October 17, 2013
Evora
Over breakfast this morning we checked out the weather forecast and found that it has worsened considerably since yesterday. Change apparently is on the way, and I looks like we are coming to the end of our spell of wonderful weather. After tomorrow the forecast is for 8 straight days of showers.
Today though was yet another fine day. It began overcast, and for a time around midday it looked as though showers might even be possible - but then it gradually brightened and by evening skies were clear. Winds in the morning were fairly strong from the north, but since we were headed almost due west they seldom bothered us.
Today's itinerary was a tranquil cruise through a diverse rural landscape, along minor roads almost devoid of traffic. In a way this country reminds me a bit of southern France, with a decent network of paved minor roads that are empty of traffic and perfect for cycling. The route we followed today meandered all over the place but was well worth trading some extra miles for the solitude we enjoyed.
As we moved west toward Evora the terrain and land use gradually changed. It became rockier, and stray boulders in the fields became a common sight; the crop mix became more diverse, with stands of corn and squash breaking into the expanse of olives, cork and oak we've grown accustomed to; and herds of free ranging livestock became more common and diverse. At one point we cycled past a small herd of cows and enjoyed seeing a flock of egrets take flight from among them.
We passed through a string of very small villages, none of them amounting to much or having any real commercial activity; but all of them having bone-rattling cobblestone streets throughout their core. We did find one village in early afternoon which had a snack bar, and though we didn't find much selection there was enough to keep us alive for the remaining miles to Evora. In another village we encountered and stopped to chat with a trio of Norwegian women cycling the region. They encouraged us to consider northern Norway as a cycle touring destination. Great - another research project to fill my winter hours.
We arrived in Evora around 3, and after settling in went out to explore a bit. Evora is a UNESCO world heritage site, with an amazing array of monumental sites to take in. We made a good start but left plenty to see tomorrow. After dinner we ended up in the central plaza and enjoyed munching on treats from the bakery, watching adolescents mingle around the fountain, and gauging whether the moon above was completely full or still a day shy.
Elevation log: 2300 today, 13,400 total.
Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 277 miles (446 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 2 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |