Algarve Gravel: Riding to the End of the World

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[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we’re here in um in the algar southernmost area of Portugal um just south of Lisbon and the algar is a region that is um roughly 230 km wide from the east in where the Spanish border is to the west and the West Coast with the Atlantic and it’s about 100 km from the coast to the north of the alav so it’s it’s quite a big region but it’s famous for traditional Beach holidays on the algar coast and also in the last 30 years has become popular as a golf destination what’s the food like in Portugal um great seafood and fish all harvested locally and um we have a lot of traditional meat dishes Pata and also yeah people like Cafe stops here for for cycling one of the popular things to do is to stop for a coffee and a pastel dinata one of the traditional Portuguese custard Tarts what’s it like that’s why custody we are going to roll out on the prog yes we’ll show you a little bit of what’s in store over the next few [Music] days I’m back out on a glorious gravel trip this time in Portugal it’s my first time to Mainland Portugal looking forward to some good food good riding to anything like the last it’ be pretty [Music] special [Music] there we [Music] go you [Music] Mark and I will be um with the rear when we get to monar Pat show Jose will be there in a cafe flagging you down um stop for coffee enjoy um and then we’ve got another 30k or so to lunch where Phil will flag you down into the right Cafe um and then a little mosy along the sea front to finish um and then some drinks back in the bar here yeah um enjoy the ride today ride within yourselves we’ve got 4 days of riding ahead of us they get progressively harder as the week goes on so uh so yeah really relax and enjoy today and have fun it’s their second day of riding here in Portugal and uh it’s a blue bird day nice to be in the [Music] sunshine it’s like a fo noodle [Applause] have you enjoyed the riding so far yeah excellent so far really enjoyed that first time in Portugal what’s the rout like today um so similar to what we’ve done this morning um dirt tracks Gra roads small back roads country lanes smooth tarmac some smooth tarmac not a lot though mainly uh mainly rough rough roads and and dirt tracks final final 20K or so we’ll be going along the coastline um through the salt salt pans the sea on one side and the salt pans on the other nice and flat nice smooth [Music] gravel [Music] we’ve pretty much done all the climbing for today and we’re now heading back down to the [Music] coast [Music] narrowing down your diagnosis to number want me to remove the [Music] glasses no tasty that yeah quite big for that [Music] St yes what you thought of the riding so far it’s been incredible it’s been so good it’s like most the Salt Flats along there it was so cool and by the Sea The Highlight yeah oh thank you that’s great that’s enough for 10 Mars we’ve now finished lunch and now we got about 20K back to the hotel the backdrop of mountains of [Music] salt [Music] the alar is is well known for cycling and is growing in popularity and this attracts all types of different cyclists from mountain bikers to Road bikers touring bikers and now with growing increas in the number of gravel bikers that’s becoming popular here too how was today’s ride nice brilant good gravel yeah Hotel tasted very nice okay and the beer it beautiful riding some tough bits yeah I’ve never seen a mountain of salt before so yeah it was a highlight of the day I thought that and the pictures of the bins that we took with a donkey for some bizarre reason I think it just make people feel better at home yeah so they didn’t they oh you got a rubbish day when there a picture of it day bags will be at uh the first Cafe stop bit of a clim to get there and weather’s going to be a little bit of everything so uh yeah enjoy your day and we’ll see you at the cafe wet start to day three here in Portugal but I just feel fortunate that I’m not in the UK is that be cold as well as wet the rain’s now stopped and it looks like uh brightest SK in the distance we’re heading in One Direction heading to a new [Music] hotel should be about 9k to Coffee more uphill cheeky coffee and then a lot of downhill to lunch L the glor away what’s it like that’s why custody we’re going from Tavira to albaa and we’re going to pass s Brash Al poel we’re going to pass carena we’re going to pass tour and we’re going to ride the single track along the Rivera Dal which is quite a famous or wellknown section of single track on the alar particularly particularly for mountain bikers not so much uh gravel bik quite interesting for us on the gravel bik it could be it could be for some um and then we’re going to head south down back towards the coast towards ala it’s made of figs and um nuts chocolate Ana seed yeah so it’s nice and a little bit of sugar to give you a bit of energy I had Ana seed it got bit scared is it a really right it’s how’s the day going for you so far yeah really good good day favorite bits um just the last one was say good made rolling how’s the very nice yeah lovely nearly as good as a um tuna sweet corn onion May egg crust in mayo egg cakes that’s chocolate and beetro so yeah wraps are here here and here Chris want a good day food and this is the river algebra which is the start of the famous algar single track which is very popular amongst local cyclists and they lean over like this so you’re you’re looking not to bang your head and you’re looking on the ground for the rocks and you’ve got to steer the way through the course and it’s quite complicated at times but it’s fun it’s good [Music] fun [Music] when you think about how much rain there’s been and if they’ had a storm in then we a couple of perfectly positioned me did you excellent handle bar and then distract the whole thing oh [Music] wow the weather’s got a bit worse a Weare so much for 300 plus days of sun of [Music] year did I have a good day well yeah fabulous day all sorts of mixture of terrain the single track was fun we’re in albaa now in the Town Center of albaa right down near the Sea on the south coast and we’re going to be heading predominantly north towards the Hillside Village of monik which sits at about 500 m above sea level on our way we’re going to pass a large Reservoir which should be really nice to cycle alongside hopefully there’s plenty of water in it and Wildlife to see we’re going to head towards silves where we’re going to take lunch very historic town seals from there the climbing starts and we’ve got a lot of climbing all the way up to to M before we end our day up there and for those that are strong enough we’re going to go all the way to the top the high highest point of the alav 91 M stop for a quick coffee and a pastel dada and uh now back on the road again the group will head up towards machines and pick up the famous hiking trail the V Al garana and head over towards kasta monik [Music] come abely stunning isn’t [Music] it oh my God me here hid what you think of the route it’s gorgeous and the weather’s so nice better than this morning yeah definitely so um yeah what what what day is it Friday yeah Friday yeah so great Friday I can’t see crime being a big issue in Portugal seeing as everyone has just a a massive dog it’s beautiful out here check out The View [Music] [Applause] currently going up a very steep bug and yeah it’s the temperatur is suddenly got pretty hot I wouldn’t want to be coming up here midsummer got a little a [Applause] [Music] [Applause] little [Applause] [Music] taste very me straight after lunch straight up a climb maybe should have put some more sun cream on but uh keep on going up bit lumpy to the finish and then maybe a climb to the top of the alar how you feeling Mark eating too much at [Music] lunch [Music] best day so far no fantastic day but that was tough how’s your day been excellent hard big big climbs but good fun any highlights no any low lights plenty of low lights no no it’s great everything really good but there was a monster climb in it did you have a big lunch of course too big throw it up on the way up I had a chip that came back up did I near did nearly did we got to the hotel and we’re now out on a bonus ride up to the the highest point in the alav and I believe nibbly has the K so one of us is going to try and take off [Music] him [Music] good climb excellent highest point in the alov Beautiful Day what not to like [Music] the well we’re leaving monik and we’re heading down towards um the Southwest coast a town called sagr um so we’re going to have some lumpy bits to set off before we start descending plenty of descent today um hopefully the wind won’t be too bad cuz it predominantly comes off of the sea on on the west and and that can be quite difficult a nice Lighthouse just before the finish a lighthouse 8 km before well the lighthouse will be the end of the ride and then we ride to the hotel afterwards so all good hopefully last day last day [Music] beautiful start to the last day the warmest morning yet straight up a climb and then we’re chucking a left and starting to head gradually downhill it’s been a great couple of days on the bike and looking forward to just spending the last day and enjoying it [Music] it’s been amazing we’ve had loads of variety again already like a beautiful fast smooth gravel some nice bits through the forest nice Road climb lovely road climb to start great day so far one my friends was raving about them so I thought I’ll give them a go you don’t really feel like you’re um eating something overly sweet which way is it Phil lunch not too far now 15K you having a good day yeah dry and Dusty Trails the state of this that wasn’t dry and Dusty that was puddled I’m so glad I didn’t wash the bike last night you know in the middle of the puddle you’ll be okay quick cake stop and we’re now back on the road 15K to lunch I know we’ll make it right we’ve been here [Music] before I know we cross the line it’s hard to know we’re in the small town of bensim which is actually on the viral garana the longdistance walking trail and um the group are going to be heading on from here towards Villa De bisho and then onto towards Cape St Vincent which is the southwesterly most point of Europe and um also known as the end of the world down on me you got me on my knees won’t you give me sweetness and life for my Restless SM pleas give me a way to ES G this we’re gone astray you [Music] could well I’ve taken pictures of rubbish bins but any sorry that wasn’t what you were asking for though it’s amazing absolutely stunning scenery and not bad bike riding either to get here it all in all Tailwind yeah as somebody just reminded me though Tailwind is a Fickle thing isn’t it or the wind is a Fickle thing cuz you think you’re going to get on the way back but it won’t it will change its mind at the last moment and we’ll have a headwind all the way home absolutely naed looking forward to go back in a Tailwind oh yeah downhill Tailwind first time today that’ll be BL bliss bliss we’re here at the um what is known as the end of the world in Portugal at at Lighthouse 7K from the finish all the way Tailwind all the way home now um it’s been amazing amazing gravel here in Portugal something different than the trips we’ve already been on the gravel can be rugged and challenging at times but the reward is a flowy single track a beautiful view where a pastel on the N come to Portugal won’t you give me a way to be free from these chains that [Music] find