Fearless pensioners

 

Daredevil pensioners

Some of my most memorable and fulling encounters have been with the older generation, because they often show a capacity for plain speaking having passed that point when they care about inhibitions. We often ignore the link between the older and younger generations, and overlook the fact that senior citizens often act as an inspiration to the young.

There are many senior citizens on the coast whose unprecedented determination to help others can sometimes put the younger generation to shame. I am often amazed at the zeal of the people involved with the various charities on the coast, especially seeing as most of them are well past retirement age.

One such charity is Age Concern, a Fuengirola-based association that caters for the needs of the over 50s. Along with its programme of events to raise money to run the association, Age Concern also organises an annual challenge, a charity fundraiser that is not for the fainthearted.

In 2018, the charity organised a cross-border zip wire challenge, during which, the daredevil pensioners would take off from a mountain-peak in Huelva and fly across the Guadiana River into Portugal at speeds of approximately 60 km per hour.

The association’s secretary thought it would be a good idea if a representative from the newspaper participated in the event. Having a fear of heights and a phobia of flying, I assured the secretary that I was not his man, but told him that I would speak with our editor to see if anyone would like to take part. The answer was no!

As the charity is on my patch, then it would be only right that I should volunteer, was my editor’s answer, although she stressed that I was not under any obligation. 

Ready for take off

The president of the charity, David Long, is someone that I have known for more than 25 years. He was 80 at that time and I jokingly said that if he was to participate, then I would also.

I should have anticipated his answer, because David is a fearless Irishman. He has enjoyed a life-long passion for motorcycle racing: he won ten Irish championships between 1957 and 1982, and so he had no concerns about a zip wire crossing from Spain to Portugal.

I, on the other hand, had plenty of reservations, but had decided to participate in order to offer the charity more support than my journalistic duties normally call for. And also, to save face among my colleagues in the office.

We travelled to the delightful town of Alcoutim in Portugal on the Tuesday evening. From the patio of the hotel, one could see in the distance a small platform jutting from the mountainside. ‘This is where we will be launched from tomorrow’, several of the participants told me, with the excitement of small children. I found it difficult to look at.

Most of the participants were in their senior years and none showed the slightest fear at being catapulted off a small platform perched on the edge of a mountain in Huelva.

I went for a walk into the sleepy village at around 7am the following morning in order to clear my head after enjoying far too much local wine the previous evening.

The weather was a little unsettled and I secretly hoped that the challenge would be cancelled, but it went ahead as planned.

We travelled across the river to the pick-up point in a small boat, and as we approached the shore, with the alarming platform looming in the distance, I felt like a convict on route to some way-off island never to return.

The sight of the approaching platform brought butterflies to my stomach, but it was the camaraderie and the excitement of the oldies that gave me the courage to take a deep breath and carry on.

The journey up to the launch pad, undertaken in three Land Rovers, was frightening enough on its own. The ascent seemed to go on forever.

My mistake on arriving at the wooden platform was to take a peek over the side, especially as I suffer with vertigo. The experience was more terrifying than stepping out onto the Balcón de Coño, a small balcony that juts out from the bridge that crosses the El Tajo gorge in Ronda. Those with a knowledge of Spanish, especially those who have experienced this balcony, will understand why it received this name.

David Long opted for the first take off, and I was quick to get in the queue, for I was worried that I might back out if I hung around too long.

On my way back to earth

My body was trembling as the instructor began to fit my harness. He obviously sensed my fear, and told me not to worry. It is absolutely 100 per cent safe, he assured me, but his words fell on deaf ears. There is something quite surreal about letting someone push you over a mountainside with nothing more than a carabiner clip to support you. However, once I had overcome the initial shock of the take-off - executed with eyes tight shut - I knew there was little that I could do other than to try to enoy the experience.

Excerpt from the new book, 'A Cohort of Creative Bohemians and other interesting individuals'. 

Available from amazon in both hardback and paperback 

https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Bryant/e/B00S19QOWK/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk