Pedro

Indeed, but I didn’t feel like that close an inspection

I didn’t know that!

Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind and call you up if passing.

No, almost raped!

Not really, I don’t really know that area on a bike, but the pyrenees and Mediterranean coast from there to you have some amazing places to ride through. @Tango certainly has a weather app on his phone and he probably knows what he likes regarding heat. If it gets too hot just have some water and point the bike somewhere else with a swimming pool. Regarding Pete, you can count on him to try and embarras you anyway he can!

Motorcycling in 5 months time's fuel costs

I want to do a couple of trips. One is getting on the bike and just going somewhere on small roads in good weather in summer, have no idea where though, or even if I'll venture away from Portugal much. Part of me wants to go somewhere new (new on a bike) like the Pyrenees and crossing France over to somewhere. What I'm feeling like it's time for is Morocco in September / October, but apart from getting my passport renewed for that eventuality I have no real preparations to do, nor fixed plans regarding dates. A bike service before going and that's it.

What a cool statue!

It's rained, and will probably continue through the weekend, I'm not going to complain because Portugal is on a serious draught, animals have no grass to eat, vegetables are being watered instead of rained on, and water reserves are quite low for the season. On top of that the forests are very dry and that usually means a catastrophe once summer comes. Can't see a couple of days of half rainy weather solving that but it's better than nothing. I won't be riding my bike or washing it, though have washed my jacket and will tend to the winter boots today, where is the Pete + washing machine smilie when I need it?

I did ask if that place had a one legged bloke working there and she said no!

Similar to that but with other stuff around the main brand, I don’t know where she lives, Dunhill or something like that, @Sofia? Her boyfriend is a Ducati addict and owns several.

My first ever ride wearing something like that, Bob. It was nice being cozy in colder weather and not worry about the rain, but on the other hand completely overkill off the bike and too hot walking around when sunny.

Sofia's very best friend came over from England to visit, and rented a bike for four days to go and see some of Southern Portugal. Sofia was going to take her on a short tour around Alentejo, there was warning of really bad weather, but still I decided to join for one day before going back up for work. Ended up aborting that plan and we spent a nice three days riding around. Screw work and long live motorcycles and good times! On a sunny but cold Sunday morning I set off from my place on my own, stopping for a breakfast expresso on my favourite place, Then rode into Alentejo on nice and empty roads, touring gently and enjoying the place, I had missed these more open spaces We were meeting up an hour's ride ahead, and I had some time to kill while the girls where picking up the rental bike and making their way to the meeting point, so I got off the main road and explored a little Found an amazing dirt road leading up to a small hotel and farm, I got a little excited and the day's top speed was certainly achieved on a straight dusty dirt road, that makes me quite happy These flowing corners made me wish for more aggressive tires, so that I could probably properly throw myself onto a tree playing Malcolm Smith Got to the agreed meeting point, had a snack consisting of a local typical chicken pastry and waited, and waited, and an hour later my company arrived: Barbara, used to Ducatis, quite enjoying the NC750's ease of ride and promptly declaring it the ideal rental bike for touring! I sat on it and think it's too low (as she does), it might have been a little lowered, I have no idea. After their midday snack, we rode off with the two best friends catching up ... on and on, relentlessly ... on the intercoms ... I took us to the castle at Arraiolos, which to me is one of the nicest views in the Alentejo region We then proceeded to Estremoz, our stay for the night, and I amused myself taking pictures of my rear view mirror, most of them out of focus but a couple of usable ones A stop to show Barbara a local winery, where a very small taste was had just before reaching the hotel A nice scenic road and we made it to the convent where we'd stay for the night The next day we had something to sort in Estremoz and that took all morning, which meant we left late. A stop for lunch near the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa was not avoided, though Quick stop by a famous dolmen... And then visiting the Castle of Monsaraz, which is nearby to where we'd stop for the day, didn't ride much at all that day but spirits were high: An aperitif was had at sunset while temperatures dropped, the cool fresh air had really opened my apetite. Showered and warm I fetched a little local cheese and wine, all they had in a period where tourists don't really pass here, and it was a result as we settled to see a cold Alentejo sunset before dinner We walked to a nice restaurant, converted from an old olive oil press room, and the food was amazing. I had (and shared) the octopus, it was declared unanimously delicious: The next day started with a cold morning. Stopping by a lookout of the Alqueva lake, here I am pondering my need to have brought proper touring pants as I was expecting lots of rain and cold, but happy for the sun. Quick stop in Mertola and I'm grinning at the prospect of the roads ahead of us. After the road crosses that river behind me in the picture it gets nice and fast, in my opinion you won't find a nicer 200km of tiny roads than what's ahead. Tarmac is dry, tires are good, sun is shining, prospect of being let lose on a nice road before a nice dinner and wines with a few laughs, etc... all that made for a happy Pedro I only stopped a couple of times, I have plenty of pictures of these roads from previous rides so only took a couple to catch the girls passing by. Barbara, being English and clearly used to a less brute civilization was pretty happy with the nice road surface, particularly the road markings (!!!), unlike my other favourite roads which lack these refinements and apparently are like farmers' track to a foreigner. Quick stop for water and deciding where to point our steeds for the night. A decision was made for Beja, trying to be within easy reach of Lisbon for the next early afternoon ... we did enjoy ourselves at dinner and Beja is a charming town to walk around searching for a restaurant. Sofia wanted to show off her favourite old bridge and again ride over something built more than 2000 years ago, so we did. It's still there and probably still will be long after electric motorcycles are finished when we'll all be riding martian plutonium powered bikes, those Romans and their slaves knew how to make a bridge: Here I am, acting as a guide and probably explaining the intricacies of roman ancient history and building bridges with rocks ... A german tourist was leaving just as we were arriving this place, and took our only group picture Couldn´t help but stop to check this out, someone converted an old dolmen and adapted it into the entrance of a chapel, I can't get mad at it although not the best conservationist effort ... Crossing the Ponte Vasco da Gama´s 12km length is a fine way to enter Lisbon, sadly, this meant returning the rental bike thus ending the trip. It had been a fun three days. After Barbara returned the Honda, I gave her a ride to Sofia's and proceeded to cook a nice dinner after going grocery shopping, it was a bit of a flop but out of sympathy and love they declared it a win. A lot of wine was consumed and a lot of reminiscing was done, I was amused with the realization of how small the world is when I spotted Barbara wearing a Luigi Moto jumper, isn't that where you work part time, @boboneleg? Earlier today I made my way north, by myself, and caught the only serious rain in the entire trip on the last 45 minutes before getting home. Here stopping to put winter gloves on in a rare moment of proficient motorcycling.

Doesn´t your son drive? If it's that easy to get out they won't depend on anyone, just get in a car and fuck off

One can assume that all of that secretary work stops once and if shit hits the fan, lets hope it doesn't.

30 minutes ago

Is it on purpose that there are crosses on her boobs? I used to have a friend who did one of those semesters away in university, in Edinburgh, he absolutely loved it.

Bet they don’t feel like 50/50 on wet roundabouts either, sometimes they feel ok if you’re just touring along happy as can be, other times they feel like they do everything poorly

It's no choice for a sane person given a choice!

Coca Cola? Smart choice High on sugars, though...

That Japan can mind their own business , UK and US political hypocrites of the highest order, for Switzerland it's just another business day, and for UAE it's just another day in paradise!

What a couple of boring resentful anti Rossi old bastards, you two are!

That's just lovely! Road tires? I'd ride * through those puddles on my TKC70s's. Those tires look like proper 50/50! *not on my own GS though, got to keep those shaft splines nice and dry except if crossing a flood to save my life

I’ll use that next time I see a castle, will sound proper smart! Cool ride report!

That is very civilized