-={ride reports}=-

[punisher_uk]

OK Decided to make a ride section so please follow my lead and post your ride reports and pics hear

[punisher_uk]

hi again
oh you will soon get sick of me
Sunday morning around 10.30 after preparing the Sunday dinner (wife works Sunday ) i loaded up the peg grabbed my riding gear and camera programed the sat nav and off i set first stop fuel.
must say ive never ridden as much since i got the sat nav GREAT PIECE OF KIT,
i had told the sat nav to take the shortest route normally back roads but because of road works i ended up on the A2 not impressed a full day of the black stuff ahead and im on knobbly tires OH WELL.
the sky was over cast and i just wanted to get there so no pics of the twisties
first stop barragem de arade around 40k from home heading northwest, once i got off the main road ahead lay 5k of fresh black tarmac with not straight in sight
my fist veiw of the dam wall (took the wrong turn and ended up at the bottom )

not a prob, chance to stop and get camera out

quick turn around and up to the top first impressions water table is low but that seems normal here in Portugal and very scruffy saw a couple of locals fishing

time for one of the old girl

had decided to run with the panniers on today as no rough stuff also meant i could carry my body armour i figured it would get hot today (man was i right )
this next one is a flood gate or something if the water ever gets that high,couldn't get any closer it was fenced off

did notice two of these one at each dam my son tried to translate but basically its something to do with the army and Salazar former ruler/dictator of Portugal


well this is boring so back on the bike and tried to ride around the lake that came to a sudden stop when i ended up at this (don't no what it is )but more opportunity for pics


loads of fish but i was maybe 50+feet above the water so no idea what kind they are but they looked around a foot in length

ok enough was enough bored now so time to go 60k to the next dam
but first a coffee and some water

decided not to follow the sat nav as it took me back the way i came i had previously looked on Google earth and found a road not on my sat nav so headed off along that route all i had to remember was 2 major rights and a bridge over a river
well that was easy here's the river


hm the flood plain looked like fun


i did spot some more fish and a couple of turtles sunbathing but by the time i got camera out they had gone
ok time to go none stop till we get to st clara time was marching on
but b4 i set off time to swap my summer vented jacket for my body armour
smart move.
just to say anyone thinking of riding anywhere in the sun should invest in one of these mine is like a body stocking with all the armour on it, will get a pic

[punisher_uk]

another 20k or so and the road ran out just a dirt track,hmmmm well Google said this way so off we go dirt at last but not for long around 2 k of bumps then back on the black.
don't know the time scale but around 20 mins later we are there





ah this is the life now to find somewhere quiet i had my towel and the water looked great
i wondered across the dam and down under another one of them towers passing a boat

round a corner and there this was my spot out of the way some more small boats and not a person in sight

i lay down between two boats pulled off the boots and whipped off the trousers, quick swim whilst no one is about (skinny dipping)water was warm!!! then back on with the boxers a chilled man, this was peaceful waves lapping on the shore, silence at last!!


after laying there, whiling the time away, i took a quick look at my watch, 2pm, time to set off back, got dressed, packed the bike, punched in HOME in the sat nav and away i went. an hour later i was home, cooking the dinner, back to reality.

looking back, i think that st clara would be a good place to camp for the night, BBQ and a few beers, figure i could fill one of the side panniers with ice to keep the beer cold, good idea i think!! anyone coming????

[Andrew2]

Fantastic report Punisher.Thanks God there were no skinny dipping photos:eek.Good idea starting a ride report thread.Seems the mods don't listen much around here as I did'nt even get a reply to my request.

Cheers
Andrew

[punisher_uk]

Fantastic report Punisher.Thanks God there were no skinny dipping photos:eek.Good idea starting a ride report thread.Seems the mods don't listen much around here as I did'nt even get a reply to my request.

Cheers
Andrew

i also emailed the admin no reply
we will just have to keep this one going for now keep it near the top

[punisher_uk]

oh no 2 more ride reports posted and not in our new section

[punisher_uk]

right well as ther seems to be only me using this section it will prob be the last one in hear seems it was a crap idea
first up is one of some new soft trow over panniers i got cheep when i ordered the hepco bars not sure if i like them ,will let you make your own minds up

been messing with my GPS and this track is two tracks joined.
The route was around 80k and is part of a larger track im trying to make ready for a long weekend

so 9.30am after walking the dog i loaded up with plenty of water and my new tool bag (at last im getting a tool kit sorted )
then fuel and on my way very over cast today but humid temp at 10am was 28 i new this was going to be a hard ride.
first up 30k of tarmac to get the the start

tried a pose but dint really work not to may pics today just really wanted to ride
this one is about 15k in (smoke stop)i had just crossed one of the hills in the distance manly all hard packet gravel today i think they are grading allot of the roads ready for the black stuff but great to ride fast

this next pic you can see the track on the left wher i came up

and ther in the middle is wher i was heading

hear you get a look at the road surface

and the arty shot (im still u s @ them)

down the track and look what greats saw a couple fish rise hmm
if i camped hear i could bring my rod and feed myself

time for a smoke again really fancied a swim
but just sat and chilled for a while and a couple more pics
ther were 3 or 4 small lakes


oh this one is a little better

that was the last pic couldn't be bothered to stop any more it was two hot .this lake was around 15k from the finish.
a place called vale dos poças meaning Valley of the puddles
well i had planed for the ride to take between 4 and 6 hrs was easier than expected 80k in 3 and half hours ish
which was good as temp had hit 32 around 12noon
standing on the bike on the way home was like riding head first into a hair dryer the faster i went the warmer it got,was glad to get home

[bikeral64]

OK Decided to make a ride section so please follow my lead and post your ride reports and pics hear

We are still interested in your ride reports Punisher, the pics are great. Still trying hard to decipher the spelling.LOL, Don't worry I was one of the old school, still got the ruler scars on the back of my right hand, when I got it wrong.

[men8ifr]

For hot weather I was thinking of trying to reverse the flow of the radiator fan - it will make it slightly less effective when riding at low speed but the cooling system seems very robust (i.e. 30+ degrees 6,000rpm for extended periods in soft sand in 1st gear - quite slow speed no problems!) but this will stop the bike blowing hot air over my leg when the fan kicks in.

[men8ifr]

forgot to say - another nice ride report - hopefully this October/November I will have a bike across in portugal for long weekends over the winter.

[Andrew2]

[QUOTE=punisher_uk;2206328]right well as ther seems to be only me using this section it will prob be the last one in hear seems it was a crap idea
QUOTE]


It's not a bad idea mate,we just need it moved to a sticky so everyone can find it easily.I might send another message to the "moderator".Is there really a moderator as he does'nt seem to answer any questions.Bit rude really.

A2

[men8ifr]

Start swearing and see what happens!

[AndrewD]

Start swearing and see what happens!

Arse

[Andrew2]

Arse

Nope,that did'nt work.Your going to have to use bigger words

[punisher_uk]

you guys crack me up
come on get out ther and RIDE and take some pics even if its raining and you only went to the shops