AWW 13.02.2008 - Myriam's Valentine's Eve Venture

The Eve of Valentine's Day in the Algarve, and the AWW are about to make history! The first electronically transmitted and led walk. Was it to be a Technological Tour de Force - or an Ill-conceived Internet Error message?
Things didn't start well as the CB (and Controller of GPS Affairs) had originally intended to send via email, a track of Mike's Marmelete walk to Andrew, for him to lead on this auspicious day, with his, as yet untested, new Garmin GPSMap 60CSx. However David had a change of heart (see what I'm doing!) and led his Marmelete leg of the Via Algarviana, instead of São Bras, two weeks earlier, so the Bensafrim Circuit was hastily substituted.
On top of this Andrew, unnerved by the responsibility, and still unwilling to RTFM of his GPS, eloped with Lindsey to India for the duration. The CB then volunteered Brian as substitute GPS Wielder, but in a late show of evasiveness, he arranged for Gail to fly back to Faro on Wednesday, and sacrificed his chance of fame by going to collect her instead of walking.
And thus it fell to Myriam to be the guinea pig (metaphorically of course) and lead the walk with the CB's GPS which hitherto she had been forbidden to touch, as a precaution against the electric fields which surround her, and incapacitate most electronic devices.

Track of the Valentine's Walk!

Here in her own words is Myriam's first leader's report:

1st Electronic Walk --- led by a Gadget Illiterate

Leader (Third choice): Myriam
Machiavellian Figure: Paul
Present: Antje, Hilke, Ian W. Alex, Peter, John, Hazel, Ian S. Vitor, Dina, Mike
Dogbots: Maddy, Oscar, Nandi, Tiggy, Sibyll.

Stats: Total Distance:17.5 km; Moving time:4hrs; Overall time:4 hrs 30 min; Moving average: 4.4 km/hr;
Overall Average: 3.8 km/hr: Total Ascent : 426 m; Max Elevation 139 m.

Starters and Myriam confidently holding the GPS!

13 brave souls arrived at Caseirinha at Bensafrim early enough for a coffee and a session of reassurance before starting on this adventure. Mike, who was supposed to be busy packing and making final arrangements for his Honeymoon trip with Bride Jyll on Friday, also turned up to give moral support to the leader. It was much appreciated. Brave they were also to admit that extra rations were brought! Before leaving the house, Peter was "warned" that he would be expected to arrive home in time to go to Almancil in the evening!

Antje ups the Tilley Count, while others enviously look on!

This was an exercise to utilise the GPS to a higher level. When Rod led this walk last year, Paul recorded the track. What better way than to test this technology by asking an easily disoriented Oriental to lead with the GPS?
The weather looked a bit threatening early in the morning, but the forecast was for no rain. Though the temperature was not low, the chilly wind seemed to follow us everywhere and most of us kept our fleeces on throughout the whole walk.

GPS says !!....... and the mimosas are out

So, armed with extra rations, warm clothing, all the proper gear for a good hike, including Antje's gaiters and a Tilley borrowed from Chris, the enthusiastic and hopeful 13 (Maurices's lucky number) started only 2 minutes after the programmed time of 9:30 am. As a precaution, the brave followers were asked not to walk in front of the leader in case of navigational errors! To follow the track on the GPS is not difficult. One only has to keep a close watch on the screen, making sure that the arrow which indicates the actual position is exactly on the track shown.

Very soon into the walk, the leader gained some confidence and got distracted, resulting in a back track of some 100 metres only. She was glad that there were no audible complaints!

The dogs can't see what all the fuss is about!

During the whole route, we crossed the Ribeiro de Bensafrim no less than 8 times (the number needs to be confirmed)! Most of the crossings were very shallow. Only 2 involved alternative routes. The more difficult one required some clambering up vertical banks. Everyone was left to her/his own resources.

Gaiters and Tilley lend elegance to the manoeuvre!

Hazel must have climbed the highest to make sure she would not fall back into the water. She was pleasantly rewarded finding herself standing among some very big cork oak trunks.

She dwelt among untrodden ways!

At another crossing, some were rewarded with a living lesson of procreation of toads which were so absorbed in their own world that they did not even bat their eye lids with so many voyeurs looming over the water!


Note: Look away now if you are sensitive! Another first for the blog - David Attenborough eat your heart out!!

Frog sPorn!

Do I detect a smug look on the face of the top Frog - rather like Yves on the progress of his team in the Six Nations!! Personally I would prefer a hot jacuzzi! Brass Monkeys have nothing on these toads!!

Lunch was taken by the Quinta da Corte do Bispo, the famous property rumoured to be the site of Ericsson's future sports academy. We found a bank out of the wind and enjoyed the quiet surroundings which may not be there anymore next time we come around!!

Ericsson's Folly in the background!

Readel's Runch!!

The second half of the walk was easy and flat, on good trails. So, the GPS led us pleasantly through fully blossomed almond trees and colourful wild flowers in full bloom. We also passed a herd of healthy looking cattle with calves, calmly grazing in the meadows.

Maddy disconcerted by public breast-feeding

There was only one hitch. About an hour away from the end, the leader was innocently pulled into a profound discussion of philosophy and theology by Hilke and Ian W. She was so interested in listening to the wisdom of fellow walkers that she forgot to look at the GPS! Holy of Holies, that distraction had caused the loss of some 5 precious minutes of beer time!! Again, there were no audible complaints, except from the Gadget Man who cautioned the leader to talk less!! Well, she has learned to ignore that comment a long time ago. When the right track was found, the conversation resumed!!
On approaching Bensafrim, we came upon some gorgeous, big wild irises which caused Ian W. to agonise over his failure to grow them in his garden. But being a lover of nature, he declared that he refuses to dig wild flowers by the roots on moral grounds.

Almond trees in full blossom

The GPS brought us back to the village of Bensafrim at the ETA. At the recreational park, we could not resist playing the wind organs again.

Unlike Myriam I will resist the innuendo about 'pumping organs'... Oooops!

At Caseirinha, stats were compared with Vitor´s GPS which was a back-up. As the leader did not dare to change the display of her GPS during the walk, Vitor was the consultant for time and distance.

Post match analysis!!

All agreed that this experiment was a success. Someone commented that it was worth leading a walk because the leader received so many congratulatory kisses!! A big "Thank You" to the 12 Brave Ones who showed solidarity to the leader. A special "Thank You" to the Gadget Man who was always there to the rescue whenever a GPS button was unintentionally pressed.

CB's Note: Yes I think we can claim success. The walk included some narrow paths through scrub, and Myriam picked up the turns without (much) prompting. This augurs well for the preservation of a good Central Library of Wednesday Walks, which may hitherto have been lost due to failing memory and health of our hardy band. My project for the future will be to record the whole of David's version of Via Algarviana, and post it where GPS users will be able to download it in sections, to augment the written descriptions already existing.

"To lead people walk behind them." Myriam after Lao-Tzu