26.7.15 - Oliveira de Azeméis | Cambra de Vouzela | Aldeia de Pena | Oliveira de Azeméis

Sunny and warm Sunday. The Classic Racing Team achieved another victory in the Algarve; I should be there. It was another adventure ... but the great Australian adventure begins in a few days and I don`t want a homely adventure cast doubt on the trip. So I stayed for Oliveira.
Yet Multimoto gave me, for this weekend, a Kawasaki Ninja 300, celebration edition. Beautiful!
Plotted as a destination Castro Daire, a land i didn`t visited since childhood, a time when travel to Penedono didn`t include IP5.
I should be on competition, so I carry the carbon Nau Helmet and an Alpinestars top gloves,like a world champion.
Quickly I went from Oliveira de Azeméis to Albergaria, thanks to bike aerodynamics. Then it was below the threaded curves along the Vouga; a road that already dubbed as a lamprey road.
With the constant zigzag, with low and medium speed corners, I could test the excellent Ninja body, very light and agile. I found the best way to bend on this bike: the knee; and I never asked anyone to marry.
After Cedrim, following a sunny corner, several Famel, V5 and Casal, shone. A sign "for sell" reminded other times, the novelty of those bikes, such was the condition. Between 700 and 2000 euros depending on the state of recovery, the owner of an old workshop deliver its motorcycles, with original paintings and decals, which he does not like modern stuff.
After the friendly conversation, near Oliveira de Frades and lunch time, instead of following the Vouga,I turned to Cambra de Vouzela and went to the Taberna do Lavrador.
Typical food, made ahead of all: black pudding, sausage, chorizo ​​and fried bread for appetizer. Rice coming-of-garlic as a main dish and a bowl of red Silgueiros to push. Dessert? There was no space because the distance between the seat and the tank doesn`t grow.
With the bountiful repast to invite the nap, the direction of travel has changed: I went to S. Pedro do Sul spa, where it was in a medieval feast. Then I went quietly in the direction of Castro Daire.
Halfway through, the Aldeida de Pena statement made me turn left and climb to S.Macário in the far east of the Serra da Freita. From there do Aldeia de Pena is always going down by a narrow path that once should be painful.
The village is being recovered, leaving its original character. Incoming us a restaurant where, inside, we can find crafts, sausages and homemade cheeses, visitors cards. And many have there been!
With the sun falling down, I headed to Arouca. Pssing Portal do Inferno, with towering cliffs on one side and the other, I stopped the bike and photographed it with the Gobbo the abyss.
Then I went quietly to Arouca and then to home. But before reaching the capital of brown eggs yet been chatting with a couple from Munich that was lost looking for the road to Espiunca. So lost that they were I almost lost me too!

7.6.15 - Vila do Conde | Oliveira de Azeméis

Wake up, open the window and see the sea. Is there anything more fantastic ?! The sun was shining and the temperature was high at Princesa do Ave.
I left home and went to Castle where, for years to this part, are concentrated hundreds of bikes all Sundays. From the most recent to the oldest, from mopeds to more powerful superbikes, choopers or the best café-racer style. Every kind of bikes where there!

Then I follow the river, crossed the bridge and reached Varziela. There I headed out to sea. Before get there, after the forest and the nature reserve, corn fields and dairies surround the road, bringing the characteristic smells of the field in the spring, mixed with the scent of lime trees that, at one point, surrounding the road.
In Vila Chã, next to the church, a popular selling from local produce.
As I approached the sea and beautiful beaches, cut by the low rocks, the sea enter into my nose like a big plate of barnacles, oysters and shrimp from the coast. An unmistakable smell of the sea that led to the fantastic view from our shore.
Hidden, with only some vacationers and divers, Pocinho, Moreiro and Sao Palo. It is mandatory to go up to Castro and see the scenery and feel the faith that those people have in the sea. Among the beaches, fishing villages where is baked sardines in the street.
In Angeiras before strolling by boats lying on the beach, I went to the market. Shrimp, lobster, crabs, barnacles, streak, sardines: the best from our coast, fresh, appetizing, opening the appetite for lunch.
Beer and lupins before continuing trip to Leca da Palmeira, through Cabo do Mundo and Praia do Aterro.
Leça onwards the traffic was chaotic and, once again, the Kawasaki agility was tested.
Continuing the movable bridge, and then by Foz, the traffic was increasing given the usual Sunday trips.
At Ribeira, Ponte D. Luis and Gaia were thousands of tourists, enjoying the scenery, the sun and I suppose, Port wine.
In continuous row by continued marginal to the last stop before heading home: the Senhor da Pedra, in Miramar. There was a popular party, hence the traffic is more than a lot!
Then, with less traffic, followed by the A29 to Sta. Maria da Feira, followed by Arrifana, S. João da Madeira and, finally, Oliveira de Azeméis.
It was a fantastic weekend with friends, heat, sea and good weather.
It was a weekend where I enjoyed a scooter Kawasaki, fast, powerful and safe; so safe I ride all the time in shorts and t-shirt, just like a tourist in Capri.
It was an end-of-week that I want to repeat!

6.6.15 - Oliveira de Azeméis | Vila do Conde

Sunny days and I was presented by Kawasaki with a J300 scooter for this weekend.
Scooter ?! Countryside or city ?!
The scooter is ideal for city, with its agility and simplicity handling. However Kawasaki exhibits an excellent 300cc engine and, therefore, decided to take that fact and a larger test route with the longest acceleration zones.
Countryside ?! With this heat? If i where inn Germany or Austria, certainly i choose the field. But being in Portugal, nothing better than enjoy our coast and beaches.
Looking at the map, my eyes settled in Vila do Conde: excellent beaches, bikes crowd usually go there, eating well and, above all, I have some great friends there and a house where I go since the middle eighties.
Vila do Conde, for me, is all about races: Praia Azul, Jardim, S da Piscina, Seca e o Castelo.
Vila do Conde was in adolescence, August holiday destination.
For all this, when I looked north and saw Vila do Conde, I had no doubt in ridding there.
I packed the Monte Campo under the seat, used a Nau Helmet, green metal flake - to match with the scooter - and Oakley to cover the sun, shorts and t-shirt, got out from Oliveira de Azeméis towards the Vila.
As the intention was to take the road, the sun, and relive the past, follow up to the Nacional Road 1.
By the middle of traffic, Kawasaki behaved beautifully, allowing me to make a quiet and inexpensive trip.
Then I had to take the A1 and VCI to get back on the national road; this time the National 13.
In the final part of the highway it was easily to reach 140 km / h ... and so I stayed. Not worth go faster.
After entered the N13, I returned to zigzag on traffic.
I remember in June and July of last century cross this road on Friday night to go watch the races. The trailer was a luxury, nobody thought in motorhomes as those nowadays come in our paddock. So for me, it was a treat to see go racing cars on the open road. VW Polo, Clio, Starlet, Corolla and many others. A golden age of National Speed.
Arrived in Vila do Conde, Ave river present me like a mirror reflecting the prison majestic building.
Before a beer near the old boxes, I revive the circuit and stroll through the historic district.
By the evening, with Vilacondense company from the last 30 years we went to sushi, followed by Expensive Soul.
Friends, heat, good music and a scooter. "What else" ?!

26.4.15 - Monsaraz | Flor da Rosa | Oliveira de Azeméis

Sunday woke up gray, rainy and cold.
After it has rained all night, it was quite muddy.
The morning meeting of adventurers dragged on due to the rain that fell copiously.
Sunday's stage contemplated 100 km, very technical and difícult.Beasides that conditions I had to ride another 400 km to get home.
At day before the Versys had already proved to everyone that, despite its vocation to tarmac, she is plenty good on gravel. But was mud and tires weren`t the most appropriate, at all.
I made a difficult decision: abdicated Sunday's stage and, for safety reasons, returned home early. The return trip was the same road that had come; but with different stops.
Monsaraz to Reguengos yet been buffeted by rain but then the sun came out and made the trip very enjoyable.
Alter do Chão had to take a detour because, at the expense of TVI and its Sunday programs, the road was cut off in the town center.
A few kilometers further on, I left the IC linking Portalegre and entered the old national road, near the Coudelaria Nacional and Crato station.
The road is beautiful, and from there to Flor da Rosa, through curves, bridges, mystical lands and full of meaning for the history of Portugal, recalled old times (here, or here). So good!
I stopped at Flor da Rosa, in front of the monastery, nd like D.Nuno Alvares Pereira, posed "my horse".
After evoking O Condestaval, it was time to return. No more stops, I thought ...
Until cross A23, I was little shower, but after that, a thunderstorm came over me.
Rain, rain, rain and more rain. Added to that, a very strong wind that made the ride very difficult and freeze the bones.
Skip Proenca-a-Nova was painful. The reach Figueiró dos Vinhos, I decided to stop under a bridge to shelter me. The rain was so much and came from all sides might as well not have stopped.
Quietly followed him to Coimbra and, even more quietly, faced traffic N1, in full sunday.
It was a hard return and fortunately I got well.

25.4.15 - The Great Lake

I woke up in Monsaraz, by the sound of birds chirping at 6:30 in the morning. Today was "the" great day, that I put the Versys on gravel.
Before the stage start, the staff of bikes with studded tires looked at me askance and friendly ironic chat.
I joined Miguel, Diogo, Pedro, Luis and João, the night before group and headed to where the GPS sent; Olivenza, in Spain.
To get there were 100 km of rubble, soil, mud, sand, rivers. There was a bit of everything and all the Versys transposed it like dog like a bone.
But it wasn`t all facilities! At about 15 km, a sharp decline with loose soil and a hole, the front wheel was where I didn`t want to and I went down the bike. "It happens," I thought. "Only me, I'll be the laughing stock of the group," rethought. Well, I just debuted the floor. From there it was such a personal view out of the bikes in unorthodox positions. Craft things.
Getting around the Alentejo plain has the particularity that we might come across animals of many species. Besides bulls and cows, donkeys, horses, pigs, storks, hares, foxes, goats, I got to know the "corkscrew tails"; is a species of ferret but with a larger tail.
Arrived in Olivenza, I came with the idea of ​​regaining and the rest of the group with ideas to have lunch. We chose the second, we left the track and headed to the gokart track restaurant.
With new forces, it was time to return to Portugal.
Villanueva del Fresno - "A Esquina" - and the Mourão Castle were the last stops before reaching the camp in Monsaraz.
Before dinner there was still time for a gin taste proof at Sharish distillery.
After dinner, with the bike well stopped, was time for more Sharish.

24.4.15 - Oliveira de Azeméis | Anadia | Aldeia da Serra | Monsaraz

The Versys was shinning at Kawasaki stand and the odometer marked 900. Almost brand new!
The tank was filled, Monte Campo backpack tied on teh bike, Liquid Image placed in appropriate places and I was motivated to do nearly 400 km to Alqueva Great Lake.
Out of Oliveira Azeméis of the N1, the first stop was in Anadia in factory of Nau Helmets. A "hello" to who manufactured and painted with such affection, my latest helmets, always with the desire to be the world's best but never needed!
After the break I continued towards the N1 south to Condeixa. Then I started Portugal east crossing by IC8.
Showers were making their appearances and the road was treacherous. Before reaching Penela, in a space of less than 1000 meters, two ugly accidents. Served to dampen the spirits and the Japanese Kawasaki horses.
From Proenca-a-Nova the cold and the rain intensified, taking advantage of the service station A23 to wear another coat and wait a bit for the rain dropping.
Meanwhile, two Belgian riders showed up for the same reason: shelter from the rain. They were ridding for several days and the destination was the Costa Vicentina. After that? They didn`t know ...
The rain subsided and left towards the Aldeia da Serra, passing



Alpalhão, Alter do Chão, Fronteira and Estremoz: almost all lines, with dry, empty road, follow moderate speed, standing on the bike, with a spirit of adventure .
The smell of soil, grass, stone pine: fantastic!
Between Estremoz and Aldeia da Serra i felt just like a child, with Serra D`Ossa turns.
At Aldeia da Serra, had the obligatory stop at Herdade Agua D`Alte. A beautiful space to relax; another "hello" at doctor visit speed, despite not being a doctor!
Monsaraz was "already there", after the Redondo.
Reached the Great Lake was time to assemble the tent, my private apartment for two nights.
Mosquitoes, rain and cold let me think... and I could get a room in a nice house in the middle of Monsaraz walls. A good mattress and hot water!
After the usual presentations, went to dinner: "Carne de Porco à Alentejna", accompanied by no less Alentejo wine.
Right there I joined a group of buddies and I have a group to run tomorrow.
The trips require us to meet people. It's fantastic!

From tomorrow: Kawasaki Versys