After two full days of walking and enjoying Lisboa (as a pre-pilgrim tourist), day three was the first full day of the cycling portion of our pilgrimage. Eventually, our cycling stage would reach a total of 370 kilometres, with that first kilometre pedaled on a steamy Sunday in June. Before the wheels began to roll, they needed to be picked up. Our group rented six first class bikes from Bike Iberia (near the beginning of the scenic waterfront bike trail) in downtown Lisboa. Every member of our team was SO impressed by the service of the amazing Tania and her attentive team. Five months later, when sharing tales of our trip, we are still singing the praises of our incredible Bike Iberia experience. Thanks again Tania!
So, with bikes loaded, GPS units synchronized and helmets on, we made our way through the streets of Lisboa to the nearest Metro station. A quick train ride later, we popped out above ground and embarked on another short cycle to the regional train station of Roma. Once again, we politely tucked (excuse me, pardon me, sorry about that) our six loaded bikes into a passenger train car, this time with a destination of Azambuja (NE of Lisboa). The decision to travel out of Lisboa by train was made for two reasons – a lack of scenery (we avoided heavy industrial areas), plus time constraints. Upon arrival in Az, we quickly grabbed provisions (a wonderful selection of bread, meat, and cheese) and water from a nearby Mercado. Finally ready for our first long leg on the bikes, we cycled Northeast on the N3.
Riding in the blazing afternoon sun of a 36 degree summer day in Portugal, we soon realized that rest and hydration would be even more important than anticipated. We stopped to refill water bottles so many times that we actually stopped counting. After a mid 30’s (degrees Celsius) climb up the long hill to lovely Santarem, we experienced our first spell of flat tire adversity. We expected to have at least some flats, and found that the culprit that took us off schedule this first time was a tiny shard of clear glass – the kind you only find when you cut your finger while running it along the inside of the tire. No problem! A cold beer (as well as a glass of delicious sangria) and a quick repair at the scenic hilltop Jardim Portas do Sol fixed ALL of our cycling sadness in less than an hour. Had our schedule allowed, we agreed that Santarem would definitely be one of the places we would explore further. For pilgrims that do have time, the area is worth your travel schedule investment.
Rolling on NE towards Golega, the scenery was beautiful, slightly hilly, and the roads mostly flat. The most striking aspects of the roads were the varied surfaces – some gravel, some smooth pavement, some cobble stones, and some concrete. Overall, we quickly realized that our average hourly distance was greatly affected when the roads were less than smooth – a valuable lesson. After 54 enjoyable kilometres, we arrived in Golega with tired “first day” legs, thirsty tongues, and empty stomachs. We spoiled ourselves with an enjoyable stay at the incredible four star Hotel Lusitano – indeed, a true four star hotel – which took care of our collective fatigue. A short walk to a local neighbourhood treasure, Cafe Central, proved to be exactly what we needed to cure our group’s thirst and hunger, as we enjoyed a wonderfully authentic (and filling) meal of tremendous value. Fed, watered, and stretched, we strolled back along quiet streets to our hotel to rest our legs and grab some much deserved sleep. All in all, we had a great first cycling day on our journey to Santiago….
I brought a thought 