Month: December 2019

We cycled to Vila do Bispo again today. This time we went out and back by the cycle route on the old road that runs alongside the new one. It’s not bad. I mean, it’s way better than the back road that we used last time, being tarmac. Mostly tarmac, anyway. Much of the road surface is missing and a careful eye is needed in order to avoid the more dangerous potholes. But it is quiet, a direct route and not too hilly.

As we pedalled we were musing upon the possibility of having a cycling holiday or several. There are many long distance routes in France and Spain. I was fancying the one that runs along the Loire valley – especially when tents were ruled out and B&B ruled in!

Mr Snail reckoned that better/more suitable bikes would be needed and I said that we (meaning, I) would need a degree of training first. I agreed that it would be fun to try it before we get too old.

We arrived at Lidl and went to the bike rack to park, to find a couple of rather more serious cyclists than us engaged in a puncture repair. As I dismounted with an audible "ouch" they asked if we had come far. I had to be honest and say "no". Mr Snail revealed the embarrassing truth: "just from Sagres, about 8 kilometres."

My bike app says it is 8.8 km.

It’s a /bumpy/ 8.8k. That’s my excuse!

Perhaps cycling the Loire is just a tad ambitious at this stage of the game?

Lidl provided pork tenderloin, pesto-stuffed gnocchi, tomato sauce and fresh salad… and a rather good wine. We dined well. The pork roasted in 15 minutes in the air fryer, plenty of time to assemble a salad and boil the gnocchi whilst simultaneously verifying the quality of the wine. The tenderloin is a wheeze that I need to remember for future van dining.