April 7, 2019 - Setúbal to Azóia - Some More Portugal: Not Just Kicking the Tires (Tour 18) - 2019 🇵🇹

April 7, 2019 - Setúbal to Azóia

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Alojamento Espigas, €45, incl breakfast

My hotel was so nice, I could have stayed there forever. Then I went out for breakfast, and my jaw fell to the floor - meats, cheeses, breads, pastries, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh juices and cereals. I tried to have a little bit of everything but got kind of full. It was both plentiful and delicious.

After breakfast, I returned to my room to check the forecast for the umpteenth time. It kept changing every time I looked at it, plus one site showed a drammatically different forecast than another. I wanted to believe that it was going to be 14 C and sunny with a low of 14 C, for the next two weeks, but somehow I didn't believe it. Especially when I looked out to see it misting.

I waited a bit then headed out because it looked like there was a window of opportunity. The route had me riding through the park and right along the shoreline. I could see the water, often there were beaches below me, and to my right the mountains rose up into the mists. It was misting on and off.

As I headed out of the city I could see across the Sado estuary to Troia where I had stayed a couple of days ago. If you look carefully you can see sandbars and beaches in the distance, too. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

For this initial portion, there were views across the estuary to Troia, though it started to fade as the mists increased. Car traffic was fairly light but there were quite a few people on their bicycles coming down the hill. I am guessing they may be doing a loop of this peninsula from the city.

The ride through the park was beautiful, though increasingly wet as the fog gave way to drizzle which gave way to full blown rain. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

As I continued, the road generally climbed up and away from the water. The clouds were really low, so soon I was into them and it was kind of hard to see, so I am glad I have had the flashing red tail light on this tour.

There was one particular climb that I ended up getting off of the bike and pushing, just to make sure my leg lasts these next two days of cycling. One Portuguese cyclist actually stopped to make sure I was ok, offered me snacks, which I declined, and chatted a little. Nice.

When I got to the top of the pass, the road continued a bit on the level until the EV 1 route had me turn onto a gravel road. Again, it was really pretty even though everything was so misty. I remember seeing this section on a series of videos I watched online. The sun was out in those videos, though.

Just to proe that I have brought my bike along, though you don't actually see me riding it. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

The beaches down below my road were beautiful. You can also see the edge of a tunnel on the top right. There were a few of them where I imagine there is a steady flow of falling rocks. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

In the distance at water level you can just make out a stone crushing facility. It was operational and oh-so-loud as I cycled under some of the conveyor belts. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

For a few km, Eurovelo 1 veered away from the main paved road and meandered through the countryside. There were almost no cars, but the road was a tiny bit soft, but very manageable. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

The gravel portion was only a few km long and then I was approaching Sesimbra. The route did not go into the city but along the edge and now the mist had become rain. I was soaked and cold and just wanted to get to my room to dry off. There would be no going into Sesimbra.

Then it started to rain quite hard, even though both forecasts I read said less than a mm of rain this morning. Several km before my room there was roadwork in progress on my lane, so not only was it rough but it was now spraying mucky water all over my bike and my bags.

Alongside the gravel portion of EV 1 were groves of eucalyptus, cork, olives and pines. -- Arrábida Natural Park, Setúbal, Portugal

All this last while since Sesimbra, there had been quite a lot of vehicular traffic. Saving grace - the wind was in my face, but not too hard. Finally I arrived.

The staff member working at the cafe called her boss to see if the room was ready, which it was, then showed me around back to my room. By now I was numb with cold, drenched and dripping everywhere and my bike and bags were covered with muddy water. I don't like being dirty.

I used my water bottle to get clean water to rinse off my bike and stuff, and tucked my bike in a corner of the terrace just outside of my room. Now to try to warm up. I spread all of my things out and about to dry out and for the most part they are better now. Tomorrow is 'supposed' to be sunny and dry, so everything should finish drying over my last longish day of cycling, at 37 km.

Speaking of that last long day - I can't believe that after tomorrow, there will only be one or two days with a few tiny rides. One to my hotel in Lisbon and one to get the box to pack my bike for the flight home this week. Seeing that winter will continue at home for a month or so, I am thinking there will be no cycling for weeks to come and I will lose this early season base of riding.

The rain finally seems to have stopped, so I am thinking to head down the road for a meal shortly. There is one place about a minute walk away and another about ten minutes away. The further restaurant is supposed to be better, but I'm not sure I want to walk if there is ANY chance of falling rain.

Looking online, there was a little place right on the main road about 1/2 km away, called Dos Amigos. When I got there there were about twenty men crowded into the main part of the restaurant watching football, their sport. So, I sat out on the terrace in the wind. I asked at the bar if food was available and the older lady said yes and pointed to the elder man that he would tell me. He did - there was fish or meat. Fish, I said. Swordfish? he asked. Yes, I nodded. A little while later, along came a little carafe of red wine, a basket of Portuguese bread, a platter with a big slab of fish, with a mix of fava beans, garlic and lemon on top, and then a bowl of creamy Portuguese spinach.

My goodness, was it ever good. All of it. Every last bite, and every last drop. I am guessing that the older couple are the owners of the place. Whether they have kids or not, I don't know. If not, what is to come of their excellent restaurant when they retire? They both looked to be about 80. They certainly have kept the tradition of excellent Portuguese food alive.

I waddled back to my room with the intention of bundling up under my blankets as I am still kind of cool and damp, added to by eating outside in the cold and windy evening. My fingers are crossed for a sunny and at least warmish day tomorrow.

Today's ride: 36 km (22 miles)
Total: 375 km (233 miles)

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