THE MEDIA BUZZ AROUND WERIDE
A ship’s horn blows in the distance. Seagulls circle in the sky. An aeroplane flies over an apartment block. The warm sun dazzles us and covers the city in a warm glow. Where the Iberian Peninsula meets the sea, these are the scenes of a normal winter’s day. We’re in Lisbon! A metropolis with many names and an even richer history. The city of seven hills. The city of light.
Sometimes, Christmas makes us have the best ideas. “Dad, you should just come down here. To Portugal!” Hop on a plane and escape the miserable weather! He was lucky. Window seat on a direct flight. Three days in Lisbon, the day after Christmas Eve. A Christmas present. A gift for both of us! Aboard two new eMTBs, the age difference shouldn’t matter. Or so I thought…
At the westernmost point of the European mainland you will find a labyrinth of mountains and valleys that look like a fairytale forest and previously thought to be the edge of the world. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourist trap. The Sintra nature reserve, bordering on Lisbon, is every romantic’s dream with its palaces, though it also attracts mountain bikers with its steep descents and ocean views.
EVIL came to Sintra in Portugal with Kyle Norbraten and Marc Beaumont to test and show The Following: the bike that made people realize 29ers don’t suck and started an entire genre of bikes.
#following #120 #morepoplessfilling #evil #bikes #xc #enduro #everybodysfollowing #bleedblackdieevil
Film - Alex Fostvedt x Callum Jelley
To get to the north we decided to go by train rather than automobile or plane, relying on our previous travel experience to “wing it.” How hard could it be anyway? Most of the time it can be as simple as getting on the train, buying a ticket and figuring the rest out as you go. Sometimes you get it wrong, and in the case of traveling from Sintra to the northern city of Braga, we got it really wrong. Like we got kicked off the train wrong. Thankfully we took it all in stride and arrived only 5 hours later than expected. The more I travel, the less I worry about these situations. My motto is, someone will tell you if you are doing it wrong, otherwise act like you have been there before.
Based just north of Lisbon, in the historic city of Sintra, we were now immersed in one of the more popular tourist zones in Portugal. Our lodging, Casa Do Valle, was perched on the edge of a mountain of trails, an ideal spot for a smooth transition from the ultra rural setting of the previous week’s bikepacking adventure. It felt more like a mountain retreat than a bed and breakfast in a busy visitor area. Certainly, we intended to take advantage of the good eats and sights of Sintra, but our main priority was to soak up the mountain bike experience.
“Take a pre season trip to Portugal with the vanzacs to a place called Sintra. Surf, Sun, Trails and Rose... A winning combo. Cheers to Pedro and the boys at @weride.pt for showing us around! Would recommend to a friend.”
The Vanzacs
”I guess this is how WE start a successful season!”
Sven Martin
"Best week of our season!"
Kurt McDonald
With deep, jungle foliage on one side of the mountain and fast, dry singletrack on the other, Sintra can offer you a 360° mountain bike experience all in one day. Scotty Laughland and Micayla Gatto headed to the Portugese coast to sample as much of this mtb paradise as they could.
Follow along with GoPro athlete and all-around bloody good chap, Scotty Laughland, as he explores trails, trail networks, and the local scene in our new five-part series: Track Down. Where will his GoPro travel with him this season? Europe.
Words: Julian Lemme Photos: João Mourão
Hey there. I’m Julian, Art Director for
ENDURO, GRAN FONDO and E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.
Although my work is anything but monotonous, I find myself frequently falling into a routine, one that ends with my creativity in a headlock. Habits, it turns out, are probably the most quicksand-like element in the world. For this issue of the magazine, I knew it was time to break free of the shackles and find a new horizon – namely that of the Portuguese coast.
The words ‘time to shine’ flash luminously on my phone’s lock screen. That’s the alarm, I realise groggily. I’m inside my van, tucked into a sleeping bag and cosily lying between my bike and a surfboard. At home, round about this time is when I switch on the coffee machine and hunch over my laptop, eyes flickering for hours on end between design layouts and cat videos. But today is different; I’ve got a banana and a handful of nuts for breakfast. I’m on the Atlantic coast and from the sliding door of the van, I can see there are just a few metres separating me from the sea.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
Routines can be a simultaneous blessing and curse. They’re like lined paper or road markings, organising and demarcating where to go, what to do and neatly putting our lives into order. But therein lies the danger too. We slump, worn down by demotivation, from weekend to weekend, plagued by a vague sensation of boredom. In my case, it saps my creativity, stirring up a cloudy broth of sameness. But there’s no chance of that happening when I’m on the road. No time for routines to emerge. I wake up in a new location every day and manoeuvre around my small living space. In the best-case scenario, I have to switch languages too.
But is there a solution for self-discovery for those who don’t have the luxury of calling themselves a freelancer, for those who can’t simply schlep their laptop to a new beachside cafe each day to work? Sometimes the only solution might be to brush your teeth with your non-habitual hand and walk backwards. That’s my trick anyway. By shaking up the status quo of the way I do things, I try to avoid sinking into the boredom of daily life. New experiences are established in unknown territory, right?
“Where would we stand if everybody said where do we stand, and nobody went to look where we would stand if we went?”
Escape the infinite loop that’s built on old quirks and repetition. Straight into the cold water! If walking-backwards-brushing-your-teeth doesn’t help, why not take up a new sport? The sea is my substitute for the woods. There’s no Wi-Fi in the sea, no power sockets, no clock-watching. It’s all new and strange and unfamiliar. I find myself toying with thoughts and ideas while I wait for the next set. It’s the sort of time when I’m usually hit by a sense of clarity and a new way of looking at things. I can take it back to the desk, executing a new layout or switching imagery. Creative ideas, fuelled by the ebb and flow of the waves.
“Ships in harbours are safe but that is not what ships are built for.”
To the west of Lisbon the trails shoot you out right on the beach. There’s the sort of variety you’d normally associate with an all-you-can-eat buffet at a five-star hotel – that’s how appetizing the trails are here. Impeccably built downhill tracks with berms, drops and rock gardens, and flowing natural singletrack along the craggy cliffs that border the sea.
Back home I spend a lot of time riding on my own. I ride at my own rhythm and find it easier to switch off. But inspiration, I’ve come to realise, often breeds better with company. When travelling, I’m not averse to latching onto fellow riders. Perhaps a local who’ll show me a hidden trail, or another tourist on a similar hunt for new routes. Each ride brings new stories, perspectives and ideas. Oftentimes, these are the encounters that influence how I live my life and how I approach work projects. Not to mention the new friendships that are forged. So why not say ‘hi’ to the next unknown individual you bump into on the trails, in the supermarket or in the water.
Remember that the world is bigger than us as individuals. You don’t need to bear its whole weight on your shoulders, so embrace the freedom. That’s the freedom of going on an adventure and gaining a new perspective. Pack your bathing trunks or swimsuit, and go catch some waves if that’s your thing. Walk backwards while brushing your teeth, because you’ll end up where you might have gone had you gone there. Say hi to people with a smile and mean it. And me? I’m on my way home now. Real life is calling ;-)
Muito obrigado for the support and the photos to João Mourão of weride.pt
JEFFSY is here for the good times. And to stay when things get nasty.
Some encounters change your life. One short moment and nothing is like it used to be. Everything’s better.
You’ll experience this when you jump on the new JEFFSY for the first time: it will make you raise your game and turn you into the rider you always dreamed of becoming; ride every trail the way you always wanted to ride it.
To truly master both the ups and the downs, the new JEFFSY is the most versatile of all the Young Talents. A true all-mountain bike, this light and effective weapon is perfect for flowy singletrack, long backcountry adventures and racing. JEFFSY lets you climb with ease and tackle any challenge on the way back down. Because nothing is like it used to be. The new JEFFSY lets you truly redefine your riding style.
Photography and film are property of YT industries
Photos by Ale di Lullo and film starring Christopher Walken
Riders: Ace Hayden and Bryan Regnier
We’re born alone, we die alone. And in between we spend our lives looking for something, a connection. That’s all we want. Every once in a while we might find it, in a true friend. Many friendships will come, only to fade as quickly as a firework. But some, a rare and precious few, turn life up to 11 and keep it there. You got to hold on to friends like these because, just like air, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. No one else gets “it” but they do. Cause they know what’s in your soul, your heart, your mind. They can blindside you - come out of nowhere but you’ll know them right away, you’ll click as perfectly as a jack plug into an amp. They’ll know what you’re thinking before you’ve thought it, anticipating your every move. They’ll understand the demons as well as the angels inside of you. Never judging you for it either. And together, you’ll uncage a thrill that makes you surge with life. But don’t be fooled: friendships are not easy. You’ve got to put the effort in and take as good care of them as you do your own flesh. There will be good times and epic, adrenalin filled challenges where it seems there’s no way you can make it. But, if you trust in one another and commit, you’ll find a way. Coming through together, closer, stronger. Even so, you, they, the world in time, everything and everyone changes. Slowly that boiling energy of young friendship will cool and be replaced by the bonds of a deep, mutual history, complete with the scars that tell the stories of a lifetime well lived. It’s as inevitable as ripples altering their size. So don’t fight it, go with it. Ride it out. Together. Just like Jeffsy and I.
—Christopher Walken
Matschige Wintertrails und knusprige Temperaturen können ganz nett sein – aber ehrlich: Wie schön ist es, wenn auch im Winter Sonnenstrahlen unsere Wadeln wärmen?! Deshalb haben wir für Euch 5 Top-Destinationen zusammengetragen, die gut erreichbar sind und auch im Winter wohligen Bike-Spaß bieten.
Enduro World Series, Finale Ligure
© SVEN MARTIN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Finale an der italienischen Riviera ist mit seinem dichten Netz an Trails europaweit einer der besten Spots für Mountainbiker und war eine der Stationen der Enduro World Series. Der Bikepark hat einiges zu bieten, um die besten Trails zu erkunden, ist jedoch das Wissen von Locals gefragt. Zum Glück gibt es hier aber eine Menge Guides, die Euch gerne alles zeigen.
An der Cote d'Azur kann man im Winter sensationell biken – aber der Geheimtipp in der Provence ist der Luberon, eine Region, die nur eine Autostunde vom Flughafen Marseille entfernt liegt. Hier gibt es die schönsten Dörfer Frankreichs, mit dem Mont Ventoux eine Tour-de-France-Legende und es ist die Wiege des französischen MTB-Sports. Das Trail-Netz ist unglaublich dicht und abwechslungsreich. Wer zwischen all den Lavendelfeldern, Olivenhainen und Mischwäldern nicht verloren gehen will, sollte sich guiden lassen.
Portugal hat die Vulkaninsel Madeira, 737 Kilometer westlich der marokkanischen Küste im Atlantischen Ozean, die mit mildem Klima und großartigen MTB-Trails aufwartet. ABER Portugal hat auch sein Festland und das mausert sich vom Bike-Geheimtipp zu einer Must-Go-Destination. Wenn die Marken für ihre Katalog-Shootings hinfahren, kann man sich vorstellen, wie sexy es ist. Sintra liegt nah an vielen sexy Sports – Lissabon, Porto, Küste – und ist selbst ungemein attraktiv. Speziell auch für Biker. Das werden Euch die Locals von WERIDE sicher auch in den Wintermonaten beweisen.
Auch Gee Atherton mag Malaga
© KYLE BLANSHARD
Malaga an der Südküste von Spanien ist bekannt für seine trockenen, staubigen Trails mit jeder Menge steilem Gelände für Downhill-Rider. Das Terrain variiert von Sand bis zu Felsen und hartem Boden, es wird also nie langweilig. Im Winter ist es relativ ruhig und man kann sich richtig genüßlich austoben.
Sonne, Meer und Mountainbikes
© ISMAEL IBAÑEZ
325 Tage Sonnenschein pro Jahr: Wenn das nicht verlockend klingt! Gran Canaria liegt 210 Kilometer westlich vor der Küste Südmarokkos im Atlantischen Ozean und ist eine der beliebtesten Winterdestinationen für Sonnenhungrige. Wenn du lange Rides vor einer tollen Kulisse magst, dann bietet Gran Canaria jede Menge unerschlossenes Terrain für deine Abenteuer. Einige Abschnitte setzen wirklich gute Fitness voraus, wenn du noch nicht so geübt bist, dann empfehlen wir dir einen Guide. Oder du mietest ein Auto und machst eine Shuttle-Gemeinschaft mit deinen Freunden. Die meiste Sonne kriegst du übrigens im Süden der Insel ab.
Instagram feeds are a synonym for living the dream – everybody is always on holiday, always on the road, always riding. No doubt about it, my posts may look the same, and one can be forgiven for thinking that I’m simply living the perfect van and bike life every single day. However, this picture perfect dream is quite often different to reality…
Nomads used to refer to this place as Finisterre, a name that signifies the end of the world. But these days the once-presumed End of the World now looks a lot like a mecca for riders. So how are Lisbon’s seven hills, unpretentious neighbourhoods, green trails, and heavenly beaches best explored on an e-bike? We sought the help of professionals to find out.
When I think of Portugal, I just see green. A subtropical climate, where the sea and the mountains flood into a cocktail of greatness, of which you just can’t get enough. After my last trip to this Iberian peninsula, I left feeling like I had unfinished business – but that next time I’d be needing added help (in more ways than one). With my mind set on riding the Sintra mountains the local hills of Lisbon, I hauled in the guides from WERIDE Portugal, confident I’d get more than just fish and fado music.
We meet João and José from the WERIDE Crew under a bridge. But not just any old bridge; this red steel construction is simply called ‘Ponte’. 3.2 km in length, it joins Lisbon’s creative district Alcântara with the town of Almada and represents the military coup that liberated Portugal on 25 April 1974 from the dictatorship.
“As the cruise ships and fishing vessels chug out of the nearby harbour, we pedal off towards Belém.”
Once the departure point for explorers like Vasco Da Gama to set sail and discover new continents, Belém is now a popular haunt for sightseers, swarming the must-visit tourist hotspots like a game of Tetris. Thanks to the all-inclusive eMTB package provided by the WERIDE crew, we slip into Eco mode and swerve the queues, confirming that an eMTB is the ultimate mode for avoiding mass tourism and seeing the city from a different perspective. We ride by buildings dating from the year 1501, a figure that’s matched by the number of people trying to nail the perfect selfie. Eventually concrete turns into trees and the noise subsides.
Lisbon’s Parque Florestal de Monsanto, also known as the city’s green lungs, isn’t short of anything within its 800 hectares. From basketball courts to a RC Formula 1 racetrack, the landscaping has been dialled, with picnic-touting families, horse riders and joggers all seeking their own little piece of tranquillity outside of the city. Our first trail is hidden behind a park bench. We drop into it. Short, flowing and void of people. The trail network is complex and somewhat mysterious, so it’s best explored with guides. I’d probably still be lost otherwise.
It’s an interchangeable game of flow and what a buddy of mine has dubbed ‘ratatatat’, that sort of trail that jars your jaws with consecutive bumps. At times it reminds me of riding in Rio de Janeiro. The script is similar; you don’t have to ride for long before you’re out of the city and into the dense jungle. I lose myself in the lush greenery, stare into the crystal-clear water and ride into the open arms of Cristo Rei.
Certain things can only happen in Lisbon, surely. Like boarding a boat at the end of one trail in order to reach the next. Naturally skipping over the part where we had to once more weave our way through the crowds–but the view over the historic city from the deck of the boat provides more than enough compensation.
The sun stays low in the sky, the wine is warm and the people are friendly. Wherever we go in the city, we’re met with smiles and waves. Passers-by inquire about our bikes, wanting to know more about the sport and us. It all feels very familiar, particularly at the Miradouro de Santa Catarina, where people of all ages are chilling out with the tones of Bob Marley singing ‘Don’t worry about a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright.”
From here your best bet is to once more climb to the heart of Lisbon, then back down. Steps, wall drops, steep gradients, in hot pursuit by the trams. The battery is still full. For the last time our pedal strokes bring us face to face with the city’s most tucked-away corners. The view from all of the seven hills is magical. Down a final Ginginha liquor and back into the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s Friday and the city is ready for the weekend. Us too.
ATÉ JÁ – See you next time
When’s best to go: All-year round! Autumn is probably the best time for riding though, with dry trails, sunshine and a refreshing Atlantic breeze.
How to get there: Lisbon’s airport is super accessible from the city and most budget airlines fly there from across Europe.
Where to sleep: My friends will hate me for saying this, but nothing beats an airBnb experience in Lisbon.
Guides, shuttles and sublime BMC e-bike rental (BMC): WERIDE.pt
What to eat: To eat like a local you need to stock up and eat at the Mercado da Ribeira and Mercado de Campo de Ourique. Vegans will love Ao 26 Vegan Food Project and there are all sorts of alternatives. No one has to go hungry.
Words: Julian Lemme Photos: João Mourão
WE love people wherever they come from. Do you feel the same with bikes? WE definitely do!!! Enjoy this approach filmed and edited by El Flamingo Films for Giant Bicycles shot here in Lisboa and Sintra, PORTUGAL with WERIDE.pt #discovermore #poweryourjourney
“Fuck look at the rays! This is why we got up so early!” exclaimed João as the sun pushed its way through the clouds on the Atlantic horizon. Half an hour earlier we had been in the WERIDE van, wondering why it was that we were all awake at that time. Now we were no longer regretting the dark, cold and early start.
João’s excitement about the rays was partly because the sun’s arrival meant that things would warm up a bit, but also because we were at the Outerio Dirt Park in Cascais for a sunrise photoshoot, and the sunrise was looking good! Behind the lens was the talented Thomas Brynjulf Svendsen. The subject of the photos were two of WERIDE’s steezy guides, Diogo and Duarte.
João couldn’t have chosen a better location. I was amazed that this small coastal town has these jumps. Not just a set of dirt jumps dug by locals, this spot was voted for by the town and built with machines. The result is perfectly formed jumps ranging from small enough for me to send up to Diogo and Duarte were soon warmed up and sending the biggest double, right in front of the sunrise. One of Thomas’ photos even made as the chosen photo on Pinkbike’s Movies for your Monday.
“Woah I am not even going near that”. There is also a wooden wallride and the smoothest pumptrack I have ever ridden.”
Photo credit: Thomas Brynjulf Svendsen/ Pinkbike
Once the sun was higher in the sky, we loaded the bikes onto the trailer and set off for the Sintra Mountains. These mountains are a special place. Out on Portugal’s Atlantic coast, they have their own microclimate and the weather can change pretty fast. It is not unusual to find yourself enveloped in mist. Adding to the atmosphere are the round boulders that litter the ground. Ranging in size from small to huge, they give the woods a unique character.
A consequence of Sintra’s atmosphere is that practicers of dark magic like to visit the woods. Watch out for circles of candles or other strange items and definitely do not touch them!
We spent the rest of the day sampling the high quality trails and being shuttled back up again. By this point we had been joined by some other riders, including one of Portugal’s finest mountain bikers, Emanuel Pombo.
To put it bluntly, the trails in Sintra are awesome. Tight twisting singletrack, rock gardens, jumps, kickers and drops. Lisbon and Sintra have a lively downhill, enduro and XC scene. On the weekends there are literally hundreds of bikers out and the trails are very well maintained.
We ended the day riding the Donkey Trail, which runs from the heart of the mountains down to the southern tip. Half way down we stopped so that Duarte and Pombo could session some big jumps while Thomas captured the action. Photos of riders sending jumps is one thing, but witnessing Pombo’s smooth style as he got huge airtime was something else!
The Donkey trail ends at a beach bar and we enjoyed some hard-earned beers as the sun went down.
WERIDE offer a variety of single and multi-day tours in and around Lisbon, as well as other Portuguese locations. You can choose standard riding, girls only, a training camp or even a day riding with a pro (Pombo). Not only are they highly professional, they are also really nice guys. Lisbon is a perfect location for riding all year round. I was there in winter, which was chilly but by no means too cold to ride.
For more information head to www.weride.pt
Written by Richard Bailey
original URL at RAD Season here
Once again the CAPRA is setting new standards.
Confidence, creativity, endurance: this G.O.A.T. will get you and it will turn you into the rider you have always aspired to be. And true to our core, we keep pushing boundaries: the all-new CAPRA is a full-on downhill machine crossed with the uphill performance of a trail bike.
The modern geometry with short chainstays and a slack headtube angle perfectly unites the best of two worlds. The new CAPRA delivers the most advanced combination of trail bike agility and traction at downhill standard. The metric 250mm shock delivers the solid suspension travel of the CAPRA with a low leverage ratio and fully convinces with a performance that's hardly ever seen away from downhill courses.
Photography and film are property of YT industries
Photos by Ale di Lullo and film direction by Mark Jenkinson
Riders: Ace Hayden and Bryan Regnier
::: Head south or gear up! But just get out there. Season never ends! Follow Julia Hofmann, David Cachon & Rob Heran on the trails of Sintra and Lisbon. Guiding: WERIDE.pt / Filming: Fastfokus :::
WERIDE & ION full version video
WERIDE & ION short version video
Spectacular trails in Sintra National Park, Portugal and through the old town of Lisbon
The Sun refuelling and baking the coast
Original review (german only) at RED BULL Austria here
From Maria Sendlhofer-Schag / bikefex.at on February 16, 2017
One of my - at least for myself - most unpleasant quirks is that overwhelming pleasant anticipation for a new adventure which leaves me sleepless the night before 'it' starts. But as soon as the taxi is waiting in front of my door at 4:00am in the morning and I get seated between bikes and bags, my own body wakes me up. It’s kicking in, better than three double Espressos. Holger and Rene are still sleeping with their eyes open.
A month ago I packed my skiing bag and walked through the airport; now I’m comfortably carrying my bike bag next to me: destination South! "Land of the "pastel de nata" and Porto wine: for the next week you are mine!"
The welcoming sun in Lisbon feels like a warm hug. The short-short season has begun. I finally arrived to Surfcamp owned by Martin Roll and I’m immediately looking for my flip flops to put on. But before we even have a chance to build our bikes together, Holger puts us into a thick wetsuit and hands us a board. Swell, tide and a few other terms that I do not understand would be just great - we have to do that now.
The guys excited to go surfing
Lots of fun with technical trails
Apart from the fact that such a neoprene suit is the most unpleasant pijama one can imagine - a surfboard is not an air mattress for chilling. And if the temperatures look like early summer, the Atlantic ocean is f****** cold in April. Cold as a mountain lake, definitely not a thermal pool. I've tried, honestly, but after one hundred nasal purges, I decide for myself - fair enough as an inhabitant of an interior land - it is totally ok to prefer to water in a different gaseous state. In addition to that, freeride jerseys conceal female problem areas much better than a whole-body suite. So much for that.
Corners, jumps and single tracks in Sintra...
I prefer to stay ashore and lead my beautiful bike to its destination. We are not only here for vacation, we want to scout the area to emerge a new bike program. And we meet with locals for biking. These locals call themselves WERIDE and are a sympathetic bunch of guides, with a lot of enthusiasm and joy in the matter - exactly our type. Under the blue WERIDE tricot, a story / an English teacher, an architect and an opera singer are joining us in Portugals trails. Interesting people who know many exciting things to tell. It is amazing to bike through the old town of Lisboa with a local architect! Lonely Planet, Baedeker and consorts can’t keep up with that.
The Donkey Trail in the Sintra National Park
We have our first Meet & Greet & Ride in Sintra. This region is situated west of Lisbon on the coast and marks the westernmost point of continental Europe. The cultural landscape of Sintra has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 1995.
"WE prefer to go uphill comfortably and rock downhill," we are briefly informed about the personal preferences of our guides. Hugos sparkling eyes and his 34 teeth chain ring make me smile too and also suspicious. His brand new carbon Enduro is shining in the sun and I am packing one more layer of suncream on my legs. Let’s hope for a magic effect during the next days. At least I smell good.
Shortly afterwards we are standing in a dense, damp forest, the trails are fast and also steep, partly with built jumps and berms, in between mossy stones and wet roots. Places for fiddling, tree slalom, small wooden bridges and fords. Strangely, it is foggy even though it is actually a wonderful sunny day.
warning: try not to enjoy too much the panorama
The last meters to the beach.
The guys give gas and let it crash. Holger and Rene just stick to Hugo's and Miguel's rear wheel. I lack this kind of primal trust, and I prefer to find my own line, but if I get too far away, I have a hard time to find the right path. It's the 34 teeth time now: as soon as it gets a little flatter, there is no relaxing cruising and looking into the area but stand-up pedalling to burn the thighs. Well ok, training mode ON. With my 30 teeth chain ring and the lack of resistance in the last gear, I feel like a mixer.
Time goes by and after seven hours and some epic descents we can totally feel our legs. But the best part of the day lies still in front of us and it is called 'Donkey Trail': a seemingly endless path in the coastal area that just ends at a secluded beach - just in time for sunset. We are overwhelmed. And we are as hungry as a bear. Fortunately, Hugo knows the right place to go and I can taste my first Bacalhau, it was great.
João takes over in Lisbon. We start in the Parque Florestal de Monsanto. No, this is not about pesticides. It is the 900 ha large recreational area of the "Lisboetas". A park planned and built around 1938 by the architect Francisco Keil do Amaral. A rather hilly area, which has been completely reforested and planted for the purpose of recreation. There are riding paths, climbing spots, sports facilities... And of course trails, trails, trails for bikers! Because of the diversity of the terrain I’m struggling not to loose the guys - and myself. But it happened and it increased my mobile phone roaming charges: "At the beehive left?" - "There was no turn at all and what beehive?" You cannot rely on tire tracks - they lead in all directions, Monsanto houses the hometrails of the Lisbon biker scene. Accordingly, they are also cherished and cared for and above all: they are used by many bikers.
On the coastal road near Ericeira
Dead end on the coast
We enjoy this huge playground all day long until João leads us into the city late in the afternoon. A city tour with a MTB flavour. It is great to see all of those old streets and buildings, but riding there with my own bike is marvellous. Memories of previous visits are popping up. But now I can cruise through the old town, relax on my bike and enjoy the beautiful scenery without having a look on a city map every five minutes.
At 8:00pm we are invited to a small family restaurant in Bairro Alto. The bikes are just left outside of the bar and nearly block the whole alley. João knows the owners and they not only offer excellent traditional food but also great Fado music.
We learn quickly that once the show is started and musicians are playing and singing, we have to chew gently and be quiet - no gossip talk allowed here. Unfortunately, I do not understand a single word, but it is definitely very dramatic. Probably someone knows someone who knows someone who once won the lottery and the receipt has been burned down with the house? Or the good-looking boy must leave the country for political reasons, the fiancée promises to wait until she can finally forget him with progressive dementia, a gray streak flashes in the light of the sunset, fade out, aperture, change of scene. My imagination is going wild and I am very entertained.
A fado restaurant in the old town of Lisbon, Alfama
Rapunzel listening to Fado
Every small musical break, the waitress is running from table to table to fill up the glasses. The appearance may be deceptive, but our table is more often visited than others. And every time she moves closer to me, caressing my cheek, sometimes my hair. It’s no solution, not to drink and order. She keeps on coming to our table. Damn it, what’s going on here?
I could have guessed: the reason is my red hair. Shortly afterwards I’m officially called Rapunzel and we are asked to sign a thick guestbook. What's closer to cutting a single curl? A Leatherman has many features and can help in so many situations - it cuts hair quite well. Now they stick beside our names in the guestbook and I got a big kiss in addition to an even bigger hug.
João warned us not to eat too much… didn’t help. The uphill to the castle with our full stomach was challenging and the muscles in our legs are complaining about the uneven blood distribution in our bodies. Those who don’t know the old town of Lisboa: the streets are partly very steep and the alleys are more like staircases and footpaths.
Nightride through the narrow streets of Bairro Alto
The famous streets of Lisbon
The castle has been locked just before we arrived, so we continue to the "miradouro" and enjoy a fantastic view over Bairro Alto and the lights of the city. The last downhill of the day starts here: over the many stairs and through narrow lanes, past strolling tourists with their cell phones. We also ride parts of the city downhill circuit. Sometimes I have fortune favours, that my unusually wide handlebars do not get stuck with a handrail or wall. At the bottom, in the middle of the city, endorphins rush in and we are totally awake again.
So what to do with the night? Correct. Biking from the Baixa Pombalina to Bairro Alto. The Bohemian corner and all the pubs of the city - João knows the best place for ice cream - Santini in Baixa Chiado. Afterwards, we walk through the crowd of party people and enjoy the nightlife. And somehow, we reached the subway station for the last train back to Monsanto and Martin's van. A fast ride to the ticket counter, but after the barrier we have to push the bikes. 12 hours of riding and intense life are over.
The rest of the trip we are exploring the surrounding area of Martin's Surfcamp in Ericeira on our own. We also take a closer look at the coastal walk. At this time of the year the otherwise rather sparse vegetation shows a colourful flower dress. Climbs can quickly become hikes but the view to the sea is amazing. Holger is getting nervous when beautiful big waves are rolling in. I believe that those are the moments when his surfer heart is trying to fight the MTB heart. Landlubbers like me don’t have such problems - right?
Right on the beach at portugalsurfcamp.com
Rene had a lesson to learn: it’s not a good idea to hand me his credit card to buy some stuff from the "pastelaria" without precise orders. Hungry and with his money, I probably exaggerated a little bit. I returned with the two tablets of Pastel de Nata in all different kinds. And from my point of view it was definitely worth it!
We enjoy our time and collect impressions, moments of happiness and sunny days. In the camp, where wetsuits and surfboards are normally put to be cleaned from salt water, we shower the dust from our bikes. At least the colours of our bikes fit to the rather colourful surfing equipment in the garage.
We will be back!
But towards the end of the week, Martin insists that we try surfing one more time. He asked Flávio, his main surf-trainer, to show us some basic skills. We have run up and down the beach in those wetsuits, dry paddling in the sand and jumping up to the board on command. Have I already mentioned that these neoprene suits are not quite breathable? In a short time, it gets very hot and I’m looking forward to the icy Atlantic.
The current is much stronger than at the beginning of the week. I have to fight my way through the white water to Flávio. The waves determine the rhythm. There’s no time for waiting and thinking. And they come in very short intervals. I cannot wait for the moment when I feel ready, I have to adjust myself and be ready when the moment comes. This is new to me and probably my biggest challenge.
And at some point, after the most frequent dive, I manage not to tip forward or tilt backwards or sideways, but just get up and stand still. And very briefly I have a slight idea of how it could feel. And soon the water is only mouse-knee deep and the fun is over.
Who knows, maybe I am not such a huge landlubber as I thought and there’s room for improvement. But there’s enough time to find out. And until then, my bike is my best friend - and "pastel de nata", and port wine, and Portugal…
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