Even if I was of the opinion that we must go (very) early, the ladies were of the opinion, 9 o'clock is enough. So off in the car, up to Arure, everything that was not yet logged, had to wait.

Also the top in Arure we left, we can yes on'm way back, was the motto - what a misconception!

But again back to the Valle, to La Playa, nice 20°C in the morning, but you never know, sweaters were in the trunk anyway.

And so at the parking lot at the beginning of the way the drama began to take its course. Were we nevertheless yesterday because of extreme weather warning with the car in the national park turned back, showed itself already when getting out of the car, what such a thing means. I think the current wind has us all three first of all the car door in front of the block beaten, would have been a leg already out, a lower leg fracture would have been the least.

At that point I remembered Grönemeier and "men", no need to worry, once again the question of whether really, no argument, so hop.

Oh yes, good that the sweaters were there, only the dressing turned out to be extremely difficult - with gusts of wind around the 80 Km/h.

But happily the song from "Stand by me" intoned, as Gordie and his friends Chris, Teddy and the somewhat clumsy Vern make on the search for the corpse of Ray Brower:

Hab ein Gewehr geladen
in der starken Hand
Zieht ein Ritter ohne Rüstung
durch das wilde Land
Auf der Jagd nach dem Mörder
folgt er nur dem Wind
Ein Soldat, der das Glück sucht,
ist der Mann, den jeder kennt

then it started. Nonsense, no one felt like singing, everyone first had to find their rhythm - not while not singing.

Already the first bend nourished doubts whether this can succeed. Silvi, that is Meins, was hopelessly overwhelmed by these forces of nature, wanted to cling to the rock and turn back. Then the profession came forward, empathetic Becircen, right and left underhooks, everything will be fine,

And then, after the next but one bend, the horned man and his flock were suddenly in front of us. Uff, luck had, only goats and their buck, twisted horns, majestic.

The view was directed forward, the wind drove us on, now the Abscnitt without any protection from it waited, the mountain saddle, If I think here of earlier stories and that this was the dump of La Gomera - well meal. Even today, one encounters everywhere remnants of this pollution.

So quickly over the ridge, the path here is really wide, virtually designed for garbage trucks, so you could not be blown from the right path.

A few hundred meters further also had an end, here began with a so-called staircase, washed out, piled up in centuries. From around the rocky point, first rest, first drink something. At least it was somewhat windless here.

Oh yes, did I mention that the original plan was that we wanted to go down the cliff from the top of the Merica, on the GR 132 trail? You didn't? No matter, that was canceled, too difficult in the conditions. Besides, if you believe the stories, it should be easier to go up there than down.

Meter by meter we hiked our way, here is actually good footwear and surefootedness required, what I'm glad that my spare knee plays along so well. Only the bag of cement, which I carried around the hips with me, made some problems.

A bit unfortunate was the position of the sun, not only had we stowed away our sweaters by now, it was right at our backs and made every step on the rutted path a gamble as we walked almost constantly in our own shadow.

An hour we were now already on the road, surprisingly well advanced we are, the first cache was in front of us, "La Merica" a short detour from the path.

So the plan! Agnes already had it, so that shouldn't be a problem! How one can be mistaken. We searched up there for a good hour, cursed, were close to the abandonment, but Agnes had seized the ambition, she gave and did not give up. And sure enough, I was practically on the verge of moving on, a loud "Got it!" rang out.

Why are such caches not hidden near the existing geographic plaque, places there would be enough, but 15m far in the Pampa, with the meaningful hint "Unter Steinen" - was one of you ever up there? "Unter Steinen" is an outright joke.

And so the schedule was already pretty messed up, a little over a kilometer was still missing to the "lookout" - which we were never to reach.

But more about that in a moment, after a short rest, the sun was now at its zenith, no shade far and wide, we left the top of the Merica at altitude 850 meters, now it went steadily downhill to the break-off edge. Again on the GR 132 was then actually asked the question, whether we should really continue, that must be hiked all back up, in the blazing sun, with the stone and gravel path?

I puffed myself up, "I'm not going until here and then turn back 1 km before the goal!", of course we go on.

And so the fate took its course. After just 200m a step too long, a step too high and Badaufdich I lay on the nose. First I didn't feel anything, but already when I got up it was clear, for me this part of the way was over here. And no, it was not the operated knee, the other I have twisted me mighty.

Hmmm? What to do? Rescue helicopter? Sherpas? A stretcher?

This is where Grönemeier came into play again, Agnes had hiking poles with her, I decided to break off here and walk the almost four kilometers back to the car alone with the poles, while the ladies still collect the remaining caches, they will catch up with me. Besides, here it is not like at home, here the mobile network works even in remote areas, so we could stay in contact.

And so, on walking stick crutches, I slowly made my way back, assessing every step, careful, ignoring the pain, you are a man after all.

The worst was then downhill, thinking with every step which foot has to go down first, is the ground slippery or firm, just don't slip again and the whole way without shade.

Oh yes, I had completely faded out and it hit me like a hammer, as I turned the corner gust of wind: around gust of wind blew me around the ears, partly I had to hold on, partly lay diagonally against the wind, when there was nothing to hold on to.

It was particularly bad this time on the saddle, shortly before the Gehörnten, there it gave then again slipstream to shortly before the car. After almost 4 1/2 hours I fell into the seat, waited for the others who came around the corner about half an hour later, fixed and all like me, glad to be back.

Oh yes, the "lookout" they then no longer made, the unfulfilled dream remains unfulfilled, but it was probably the right decision.

And what remains as a conclusion?

It really seems that if you want to go all the way, it is easier from La Calera than from the top down, because we met and far more than ten hikers who came up, but only one who was looking for the way down. And walking in the broiling sun is not pleasant, whether I would walk there and back from Arure again I doubt - though I also doubt I will ever walk it again. So my dream will continue to remain unfulfilled.