Trapped in Ourense

The destination today is Ourense and I finish most of the cycling just after lunchtime when the temperatures are hitting 32C. I had thought that northern Spain would not have this intense heat in June, but it is proving difficult to bike in these conditions.

It's a tough day with more than 1400m elevation in 32C weather. It forces me to think about subsequent days which will be more mountainous and even more hot.... in the end choosing to ride the train to Pamplona. 

I wild camp near the town and ride to the train station that next morning, where I am informed that the direct train today to Pamplona is booked out. I guess this is a sign that I should explore the town. 

Ourense is the "capital of hot springs" but it seems like they are all open after the first week of June. I cool down swimming in the river along with some of the locals. 

The road infrastructure here is very car-centric, like most of Spain. However, there are lovely bike paths along the river on both sides. Cycling here seems to be very uncommon. 

Porto to Vigo and back into Spain

Once I have booked my ticket north and back into Spain, everything goes smoothly. Bicycles are accepted without the need to dismantle them and with no surcharge. The train to Porto is fully booked and I get talking to someone who tells me that any resident of Portugal can pay 20€ per month for intercity travel anywhere in Portugal, since last October. I guess this partially explains the full train, although the majority are tourists. 

The international train to Spain is somewhat old and has only a handful of people, despite it being the only train today. It's got the groovy reversible seat system, so that you can always be facing forward. 

I arrive in Vigo in the evening and ride towards my next destination, Ourense. I find a quiet spot to pitch my tent deep in a forest. 

Lisbon stopover

That northerly wind just does not let up in Portugal. I don't remember it being so intense last year on my way up the coast, but this year I have the option to use my Interrail ticket to bypass headwinds: feels a bit like cheating to be honest. I decide to travel back to Spain by train. However my travel is delayed a day when I discover that the trains are full between Lisbon and Porto. Luckily finding accommodation in Lisbon is pretty easy and I opt for a hostel. 

Lisbon sure is hilly but biking around the slow-moving traffic is one of the better ways to see the city. I spend the evening at a MeetUp event watching an independent movie in a fancy hotel , enjoying "green" wine - this is fresh white wine with a natural soft fizz. 

The hostel is far better than my recent campsite experience... kitchen, bed, less traffic noise. The only downside is no safe spot to lock my bike overnight. It proves difficult to get to sleep when my bike is locked on the street in front of the hostel. 

I feel very relieved the next day when I find my bike, with all its bits present, where I left it. 

Fojo da Andraga/ Colares

A terrible campsite experience in Ericeira - looked like a giant car park, no kitchen, rock hard camp spot with no wind shelter, next to busy road, locked out after midnight - I am looking for a better sleeping solution the next day. Alan proposes the floor in his hotel room, with the bonus of an included breakfast the next day... a touch of luxury, sure, why not?

The ocean temperature is 17C, so I just hang out on the beach, but don't test the waters. I find it difficult to know how to spend my day here in Ericeira. There are lots of surf shops, fancy cafes and ice cream parlours, but no real Portuguese culture left here.... I hear Irish accents on the street more than any other. I also am used to traveling most days so I get itchy feet/ scratchy pedals after more than one day in a spot. 

Time to move on. I get invited to an ecological retreat on Warm Showers and decide to head there the next day as it is on my way to Lisbon. 

However when I get to Colares, my hostess does not confirm when I can arrive and I am forced to spend a night near the beach of Fojo da Andraga: inconvenient, but wild camping possibilities abound. It allows me another opportunity to enjoy a magnificent sunset on the coast. 

Ericeira - Rendezvous with some old pals

I plan to get to Ericeira as early a possible in order to get a place on the campsite. Although it is a hill infested day, it is only 100km and with a tailwind, none too strenuous. 

Ericeira is full of expats wanting the beach lifestyle and Portuguese speed of life. It is quite gentrified with building sprawling outward from the picturesque inner town. 

Nazaré

This tail wind sure is coming in handy and completing 120km today is easy.

I meet a fellow biker from Luxembourg, but we depart ways at the crazy bridge at Figueroa da Foz.... it is a 200km detour to avoid this monstrosity. Nerves of steel are required as cyclists are forced into car lanes and avoiding roadwork obstacles. 

I find a great swimming spot where I chill out having lunch for a couple of hours. Definitely a highlight, as I get to swim in warm, calm waters, as opposed to the violent and cold (17C) Atlantic. 

I have been looking forward to the camping spot near Nararé and it does not disappoint.  This year it is far more quiet, with only 3-4 camper vans, despite it being May instead of April. 

Praia de Mira

From the highlands of Northern Portugal to Porto is a little tough, but the tail winds help me along and once again I am at sea level. Getting through Porto lasts the rest of the morning, with plenty of one-way street signs disobeyed. 

It is like I have an E-Bike today with the wind providing the motor and the very flat coastal roads. I take the very quiet coastal road, which involves a quick ferry crossing... bikes go free, yay. 

I find a camping spot on the dunes near Praia de Mira. The sunsets are epic in Portugal and I get to fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore. 

Hilly terrain to Porto

Leaving Silverto (Matijas' forest project) is proving difficult. There is lots of locally produced food, things to learn about permaculture and generally a very welcoming atmosphere. I help out with some basic forest tending, harvesting beans and cooking chores.

After two nights and fully recharged for the road, I have a very late start, as lunch is another opportunity to enjoy a warm and delicious meal.

I am able to complete about 80km but am forced to stop before I would like so that I can find a suitable wild camping spot. This is very difficult to find as one approaches major cities. In this case I find a suitable woodland clearing about 20km shy of Porto. My new tent has a colour that helps it camouflage in woodland terrain. 

Parades de Coura

Northern Portugal is quite hilly and the roads steep. Even 40km today in intense heat is a bit challenging. 

I reach my host in Silverto before lunchtime and glad not to be riding further in such intense heat. I get to stay in the forest with Matijas, who I contacted via the TrustRoots hospitality platform. It was definitely worth the detour to find out more about this forest project/ farm. 

A short run to A Guarda

A short bike ride down the coast (60km) to A Guarda. Lots of time to enjoy drinks at a tennis club overlooking Rio Miño and Portugal on the other side.

Beach life at Samil

After a late arrival in Vigo, I find a quiet spot on a hill overlooking Vigo to pitch my tent. 

The next morning, I go a campsite at the beachfront at Samil. It's a chill day hanging on the beach, but weird not moving on today. Great having the chance to take a long shower and wash my clothes. 

On the Pilgrims' Trail to Vigo

I get the two trains in Spain that will take me to the west coast. The only somewhat agitated response I get from a train conductor when he sees my bike bag happens on the day train from Vitoria/Gasteiz to Vigo. After I flew him my bicycle ticket (although I guess technically it is now a cumbersome bag), he escorts me to the back of the train to leave it in an out-of-the-way corridor space. In Spain I need to reserve a seat on each train, which incurs a fee depending on the length of the journey. 

The fast trains whizz through Spain at 250km/h. It seems like more than half the train's passengers are getting to their starting point on the Camino de Compostella (French Pilgrim's Way) and most leave the train a few hundred kilometres shy of Santiago de Compostella. 

Best upgrades to my kit so far (aka game changers):

1) BB1 ibera bike transport bag - no separate bike reservation necessary; doubles as a sturdy ground sheet

2) Naturehike cloudup 2 pro tent - light, compact and no need to neatly fold, quick drying

3) Intenso 10,000A power bank - allows me to be off-the-grid more

4) Mountain equipment Dreamcatcher sleeping bag - warm enough even when not using a sleeping pad

5) Small combination bike lock - locks my panniers to my bike

Honorable mentions:

1) Secure handlebar phone holder - hands free navigation

2) 2.5L water bladder - compact 

Most used apps:

1) Komoot - allows gpx routes eg EuroVelo; turn-by-turn voice navigation; records journey automatically

2) Organic maps - offline maps for free

3) Rail Planner - interrail app - accurate and updated frequently with rail times throughout Europe

4) Wunderground - weather app

Bienvenidos a España

It's time to use that interrail ticket again to cross the bottom of France. I have mixed feeling of combining bike trekking with interrailing. Bike trekking is meant to be slow travel and only being able to 'escape' the weather or get to the next destination under your own power. This means that you have a lot less control of the situation and you just have to suck it up. Another downside is taking the early trains in order to have space for the bike and less hassle from the train conductors. Some times there are logistical issues, such as needing a seat reservation (eg Spain) which ties you to taking a certain train: not so flexible after all. On the flip side, it does give you more flexibility and crossing all of Europe with bike/ train combination is possible within weeks: 1000km is easily possible by train in Western Europe. On top of this, when the weather is particularly horrendous, it probably is better a train ride away: no need to book the train in advance, just use the Rail Planner (interrail) app to select that day as one of your 10 days within 2 months. However, I do think that interrailing these distances and with this ease is only possible in Western Europe. This flexibility of rail travel is only possible using a bike bag - otherwise it takes a lot more logistics to book a bike in the various countries, which all have different rules and fees to transport "whole bikes". 

it is also fun sometimes to optimise the rail travel experience: minimum changing of trains, minimum seat reservations possible, maximum distance. Just like today, which will involve only two trains to cover the southern border of France. 

Sometimes the rail network, even in Western Europe, is a weird relic of the past and makes little sense. For example, many rail networks were built radially from the capital city, eg Paris, and do not easily allow for the travel on the transverse travel within that country. Another example is the travel between bordering countries: travelling from the west coast of France to northern Spain is only possible taking a very circuitous detour via Barcelona and Madrid. This is relevant to me today, but luckily I have the bike to cross borders and take a major shortcut. I take the train to Bayonne and bike the 55km south to San Sebastian in Spain... It is a little hilly, but there is no reason that a rail track cannot cross the border at this point. This bike route along the Atlantic Coast of Europe is the Eurovelo 1 and extends all the way up the coast of Norway. 

The weather is quite rainy with thumder showers predicted for the coming days, so I press "escape", using my interrail powers and intend to get the train tomorrow to the west coast of Spain. I find a wild camping spot high on the hills overlooking the town and enjoy a long night's rest among the trees. 

End of the Eurovelo 17 and onto Nimes

It's gonna be a very short day to get to Nimes and from there a train west to Bayonne on the Atlantic coast. Sometimes it is difficult to find stuff to do when I have extra time during the day and this one is no exception. After the obligatory grocery shopping, I while away the hot afternoon on a shady bench, reading. It also gives me a chance to dry out all my gear. 

i will be getting the early train to Bayonne at 5:32, so it's only time for a quick camp and go. Getting a train so early has it's advantages: lots of space to stow my bike; no seat reservation is necessary; extra time in the next town.

Environs d'Avignon

After yesterday's 150km+ ride, the legs are feeling a bit stiff today, especially the first 20km. I am bracing for a storm front meant to hit in the evening, with showers promised most of the day. This, combined with the headwind, means that I am happy with getting halfway to Nimes - approx 90km - and avoiding the showers enjoying coffee as much as possible. 

The Eurovelo 17 is still pretty busy in spite of the inclement weather conditions. 

I find a suitable wild camping spot well before sunset, bracing for the evening's heavy rain. The mosquitos take their chance to shelter from the rain under my fly sheet, luckily not in the tent proper. 

To Valence and beyond

Feeling refreshed, I ride out of Lyon following the Eurovelo 17 religiously. The sun is shining and despite a headwind, I feel ready for at least 120km today. There is little elevation as the route follows the Rhône river, mostly hugging to its bends and often crossing it. It feels very safe, the road surface is mostly good (except a temporary section just south of Lyon, see photo) and it is well sign posted.... almost too easy. This is the reason that I pass many people of every generation on many bikes, including maybe even half e-bikes. This is maybe not the most adventurous route, but I would recommend it to anyone, especially those newer to bike trekking. It reminds me a lot of the most famous Eurovelo route across France, the Eurovelo 6. I dare say it might even get congested with bike traffic in the summer high season. 

I ride all day and after Valence (total approx 150km today) I find a wild camping spot just beside the route. To be honest, it is super easy to find quiet places to wild camp all along the route and nobody seems to mind. Not having to arrive by a certain time when staying with a host, means that I have more time to cover more kilometres, but also means I have to stop off to recharge phone, find toilet facilities and take more time setting up and taking down camp. 

Another app I have been using this time is 2good2go, in order to stock up on meals when passing through the bigger towns. 

The lighter, more minimal set up this time means that it is easier to organise my stuff and the bike feels lighter. However, maybe more warm clothes would have been welcome and I need to wash my clothes more frequently.