The Atlantic

We slept in a little today after an exhausting, in a good way, ride yesterday. But, we still had time for a hearty breakfast, which we needed for today’s 95K ride. Although we were still pedaling into the wind, it had abated somewhat and today was both drier and warmer. Today was much more like I imagined our holiday would be.

The route from Sines to Odeceixe took us along the coast, with fine sand beaches and rugged cliffs. We saw some sunshine, but it was not overly warm as the sky was cloudy from time to time. The roads were peaceful and quiet as there were few tourists and little local traffic.

We rode in the SW Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, and inland a few kilometres beside farms and through villages. In addition to fields of beets, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables, we also saw farm animals, such as sheep, goats, cattle and horses. There were also pigs, including the Black Iberian pig, which is a domesticated animal found in Portugal and Spain whose ancestry includes wild boar.

The coastal scenery was beautiful and we stopped frequently to admire the view, often by ourselves. We ended the day at the charming former fishing village of Odeceixe.