilke heads for home

and Chris has no complaints about that
“The descent started and we came down to a larger track and a small stream where the dogs could drink as much as they wanted. Then a left turn, up and over a hill via a hidden valley, and another descent back to Moinho da Rocha and the “Café with No Name”, where all seemed still and shut.

Rod does not take a closed door for an answer 
“Thankfully, Rod´s persistence paid off and we found that, contrary to expectations, Dona Helena had returned to the café after a medical appointment and that we could all have a drink and compare statistics.”




David L caught this Tilley making faces at him
Next week ,we will revert to the topic of “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman” a book which I´m sure you will have been reading these past few weeks. Until then, a quote from Geoff Nicholson:
“Both walking and writing are simple, common activities. You put one foot in front of the other; you put one word in front of another. What could be more basic than a single step, more basic than a single word?”
(Well, I know what you are trying to say, Geoff old chap, but when I´m writing, I find that it helps rather to put one word after another, even if you are left-handed. Unless you are Chinese, perhaps?)