Twist and shout

Today's ride took us northwest to Porto. Last year this had been a miserable ride in the rain and we had used the motorway to save time. The forecast was for blue skies, but as we packed the bikes there was a thick blanket of radiation fog lying in the valley below.

As we started our ride descended into the fog. Its damp chill made me wonder if I should have put my fleece on. There was no time to worry about the cold as the roads opened up with sweeping bend after bend.

Eventually we broke out of the top of the mirk and I took a track to gain some extra height and take a picture of the fog laying like a roll of cotton wool in the creases of the landscape.

By the time we stopped for coffee the day was warming rapidly so I filled my Camelbak. Julian warned us that the next section was very twisty with tricky cambers. Julian hustled us to finish our drinks and I dropped into position three as we headed for the hills.

The road was amazing. Bends of every shape and size all covered in superbly grippy flawless asphalt. The constant acceleration, braking and flicking the bike from side to side soon had the arms aching.

After around 50 miles we stopped for fuel, all of us wearing ear to ear smiles. Getting back on the bike I tried to take a drink from my Camelbak only to discover it wasn't there. I'd left it at the coffee stop!

Knowing where the hotel was in Porto I said I'd meet the guys later and turned round. I'd just have to do all the bends again, twice! :-) The knobbly tyres were going to get really hot and sticky. It's amazing how much road grip they actually give.

I made it to the hotel at 6 and grabbed a qick shower before hitting the town with the boys for an authentic Portugese meal. I didn't bother with the pigs ears!

A few beers bird watching on the riverside rounded off a cracking day.