Ok Gang --

So we are on for tomorrow! How fun...and if it is too nasty to hike...stay for lunch, we�ll play cards, chat, listen to music, hang out...etc...

Oh and Jer, if you really want the exercise, we have an elliptical rider you can use!

See you all tomorrow!

Hi all, looks like I am the first one to post after our "caminata" of this past Sunday.

Here is the report for those of you who could not make it

Woke up Sunday morning and it was super sunny but a bit chilly in Madrid. Ena and I headed down to Puerta de Toledo (10 minutes walk from my apartment) where our car was parked and met Max and his friend Isidro there. Raquel had called Max the night before and said she was a bit sick and was not going to make it so it was the 4 of us heading out to Chica's (Becky's) and Angel's little nest in the Sierra (nice place by the way Chica ).

As we went through the tunnel under the Sierra to get to Segovia, we were cruelly reminded of how the weather can change drastically just 60 KM out of the city and on the other side of the mountains. It was even snowing

We arrived at Becky's house and decided to keep the walk localk as she knows the mountains and advised against going up too high. So, we took a long walk along the river and just talked about anything and everything that came to mind. We got back to the car (used the car to get to the hiking spot) and it was very cold but we decided to have our picnic lunch there in the great outdoors.

That turned into the 5 of us running towards Max's car and cranking the heat up. We headed back to Becky's where weh had some pastries and a nice caf� con leche. Anglel, Becky's hubbie arrived and we hung out and chatted for quite a few hours just talking.

So, while the weather could have been nicer, the company was unbeatable and we will surely repeat the trip soon.

Next excursion is going to be the long talked about multimadrid BBQ and hike I have begun a new thread on it at http://www.multimadrid.com/cgi-bin/jersbbucgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000015

Saludos,
jer...

Hi Jer and Gang ----

Hey! It was GREAT meeting you all! I�ll have to admit that Isidro had the best idea of all about getting back into the car after our picnic lunch.

It was a great day. When my hubby heard about our adventures, he was a little sorry he missed all the fun due to his car calamity. Better luck next time!

The river that we hiked around was R�o de Los Moros in Estaci�n del Espinar (Segovia). It�s not that I know my mountains or anything (I, too, am a city girl at heart). But I recalled an adventuresome trip in Venezuela, where we took a 4x4 up a mountain which started off with paved roads, but as we got further up, were only dirt trails. It was a nice sunny day when we started. Yeah, you can guess what happened... it rained and thundered and made our white knuckled trip back down the mountain (without slipping off the side) more of an adventure than what we bargained for as we struggled to gain traction on the dirt roads that quickly turned into mud!!!

Therefore, my word to the wise is stay off unpaved roads in the mountains when the weather is questionable!

Looking forward to the next hiking adventure!!