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We woke up earlyish and by 8 something we were gone, stopped for a picture on one of my favourite vistas starting to go south from the northern tip of Portugal By 9 we stopped for the morning espresso, but someone can't resist a little bit of regional bread with butter for breakfast... 11:40, we stopped in Freixo de Espada à Cinta for Sofia go so source some sandwiches for the lunch picnic, it'd be a little early but we had a prime spot coming up just a few kms ahead. I stayed by the bikes watching the town's life happening, a little children's school class was walking around town, all in their blue overall things and hats, they were stopping by shops and offices and calling people out to say hello to them. They made such a happy ruckus that everyone in town was smiling! You can barely see them in the pictures below as they're so tiny. Out came Sofia with lunch 12:30, stopped for lunch and enjoyed my cheese sandwich. We then headed to Vilna Nova de Foz Coa, where the river Coa joins the Douro. This is one of my favourite bits of road in Portugal, my little secret biking paradise, that I discovered this time in 2020 and have been returning on purpose ever since. We stopped by the river to put in our destination in Google Maps. Back in 1996, Portugal was going ahead with building a dam here in Vila Nova de Foz Coa. When they started investigating the river they found a very important area containing prehistoric engravings, protests from archeologists with help from university and high school students created started a public movement to protect these engravings. At the time, Antonio Guterres was running for prime minister, and announced he was in favor of protecting these engravings and maintaining the river like it was, he was elected and went through with his promise, cancelling the dam. He went on to have a successful carreer and is currently serving as Secretary General of the United Nations. To create an easy way to appreciate the famous engravings they created a museum in which several objects are exhibited along with replicas of the carvings. It's a famous building and I had never been there, so we went. The building itself is fabulous, but it's pretty hard to explain that there is absolutely no shade to park vehicles under in a place with temperatures frequently well above 35º. Culture: They have some interactive explanations for you to really understand the engravings, I found it interesting. It was getting hot by then, though, and we decided to move on. A guy from Sofia's club had lost his dad after a long battle with cancer, and we moved on quick in order to stop by the wake in the afternoon before getting to our hotel for the night. Being on a timetable, I didn't stop for pictures of the rest of the ride until we stopped. That night we slept in a rural hotel that had been built from a decaying convent in ruins. It was pretty nice and the area around it is great, mostly built in stone, I had visited a few weeks ago and was happy to show Sofia around. After dinner we went for a little walk, and slept well. Next day, into the Alentejo and heat.

20c here, expecting 27 tomorrow, gingers will die.

its a big thing here when its hot and sunny.... we cant all live in Mexico where you get lots of sun

So it's like it's summertime ?

Me and Sofia spent a couple of days in Espinho for my little brother's birthday before going on a ride around the North of Portugal. Having a day with no plans, we went to look at bike dealerships in and around Porto, with a stop for a very typical northern lunch, something Sofia rarely gets to experience since she's rarely in Porto. First, getting her seated on some nice GSs And then the bike I really went there to see, I am going to try and take one for a testride and see what it's like, looks nice in person: And then, a nice lunch of Rojões: The restaurant on the outside, it's a locals' non touristic spot: And then, a stop at Triumph Porto, where I was made to sit on a Tiger, very comfy bike though, and has a 30 liter fuel tank as well: Across the street to that, we have the best dealership of the day, and a bike I really like. Can't see it fitting my motorcycling very well, but it is a nice thing. The next day, we start our tour, heading North straight to Valença, not to be confused with Valencia in Southern Spain. Valença is a small town next to the border of Portugal and Spain in the Minho river, it's got an old part that is inside the fortified walls, which is what we visited. Sofia's grandad was born here, his dad was stationed here in the military, before being sent to WW1. The military lived in houses that no longer exist right around where we parked our bikes. And then took a walk to look around and also to find an espresso. Valença is very well fixed up, very polished and very touristy. Flocks of Spaniards wash over it for visits and meals, it's very pretty but not really my thing. We moved on, now entering a special wine region that is not very well known internationally. Between Monção and Melgaço is a DOP region that grows very special Alvarinho wine, used mostly for Vinho Verde but normal white wine too, it's very nice. The region is very pretty and filled with history. We stopped to check out what looked like a cool abandoned square by the small road we were taking, and came upon a small place with a big historic significance. The little place of Ponte do Mouro, it's where 648 years ago the Duque Lancaster came from England to meet D. João I, to arrange the wedding of Philipa of Lancaster with John I (the first), creating the Windsor Treaty in 1386, which is the oldest alliance between two nations. Big History for such a tiny location. My theory is that they both got heavily drunk on local Alvarinho wine, and drunkenly promised eternal friendship between their countries, but that's just my theory @Sofia is very enthusiastic about History, and I got to hear of how great Philipa was, and how her marriage with D.João I originated the best kings and leaders, and characters in Portuguese history. We rolled off, but this being a tiny region, we stopped 20 minutes later to cool off as the sun was coming out, a little before 3PM, for a cold water and a sip of that local cold wine they talk about. Just a sip, as I don't drink on the bike. We stopped on a cafe just on the road, and this is the sign to the entrance of the farm next door Hey @boboneleg, look, bins! Shortly after, made it to Melgaço, and went to walk around to see the castle and show Sofia around the place. From there we were too far away get to Tras os Montes or Galicia through nice roads, so I hunted around and found a deal for a nice room in Ponte da Barca, which is a nice small town in the heart of the Minho region. I think it's a hidden gem and wanted to show it to Sofia, so we went. Via some nice but easy twisty roads through wild forests and vineyeards, by 18:30 we were there. Great hotel room view, and I do like a deal. The river is just on the other side of the gardens on the previous picture, and we would have plenty of sunlight time to have a little walk around town before dinner, it's a small place. I found a small very old school restaurant for dinner, it's the building on the right in the next picture. Not much choice anyway as tuesday is the day when most restaurants close here. View from the restaurant. We had hake filets cooked like a portuguese grandmother would. It was a very nice meal, watered with local vinho verde, I loved it. And then a short stroll across the bridge, as night arrived. In the morning, it was raining, so we took our time to get up and lazily walk up the street for a coffee. This is by far the wettest region of Portugal, but I was determined to leave late and chase the rain instead of riding under it. Only after 11 did we roll out, by midday it was already properly hot under the rain stuff so we stopped to take all that off and visit Lindoso Castle. We had avoided the rain, great success! We left Lindoso, and minutes later crossed into Galicia, a couple of hours later through nice flowing roads that much pleased Sofia in her Speed Triple, we stopped at Allariz. In Allariz, at 15:00, there was not a place to eat a snack, only two proper restaurants for proper sit down meals. We didn't vibe with the place, so had a water and carried on, I booked a table at my favourite restaurant near Bragança and headed there. Almost two hours later, we're entering back into Portugal: As always, a great dinner was had near Bragança, I didn't take pictures. The next day we'd roll south and onto Serra da Estrela, I'll continue later.

hot all this week and next week

Come on @Clive , stop hiding and tell us how many leaves you swept up today ...........

Supposedly going to hit 30c here today . I was going to do an oil change but it's roasting already in the garage ..........

Yes, good move. I had to buy genuine Yamaha from Japan so it wasn't cheap but I had no other options and I like that bike .

So where are you?

Made it to the isle of wight’ got to daughters at about 5.30 where a pint of squash and a glass of rose was placed in each hand. travelled via the A12 which was mostly overcast. Soon got hotter going west on the M25. It’s bloody roasting here now.

Good move

I can get one German made Stantion for £120 or a pair of Chinky Chonky ones for £150. Gonna get the German one I think.

yeh will be fine...if you need me to talk you through how to do it let me know.

No issue at all, I did this recently on my WR250 . I hope your tube is cheaper than mine was

No issue just doing one, they are not matched pairs.

I recently changed the fork seals on my Honda CBF600. The right one that was originally leaking has started leaking again. That side was gubbed up with some sort of sealer when I first stripped it. Any way I cleaned it out and put in the new seals and didn’t think any more of it. Well it has started leaking again so I stripped it again and put another new seal in but I found a gouge or pit that I had missed in the fork stantion right in the sealing range so it’s gonna leak again. To the question I am pretty sure I need a replacement fork tube/stantion, is it feasible to replace one fork tube or should I do the pair? Obviously cost is the point but I want to do it only once. The other station seems fine.

not my sort of holiday..

I was walking past with my mate and I said I like the look of his Sportster, which was where I went wrong. Cool bike I thought, Weird owner. He was one of these, several of them turned up last night, and not just Harleys but all cruisers. The chap that rode back with us was one of them.

They look very nice, lovely paint and the seat is one of the comfiest there is, at least when new.

Standard chat from a HD owner , they are deluded .......