Pedro

I see a bike with an aggressive road geometry like that and tires pretending to be offroad, and I instantly default to hate mode. Also, what's up with bigger diameter rear wheel, is this reality or is this just fantasy? Bloody hipsters!

Garlic doesn’t do that to me, or to most people in southern countries. Don’t know if it’s because of the way you cook it, but none of that here, I think.

My dinner was composed mainly of cuttlefish eggs, just to let you guys know.

Correction, old simpletons

You two are just a couple of simpletons

Nowadays, being good and gentle to others. Used to be going off on killing sprees accross the middle east

Welcome from Pedro, also known as Pedro

I do like Multistradas, a friend of mine has one with a stopped odometer after going past 100.000km, he bought it with 70, had an issue with the electronic suspension sorted under warranty but been happy with it all. No oil leaks, no problems whatsoever. Doesn't look like new, though

I say this as a joke towards the UK, but those guys go through hell. When Maria died I was put in a cell for a while before being questioned, and all other 6 or 7 guys where black dudes (proper dark black, from central Africa) having been caught trying to jump the border. I was living a nightmare, but even so managed to see the shambles they were in, most destitute people I have ever met. And even then, not knowing anything about me and half wearing ripped clothing in winter, a couple of them tried to comfort and support me.

Poor deluded fools, imagine the disapointment after months of walking accross Africa and risking their lives in a shoddy boat, enduring months of refugee camps, to end up in the uk.

A long time ago, spanish magazine La Moto put a fast rider on a DR650 on road tires, and compared it to a CRB600 on a stretch of road used for what can best be described as a mix of motorcycle hillclimb and wrc tarmac rally, they used to have that kind of racing back then. Result was pretty much a tie.

That's what makes a road interesting to me, gives it character. Nice going.

So last two to three days: Leaving Alcoutim we only have a very short ride to get to the sea, but instead I decide to cross the Algarve via inland hills to Sagres, check google maps where it is, as it's a special place for most Portuguese. First, we had a lot of nice mountain roads, I love riding on the hills in the Algarve We try to stop for fuel, get to the station and there is a sign saying "back by 10:00", it was 10 already so we went for an expresso at the local little cafe, run by a cool but loud old lady. Took the chance to buy a ham sandwich to have for lunch later. 15 minutes later, finishing our coffee and getting our sandwiches the fuel station guy comes to let us know he's going back to work, rural Portugal! And thus, we make our way to Monchique, getting used to nice roads now, Sofia was not happy to have roadworks and a detour via 4 or 5km of dusty track, made a mess out of her Triumph, here looking like a rally bike. Climbing high to get to Monchique, Algarve's highest point, we stop for lunch. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with a butter and ham sandwich, even to people with such weird tastes like you guys. Proceeded up the hill and had another expresso at what is arguably one of the best cafe vistas in Portugal. Didn't feel like riding away from the cool weather, plus I knew a great restaurant to go for dinner here, so booked into an old mountain hotel, quite rundown but friendly, and with a great swimming pool. Had a dip, and soaked up before going to dinner, getting the previous days' extreme heat out of my memory. My favourite thing after a ride in summertime, a cool glass of white wine at the end of the day Dinner was a great cress and orange salad, and some kind of pork cut I can't explain, deliciously cooked with fresh coriander, and mint rice. I had a blast, and drank WAY too much, so by the time I got to bed lights went out quite easily. We had such a great dinner, and enjoyed the mountain so much that it was decided to visit Sagres and come back for another night. Sofia took great joy in this as the Triumph isn't at all elegant with the big bag in the rear. Making our way past Odiaxere dam: Now the thing with Sagres is that it is the southwestern most point in Portugal, and Europe as well, this is where we used to have the school that trained master navigators and pilots that would venture around the world on boats, you need only to have a little bit of romance in your heart to feel a sense of adventure coming to this place. To help you, listen to this while you see the pictures, words won't mean anything to you, but this is probably the most portuguese of songs, about sailors missing home when out on sea. It's all about feeling, and that I'm pretty sure you can get from this: Entrance to the Sagres fortification, the tip of Portugal is behind it: Next visit was only 2 or 3km away, and probably my favourite building, it's the lighthouse at Cape Saint Vincent, pretty amazing place. Going back to Monchique, I decided to show Sofia a spot with some great ocean views, takes a little dust to get there though: And again, another cafe picture since that all I do, back in Monchique: Riding back to the hotel, I take a little offroad detour to take a picture of my bike higher than windmills, as it's not that common you can do that: Back in the pool. Let me tell you, a swimming pool or a dip in the ocean is something amazing after a bike ride in the summertime. Dinner that night was octopus and sweet potatoes, slowly fried in garlic and olive oil Day after, Sofia and I parted ways, she goes back home to work and I'll stay in the Algarve a few more days, in Faro to get some sun and salt water on my skin. Thing is, before going to Faro I needed to visit Sagres again. Sagres was my first trip with Maria when I first got the 1150GS, we came to the Algarve for my birthday, and rode down the coast in June. That was the first time I visited this bit of Portugal, and have loved coming here since then as you really get a feeling of adventure and history. However, the feeling I get when coming here is a huge amount of loss and grief, along with a good remembering of those days. So, I needed to come here alone, and I did. I had a good cry sitting there by myself, and I think I needed it as it cleared my mind a little bit. Going away with Maria for a week on my birthday was the highlight of my year, and now these dates are specially painful. A copule of hours later, rode along the Algarve's south coast to Faro, to meet up with my dad. Quick ride to the beach for 2020 first ocean dip, and then dinner on a very warm evening. Dinner was little clams, we call them "conquilhas" but I don't know the word in English for them. Cooked in a little white wine and coriander, with plenty of garlic, taste of the Algarve this is. Then, just to revolt you guys, fish eggs salad. Delicious and fresh. And this morning, back to the beach: So, this is it, the end of my ride around Portugal report. I got to see a lot of new things over the last week, and am a little in love with riding in my own country and my bike, also it's always good for me to be on the bike and on the move in days like these, hope you enjoyed it too.

I know how that feels, brother.

Can’t you just take the abs fuse off for offroad?

Isn’t the ABS disconnectable for off road?

Got that right @Grasshopper's Ride

Deal, it’ll be done properly!

Compile all pictures on the opening post, Pete, don’t be lazy!

There’s still time before june ends

Taken a few seconds ago

So, earlier today: Woke up to a warm morning in the Alentejo region, lets guess around 27º by breakfast time: After getting on the road, within some quick 30km or so we were on the Alqueva dam makes for the biggest artificial lake in Europe, with 250.000 square km. It's pretty bloody big. After having an expresso stop 30km after today's start, we stop for a few pictures on top of the dam, were we meet this cool older dude on a ride with his 46 year old 2 stroke 50cc Famel, stylish as hell. Another few kms south, and this is the spot where hills open up On a dirt road that I didn't remember being dirt, Sofia stoops while I go ahead and check the road to see if it's fine for the Triumph Here she comes Brief stop in Mertola From Mertola until Alcoutim we have just a few kms of great tarmac road, very smooth and a few twists. Managed to scrub a little of my tire off on the time After securing a nice swimming pool for the remainder of the afternoon, I settled to it. For dinner, some tapas and white wine next to the Guadiana river in Alcoutim, we had a friendly neighborhood dog come to ask for a little ham, which he got along with some nice bits of anchovies

He's going fast already, better get him some brakes.