November 23, 2014
Where's a Bus Shelter When Needed: Trancoso to Lamego.
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The day starts with a long descent from where I rejoined the road from my pine plantation campsite, then the road undulates along the valley. I make good progress and thought I would at least make it well beyond Lamego by nightfall. In Moimenta Da Beira I have my daily coffee and pastry-Pastelaria stop and make it into Intermarche on the way out of town for a few lunch-things just as staff begin closing the tills as they close at one on Sundays.
About three I begin a long pretty steep in places descend into a city filled valley, lots of white high-rise blocks and housing terraced on the hillsides around just as ominous cloud has built up to a point where grey sky descends low making it prematurely like dusk. Cars approach with full beam headlights. When down on the level I take an exit from a roundabout unsure am I going in the right direction as there are no signs. I'm even unsure what the place is called and think maybe it is Lamego. Big drops of rain splatter the road and there's no place to shelter. There's park on either side. There isn't even a bus shelter.
With rain hammering down I make for apartment blocks ahead and take shelter on the ground floor under a balcony. After about ten minutes of looking at rain bounding off tarmac and feeling a chill as residents come and go making mad dashes from doorway to cars, it looks to be easing.
I ride uphill to what looks to be the centre and straightaway spot a Pastelaria on a corner. Inside most of the tables are taken but I find one by the window and hang my wet rain jacket over a chair. It is well I decided on a second coffee stop as looking out the rain is on again. The cliental are a mix of families through to grandparents who watch an animated film on the TV screen on the wall.
When it finally fairs I continue with black sky to the side and a brilliant rainbow. I find out I'm in Tarouca and the sign by the side on the long climb out says Lamego ten kilometres. The hills ahead look grey and bleak as it rains more to the right, but optimism in an area of blue sky to the left.
Lamego is another city in a basin. A few kilometres of steep descending to reach. The streets are soaked as the rain has just passed and I hear a chore of an open air mass in a plaza somewhere. Again either I'm tired or what as I fail to see any signs for places ahead. I take a cobbled street which of coarse climbs steeply, but leads onto a quiet road; where, I see a sign for camping, but it is up an impossible steep drive and most likely will be closed this time of year, so continue.
After a bit I pass a N2 road-marker and checking the map see this is the most obvious road north to where I want to get to next, but now I need to find a place to camp as it is getting dark. There are houses and small villages all along the narrow steep sided valley. I ride for five kilometres looking into every possible camp spot until coming to a track steep up leading to a small field, on the edge of which is a level well drained spot big enough for the tent. I notice up above a house in the bushes on the hillside with a full view of my campsite, but there isn't a light on, in anycase I'm not going any place.
Checking the map again while waiting for dinner, I come to the conclusion that the N2 I'm on is southbound. I need to return back down to Lamego in the morning and pick up N2 continuing north.
Today's ride: 83 km (52 miles)
Total: 8,515 km (5,288 miles)
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