Time to go a little higher, having a rental car I've crossed the Island heading towards Serra de Santa Barbara at 1021m ASL.
The weather wasn't prefect though, although the day started of quite sunny, it was especially windy. It didn't bother me too much, mixed with the sunny moments it kind a felt like a nice day but I would soon learn it wasn't ...
The views where really beautiful zigzagging the pretty good road up the mountain. As I got closer and closer to the top however the first reasonable soft wind got heavier and heavier. Depending the weather conditions low level clouds range from fog up to about 2000m. Meanwhile it got more cloudy and around 900m I've completely entered into the clouds. Driving in this fog with a pretty steep edge besides you is one thing, but meanwhile the winds got so heavy that the little rental car give the longer the more the impression of being a kite ready to be released. As I've got that far already logically I didn't want to stop there. Besides there wasn't anywhere to make a u-turn anyways...
Carefully continuing I finally reached the top. At least the end of the road that is. But clearly I wasn't equipped to make any reasonable setup here. It was raining now, I didn't have a tent and if I would there's no way it would stay peacefully on the ground. Judging the heavy wind, still pushing the car occasionally to the point where I was wondering if it would or not flip over, it didn't seam feasible set up any of my antenna's without either them snapping or simple fly with the wind.
Sadly I've concluded this would not be the day that CU/TE001 got activated and started my decent.
Luckily I've started early that day so there was plenty of time to head towards Serra do Cume CU/TE003. Going there was a beautiful drive as well, this time following the western coast line of the Island. Heaving the open ocean at that side the waves at sea where bumping forcefully into the rocky cost line producing the most spectacular views. I've stopped to have lunch at a viewpoint to get the most of this wonder.
Continuing my way towards Serra do Cume the landscapes turned into the beautiful green fields known from the postal cards of this Island. The green isn't the same as one is used to on continental Europe. The closest reminder is probably Ireland but even there its still somewhat different. I guess it's the volcanic underground together with 1000km of blue sea surrounding the Island responsible for producing this magnificent taint.
CU/TE003 worked better. I've managed to set up my little Elecraft rig with a single band dipole on 20m. Again I heard a lot more that I could work. Only after calling CQ halfway trough my battery I've finally had station returning my call. At least I made a contact this time :-) Very disturbing was the fact that there was a contest going on at the same time. So most stations where calling TEST and simply ignored my sota call...
So unfortunately I didn't manage to reach the required 3 calls to call it a valid activation before my battery ran out again. But I didn't mind really. I had a wonderful day with the most stunning views, heard some nice dx and made contact. My day ended at the beach, sunglasses, palm-tree's and a drink :-)