GULG, Stoicbloke, Teneredoug, remember this?
 

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Portugal trails??

I passed the ford we spent 30 mins crossing before we realised the trail didn't go through the ford... remember??

I'm in Braganca now where we stopped for lunch on the first day.

Nick

Hey Nick did you do the ADV 5 dayer in SW France after Portugal with Bernard ? maybe we've already met !!!

Phil

Phil,

No i didnt, I remember Bernard talking about it.

I've just done the first half of RB5 from Vibration, would have done it all, but my fuel pump had other ideas......

Nick

hi Nick, therapy has helped me forget, nah enjoyed the trip, good memories!

your pump going to be done for marroc?if you're still going?

the pump's a simple enough job, unfortunately pricy tho

Nick
If you need a pump (ktm 690 is it) i could try and get one here and bring it down. My mate Shan who's meeting us down there ride a 690 so he'll know where to get one here.

See you in Maroc Bernard :glasses2:

Phil

http://www.smokingtailpipes.com/Gallery/Port012.JPG

First day, that would be the ford with the bridge that Bernard went over sideways.... in his first attempt at taking Doug out (which we know he succeeded at later!)

Be interested to see how many of the trails are still open, or the ones that Bernard took on his own, or that bl00dy wood we went round half a dozen times before we found the way out!

.....got some unfinished business down that way....

Thanks for the offers but pump was done under warranty in Spain.
Bike has been fine for the last 3 days, so fingers crossed....

Nick.

Darren,

Don't remember getting lost in a wood?? Or is that the same place as Bernards Hill?
When I get there I'll see if I'm brave enough to try it....

Nick

No it was a few days after 'Bernards hill', around the same time you and me had a few offs, we had just started to get to 'the sand'.....

Had a couple of detours today. Some roads have been updated and you can no longer get off the trail onto the road. Trail either ends or there's a tunnel under the road.

Remember the stream we crossed after riding around what looked like allotments? No crossing anymore.

Weather not as good as last time either... pissed it down most if the day.

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The sheep were on the track around the lake which we did after lunch in the first day.

Nick.

In Guarda now. That's the town on the hill we stayed at where we changed Bernards tyre at the petrol station.

I'm sort off in the same hotel... got to the hotel...sorry we're full. So I sob story a bit saying we stayed there 3 years ago etc... the hotel owner comes out and says the hotel is full, but you can stay at my house just up the road. Result!! Not only do I have a house to myself, my bike is parked in the front courtyard and there was a bit of paper on the sideboard with the wi-fi password!!

No detours today, so did the same route as we did last time. Couldn't remember where we had lunch last time round, I certainly didn't find the same place today. And I didn't get wet either!!

This is where Doug's pannier fell off:

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First glimpse of the River Douro:

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Starting to get a bit sandy...

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Nick

.

I though the picture was here ....

http://www.smokingtailpipes.com/Gallery/Port014.JPG

But they would have needed to remove a whole mountain!!!

It was just past here were Bernard and Doug kissed....

http://www.smokingtailpipes.com/Gallery/Port019.JPG

Loving this thread Nick.

Maybe it wasn't where Doug lost a pannier, but I remember we stopped there for a spanner session...

Bit more road work yesterday, maybe a 60/40 trail/road mix.

Had two detours due to Locked gates. Missed a chunk if trail due to the first one and just found another easy around for the other.

Sun was out today.... at last!!

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/17/8amerygu.jpg

Somebody nicked the bottle top spout...
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Nick

In Portalegre now, good mix of trails today, nice forest tracks and then sandy roads.

Came up against Bernards hill today and it beat me again! I reckon I could have got down ok, but I'm sure I couldn't have got back up if I'd needed to..
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Went back to the road and joined the trail again about 5km away.

Was this the day we bailed out and stayed in the hotel with the pool?

Did some nice trails after rejoining and only had one detour.

Three days left to get to the Algarve, should be ok but I think the sand starts tomorrow.....

Nick

Fantastic report and pics Nick.

Hope your well and that Ktm is doing the job.

Let's have some more pics once your in morocco.

Gary

Hello from the sunny Algarve. Got here late afternoon yesterday. The last couple of days have been a mixed bag. You guys didn't miss much last time. Lots of access problems, no entry signs and locked gates. What needs doing with this route is keeping as it is down to Castelo Branco then heading across to the Spanish border and funding some trails that head back up north. The trails down here are not as good as those that can be found further north. I did do some nice trails in the hills before you drop down towards the coast but mostly it's sandy roads on flat open country and with the access problems it just wasnt very enjoyable for me. I did some trails that I dont remember doing last time and missed out quite a few chunks that we did do. Weather's great down here mind!!

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Nick.