Editors Note. Tap on the thumbnail photos to see the full picture.
We said goodbye to Salamanca as our tour bus trundled west into Portugal. The landscape shifted during the three hour drive from open fields that stretched to the horizon to carefully planned oak plantations to scrubby forests to treeless rocky hillsides. Sadly the grey clouds and rain was ever present.
Our destination was about 100 Kms east of Porto, near Lamosa in the Douro valley where we prepped for our first ride of the day. A mere 32 Kms of roads through the countryside ending in a tiny village called Ucanha.
Given the forecast it was another day of wearing foul weather gear to try and stay both warm and dry.
The morning ride introduced us to cobblestones which were present in every little village along the way. Not only do they shake your entire body, they proved to be quite slippery in the rain.
A real mixed bag of weather – hard cold rain, wind and for much of the ride, just low hanging clouds and mist. Who knew rain really stings when it hits your face when you’re going 45 km/hr? There were some long downhill sections where I topped out just below 60 km/hr. Some riders in the group went even faster!
A word about our e-bikes. Unlike models that have turbo boost buttons that effectively make them mini moto scooters, these require the rider to pedal constantly to benefit from the battery. While they certainly assist on steep inclines we are pounding the pedals every step of the way.
Our ride took us cross country where the red terra cotta rooftops appeared to have been flung haphazardly across the hillsides given the hilly terrain and winding roads. The villages were numerous (therefore cobblestones!) with buildings right next to the edge of the road. The land above the river is full of steeply terraced farms of fruit trees and vineyards, clinging to the slopes leaving one to wonder how harvesting takes place.
Our morning ride ending in Ucanha, site of an ancient Roman toll tower and bridge as well as a fabulous restaurant seemingly carved out of the rock. It was a great meal and a chance to get warm.
Back on the road for the afternoon ride of 40 Kms which unfortunately turned into a bit of a survival test as it started raining almost immediately and didn’t let up for over two hours. And there were cobblestones and more cobblestones. And narrow roads with plenty of hairpin bends. Truly a full menu cycling experience.
We did stop at a lookout but the rain meant our photos couldn’t capture the beauty of the valley.
One of our guides, Nacho, was terrific in keeping everyone’s spirits up despite the downpour.
Fortunately the last few Kms were mostly downhill and we all arrived safely, teeth chattering and soaked, at our hotel which is another five star gem in the village of Cambres, across the river from the town of Godim. The hotel has grown out as part of the Pacheca winery which began operations in 1738.
Our post ride recovery included piping hot showers and for Mo, an hour long massage in the spa.
Pacheca remains true to many old fashioned techniques including hand picking the grapes and believe it or not, stomping them. This was not set up for our benefit – these individuals spend three hour shifts high stepping in the grapes to maximize the output without crushing the seeds. I’m not sure if the purple stain is permanent.
We were taken on a tour of the massive cellars where enormous barrels age the wine.
And lastly we were served three delicious wines and a tawny port to pair with a magnificent meal. Truly a first class experience.
A very long day that captured a multitude of memories. Priceless. Tomorrow two rides are scheduled totaling over 100 Kms. More Yikes.
The Bennetts On Tour 