Day 9 - to Aronches; and day 10 to Castelo de Vida (through Spain)

 Our days have become somewhat routine when riding.  Arise for breakfast around 7; eat; pack and deliver baggage to the van at about 8:45 to begin riding at 9.  We've altered a little depending on the weather and distance and terrain being covered.  This particular route - the Border Castles route - is consistently about 60 kilometers each day.  Day's 9 and 10, though, involve the most climbing of the trip.  First from Elvas to Aronches- about 600 meters of climbing through the day - and then to Castelo de Vida - about 1000 meters of climbing.  The days were more of a struggle for Sandy who's caught COVID and fighting the effects of tiredness and coughing.  My COVID has subsided to the point that I feel pretty normal.  Hopefully the rest day in Castello de Vide will be one of recovery for both of us.

The ride to Aronches is beautiful.  It is through rolling countryside on very quiet country roads - almost no vehicles makes for lovely riding and the group spreads out as each rides their pace from pause to pause.  Stop at the van, for coffee, at the van, for lunch, and finally into our destination.  We paused first to take pictures of the Aqueduct at Elvas before passing Fort Graca and turning onto the first of two roads ultimately leading to Aronches.  Our lunch stop is in a small village along the way.  From lunch to Aronches is about 20 kilometers passing a processing plant for Olive Oil and what appear to be the driveways into large ranches along the way.  There are lots of cattle in the fields.  Cork trees are obvious because of the stripped bark on the bottom of the tree.  The climbing, it turns out, is largely in the first part of the ride - about 300 meters in the first 20 kilometers until coffee.  The hotel in Aronches is basic - no wifi, so writing about the day is not going to happen.  I'm somewhat anxious about the upcoming 1000 meters of climbing from Aronches to Castelo de Vida...probably unnecessarily, but...

We head out from Aronches and the climbing begins quickly.  The road is small - we are challenged to pass on coming vehicles (actually, they are probably more challenged by us), but it's quiet.  We're riding through fairly hilly countryside.  After about 15 kilometers we come down a nice hill to a small bridge and a sign telling us that we are entering Espania.

For the next 10 kilometers or so we wind our way through the Spainish countryside.  The road is a little wider, but not significantly busier.  It's obviously rural with few properties along the way.  At a small junction we come to the cafe where coffee is to be found.  We find ourselves struggling to order in Spanish having finally managed the lingo to get coffee in Portuguese.  We reconnect with each other and several in the group are remembering an earlier journey along the same roads.  After coffee the next climb begins.  About 10-15 kilometers of steady climbing.  Back into Portugal and over the mountain range that will bring us to Portagem, Marvao and Castelo de Vida.  The roads continue to be quiet and I think we surprise the few workers out clearing the ditches alongside the roads with weed whackers - who are these people and where did they come from?  seem to be the tone of the looks we receive as we pass by.  As we get close to lunch a detour has to be made.  We're not really sure of the reason but Carolyn things that perhaps there has been a mudslide or something - in any case, cyclists are not permitted to be on the road we planned to be on.  Huw consults google maps and gets in the van to ensure we won't hit gravel along the way.  The detour, really, turns out to be a beautiful side trip.  There are new, very new, baby lambs with their mothers along side the road.  At one point the whole group stops to take in the new life with their mothers in the pen only feet away from the edge of the road.  Lunch in Portagem in beside a river where a Roman bridge crosses.  I learn later that during the 12th and 13th centuries this bridge is where Jewish refugees from the Inquisition in Spain would pay the toll required of them to enter into Portugal.  Above us the castle of Marvao dominates the landscape.  Sandy is feeling particularly tired, and I am voluntold to ride with her on the "shortcut" to our destination.  The rest of the group has about 300 meters of climbing and 22 kilometers to ride to get to the hotel.  Sandy and I ride seven along a "busier" road and arrive about an hour before the others.  We're able to check in, shower and rest as the others fight the climb.

Roman Bridge in Portagem

Marvao