Not a ride report

[Pedro]

Not a ride report, just going to @Sofia's from my place.

It could be a 40 minute ride by taking the motorway, but I prefer to turn it into a 2 hour thing via small roads, money saved on the toll pays for lunch plus I just like these roads.

Woke up feeling fresh after a very cold night in the countryside, clear blue skies but with rain for later in the day. Enjoyed a coffee outside listening to the morning

 

 

After some work, I tidied the place and closed it ready for a few days with no person living there. Then packed my luggage onto the bike and off I went now at around well after mid day.

 

I'm sure @XTreme would be in a panic anticipating starting a non Honda motorcycle, so this is just for him. I like the sound of the first start, more so when it's colder.

 

Half an hour later, I stop to take pictures of a field of flower, this is also something @Slowlycatchymonkey would really find troublesome, her adventures are so packed with action she can´t afford one minute stopped somewhere.

 

As I climbed the hill the temperature that had varied from 10 to 13ºC went to 5º at the top, with a little rain as we went up. Stopped at the cafe for lunch, looking forward to something warm to eat.

Outside there were two 4WDs from the forest firefighters. Today they probably wouldn't fight anything but it's good to see they're around at least to clean hazards before the fire season. Let's hope Portugal can change the disgraceful course we have been having regarding forest fires.

 

 

My lunch consisted of a burger complete with the exuberance of two slices of tomato inside. It was warm and nice and really hit the spot. 

 

First time I've sat inside this place in years, but today the outside wasn't a nice place to eat.

 

A nice espresso to finish off and get back on the bike. When I first started coming here you would eat a burger, drink something and have coffee, and you'd have change from a 5 Euro note, now it's 7€, and it manages to surprise me every time. Same thing in a coastal town and that won't pay for the sandwich itself.

 

Even though I sent a few emails and thought I had things under control during lunch, a few minutes after being on the bike the phone rings and I decide to give a client my attention and check a few things properly instead of having this issue in the back of my mind. Stopped at the side of the road:

 

20 minutes later and it looks like I'm riding into a storm, so stop and put the phone away.

 

After that I zig zag avoiding the dark clouds that eventually catch me just 15 minutes before arriving at Ericeira, a proper rainfall for the last few kms, shame as I had washed the bike yesterday.

 

 

There you go, turning a mundane trip into a ride report!

 

 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

7 minutes ago, Pedro said:

 

Half an hour later, I stop to take pictures of a field of flower, this is also something @Slowlycatchymonkey would really find troublesome, her adventures are so packed with action she can´t afford one minute stopped somewhere.

[XTreme]

Great stuff Pedro!

You've had better weather this Winter than we have!

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, XTreme said:

Great stuff Pedro!

You've had better weather this Winter than we have!

We usually have, you live in altitude.

[boboneleg]

Excellent Pedro, that's the sort of riding I like.  I hate to be in a hurry to go anywhere by bike and I'll always try to avoid motorways if I can