Portugal Cycling Tour- Day 1

Today starts the first day of our cycling tour! We began by shuttling to Herdade do Barrocal, an estate that is renowned for its cork groves, olive oil and regional wines.  It was so interesting to learn how the cork is harvested in sheets from the cork oak, which occurs every 9 years. They explained that most of the harvested material is used for wine corks. They also raised cattle and had one of the cutest baby donkeys I've ever seen! The visit ended with a delicious lunch. Prepared right on the farm. 

Next, we moved on to our accommodations, Convento do Espinheiro, a beautifully preserved 15th century convent. We changed into our riding gear and took a 5 mile warm-up ride to make sure our bikes fit. As I dodged potholes, tried not to let the cobblestones jerk my handlebars from my hands, and tried to listen to the GPS device give directions for the route, I wondered what I was getting myself into! Mark proved to be an outstanding leader and guide, watching the traffic, and reminding me to downshift when the hills started to get steep.

We ended the day spending time with our fellow riders, a fun group from all over the United States, and had a delicious dinner!Read more