Pedro

Went for a nice walk with Costa, now for the rest of the day I’ll do nothing except clean the cars windows, buy some tshirts and shorts online, and a deck chair as well so I can get mauled by mosquitoes next time I’m back home and decide to sit outside at sunset

I think any vehicle deserves more respect than that

I love small train stations like those, it's a good thing they're restored. Here, there was a movement a while ago to renovate old train stations and make them nicer to use instead of just replacing the buildings with soulless modern affairs. Great idea it was, too. Some, not in use anymore, were even converted to restaurants and guesthouses, which I guess is great unless you're sleeping and a freight train passes at 3AM ? I thought of taking a few pictures of stuff like that yesterday, as the train tracks along the Douro are the most picturesque in Portugal, but couldn't be bothered ?

Amazing stuff, thanks!

This might be a little repetitive, but if you like vineyard pictures this a good one. Around 9AM left home, 20 minutes later I take the small road along the northern bank of the Douro river, the N108, moving inland away from Porto. It's a nice 20º and I'm glad I brought a long sleeve t-shirt as a mid layer. First stop, to make a phone call, the river mist is starting to clear A few meters ahead I realize there was a much nicer place to take the same picture, so I stop again feeling a little foolish to do so This isn't amazing scenery yet, but what is so great is that it is a nice road to ride, and this place must be about 20km from the center of Porto, which is Portugal's second biggest city. No chance of enjoying the road like this on a weekend, though, as it's full of bikes and cars coming here to meet for a coffee, and that takes away from having the road to yourself. Further inland, in Baião, we start to reach the Douro wine region: Mesão Frio, and there is nothing but vines all over the place. The Douro is the first demarcated wine region in the world, they´ve been making wine here since before the Romans arrived. Around 10km to Régua, maybe, the main town in this area. Didn't take any pictures of Régua, but you're not missing much, it's a nice enough place but not really photogenic from this side of the river. After, between Régua and Pinhão, my goal for lunch, if you take the nacional road on the south bank it'll take you 20 minutes but I decide to take the really small roads on the northern bank even though I have to move a little away from the river. It was a nice choice as those were my favourite roads of the day, really enjoyed my bike there. The Chapel of São Leonardo da Bafaruda, nice and small, surrounded by trees and cool shade in a place that is unbelievably hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Hence the nice grapes. It's got some view behind it: This is a nice enough place, deserving of bringing lunch from home just for a picnic. Maybe an idea for the autumn with some chorizo and cheese. Made my way to Pinhão, amazingly fun roads, very narrow but with good tarmac, although with enough dusty and gravelly corners to make it interesting. Went past a few of the vineyards from the best wine makers, extremely well maintained and pretty. Apart from producing wine they use the farms as luxury restaurants and hotels so they should keep them looking pristine. No pictures of any of that, this detour took a little longer than expected and I was hungry When I get to Pinhão it's getting warm enough, at around 30º. I'm proper hungry and hot, and I forgot my mask so as I'm rolling into town wondering if I'll find a nice place to sit on some shade, I take the first chance I get: Daily specials were perch or mutton stew, given my effort to slim down and how hot it was, I went for the grilled perch with some fresh salad instead of potatoes, not the most amazing fish as daily specials are usually made to a budget, but it was grilled to perfection and juicy, and suited the ride perfectly. I couldn't say no to their polite offer of some cold white wine, but instead of a small jar I asked for just a glass. After eating, I lingered for a while, enjoying a second small glass because after riding through one of the world's best wine regions, it would be just rude not to. Try to take a picture of the eagle that had just catch a fish, and failed miserably, you get the scenery though. Riding back I am feeling sorry for having brought my gore tex jacket. It's not a proper warm jacket but only good up to around 25º. This is the first time I use it in warm weather so now I know. My summer jacket is 300km away at home. On the way back I stop at a hotel I stayed once before, but that time in a cold February drive with Maria, and wished I had brought a change of clothes and shorts as what I really felt like was checking into somewhere with a swimming pool and stay there. On the way back I returned by the south bank of the river. This is meant to be Portugal's best driving and riding road, but I fail to see why. Also, I start getting a LOT of polen alergies, sneezing horribly, congested sinus, the works. Having no mask I choose not to be a twat and avoid going to a pharmacy and freak everyone out by sneezing uncontrollably with no mask ? , but there are no pictures of the return ride either. Getting home, after a shower I start writing this and fall asleep on the sofa, to be waken by a call from my mate David who has already gotten some nice steaks for the grill and asking if I'll take long, so I am quick to get there and only return home by 3AM ? It was a nice day.

I have spent the day riding, and got pretty affected by polen clergies now at the end of the day, so am resting a little bit before going to dinner at a friend's house. On the weekend I think I will do very little, it's getting warmer and I don't like warm riding around here, plus my summer jacket is home, 300km away ? I think it'll be a weekend of playing with Costa and little else.

Good stuff @Tym, I am very curious as to american home made food, most Europeans think it’s shit but my theory is that good home cooked food is good anywhere

Mac and cheese is plain wrong! I assume you’re talking macaroni. Meatloaf, then, if forced to choose with a gun to my head

Am I seeing the original news post after our conversation?

I want to be able to do that, Pete, coment before someone makes a post. Or are you god? "No time to die" is also a great name describe the time you spend it an portuguese Triumph dealership waiting for an "expert"'s opinion on what's wrong with your bike and a justification on why they won't proceed with your warranty claim.

If I were to buy a Japanese bike today to have along with the GS, it would either be a Kawasaki GTR, a Yamaha T700, or a Kawasaki Z900. I mean the pretty Z900 with the nice paint and cushy seat, not the Z900 that looks like it was taken out of an apocalypse zombie movie.

Let's not start to post the undercacks picture again, it's taken a decade for the internet to forget it!

I've never been to wales, but "hard blokes" could have two meanings!

As the topic creator and idea giver, I think it's fair to say I'm not against a two or three night stay, but I'm sleeping in a hotel room regardless of weather season. I say this with warranted alarm, since I've been presented with pictures and video evidence of what you brits consider a "rally" and I do not wish to partake in winter sleeping in a muddy field with no access to toilets or complimentary breakfast, nor summer sleeping in a hot tent with no AC in the Andaluz summer. Adventuremotorcycles.net first meet must be a class act in which I drunkly stumble to my slumber in comfort. ?

That notoriously powerful UK sun puts most products to the test for sure.

Most of us have our favorite manufacturers of motorcycles, I tend to like BMWs with boxer engines, most Hondas, Harleys, Kawasakis, KTM and Husqvarna offroad bikes, some Ducatis, etc, I appreciate most non chinese brands. What I am curious is about what bike brands wouldn't you buy? Although I like Sofia's bike, I think I wouldn't buy a Triumph, I dislike their dealers here in Portugal, BOTH of them, and to be honest some details in their bikes just seem to rub me off the wrong way.

Nice trip, nice people and nice food. Monza is a crazy track as well, but would rather be in a car than on a bike there.

I forget very little, my memory works very peculiarly. I remember a conversation, the moment itself, the dogs, etc, but can't remember if it was 5 years ago or 15 years ago.

I remember him from my lesson in Spain a few years ago. Pete sat me down with Rottweilers keeping me in check, gave me a cup of tea with milk in it and proceeded to lecture me on why this guy was the greatest ever. Motocross tires for racing on ice against blokes with studded tires, guy was a legend.

Bruce, to lighten things up, you'll be moving into what is officially a Yacht ?

That must be hell on the kid, Bruce, it's a real shame he's going through that but I don't think that wouldn't happen in other countries.

Word

Good job

I don't get why would you get along with another brit just because they're from the same place as you. I'm sure that when you lived in the uk you weren't walking down the road saying hello and being best mates with everyone, so why would you do it there? Same thing with bikers, I don't get why some people think all bikers are friends and like each other. There are twats using all sorts of vehicles.

Nice gesture.