Day 4 Camino Portugués Tomar to Ansiao

If the weather had been normal Day 4 on the Camino Portugués would have been fine, more challenging than the first three days but doable.  With record breaking temperatures for April, approaching 40 degrees, it was very hard.

The good news is that the team managed to stick together with Robina and Christine both pushing the envelope in terms of there previous off-road experience.

The route was just shy of 50 kms long with around 900m of climb, the hardest day so far.  Riding time was around 4.30 mins.

There was an interesting mix of road and off-road cycling with roads totally empty.  Although there were some short off-road climbs, the big pass, just after Alvaiázera, was completed entirely on asphalt.  Consequently although there was some pushing it didn't amount to much.

The first part of the first leg, a narrow rock strewn stretch of single track above a river wasn't the perfect start and confidence in my navigation took a hit. Things got better when the route widened into a gravelly track before emerging onto a road.

The next leg followed the road from hilltop village to hilltop village with the route clearly designed to make sure everyone got a share of the Camino action.  We were now following a route which had little in common with my GPS but the signs were excellent. Apart from occasional stretches of cobbles the surface was fast and comfortable.

Leaving the road just north of Ceras the Camino split into two.  The anticipated option climbed a near vertical wall of loose soil and gravel, which the information board said could be challenging (to walkers) while the longer alternative took us through a nicely scented eucalyptus forest to Areias.  We chose the Areias option, most of which was off-road until we finally emerged into some sustained asphalt at the junction with the main E110.

From the E110 we headed north along an empty road to Cortica where, instead of doing the obvious thing and continuing to Alvaiázera, it turned right and followed a tiny road, usually cobbled with walls either side, through a series of half empty small  villages. 

We stopped at Alvaiázera for an excellent lunch (9€ each) before tackling the day's big climb which thankfully followed a road. Over the pass and anticipating an easy run down to Ansiao there was again a sting in the tail with the route vering off into a combination of steep and treacherous gravel tracks.  The only compensation was that the route headed predominantly downhill.  

Ansiao is a staging post for pilgrims but doesn't appear to have much going for it  apart from that.  We're staying in the municipal auberge, brand new and comfortable.  My only complaint was that, after a very hot day, the shower had only one temperature, very hot.

Winter Cycling in Morocco

You don’t need to know this but this is my second attempt to write this post. The first one ended tragically. Staying in the laid-back seaside town of Essouria at the end of a wonderful Moroccan cycling trip I decided to walk across the little stream at the end of resorts huge and very beautiful beach. I’d already done this a couple of days before only to discover halfway across that a stream that barely features when the tide is out is a different proposition when it’s not. Carefully protecting my camera as the water rose above my waist I completely forgot that my phone, containing the first version of this blog, was in my back pocket.  The phone, of course, was a dead as a dodo and although for days afterwards I was convinced that it would somehow forgive me for my memory lapse and return to life, it never did.

The death of my phone and turned out to be the only serious hitch in what was otherwise a brilliant trip. This is our fifth midwinter cycling getaway, second with Skedaddle, but the first which hasn’t involved travelling to the other side of the world.  We were keen to visit Morocco not least because we wanted to find out whether this was a place where we could enjoy winter sun on a more regular basis.

Cycling the Ruta Vía de la Plata

In May 2017 I cycled the Ruta Vía de la Plata from Seville to Gijón with Christine. It was the first time we've cycled in Spain but on the basis of this experience we'll be back. It's a brilliant route.

Spain hasn't invested in a cycling network like the French and doesn't have the equivalent of the Véloroute network or even the UK's Sustran trails  – both of which often use canal paths and abandoned railway lines – but does have a relatively empty countryside.  It also has the best transport infrastructure in Europe, and its new network of intercity motorways and rail connections mean that the local roads are virtually traffic free.  It is a biker’s paradise.

The fabulous N630

Day 13 The Big Iberian Trip - Odeciexe

After an overlong first day, a second day spoilt by navigational cock-ups, Christine's third day on the Big Iberian Trip went to plan. Helped by the distance, it was only 55km long, flat roads and very strong tail wind, we arrived at our destination without any significant moans or groans. If only every day could be like this.

Day 9 The Big Iberian Tour - Cascais

Tomorrow is the most complicated day of the whole trip and to give myself plenty of time to get nice and stressed, I arrived at Cascais early. I'm​ now just outside Lisbon in a beautiful resort just to the west of the capital. Tomorrow Christine arrives and I've got to get across the city to meet her at the Airport. If her bike has survived the trip, we have then got to navigate across the city, get a ferry over the river, and find our way through Lisbon's southern suburbs to a resort on the coast. There's a lot to go wrong and perhaps we should have stayed in Lisbon tomorrow night. Unfortunately we don't have any spare days before we get to Seville (Christine has to go back to the UK) so the schedule is sacrosanct.

I've had an interesting day. It started with a definite fashion bloomer. The big question is whether or not to go to breakfast in your cycling gear. Now I'm full, no compromise Lycra person, total MAMIL, although in my case it should be OAPIL, and I don't hedge my bets by wearing baggy mountain bike shorts. Full Lycra is definitely OK if there is no one else there or if you are in a group and have gained critical mass with other Lycras. Today neither circumstance applied and when I walked into the packed breakfast room in full battle dress, wandering around trying to find an empty table, the room went quiet.

Day 8 The Big Iberian Tour - Praia das Maçás

I'm eating very well in Portugal. I get breakfast in the hotel, take pot luck on the coffee which varies from OK to terrible; get a coffee later in the cafe (incredibly cheap and generally good); a snacky thing like a sandwich for lunch and then a single course in the evening, usually fish. Last night I had polpo, (octopus) which is standard fare further up the coast in Galicia where it is served chopped up with beans. Here the approach was different and I was presented with a whole boiled octupus with artily positioned crushed potatoes and loads of garlic. It was the house specialty and they seemed to think that I come to the Santa Cruz just to eat it. Getting through it was a challenge particularly as my progress was closely observed. I think it will be my last octopus for a while.