Portugal.....hopefully

[dr nosh]

Interesting read.

Ride carefully.

Want to read some more of this tour.

 

[grez]

Well I had a nice round trip up to Marvao and Beira planned but for some reason the sat nav deleted the route, it was there when I checked it was uploaded but not when I tried to open it, still the waypoints were in so off I went.

First part top Evoramonte not very exciting, went up to the old walled town on the hill but nothing special, an inauspicious start. Bit of main road before turning off for Urra and a trip into the hills. This turned into a cracking ride sweeping up and down through little villages on the way to Rabaca and Sao Juliao. Even some rough tracks for the truly adventurous…..not me …..yet.

 

[grez]

The road to Marvao.

 

[grez]

Then headed off up to Rasa and Marvao which was a garrison town for the Romans, Visigoths and Moors before the Christians took it in 1160. Before getting there I passed through a pretty village that had put the decorations out in honour of my arrival. Further on you suddenly find yourself in the cobbled centre of yet another hidden village.

 

[grez]

On from Marvao I headed north to Beira and circled around a lake and over a dam. Then came to a beguiling little lane leading to Portalegre, according to my sat nav. The picture belays its true nature, just around the corner it begins to descend and get more unkempt before turning into a rocky track with sand patches and loose rocks like you find in Morocco. By this time it was too narrow to turn round so I had no choice but to keep going, took 30 mins to do 3 km. Wish I had taken a photo but was too busy repeating “head up, look where you want to go, steer with your weight, momentum is your friend” all the while clenching my arse cheeks with enough strength to crush a thousand walnuts, just glad I didn’t drop it, would still be there now.

 

[grez]

The damage from Spain. One indicator broken, lightly gouged spotlight guard (the grass is from the unplanned green laneing) and the broken connection on the cylinder where the headguard hit down and moved sideways snapping the connection and very lightly damaging the fins. Could have been a lot worse, guess engine bars will be next on the list.

 

[Bounce]

Some nice pics there Grez..... and hope you continue to enjoy your vacation.

But what is about you & 'incidents' eh....

Glad you're OK, but you might want to consider travelling with a mate so they can act as your 'guard'......

 

[grez]

Took a day trip to Sintra, when I got there it was heaving and not my kind of place, way to busy and touristy, so headed out to the coast, found a nice little restaurant in Colares then out to the coast and found a lighthouse and a monument to what is the most western point in Europe. Ride back was nice along the coast until Lisbon, nobody in Portugal has any idea what a roundabout is – any lane in for any exit just go fast.

Made it back to the hotel having seen several crashes with people driving too close, next head north.

 

[Joca]

Unfortunately you are spot on about the roundabouts there. I cringe every time I go. And not better up north.

 

[grez]

The trip from Evora to the Adelaide Hotel near Terras de Bouro……epic day. Had the sat nav set to avoid toll roads so it sent me into Spain. Main road was not a bad ride the got to a bit with “turn in 240 km” not good. New road was not on the sat nav so stopped for coffee with 2 guys from Yorkshire (won’t hold that against them) who didn’t have the new road also. Finally worked out the way to go and headed to the hotel. By now been riding around 8 hours and had at least an hour to go. What a last hour, sat nav took me onto N and M roads in the hills, narrow tarmac over the old cobbles with villages still having cobbled roads and hairpin bends. IN places the road just stops being tarmac and you get several kilometres of cobbles, least it was dry. Great fun but not easy when you are tired, eventually found the hotel in a national park after almost falling off the road admiring the scenery, they don’t believe in many crash barriers there.

Absolutely knackered so quick meal and beer before bed and ready to explore tomorrow. Not many pics as it was a long old day of riding, somehow lost the tracking on the sat nav but around 800 km by the time I got to the hotel.

 

[grez]

I love the way they go straight ahead from the RH lane but exit on the LH lane, regardless of whether you are there or not. More than once I had to go round a roundabout as I was going straight on from the RH lane but somebody decided to go left right round the outside leaving me nowhere to go, and I thought Spaniards were bad.

 

[RJC]

Nice! Take care that weather will be nasty on the north on the next couple days, not a good idea to ride

 

[grez]

The Adelaide Hotel in the national park was my base for a few nights. Next day I headed out to explore the N and M roads around the area. First take a pic from the balcony down the valley then ride off onto some interesting roads. As expected tarmac soon gave way to cobbles and a church in the middle of nowhere – they do like their churches. Some great winding roads with a view at every corner, pity it was overcast a lot but still a good day. Even the cows with their wicked looking horns didn’t mind sharing the road with a bike. I must admit to passing them with caution after Bakermans bovine interface a few years ago on the TAT.

Not all houses are whitewashed. A lot of the villages on the hills have cobbled roads through them most often with steep narrow hairpin bends, more than once I headed round a corner and just trusted to luck nothing was coming the other way.

The hotel is in a great location, bedrooms and bathroom a bit small but dinner was big enough and it’s only a place to sleep. Was quite cheap. If anybody is interested the co-ordinates are - N41 43.539, W8 09.905.

 

[grez]

The cow pic is just for Bakerman - yes they do run wild as well.

 

[Timolgra]

Go Grez!

 

[Joca]

Nice area. I was in Barcelos earlier today. Old town. Cobbled streets. Weather should be better for you and the geres national park is a nice area too. Enjoy.

 

[timeandtide]

. Now riding with fingers on clutch and brake all the time..

Good off road technique!

 

[timeandtide]

Looks and sounds like a great trip . . well done Grez!

 

[grez]

Up for breakfast and then headed for Spain on the way home. First a ride around for fuel as I didn’t fill up the night before and the sat nav was sending me the mountain route and then off. Not many pictures as today was a 500 mile day around 9 hours and I forgot the time difference to Spain. I have no idea what these elevated structures in Portugal are though - any offers?

Hotel was just outside Pamploma and what a place it was. Must just have opened as was in great condition and the host, a Frenchman, was great. He did a three course meal with beer for me and another British couple and we chatted away and had a great night.

The hotel was the Casa de la Cadena, 12 San Pedro Kalea, Asiain, 31171 and only cost £ 25.00 for a twin room and a great new bathroom (being single I am allowed to leave the lid up). Worth a visit there again, even parked the bike in the back yard for security.

 

[Joca]

Corn storage from years ago, I think. RJC will be along soon to confirm.