Miriam’s
Fears Unfounded!, Circuit of Monchique
October 18th
2023
Our merry
group met at 9:45 in Intermarche café for the obligatory Abatanado. Weather was
fine and thankfully cool unlike the previous Saturday when it was 29C.
The route started at Intermarche and immediately climbed for up about 180m over a few k before dropping precipitously through an uncomfortable gorge (Geoff may remember a minor incident there a few years back). Despite her worst fears Miriam had no issue with it and flew down (not literally). The second phase is a little off-piste along a track that arrives down close to Caldes De Monchique. There we took the group photo.
Group
Photo: Terry, Miriam, Jill, Martin,
Ness, Peter, Ken. Dogs Rafa and Bika on
guard duty.
After a brief (2k of tarmac) mostly flat section, the serious climb started. Very soon Ken decided he had had enough and found some alternate transport options.
Ken and modern bike.
The climb continued for about 4k whereupon we stopped for lunch on a short tarmac link road.
Lunch Stop
The climb
resumed post lunch and eventually reached the foot of Picota. There were no
volunteers to accompany Martin to the top so he reluctantly stayed with the
group. You can see how disappointed he
is in the following photo.
Top of the pass group
From the
top its an easy decent back down to Monchique and a welcome drink.
Total
Distance : 14k
Total Climb
~ 700m
Time about
4 hours
Yes I do recall, the problemsof walking and talking....sounds as if you never saw my walking pole, still up there somewhere.
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