Thursday 15 September 2022
An earlier hope to mount an attempt on Le Jalouvre was stymied by a poor-ish forecast, so we reverted to a tried and tested ascent in the Jura up to the Barillette. There were a number of members expressing regrets, excuses and some citing recovery from ginjuries, but a magnificent 7 turned out. With the leader (me) not specifying correctly to Andrew the meeting point we set off a little late from Divonne to join Rob at point “888” on the Barillette road in what turned out to be reasonable weather.
Attending : Andrew, Mark2ts, Mervyn, Rob, Peter, Richard S, Stephen.
Shorts were clear winners at 5 to 2 and a spritely crew set out up the trail to the Barillette mast. We made steady progress up the leafy trails that wind up through the forest, gently in the most part but with some steeper sections. Just before the exit from the woods we stopped in a clearing and Mark brought out a flask of strong coffee while Richard touted his not-so-strong-as-his-others, Finnish Lakka.
Thanks to both as we were delivered fresh and with renewed vigour onto the road. Rob inspired us to climb the final 50m to the mast at 1528m where we took in views the Lac Leman.
It was time to descend to make our 12.30 rendezvous at the Restaurant de la Barillette where we entered our old haunt of previous temperance encounters.
We scanned the menu but it was clear that, after some beer, 7 fondus were needed and before that two plates of charcuterie. The preferred wine was Debluy chasselas which helped the liquid cheese slip down rather nicely as we watched the rain pouring down outside.
My recollection of the lunch-time discussion is rather hazy, and without significantly breaching the Gin Oath of Confidentiality (GOC), I seem to recall that Fermat’s Last Theorem stated first in 1637 (for any integer >2 the equation a^n + b^n = c^n has no positive integer solutions) was given a welcome airing; however Mark chose not to explain the 92 page proof established by Andrew Wiles in 1994. (Editors note – I could not find how to type powers properly…).
We toasted absent friends, the King and recently departed Queen, as well as Deborah. Mervyn told us she would have certainly expected him to have attended today.
Other discussions covering such subjects as UK Politics, Scotland, Tunisian food, Ukraine, UK Sterling and dogs shall remain subject of the GOC.
There being no Alpenhorn party on this occasion, after tart and cream desserts, coffee and flask stuff, it was time for the descent back to the cars, passing under the Rochers de Pierre Lente.
The forest trails down through the Jura slope were traversed in some welcome sunshine, and despite some bum-slips on the steeper muddy tracks (at least by me), mostly without incident.
A fine hike in good company with a pretty decent fondu. The rain came along later that day.
I made it 11.9 km and 663m, albeit others might beg to differ.
PS
My recommended podcasts 1. The rest is politics 2. Infinite Monkey Cage 3. New Statesman
Recommended film – 1917 (was on RTS last week).
