Day 30 - Blue Skies

January 11, 2022

Day 30 - Blue Skies

11 January 2022

We wake up to blue sky. I feel good. Shell sounds terrible. She has the cough I had two days ago. There is no use arguing. She is leaving Porto today. We load up and roll out at 9.15 am.

We cross the Douro River and coast down to the harbor. After a few kilometers, we left Porto behind. The morning is one long beach. You never get tired of the ocean. It never gets boring. 20 km comes and goes and we just keep riding.

We get pulled inland by the GPS. Following a cycle path through ancient pines. It seems a bit like a movie. The sun is out. Fog rising out of the forest. We follow this for ages. I don’t get tired of it. It is quite stunning.

It drops us out back on the coast at Furadouro. A sleepy little village that looks like a ghost town in winter. Street after street of empty holiday units. I imagine it full in summer and like it even less.

“The place gave out a look of hollow desuetude, as though its desertion would last forever.” ― Elizabeth Bowen

There is not much open. We grab a tostada each and move on. Lunch done. I always look forward to lunch. This was a little disappointing.

We have a decision to make. Follow the coast down the peninsula to São Jacinto. A dead end with a ferry to cross into Gafanha da Nazaré. It is a 20 km ride. If we can’t get across, we ride 20 km back. We head for São Jacinto.

It is an easy ride. 2.5 km from São Jacinto Shell pulls into a campsite. I was a little surprised. I had my eyes on the ferry. It makes sense. Plenty of light to make camp. Cook dinner. Check the ferry tomorrow. If we get across, great. If not, fresh legs back to Furadouro.

We make camp. Pasta for dinner. 70 km today. It was a great ride. I am looking forward to sleeping in the tent. I need some fresh air. We are near the sea. I can’t hear it. I like that it is there.