Pedro

We were sleeping near Albufeira, which is the most benidorm style place in Portugal, all sorts of Thai massage parlors, Curry restaurants, Irish pubs advertising premier league matches on the TV, all day long full English and "big boy full English breakfast", the pits! Gammons (Pete mode: on!) were dragging their knuckles crossing the street, etc I took Sofia around these roads, not really motorcycling greatness, but still interesting to see if you're from Portugal and don´t know this region. Albufeira, viewed from a not very flattering viewing point : Stopped by Alfufeira's Marina, and was surprised to see all the new houses, all these with bright colors were built after the last time I was here, back then (almost 20 years ago) it was just a proper Marina with almost nothing built near it. Now it's ugly as hell: Sofia was pillion on the GS today, not too keen on riding the Speed Triple on boring slow streets and almost urban style traffic. Another small beach, Olhos de Água: And another, access to these beaches is very crowded in the summer, can't park anywhere and it's an absolute chore to get here, unless you really are sleeping within walking distance or have a motorcycle: To end her exposure to the most british oriented part of Portuguese tourism, we ended the morning with a spot of lunch in Vilamoura's Marina. I enjoy a walk around a proper marina, although I do prefer a smaller one with a diverse more authentic sailboats from all around the world, the marina in Vilamoura is where I remember my parents sometimes bringing me and my brother for a walk after dinner when holidaying in the cheaper places around, we'd come here to posh things up Now it is less fancy and most of the shops and establishments have lost some class, but it's still a nice place to visit in the off season. The sun made an appearance so all was instantly looking better too. Getting in the spirit of it, we had lunch in Pizza Hut: After a little shopping for Sofia's birthday present, we carried on heading to a supermarket in search of supplies for the next few days, and in the spirit of the area I took her to Food & Co, which is a British enclave sort of supermarket . Everything inside is from the UK, all the staff is primarily an English speaker, and the groceries and food is completely not what you find in a Portuguese shop. The prices are adequately increased too, to make up for feeling at home while living away. We ended up buying almost nothing there, and moved on, back at home and had a quiet dinner by ourselves. Next morning, breakfast was had enjoying the great weather we were now having, still too cold to go in the swimming pool but it was very nice outside for the time of year. The morning was dispatched with no hurries, proper lazy style living. It was a saturday so I had no calls or work, and eventually we made it to Faro to meet a friend for a snack and talk, about 45 minutes away. Both him and Sofia are members of the Triumph Owners Club in Portugal so there was lots of talking about Triumphs and meetings and stuff. I used to spend a lot of time in the beach in Faro, and love coming here. It was an uneventful day, nice to just relax and sit down talking. Next day we went and met another friend of Sofia's, she lives in a very posh area near Faro, Vale do Lobo. Vale do Lobo is mostly villas with manicured gardens and quiet streets, it's more or less detached from reality and a retreat for people with money, property values there are quite expensive but end up being closed and empty for most of the year. We had a little snack with a view to the ocean, and Sofia and Sharon were very happy to spend time with each other. The next day, we set of to Tavira region, East of Faro, hoped on the motorway to get there in time for a late morning espresso, but first stopping in Santa Luzia. We stopped by a 2000 year old olive tree, it's quite impressive to think the same tree was alive though the Romans and Arabs. The weather was amazing. A brief stop by the sea, and someone went to some efforts for a BOTM attempt: Stop in Santa Luzia for a coffee and a little walk by the sea and to enjoy the great sunshine, even though it wasn't that warm. After a light snack in Cabanas de Tavira, we headed back home. Returning home was done the long way around via one of the nicest roads in Portugal. We crossed paths a herd of new Transalps and NC750, both groups coming the other way in quite tight formation. They were clearly journalists, and indeed I now heard they are launching these two new bikes here, if you check MCN or similar channels on YouTube you'll surely see these bikes being ridden there. The Algarve is being discovered by the motorcycling industry as having nice roads and nice weather most of the time. I will keep an eye out to see if we appear on any of these videos We stopped briefly, to enjoy the view from top of the hills. We stopped by the supermarket to buy some fish, and made it back home during an amazing sunset. Just in time for a shower and for our friend João to arrive with some nice wine in time for dinner.

What sort of speeds can she maintain comfortably on the sorts of roads you do? Is the little 125 too slow or is it just her confidence?

Cold morning, but only blue skies and the rains had all moved North, we headed South towards the Algarve hills, happy times! There, in the distance, it's the ocean sparking behind the hills. These are very nice motorcycling roads and usually deserted By the afternoon, we made it to Portimão, met up with our friends, looked around the pits and saw some people riding around. Scott Redding's training bike, pretty cool! He was obviously very fast, but the event was being used by a couple more racers for training, so the fastest guys in the faster group were really fast! Cool van We made it to our hotel, which had a nice view with the track in the distance: Someone had a blue cocktail, and spirits were high. Next day, and it was Sofia's birthday. We left the bikes in the garage, the plan was to walk to the track and hang out with Niel and Anne a little, walk around and then have dinner somewhere. Breakfast with the track in the distance, I like that! The dip at the end of the straight must be intense on a fast bike: There's a crest as you exit the last corner into the straight, faster bikes would float their front wheels for quite a distance after that: By mid afternoon it started to look like rain so most people cut their track time short. It was a three day event and nobody seemed like they wanted to ruin a nice experience by riding in the damp, it started to drizzle a little after that. I had a buzz around the pits in the Suzuki, it's incredible how easy and docile it is if you don´t poke many of the 200 horses. By the time we made it to the hotel the rain had officially arrived. We had a friendly van driver give us a lift to dinner, and much fun was had. The food was great and wine flowed merrily. It was a great evening filled with laughs and tales of motorcycling and life. In the morning the rain was all rained, we packed and left to visit Sagres before going to our home for a few days. Overlooking the beach and my favourite lighthouse in the distance, from the tip of Sagres: Stopped in Lagos for a bite to eat but got lost inside the old town. So parked the bikes and went on foot to find a snack. Just so you don´t think it's all scenic locations : Exiting Lagos we stopped for a while for some calls. After getting home I went to a local supermarket to fetch groceries for dinner, GS went into shopping trolley mode with the luggage stretched wider. Next few days, Algarve.

@Sofia was in need of a lazy holiday in the sunshine, even if warmth would be too much of an ask in January. A friend kindly let her use a holiday home in the Algarve for a few days so a plan was made to head south, stop by the Portimão track to visit our friend Niel who was there for a trackday, and then hang around the Algarve. She didn't really know the seaside that well, and that gave us a chance to take a few little trips on the bikes. I headed out of my place by myself to then meet up with Sofia, had a couple of hours to kill so took the long way there, with a little exploring detour. The previous days' rain caused the compacted dirt roads to be a little soft, and eventually came across some mud, I took the chance but it got worse after that and I don´t fancy mud on my bike, more so when it's fully loaded. Turned back, crossed the inicial mud bit, and stopped for a picture. The hunt for Bike Of The Month picture started Back on the road, and cruised happily on nice tarmac. Not for long, after a little bit took another short dirt road detour, this one I knew and it's a safe mud free one. Stopped as the dark cloud above turned into heavy rain, but before putting my phone away took another picture: Sadly that pristine dirt road is not longer than a few kms, got back on tarmac and rode out from under a heavy downpour, left the dark rain clouds behind and I stop again, now for a phone call. The view around was typical north Alentejo, I love entering this area of the country. The rain was now gone and the skies were blue, quite cold though. Sofia was on the motorway on her way to our usual meeting point and I waited. Half frozen, she arrives: Unfreezing over a hot late and some chicken pies. These are similar to the pies you have in the UK, but tiny and chicken inside. After transferring her big bag onto my bike , as someone likes her Speed Triple nice and nimble, we head out for a short hour or two heading to our final destination for the night. It was getting really cold and maybe about to rain farther ahead, so we stopped so Sofia could put her overalls on and heat up a little. After some more rain a great rainbow appeared. First stop to try and get it on a picture, big fail, but the rain was doing wonders for the green fields around. However, a little farther ahead and I get my chance: By 4, we made it to our home for the night. Sofia went for a warm up shower and relax by the fire, I took the last hour of daylight and went out searching for dirt roads around the lake. Didn't take many pictures as the day was quickly ending, found a few choice nice alternatives to tarmac but they all ended in a private property closed gate Last stop to put on navigation and find my way back to the hotel before night. Sunset here increases the chance of deer and wild boar crossing the road substantially. In fact I spotted a deer coming back, made it just in time for dark. Next day, Portimão.

Hornet 750, my guess!

I’ve lost my license once, they took it for two months but there were no points system at the time. I had one normal speeding fine, one dangerous driving offence, and one serious speeding fine, in less than a year. Currently, I have a couple of small speeding ones but don’t check the website, I worry they’ll know I’m nervous

What @Catteeclansaid, plus a light filling on the edges of the pads if they’re squared edges. If you’re up for it? Like so:

Hanged around Portimão all day today, now I kind of want something to do a trackday on.

It bothers me that you don’t get an invitation to visit someone for a warm dinner at least.

How can January be a dry month with all that rain?

I once faked covid symptoms, that was an easy out to a trip to Spain.

You could go and visit them, get drunk on their booze and then you can’t drive home! There, solved it!

And also took Maria’s car to go shopping

Went up to the Dainese outlet and somehow now solved my pants problem by buying something with gore tex, plus my first ever pair of proper touring boots. I’m used to more casual boots more like work boots with proper leather and stitched soles. Hopefully this’ll feel better in the proper winter and rain. Will leave my rain gear at home, and that’ll free some space in the right case.

Don’t be so hard on yourself… See? You’re doing something!

Tomorrow am going to meet up with Sofia in the Alentejo somewhere, then heading to the Algarve for a couple of days and then avoid the rain for a few days more. Just found out my Dainese touring pants are falling apart, fabric just tore open near some seams. Pretty disappointed, bought them in the end of 2021, and they have no more than 4 or 5 thousand kms.

It’s not ok for you to be home in the snow with no heat or hot water, isn’t there a friend that would be happy to take you for a few days?

He did say it might turn wet and soft, maybe no inches

No, I had the Transalp back then, I bought it a month or two before DSUK started. I only bought the 1150 in early 2014, and traded it for the 1200 in January 2016.

Waiting for a burguer while at my favourite spot for a stop going home.

You only heard of the 1150 after I sold it though, from the Morocco reports. When this forum came up I already had the 1200.

Any of them, I meant BOTY or December.