Based on the peaceful village of Vidago, once famous for water and the way to Santiago, was gifted by a cold day and, like we say in Portugal, with S.Pedro as a friend: disappearing rain and bringing the sun to illuminate a path way through peaks and valleys, with plenty to see and water from Vidago up to the heart of Geres.
Leaving Vidago towards Boticas, after crossing Tâmega river, the road is winding through the curves and its inclination. Reached the top we may think " it worth", "it's beautiful". The harshness of the stone extends to Rabagão river and Pisões dam. A huge water mirror reflects the sun, clouds, blue sky, making that heavenly place.
Leaving behind Rabagão the zigzag continues to the upper Cávado dam: a spectacular given by the size of Rabagão becomes cozy by the smallness of this dam.
Entering the Peneda Geres National Park, a plateau region, we will towards Pitões of Junia and the landscape of hardship compresses us: how to inspire the neo-realistic?!
Herds of the best Barrosas - a specie of cow - copies greet us on the road and hardly let us continue way.
To whet your appetite for lunch, a small trekking to enjoy the waterfall emerging from the rock and the monastery. With the strongest sun, higher, visualized a perfect postcard.
Speaking about lunch, "Casa do Preto" due to the friendliness of the owner, I had tasted "ceboleira" and barrosã steak, accompanied by an
Albariño. The restaurant is not referenced in the Michelin guide or the slow food chains but the quality of presenting is superb. Clients eat what the earth gives, literally! Photography of cows, goats and chickens are exposed on the menu, touring the country and the identification of the producer.
After the excellent lunch it was time to head to Spain to get back to Portugal by Lindoso.
At Mugueimes, and Lobios we saw Lima river grow: broad and narrow, with dams creating the landscape.
Getting in Portugal by Lindoso, the course was the Soajo.
The granite granaries - or canastros, as they say in some land - rise up to heaven by keeping the income of the earth. With high crosses, seem to ask God to be always full.
The return was made by the route of Vinho Verde, by Monção, through Brejoeira Palace.
Then back to Spain towards Verin,
then Chaves and Vidago.
Some have Route 66, the Carretera Austral, the Panamericana. We have the National 2: from Chaves to Faro, once a set of Royal and
National Roads that, in full Estado Novo, have united to connect the north
top to the south top of the country.A beautiful route, one goes up and down between mountains and valleys,
a backbone of what should be the most important cities and towns in the
country.For
years I had wanted to do this course - with João, Nico and Domingos in a
green Mustang - but there was never an opportunity. Christmas weekend, warm temperature and clear sky: that's what I needed.I left Oliveira de Azeméis at 8:30 am, in the direction of Chaves. It's not important, I just describe it because there were kilometers accumulated. A32 and following highways, the constant speed not to ruin the Transalp tires.Arrived at Chaves it was time to certify the deposit, to eat an apple,
to take the photo next to the road mark with Km 0 and ... follow trip.At 10:30 the sun rose and warmed the environment. I drove excitedly, glad to be there, hummed Chico Buarque in the ecofonia of the helmet.As an example of how the National Road 2 came into being, as a set of
several roads, retail of the country, I had also been in several
locations of National 2.Thus, from Chaves to Vila Real, passing through Vidago and Pedras Salgadas, I didn`t stop. I had already done it in February.The same in Vila Real, I was there to run during the visit of the WTCC.Descending
from Vila Real to Sta. Marta de Penaguião and the Douro, the Régua, by
the zigzag that runs along the terraces of our best nectar. I also didn`t make any prolonged looks, I just enjoyed driving.So the first stop was in Lamego. In
the city center, I stopped in the middle of the square that
houses the steps of the shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, to take a
picture with the bike. Or the daring or fluorescent yellow of Alpinestars bags, I was the center of attention.From Lamego I went to Viseu.If
National Highway 2 has been well signposted, then the signs disappear,
the landmarks aren`t very visible and it seems that there is no tourist
interest in keeping this icon of the roadtrips. It costs so little ...From Lamego I follow to Castro Daire and, later, to Viseu. As it hasn`t rained much, the road remains beautiful, reddish and brown, with the colors of Autumn that I saw days ago.In Viseu the plates of National 2 disappear again. But with GPS, I was able to find the way to Tondela and then Santa Comba Dão.If so far the road was zigzagged, after Viseu the road entered a more certain axis heading south.In Santa Comba it was time to re-certify the deposit to kilometers
later and after Aguieira, stop by the Mondego in Penacova to take
photos.Góis, Castanheira de Pêra, Figueiró dos Vinhos. Names from Rally of Portugal, where I spent, with which I dreamed, in times, to perform in competition cars.Speaking of names, Nacional 2 is full of names of our jokes: "Colo do Pito", "Picha", "Venda do Gaita", "Escalos de Baixo". Even in this the course is rich!From Góis to Pedrógão the zigzag came back; So that, knowing that I should head southward, by the position of the sun I traveled many miles to the north, east, and west.I crossed Zêzere at the Cabril Dam, and from there I saw the sun going down between bridges. An escarpment separates antiquity from modernity, as the height separating the bridges is the civizational difference. It will be?!In Serta, the Christmas illuminations gave a different light to the
river, with many families taking advantage of the end of the winter day
to stroll ..The sun was setting behind the mountains and the cold was passing the coat and trousers.Under a reddish sky, with the stars beginning to appear, I crossed Vila de Rei towards Abrantes.Nine and a half hours after I started walking, I stopped. Nearly 600 km after leaving home it is time for the bike to rest; and me too. Tomorrow I shall arrive in Faro.
