APAPS 2017 no.3: Café Elias Stroll

Luckily, there was a reasonably steady breeze throughout the morning to keep us cool, because the ambient temperature and the humidity were both high and rising. Ten of us were all ready for the off sharp at 7 am, but then we got delayed when an ancient Peugeot staggered down the lane powered only by 1 human pusher  and passed out just beside the café. Rod went off to fetch some jump leads. However, a black hearse arrived and a friend of the unfortunate driver also produced some leads. These didn´t seem to have much effect, so we left them to administer the last rites to the vehicle and returned to the business at hand.

 

This was the statutory starter picture dance routine, choreographed as always by Yves aka Aristotle. Most performed to a reasonable standard, with the exception of Myriam who preferred to keep both feet pragmatically on the ground. Clearly, there remains more work to be done.

Present: JohnH, Rod, Myriam, Rose, Antje with Sascha, Hazel, Maria, Janet, TerryA, Yves. also Mistie and Java.

Statistics:
Distance: 7.92 kms. Time: 2 hrs 13 mins. Ascent: 317 m. Average speed: a very modest 3.6 kph.

Now, I know that I had advertised this as being a stroll, but I hadn´t expected to be taken quite so literally. Apart for a couple of minutes when Rose succumbed to her natural inclination to shoot off into the lead, she and everybody else restrained themselves, so much so that I found myself far ahead of the pack on numerous occasions. Two or three times, I was even reprimanded by Antje and Hazel for speeding!

The upshot of all this was that I had little chance to overhear any of those revealing little conversations which normally afford a rich source of material for the blogger, or to take actionable photographs. We did have one pause while Aristotle went into engineering mode and spent a considerable (some might even say excessive) length of time examining Antje´s tubes and curing her water works:

There was another pause where Myriam passed around some welcome liquorice refreshment. But, apart from that, blog pickings were slim. Even towards the end, when I thought that Yves and Terry had finally decided to  up the pace, I discoverd that this temporary burst of acceleration of theirs was occasioned by nothing more than a wish to get to the bus-stop in good time to catch the next bus for Pedreira and so to get into breakfast first.

Breakfast was, of course, excellent; Senhora Fernanda doing us proud, as ever. Rose had brought the real Kerrygold butter, Myriam provided mini-Toms, Maria helped serve as always, and Janet and Hazel had proper English breakfast tea. Chris and Paul joined us for the meal, I presume to ensure that standards are being maintained.

 

 

and there was the usual post-prandial smartphone technical and training session:

Various early leavers left cash with me for their breakfasts. You guys know who you are and know how much you left - I can´t remember. The cost of the meal came to a bargain Euros 6 per head so, by all means, please do claim your refunds from me next time. As the Mafia might say, you know where I live!