AWW 12.12.2007 South-west of Caldas, or Medronho Madness

The Leader has not written his report so far. So Deputy Chief Blogger-cum-Paparrazzo posts this summary with some pictures. Further text and further photos will be gratefully received for insertion from anybody who wants to send them in.

Present: Ian Wilson (the Leader),
Ian S.,Tina and Andrew F.,David C.,Dina,Vitor,Alfredo, Stan, Elaine, Caroline, Andrew and Lindsey H.W., Alex, Hilke, John H.

Dogs: only one, Maddy.

Statistics:

Distance 12.54 km according to my plastic Taiwanese gadget.

Time: about four hours including stops for lunch and medronho.

16 walkers assembled at the Foz de Banho for the civilised starting hour of 9.30am. Ian S. was for some reason seen carrying a ballgown over his arm but was persuaded by Lindsey not to put it on.

The starters, with Stan carrying the red umbrella

A very prompt start, downhill to the river, then a climb or two. At one stage the Leader, despite all his past expertise and knowledge of the area, lost the way causing a mass pile up of bodies on a steep downward slope, but no casualties were reported.
Blast it! The Leader realises he's left the map at home.

Several undulations and an occasional updulation followed. For those interested in the technical differentiations of such geographical features, here are acouple of illustrations.

This is an undulation ...........

and this.......... ............. is an updulation.

During lunch, Ian S's idiosyncratic sartorial equipment once more attracted attention, this time that of the sharp-eyed Dina.

If I pull the chain, does an alarm go off? (Click on picture to enlarge)

Lunch over, the Leader regained our esteem by most successfully marshalling us over the second river crossing of the day which entailed a scramble down a crumbling and very steep bank which required much cooperative effort and brought the AWW rope into use for the first time.

The second river crossing

Then the group graciously paused awhile to let John H, ably abetted by Vitor and Alfredo, select his season's ration of medronho from a local hostelry into which they disappeared.

Said Simple Simon to the pieman "Let me taste your ware"

Twenty minutes later, the three enthusiasts emerged.

After a couple of shots, the knees tend to go a wee bit rubbery

The walk concluded with an ascent of a veritable Rumdoodle of a hill by 13 stalwarts; but the 3 aforementioned medronho afficionados ducked that particular challenge and opted to make their own leisurely way back to the Foz, probably stopping to have a sip or two as they went, and David C. rocketted past them on the final slopes, to be, yet again, first to the bar.

First of the day.

Elaine demonstrates her own particular angle on beer drinking.

Inline comment from the Mysterious East by CB:-

"Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in."
Confucius on 'Inaction'

Of course the modern interpretation of this could be loosely paraphrased as:-

"Deputy Chief Blogger who stand by computer with fingers poised will wait long time for Leader's draft Blog to arrive"

Deputy Chief Blogger reopens the blog partly to draw the attention of readers (particularly that of Andrew H W) to the Chief Blogger's comments, and partly to add three atmospheric photos provided by Alfredo.

Dina practising her Nordic walking techniques

Down and down..........

...........into the depths