Mike's Euro-Cycle 2k10: Lisboa to Oporto

Updating from the Porto Poet's Hostel, the sister hostel to one that we stayed in while in Lisbon. Great place, great dinner, great company.

Day 1 - Lisbon to Santa Cruz
The day it actually began. Started off cycling along a major road that was closed off for a road race, which ended up being super convenient for us getting out of the city safety. Quick stop at a nice tower on the ocean (see below - Tower of War)

A stop at the Pena National Palace in Sintra to see some 19th century Romanic architecture. The map didn't mention the 6-mile long hill to get to the entrance. I guess that should be assumed when the palace is on top of the "hill" in town. I would describe it as a mixture between Dr. Seuss and Disney World (though I've never been to Disney World)

Things were smooth going out of Sintra as we headed west towards the Atlantic. High of day definitely came when we crested a nice hill and came to this vista:

Realized that I am actually biking myself back to Oxford. That's a long ways away, but it's exciting and pretty empowering to know that you can move yourself that far. Well, at least I hope I can.
The rest of the day followed the coastline, which proved to be a lot of up and down with pretty unfavorable winds. Nothing too bad, but a long first day. Rounded out around 80+. Not so sure since Dale's odometer stopped working on the hill to the Palace. We were going that slow. Pretty sure some walkers passed us at one point.

Spent our first night camping on the beach outside Santa Cruz, ignoring the no camping sign and finding a comfortable plot of sand. Great night.

Palace in the clouds
weathered pastels and tiles
Romanticism

Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Marinha Grande

Turns out that Dale and I like to spend our mornings getting lost. Made a team decision to bike for a few miles on a road that had a sign forbidding: bikes, people, cows, and wheelbarrows. We walked away just fine, minus the angry Portuese man who took it upon himself to stop his car on the freeway (100km/hr road), yell things and shake his finger. We got off at the next exit.

Stopped at the beautiful town of Obidos for lunch. I've started to notice that most bigger towns have their own castle/forts built on the highest point of land. Pretty cool. You can see lunch, and the castle on the hill.

Dale and I experiment with the self-timer at the old church that we had lunch at:

As the afternoon progresses, we become more proficient at self-timer photos. A scenic shot on the beach of Nazare.

Home for night two, another no camping sign in the park but it was getting dark and we were tired. Worked out just fine, and there was even a nice stream for rinsing off. Another 80+ miles and a great night of sleep. Sampled some of the local beer with dinner - mini Segres, which we kept cool with our frozen peas that we later used to ice sore legs/knees.

Talking with symbols
"Abrigato", or Thank You
A great phrase to know

Day 3 - Marinha Grande to Aveiros

A rather uneventful day, when we rode about 90 miles, enjoyed a cold coke with lunch, and slept in some industrial swamp lands. Here is a pretty bridge that we passed over.

Flat roads and tail winds
Might as well be all downhill
Thanks for the weather

Day 4 - Aveiros to Porto

A day when we wake up in the pouring rain, skip breakfast to avoid hanging out any longer than we have to in the miserable weather, I break three spokes in the first 5 miles and Dale carries more than 3/4 of our combined weight, we walk our bikes 1km over a road that is being torn apart, and we triumphantly march into Porto. Literally march, the hills are too big to ride up and they are layed with uneven stones. Felt great to take a shower and to have clean clothes for tomorrow.

Repair job on the wheel: fishing line and duct tape held for 42km