New Year Ride 2022
New Year Ride 2022
January | 2022
How can you start better the New Year than doing a 3 day off road camping trip? Also planned as THE "virgin" tour of the Super Tenere after the rebuild. Well, actually the 3rd attempt; further details see the blog about the rebuilt.
On New Years day during the morning we prepared the bikes slowly as we were only suppose to meet our friends Claudia Pereira and Luis Lourenço at 13h00 at a petrol station on the IC1 around São Marcos da Serra. As already thought, they are the usual late ;-) So whilst waiting we had our packed lunch.
After their arrival we pretty much hit the road and soon the off road track towards Ourique. It was lovely weather, sunny with a spring temperature of 22C, so mint off road riding condition. A good hour later we had a little break close by Ourique. When we arrived then in Ourique Claudia and Luis started to sort our their accommodation for the night and James and I went to the recently bought quinta of German friends close by. They have bought a little paradise where they breed Portuguese sheep, having chickens and keeping their horses. As soon as we arrived we were dragged to the sheep stable as they just had helped at a very difficult birth of twin lambs. How cute are these little fluffy lamb!!
We could stay overnight at the little hut at their little lake, whith a fantastic view. After we had made our camp bed, we went up to the main house for shower and dinner. Peter has cooked a lovely dinner for all of us. We chatted away about the life in the Algarve and life in general. It was a really interesting evening.
About 21h I joined the "midwives" with feeding the newborn twins. I could feed one, and it was so impressive. As they still were wet, as unfortunately the mother didn´t care at all about them, we tried to rub them with the straw to dry them and also to help their blood circulation.
We slept very well in our little wooden hut. The next morning we got a very rich breakfast (with typical german style bread, yummie!) and after saying good-bye to the lambs we left to meet Claudia and Luis back in Ourique. Whilst they got ready, we got into a conversation with a German guy as he saw us yesterday passing his house. About 11h30 we finally headed offroad off towards Santiago de Cacém. The weather unfortunately changed to really thick sea mist and temperatures around 11C - brrrr.
In Alvalade we stopped at the petrol station for a café, but then we decided to have already our lunch. So we got additional beers, crisps and some nuts. After a cafe we were on the track again, and the weather also changed back to blue sky. It was again really nice (fast) off road tracks, mixed with some street riding. In Santiago de Cacém we stocked up water and beer for the night. The last part of the track was mainly sand, but after the rain some days ago it was still a bit solid, so even Steffi made it through without a little "rest". At the Barragem Morgavel we said good-bye to Claudia and Luis as they are going to stay in a hotel in Milfontes.
We went to "our" camping spot, which meant driving through sand again, but it was also good for Steffi to drive as not bone dry = soft. After we organised ourselves a bit, we went into the bushes around to get some firewood (twigs) for a little camp fire. After that we sorted out our tent (the ground sheet was still wet from a previous trip, even though we dried it!?). James cooked us his famous yummie spicy super-noodles. During cooking time we also had the camp fire going. Whilst James was busy cooking, Steffi was busy breaking the twigs down into little stashes to burn during the evening. The fire was needed as it was cold, but a fantastic clear sky with countless stars.
Next morning, we got up by 8am, but as usual, we were not before 9h30 sitting on our packed bikes. In Vila Nova de Milfontes we met Claudia and Luis in a small, but lovely, café to have our breakfast. Whilst we enjoyed our breakfast, they got back to their hotel to get their bikes ready. By 11h30 we all were finally on the bikes. First we were planning to go off road until Odemira, but as we had still some off road to do and after returning home heading in different destinations later the night, we gave it a miss. Until Odeceixe was only road riding, but then it forked off soon on the TET to get up to Monchique. It was on our entire tour the rockiest part, as lots of sandy patches and small boulders plus rutts (especially now after the rain). However, Steffi had only once to stop to pick the correct line over some small boulders - yes, it is all about momentum ;-)
In Monchique we stopped for a drink (this time we all opted for Coke) and crisps as we had still to crack on to get home before dark. From Monchique we followed a lovely back road around Picota, which provides a fantastic panoramic view over the barragens and serra. Shortly after Picota it was again offroad until Silves, where we stopped to say good-bye (again). This time, unfortunately, as our 3-day trip was finished; they still had to go back to Faro and us back to Algoz, where we just at 17h arrived. James mum had already prepared some lovely food for lunch/dinner as we were really hungry.
It was a fantastic tour, just to get into the swing after the festive season, but mainly to give the Yamaha Super Tenere a really good test ride after the rebuild and recent fixes. The bike worked very well, so James was really satisfied and happy to have a running bike! For me it was good again to ride Schimmelchen off road, and to gather the last ideas what still needs fixing or build by James to optimise luggage set-up for our big trip. Now Schimmelchen will go to Roberto at "R&S" in Lagos for some maintenance, servicing, stripping down (as still the light problem is not fixed, see blog "Crossing Pyrenees") and changing springs and rear suspension; the good old BMW got already 87000km so it deserves some serious pampering!
Places | Cities:
Ourique, Alvalade, Barragem Morgavel, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Silves
Driven km | Trip:
Total: 360 km SE, James 360 km
Maintenance | Breakdown:
none - hurray!! :)
Health issues:
None :-)
Special thanks to:
Riding company of Claudia and Luis on their KTM 990s
and the Hoffmann-Family for their excellent hospitality!