Algarve Wednesday Walkers 2009-2010: AWW 16-12-2009:The Main Event-our Christmas Lunch

Who could have imagined that back in September when Janet arbitrarily chose the date for our Christmas walk and lunch, without reference to White Witches, soothsayers, geomancers or indeed other Wednesday Walkers, that she would light upon the day with the worst weather forecast this December!!
Indeed, the fainthearted looked at their forecasts early on 16th December, and rolled over and returned to sleep.
This option was not available to the CB, the DCB and the appointed Leader – nor indeed to Janet, fresh from grandmothering duties in Oz, who would never have lived it down had she not shown.
Together with a few bewildered souls who had either not comprehended the potential for destroying their party hair-dos, had no hair, or thought it was compulsory to be allowed to consume the lunch, 16 of us turned up to face the predicted elements.
And we nearly got away with it!! Some early drizzle as we approached the Autodrome was not enough to persuade the hardiest to extract and put on their raingear. However, as we reached a fateful point about 1 km from the end, the leader, Rod, opined that we would be too early to arrive back at Patricia’s, and as there was no viable loop to increase the walk, we dawdled and made light Christmassy conversation, particularly about those who had not bothered to join us for the walk!
This significant decision meant that our delayed return coincided, at about 500 metres from Patricia’s and shelter, with a torrential downpour, that came upon us so quickly that we were unable to cover up before being drenched.
Fortunately William and Patricia made His ‘n Hers Guest Rooms available so that we could slip into something more comfortable and dry off – and we still made it to the mulled wine before the other party-goers arrived.
This is all by way of an explanation why in the subsequent photos in John’s Amazing Technicolour Photo Blog, one or two of us are uncoiffeured and slightly shabby. If I had not had the foresight to don The Snake Shoes to distract attention from my bedraggled quiff, who knows what people might have said!

Enough padding – here is John’s ‘rudimentary’ Xmas Walk Blog.
The Season’s Greetings to all,
Paul & Myriam

There were 16 starters, 14 in the main picture plus 2 who made it by the skin of their teeth, as Rod led us on a very gentle pre-luncheon stroll.

(click to enlarge)

From the left: Andrew, Geraldine H, Yves, John H, Chris, Janet, Paul, Dina, Mike, Myriam, Hazel H, Rod, Lindsey, Frank

plus: Terry and Jill.

and 6 dogs, namely:
Shelly: Bella; Oscar: Nandi: Tiggy, Rusty. Maddy.

The Track

The statistics:
Total Dist.: 7.77 km
Moving Time: 1 hr 40 min.
Total Time:2 hrs 6 min.
Moving Avg.: 4.6 km/hr
Overall Avg.: 3.6 km/hr
Total Ascent: 206 m.
Max Elev.: 168 m.

Weak sun along the fence

Blue skies over the autodrome

Noise pollution

Waiting for the rain

As the rain lashed down, Yves seemed to be getting up to something extraordinary

A burka can be an asset!

but in fact he was very gallantly providing Janet with a protective poncho. He is therefore our nomination for the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Assistance to Ladies in Time of Need 2009.