September 25, 2016

Today is a day to get our heads down and get on with it.  The terrain is relatively uninteresting and the places we pass through are generally normal working towns and villages.

The whole route today is actually on proper roads with road numbers and road signs, so finding our way is not a problem.  Of course, with proper roads comes proper traffic.  Portuguese driving skills must must be handed down from father to son (and mother to daughter presumably) because there are some universal traits.  For example, speeding, driving up the car in front’s tail pipe and overtaking on blind bends.  Speed cameras and radar have not yet reached Portugal.  Portugal is endowed with an impressive network of motorways, but when austerity arrived the government decided to make money by charging tolls to use all motorways.  The result is lorries of all shapes and sizes trundling through tiny villages on narrow roads whilst all the motorways are empty.  For us lowly bike riders it all results in a most hair-raising experience.  Cars and lorries zooming by with inches to spare at warp speed.  Hence our head down and just pedal approach.  Fortunately, today’s stage is a short one.  The Eurovelo itinerary seems to adjust the stages to be shorter when there is a lot of climbing to be done.

Half way through the day we decide that we need a rest day as we get slower and slower climbing the hills.  Santa Cruz is where we’re headed, a small surfing resort. Should be just the place for a relaxing day off.