51km / 2 hours 23 min / 507m gain

(For my reference: Komoot estimated 1 hour 44 min and 400m gain (assuming road bike speeds, I guess))

It was a very easy ride today.

It rained last night, so I decided to stay on the road today (which is a much faster ride). I don’t want to deal with the mud, and I don’t have a spare belt in case this one breaks. There were few cars since I was in the middle of nowhere and on back country roads. I kept my jacket on all day because of the icy wind with this cold front.

I am staying in a small village, so I biked another 5k to find a gas station grocery store to stock up on food. I managed to find a car wash and cleaned up my bike.

I am taking Thursday off, so hopefully, things will dry up. However, the weather doesn’t make that look likely, and Friday is currently forecast for rain. We shall see.

What else?

• I randomly stopped at this Church, which was very pretty with many relics…
• I think I saw a fox, but it could have been a cat (its legs went piter pater, though).

63km / 4 hours 13 min / 461m gain

(For my reference: Komoot estimated 4 hours 59 min and 420m gain (without mud))

Today was intense!

Last night, I slept like a baby. I was overlooking the Douro River, and the hotel was comfy. It drizzled for the entire evening. I had super intense dreams.

Unfortunately, the rain created some mud, which was like super glue due to this region and made for some very intense moments today.

I had to stop and scrape mud from the bike several times, and my back wheel slid out a few times (luckily, I caught myself). My belt came off 3 or 4 times, which has never happened. I think the mud and small stones were putting pressure on it.

Then my belt broke just 4km from my end stop.

I think the mud and pebbles got between the belt and gear, which had too much pressure and snapped. It has been on my bike for around 4 years and lasted far longer than it was supposed to (I think they are rated for 10,000km, and I’ve done more than 2.5x that).

I carry a spare belt with me, just in case. I need to clear the mud better for future mud sessions and walk the bike if the stones are getting between the gears and belt.

I tried to put on the belt out in a field, but I’d never done it before and couldn’t figure it out. I decided it was better to walk and roll to the endpoint and do it there. About 2km from that point, it started raining on me, lol!

I reached the little rural apartment and found a faint 4g signal for some YouTube tutorials. I didn’t realize the frame came apart to get the belt in the right area. Seven screws later, it is fixed!

I am worried that I stripped one of the little screws, though (a problem for future Ben). I also no longer have a spare belt, which might be a problem for future Ben. Why can’t we make better screws that don’t strip so easily?

What else?

• I surprised a pretty big deer.
• Some little quail birds ran along the path.
• I had so much mud flinging up by the wheels that it went in my nose, mouth, ear, and eye.
• So many beautiful views and wine fields today.
• So quiet out here… my mind feels relaxed.
• My energy levels were finally at 100% today, even if my butt is sore.

I stopped in Guzman, Spain, tonight!

It is so tiny that there are no grocery stores or food options. I only have carrots and nuts, so I wandered in case I missed something. I stumbled upon an artisan store that told me to ring the doorbell, and I did!

A lovely man and his wife came out to open it up for me. He is Portuguese and from Porto (close to where I live). He runs a restaurant in the next village and is a Sommelier. Next thing I know, he is having me try some delicious vermouth he brews and a glass of local port-style wine he makes (and his wife gave me two amazing cookies).

He told me that the town is famous because of a book and showed me the book. I kept thinking Guzman sounded familiar, and I realized I had seen the book in several Shepherd articles and maybe the NYT a while back about this famous cheese from here. The book is called The Telling Room (bought on my Kindle).

I walked out of the beautiful artisan store with a bottle of local wine,  two packages of the famous cheese, local sheep pate, and local jam. Plus his wife was kind enough to offer to drop me off some bread later today after she gets back from the store, so kind!

Great stop! The cheese and wine are so good!!!

46km / 2 hours 35 min / 101m gain

(For my reference: Komoot estimated 3 hours 11 min and 100m gain)

It was an easy ride today; I got an early start, so it was much cooler. The route was as fantastic as yesterday. I did have one spot where the path disappeared, but I found a detour a few blocks away.

70km / 3 hours 45 min / 408m gain

(For my reference: Komoot estimated 4 hours 33 min and 330m gain)

Lindsey and Calico drove me to the start of my route this morning. It was weird to have an audience, as I usually start my rides solo!

We got a late start with breakfast and checkout, so I didn’t get going until 1130am. It was a beautiful sunny day, although a bit hot (UV of 7).

The route was 90% gravel and FANTASTIC!

The perfect trail for adventure. There were tons of fast, smooth gravel, random sand pits, double track with overgrown bushes blocking the way, large chunky routes where I had to go very slow, and everything in between. A lot of very careful lines so that I didn’t fishtail out of control as parts of the path went from gravel to sand.

Spain is such a beautiful country… I wish we could live here!!! I have to come back to more of Spain for gravel routes, as the roads are amazing (just look at the pictures below).

I went past plenty of wine today, fields of different veggies and wheat, and lots of scrubland. I didn’t see any snakes today, but I did see 3 huge fish in the river that were probably 2.5 to 3 feet long.

My route today ended near Valladolid.

I am staying above a bar in a small town (only 25 euros a night).

For my end-of-ride lunch at said bar, I had Havana Club 7 (thanks to Laura for introducing me to my favorite rum!), a coke, morcilla (I love blood sausage), tortilla, and some bread (picture below). Life is good!

Before I left, I had to fix a few things on my bike…

• My rear hub was broken, so I replaced that before I left (huge thank you to the local store for that work). The new hub feels so much better and there is a very long story there. Hopefully the spokes are all good, he checked the tension on Friday and fixed a few.
• My rear tire was worn out, so I replaced it. I also swapped the front tire just to have some extra grip, given the high amount of gravel I am doing. I will swap the front tire back when I get home until it wears out.

How did I train for the ride?

Because I decided to do this last minute, I didn’t get as much training time as I would like. Even worse, I got sick twice in this period (which didn’t help).

• Week 1 – 9 hours and 40 minutes of riding.
• Week 2 – 5 hours and 8 minutes.
• Week 3 – 2 hours and 27 minutes. Only one ride in Bordeaux over Spring Break as things got crazy.
• Week 4 – Then zero rides… I got a cold the last week in Bordeaux.
• Week 5 – 6 hours 39 minutes.
• Week 6 – 9 hours 21 minutes (2x 3+ hour rides)
• Week 7 – 10 hours 48 minutes (3x 3+ hour rides)
• Week 8 – 5 hours 36 minutes. I got sick after a 4.5-hour ride on Monday. I think Calico gave me his chest infection, but luckily, we are both well now.
• Week 9 – Around 6 hours of training. I kept it light as I was exhausted. I started my bike tour on Sunday.

What did I pack? 

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This was on my list to do before we moved, and I finally finished the full thing today! Woohoo!

What is it? It is a 49km long rail-to-trail conversion between Viseu and Santa Comba Dão. This trail is my daily ride, and I am pretty spoiled.

I did 101km in 4 hours and 36 minutes with 619m of elevation gain (there and back). I took it nice and slow as I have been training and just trying to get a lot of hours in my bike seat.

I realized that if I want to do a bike tour, I need to do it now, so I will take a trip across Spain in mid-May (we are moving this summer, plus we are visiting family in the USA).

I will start in Salamanca and bike across Spain, through Zaragoza, up around the corner of the Pyrenees to a small town called Ille sur Têt (in France). The weather should be cooler, which will help, given Spain’s intense summer heat.

What are the stats?

• ~1,050km
• ~8,500 meters up and 9,310 down.
• The route I’ve mapped should be 70% gravel and 30% pavement. Hopefully, the gravel is a little more defined than in France, as I found myself hiking through random forests with no path a few times in France (not to mention the field routes that didn’t always work out). But that is also part of the adventure!
• I will do it over ~17 days of riding. I will try something new this year where every 5th day is a rest day and see if that balances me out. I get so excited that I overdo it in the first 7 to 10 days.

Training?

Because of the late start and dates I was confined within, I didn’t get as much training as I would like. It would have been better if I had not gotten a cold over our Bordeaux spring break. It won’t be as bad as my Portugal Camino tour in 2021. And I’ve got two more weeks to train, so hopefully, I can get to a good spot.

Why Ille sur Têt?

There is a fantastic French bike company that is based there. I will do a bike fitting with them for a custom frame for a new bike (gravel)! Then I will take the train with my bike to Bordeaux, finish signing on our new house, park my bike there, and fly back to Porto to organize the move. Huzzah!

As it warms up, I am trying to do more weekend adventures with Calico (and I am trying to do a better job in Winter to get us both excited about suiting up and going outside). We went on a nearby trail ride I found on All Trails, did some climbing, saw a snake, and talked. It was fantastic!

I love this bike!

I’ve put over 22,000km on this bike in the last 4 years, and it has been rock solid.

What tours have I done with it?

• Our 2020 European road trip
• My 2021 Camino Portuguese tour
• My 2022 Via Francigena Italy tour.
• My 2023 Bordeaux to Paris to Mont St. Michel tour

Plus, all my day-to-day rides. I’ve taken it on gravel as much as possible and done some pretty insane routes through fields and forests on tours.

The back hub did crack slightly last year. The Tout Terrain guys said there was a structural problem with the design, and I bought a much stronger replacement from them. Otherwise, it has been problem-free.

I got it equipped with a Pinion P1.18 (internal gearing), and I hope never to use a chain again. Internal gearing is the best! I just have to swap the oil once a year, and it is such an easy setup. I’ve used the same Kevlar belt for 4 years, and it might have another 4 years in it.

The only thing I’ve changed is added a Thudbuster ST seat post, swapped in new puncture-resistant tires, removed the front rack, and switched the seat a few times.

I highly recommend their bikes; pretty amazing touring bikes.

62km / 3 hours 14 minutes / 393m gain

Great ride beautiful rail path that was surreal. I do not have many other notes as I forgot to write this a few nights ago.

54km / 3 hours 0 minutes / 674m gain

Easy ride today, although more up and down.

The geography has changed to more frequent hills and forests. The last 20km was through one of the most beautiful forests I’ve been in. It ended in this magical spa town with a lake that might be where Lancelot was born (per Wikipedia and per one version of the legend). This spa town feels special and has a special feel to it. Very quiet and peaceful.

I had an amazing rhubarb pastry for breakfast. And when I walked into the bakery, they had a 3 pile high of American-style burgers; super weird, but I had one, and even though it was cold, it was delicious. For lunch, I found a Moroccan place.

When I get into my accommodations every day, the first thing I do is wash my riding clothes out in the sink. If I can, with hot water and soap. Then, I hang them up to dry for the next day. And then, when I do a longer stop for a few days in an Airbnb, I wash them in a washer.

Notes for future trips:

• The jackets were crucial even in summer. I would be so much colder without them. I had to put one on today.
• The bivvy might have been worth a pack; small chance I got stuck somewhere cold with an injury even in August.
• Only one pair of athletic shorts is just fine. I don’t need to bike in them if needed.
• 3 pairs of socks are nice; if I must, I could do 2. They dry super fast.
• It would be nice to look at a Patagonia snap-up shirt. I am not sure they fit me, but something like that would be a good replacement for my t-shirt.
• I really want some shoes made for walking/hiking on my trips. Especially for historical focus. Maybe I can try some really light Nike ones and see how they feel. I think I can fit those in my bags and not add too much weight.

Weather is crazy good this week :)

In April, Calico and I did a father/son bike weekend in Northern Portugal. We had a blast, and I wanted to plan out his first overnight bike tour while we were in France. We found a nearby converted rail trail called the Sarlat Voie Verte. It was perfect, as he is too young to deal with cars.

Day 1 – He covered 36km in ~ 2 hours 50 minutes. He even rode a few km on a pretty busy road with cars (I was nervous and took most of the lane so he would be safe). We stayed in a beautiful gite with a swimming pool, and he got to practice his swimming (doing great). And he made some British friends at the local town we walked to for dinner (they made plans to meet next year same town).

Day 2 – After we stopped at a bakery on the way out of town, we rode 21km in 1 hour 47 minutes. And met Lindsey at our pickup point :).

While Lindsey and Calico head to the U.S.A., I plan to do a bike tour along the EV3 route from Bordeaux to Paris and then at Paris to turn and head to Mont St. Michael on the Veloscenic cycle route.

The route is estimated to be around 1,300km and ~6,700m of climbing (last year’s bike tour was 999km and 11,000m). I’ve got 31 days total (including breaks), and I still need to map things out a bit (last year was 18 riding days with an average of 56km each riding day).

I am currently training; I’d like to be in as good shape as I was for the Italy trip. I didn’t get as much notice, so we shall see how it all comes together. I am nervous as this will be in August, so I hope to avoid terrible heat waves (cue global warming’s deep, maniacal laughter).

Montpellier is a beautiful town, I hope to come back when it is a bit warmer. We’ve had a nice stay here this week, and it has been nice to have some bread treats here. It was also cool to see real flamingos out in the water!

I did not get as much training in as I would like for this upcoming September bike tour.

Part of that is because I didn’t know when Lindsey and Calico were heading for a grandparent visit and partially work. Work was very intense as I tried to get everything in place and it is always hard to leave when you are a small team of 2. I also hurt my back about 10 days before leaving… and had to get a lot of rest in (partly due to a huge screw up by a bike shop, they installed a part backward… and partly me as I had a fun day at the beach and was throwing Calico and his friend Benjamin in a way that was bad for my back injury).

I do think that I am better prepared than on my first bike tour though. This is good as this is going to be a MUCH harder route with a ton of climbing.

I am planning to bike up a Camino Interior route to Santiago, then back down along the Camino coast route, and then a “quick” hop over to Viseu. The route is around 900km, not counting the missed turns, and kilometers to find a hotel or campsite depending on what I do. The route also has 15,000 meters of altitude gain. Most of that is in the first stage. The Camino Interior route is known to be rough, so there will be times I’ll have to walk my bike up 20% grades, and hopefully, the path isn’t so overgrown. It will be an adventure which is what I am after :)

On the bike tour I did in 2018 I averaged 65km a day at a pace of 3 hours and 20 minutes of ride time (over 18 days with 2 break days). But, I also didn’t have much climbing as a huge part of the ride was on a canal path. I only climbed 2,800m versus 15,000m on this upcoming trip…

On this trip, I am blocking out 21 days and seeing how it goes. My little Komoot bike planning tool estimates if I spend 4 hours in the saddle it will take 19 days… if I bump my rating up to “Athletic” on their little tool it goes to 15 days. So we shall see :)

Training plan?

For my first bike tour here are the 3 months leading up to it:

Apr – 9 biking days / 173 km / 11 Hours / 0 rides over 30 Miles
May – 12 biking days / 400 km / 25 Hours / 3 rides over 30 Miles
Jun – 13 biking days / 508 km / 26 Hours / 5 rides over 30 Miles

Here are the 3 months leading up to this current tour:

Jun – 18 Biking Days / 320km / ~28 Hours / 3 rides over 50km
Jul – 17 Biking Days / 324 km / ~28 Hours / 3 rides over 50km
Aug – 13 Biking Days / 554 km / ~32 Hours / 7 rides over 50km.

I feel pretty good about the long rides, as I ride much further than I did for the first tour which is going to help. For example, here were my long rides in those months:

Jul- 67km, 70km, 81km…
Aug – 47km, 63km, 70km, 50km, 71k , 72km

What would I change if I could go back? (and for next time)

In June/July I would have like to have been doing 3 rides a week, each 3+ hours long. That would have helped get more time in the seat. And, then in August, I could have bumped that up to 4 rides a week, each 3 to 4.5 hours long (as then the leap to aiming for 6 to 7 days in the seat doing 3 to 4 hours would have felt easier). Oh well, that is also part of the adventure :)…