Bike Day 2 – Olhao to Quarteira

Today I said tchau to Olhao and headed west, keeping the ocean to my left at all times.

I’d say I scored another 7.5 in the not getting lost department today, despite directions like this one – “A new section of bypass has just been opened and this is not shown on the map. You should ride along the section of the new bypass until reaching a raised roundabout where you should take an exit signed Faro. Follow this road down to a second roundabout and aim left here, then you briefly join the old road where you head right toward the old roundabout marked on the map, where you should aim left again.” Could I ask anyone what any of this means? No, because I was riding on the main road to the airport and everyone was going 70 mph.

Martha told me that riding with panniers would feel like riding in sand. Fair enough. But what about actually riding in sand with panniers? What does that feel like?















The route today took me through more marshy stuff in the Ria Formosa National Park. If you don’t care about egrets and flamingos, you should at least go “aww” for cuteness when you learn that Portuguese Water Dogs come from here too. And intriguingly, this park was recently named one of the 7 natural wonders of  . . . Portugal. I don’t want to sound like a jerk here, but really, can you name even one natural wonder in Portugal?

And if there’s a reason not to operate a major airport right next to a natural wonder of Portugal, I sure can’t think of it. The trail started right at the end of the runway.

















Speaking of dogs, I didn’t exactly need to pull out Google Translate for this sign.









The directions at the end of this trail said to go one way at high tide and a different way at low tide. “How does one know the difference?” I wondered. The answer is here. If you can see the ground, it’s low tide. If you can’t, it’s high tide. So I went the low-tide route, although I did sink in a bit, collecting a nice layer of Ria Formosa mud on my bike.

At the end of this beautiful stretch of park was, go figure, the five-star Quinta de Lago golf resort, which is surrounded by the huge, architect-designed summer homes of some of the wealthiest people in Europe. These people did not say “bom dia” to me as I rode by, sweaty, smelly and leaving a trail of dust and Ria Formosa mud near their manicured lawns.

From today's ride:

Everyone said to have lunch at BJ’s along the way, so I did. For better or worse, this region (The Algarve) has been a summer destination for British people for 50 years, so most people near the beach towns speak perfect English. Which they did at BJ’s, and when you combine the Ella Fitzgerald playing through the sound system and the ketchup and mustard on the table, you kind of have to remind yourself that you’re not in Ocean City.





After some down time in Quarteira, I left the beach area and went into town for dinner. Everyone (but me) was eating snails, which I guess is a thing here. Snail orders were served in “doses,” like “I’m hungry tonight. Let’s get a full dose of snails instead of a half dose.” Why? I don’t know. That will remain a mystery, along with why middle-aged European men going to the beach believe that a tiny black Speedo will cure whatever ails them.

And one last thing. If anyone ever tells you that you can’t wear the same T-shirt for five days in a row, they don’t know what they’re talking about.