September 9, 2022
Out and Back from Sebutal
Sebutal
What a difference a day makes! Breakfast at our hotel was amazing. Served in the attached café we were given freshly squeezed orange juice, scrambled eggs, a gigantic breakfast sandwich and a huge yogurt with fruit and granola. Cappuccinos as well of course. My breakfast sandwich was neatly tucked away for later…except I forgot it in the pannier at the hotel when we headed out to ride.
We started out north towards Arrábida Natural Park. The beachfront in Setubal is beautiful and we rolled (and rattled on the cobbles) admiring the boats and the views.
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We managed exactly 8 km of up and down and I was really getting into the rhythm when the CN spotted ice cream. Obligatory stop! I was still so stuffed from the huge breakfast provided by the hotel that I couldn’t eat a thing. Well, truth in reporting, I did have one bite.
Shortly after the ice cream Keith had a close encounter with a bus. The driver had given me lots of room, Keith too, at the front of the bus, but he swung back into his lane too soon from our perspective. The back of the bus missed Keith, but not by much. Way too close to be comfortable. We like to think he knew what he was doing. Not sure though. Certainly all the drivers we encountered, with that exception, were fabulous, all day.
The scenery was simply over the top. Today’s ride, unlike yesterday’s, will be right up there in my favourite rides list. Once we entered the park, the traffic, which hadn’t been that bad anyway, completely disappeared. There were very few cars from that point on. It was quiet, gorgeous, deliciously warm and so much fun. Some climbing, but with the reward of the views and the swoop down to the bottom of the next climb. It wasn’t a long ride…there was a fair amount of time spent at beaches and at unofficial look outs. One of the joys of bike touring for us is that you can pretty much stop anywhere you like to soak in the view.
We considered going further up into the park away from the water and doing a loop back to Sebutal, but the coast was so beautiful and if we simply reversed, the water was now on our side of the road, the ocean breeze was cooling and now going our way, and so we just turned around and headed back the way we came. It was breathtaking riding, and I don’t mean the hills, I mean the coastline. We also decided to turn around when we did because of the sheer number of cars in the parking lots at the many beaches. We figured they would all start heading for home or hotel soon and decided to get off the road ahead of them.
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After returning to the hotel we discovered why the traffic disappeared. No vehicles allowed in the park except taxis, buses and Uber. What a fantastic concept. So much quieter and more civilized.
We have just returned from an amazing evening. We started out at a small bar in the pedestrian area having a beer (Keith) and a glass of wine (me). Then we wandered down at the appropriate hour to the restaurant that the lovely Marta from last night’s hotel had recommended. It was hopping, but she said anything in the vicinity of the marina would be good, so we chose a spot. What luck. The owners, brothers, were both born in Winnipeg. Seriously. Both played hockey growing up. Both were larger than life personalities and the commonalities between us had all four of us in stitches. We put ourselves firmly in their capable hands and had a divine meal. Fresh dorado, grilled, salad, potatoes, cheesecake. Incidentally, on top of an amazing meal, the best cheesecake we have ever had. And did we take pictures? Nope, not a single one. Oops. Too busy enjoying the moment. We wish we had some pictures. It is impossible for me to describe the fun we had.
So what a glorious day it has been. We are feeling so lucky. I mean, seriously, how often would one run into someone who has even heard of Winnipeg in Setubal?
Our oldest son sent us a quote referencing yesterday’s ride. “Adventure begins where certainty ends”. I like it. It will be my new mantra.
Today's ride: 29 km (18 miles)
Total: 124 km (77 miles)
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