Time for a break....: Day 58 – 06/06/13

Vigo – Caminha

88.1km, 7hrs 0mins, 965m total climb

Today we would be reaching our 8^th and possibly final country for the trip – Portugal! Another very windy day, but it was not going to be long. We have decided to start keeping the distances down below 100km, at least for a while, when there is more to see. The coastline we would be following for a while was developed but then we would be getting into more famous surf and holiday spots. The coastline is famously sandy, with hundreds of kilometres of sand dune, pine forest and cliffs and not a lot else apart from the odd expansive sandy beach with huge waves generated by the uninterrupted energy of the winds blowing in off the Atlantic ocean, the next westerly landmass being North America.

It was a pretty routine cycle. The wind was slightly off our right shoulder instead of smack in the face for once though which was nice. It was mostly cliff-tops all day, which had a new road and even a cycle path alongside. Big rough seas below and huge waves smashing off bluff outcrops. We planned to stop at a shop and get some bread and meat for lunch but got tempted into a menu del dia instead. We stopped at one place that offered a 12Euro menu. I went in to make sure it was open and that they could feed us. The guy didn’t really speak English but he led me off into the big kitchen to show me what they had for lunch. A huge pan of chick-peas cooked with tomatoes, chorizo, bacon and pork for a primero, Pork cutlets for Secundo. I couldn’t really say no.

We went in and got a table. He brought us a bottle of cold white wine (which itself was 6 Euro on the menu) and we extra ordered a couple of cokes. Then he brought out a mixing-bowl almost full of the Primero dish (it was called Pastatas or something), and ladelled us out a full soup bowl sized portion each. It was really good if a bit salty, we ate it with the bread. Then just as we were getting near the bottom of our soup-bowls and quite full the guy (think he was the owner) came and ladelled my bowl full again even though I was protesting. Then he went back in the kitchen and refilled the whole thing again and ladelled Johanna's bowl full again. And he brought more bread. Whilst we were struggling through this he actually even came and refilled once more our bowls whilst they were still half full. We quit eating at some point near the end of two mixing-bowls, so one each. He came to take the empties away and I tried telling him we couldn’t eat any more now we were so full. He seemed genuinely upset and surprised. He said “OK,OK, Petitio, Petitio!” meaning he was just going to bring us a little bit of the Secundo. I could tell he was lying. We got a nice big platter of pork loin, chips and veg. When he brought it over he said after the food we should have a sleep. He thought we should bring our bikes inside and then have a little nap in one of his hotel rooms upstairs. We then decided his plan was to feed us so much food that we couldn’t leave and would take a room for the night, and probably have dinner as well. I like his marketing style.

We did actually finish the Secundo, and went on to have a dessert and a coffee as well. The little guy seemed quite pleased with our efforts, saying cyclists need a lot of food. We left after paying up before he tried to offer us any further courses!

Somehow we managed to cycle with that much food another 45km. We were both quite thirsty as it was salty food so had to drink loads of water on top also. When we got to the campsite Johanna was really struggling. It was funny and painful at the same time.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1386574