April 26, 2022 - Praia de Mira to Figueira da Foz - Return to Cycle-OPOLIS (Tour 22) - 2022 🇵🇹

April 26, 2022

April 26, 2022 - Praia de Mira to Figueira da Foz

Heavy rain, strong headwind, rough roads and heavy traffic

Hotel - Marina Charming House, €47.50

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Just woke up to rain but looks to end very shortly. Now 820 am and raining quite hard - forecast now saying rain to stop at 1030am. I may drag my feet before I leave. Or should I say drag my pedals?

Though it did not matter to me because of the rain, when the host arrived a few minutes past 830 am he apologized. I was happily exploring the weather forecast and looking forward to the rain stopping before long. With breakfast ready I grabbed a few things to be sure I was 'energized' then got back to the room to pack up the rest oif my belongings. And yes, I know where things are now!

Breads, cakes, cheese, meat... delicious. -- Praia de Mira, Portugal

As I loaded up the bike it was cloudy out, but I could see the occasional patch of blue. The ground was wet but nothing was falling. After chatting with a German couple for a bit (they were also guests) I got rolling and my route took me back toward the beach but then veered around the lagoon along a dedicated bike path. This meandered around until the edge of town where I was along a bike path then an actual road, though a very quiet one.

I eventually came to a roundabout that had me go straight on through rolling grassy dunes with nothing but scrub brush. It seems all of the pines and eucalyptus had been cut down. This made things a bit desolate. In time the pavement deteriorated to the point that I had to make my way around the endless holes and crumbled parts - a lot like some of the back roads during the tour in Cuba. Then the wind started to pick up - straight into my face. Then it started to rain. Then it started to rain harder. Then I had to do a detour since some type of work was being done way up the road. All this time the route was arrow-straight so when I came to a rise I could see many km down the road to the next little rise in the road. The only things to break up the monotony were some type of house or office that were in ruins but once must have been quite nice, particularly when the trees were here.

I have no idea what these buildings were for, but I saw two or three of them in the same sorry state. -- near Praia de Mira, Portugal

I forgot to mention the other monotony-breakers. There were quite a few wind turbines here. Did I say that it was windy? -- near Praia de Mira, Portugal

This was the quality of EV1 for many kilometres. Crumbling asphalt (which I don't mind), arrow-straight, trees all cut down and the wind blasting straight into my face. -- near Praia de Mira, Portugal

Because of the detour, I was no longer following the EV1 exactly so I was not completely sure of my route. I set the guest house as my destination so the GPS could guide me, and guide me it did. To a farmer's field with two ruts running through the wet fields. Nope.

I could hear traffic ahead and when I checked the map I could see a bigger road over to my left so followed that instead. The rain got heavier. I rolled onto a well-paved but fairly busy highway, though there was a decent margin at the side so I followed that. The rain got heavier.

I kept plugging along but was getting pretty tired by now. There was quite a climb so I had the bike in the lowest gear and kept stopping to rest as up I climbed. When I crested the top of the climb the GPS directed me onto a smaller road and suddenly there was no traffic at all. Aaaaahhhh! Then I found out why I had been getting so tired. For quite a long while I must have been climbing because I had the longest downhill that wound all over the place as it led me down into central Figueira da Foz. Definitely a good test of my brakes! They passed.

I wasn't sure what time it was but I had messaged the guesthouse this morning saying I would likely arrive some time around 12 noon or 1 pm. I was kind of hungry so when I saw a cafe right across from a pretty city park I pulled right up to the tables and plunked down. Of course now the sun was coming out and it was quite warm out, whereas I had been chilled any time I had stopped earlier in the day. Checking the time, I found it was exactly 1 pm. I had a few snacks and rested, then went the last 300m to my guesthouse which overlooked the marina (thus the name).

I sat and enjoyed my snacks with the park right across the road. With the sun now out, it was beautiful sitting there and drying off. -- Figueira da Foz, Portugal

Having seen the photos online I knew the area once I got to it so it was easy to find the guesthouse. I stepped up to the doorway and the owner came over to the door to open it and ushered me and my bike inside and to place the bike into a locked courtyard within the building. Then she checked me in and up I came to this beautiful little room with views through the trees out to the water. I popped the window open and now have a nice fresh ocean breeze coming in.

Having done only a quick wash on things, I did a good cleaning of my gear and hung it to dry. It felt so good to be out of my wet clothing! Arriving a bit late and doing all this took time so by the time I was out looking for lunch it was past 230 pm so everything was pretty well closed. Even two listings that said they would still be open... were not. One is permanently closed and the other is not open today. Whereas I had been looking forward to fish, I ended up having more of a snack because nothing was open. I had a seafood tosta and potatoes. The tostas here are basically a mini pizza on toast. Tasty, but not what I was looking for. It did hit the spot though.

I was starting to get a bit tired so wandered back along the promenade to my guesthouse where suddenly it is 522 pm. Where on earth did the day go?

I'll see how hungry I am tonight but either way, I am going to have a nice fish meal for lunch tomorrow since this city is known for its fish.

The nice view out to sea from my guest house. -- Figueira da Foz, Portugal.

Typical Portuguese style of architecture. -- Figueira da Foz, Portugal.

Seaside just up the street from my guesthouse. -- Figueira da Foz, Portugal.

Today's ride: 42 km (26 miles)
Total: 175 km (109 miles)

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