June 27, 2025
Day 4: Praia de Mira to Pombal
Hard hot and hilly 672m
Route details and data https://strava.app.link/xzL4ldV6xUb
now that I’m in the rhythm, getting packed and breakfasted and everything sorted for the day it’s going a bit more quickly. Plan was to be away by 845 which we achieved pretty successfully.
Almost immediately we were on a road that was pretty much a dedicated cycle way for about 30 km only about a dozen cars seen. The route is very slightly uphill to the tune of about 50 m in 30 KM. And eventually we stopped at a small village with a couple of cafés and the inevitable pasteis de nata. Being the last day of the summer term and school year there are a bunch of primary school children all doing a performance on the stage in the town Square which is very sweet.
For some reason, although the ride was quite easy and we had a slight tail wind I was finding it a bit of a struggle, and feeling a little bit wobbly on the bike. I tend to lean to the left so the Bike is leading to the right to compensate, and I was nervous about the unclipping problems on hills. My flexibility has reduced significantly so getting off the bike is also quite a challenge.
, and I was nervous about the unclipping problems on hills. My flexibility has reduced significantly so getting off the bike is also quite a challenge.
The rest of the day was significant Hillier and the amount of climbing that we had to do over the distance does not do justice to the severity of the hills. There were four or five major ones not particularly along but quite steep and I had to walk up a few bits. It was also getting significantly hotter and although I filled up with Water very frequently I was feeling a little bit dehydrated in the heat. We stopped for lunch at the café at the 57 KM mark and it was good to have a proper rest in the shade.
Very frequently I was feeling a little bit dehydrated in the heat. We stopped for lunch at the café at the 57 KM mark and it was good to have a proper rest in the shade.
eventually we arrived at the destination at around 3:30, and I was absolutely roasted. A couple of hours in the air-conditioned room helped, and at 6 pm we had a team meeting to discuss the plans for tomorrow. The destination we are heading for a targeted weather forecast of 40°C, which is 104 Fahrenheit for those Americans still using that method. Some people are leaving at 6 am some people are leaving just after breakfast and the possibility to cut the ride short of 2/3 of Mark and a town called Tomar. I have decided to have a day off, and get the train from here to Abrantes. Unlike some of the other writers, I’m not raising money for charity this time so I don’t feel too bad about this but respect their decision to continue and what will be quite a difficult conditions.
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Today's ride: 86 km (53 miles)
Total: 329 km (204 miles)
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2 days ago