August 13: Portugal to Potes - Another Great Road
Wow! Today’s ride had it all – magnificent vistas of rolling hillsides covered with neatly arranged vines, arid honey-colored land with scrubby vegetation, startling blue-green lake waters, majestic mountains rising above the clouds, and to top it off – a twisty mountain road snaking its way down into the valley below.
As I headed out of Lamego this morning I found myself not wanting to leave the city’s old stone buildings lining little narrow cobblestone streets, quaint shops and eateries, lively ambiance, and delicious food. My dinner last night at Casa Filipe was one of the better ones of this trip – a generous portion of tender and moist “little goat” served with savory potatoes cooked in butter, olive oil, peppermint, and the juices of the meat. I also had a great night’s sleep at my clean and air-conditioned hostel.
Heading north, I was transfixed by the stunning vistas of vineyards to the east – neat lines and swirls of light and dark green winding down the terraced slopes amidst the trees and rocks, patches of other crops clustered in between, and little houses interspersed throughout. I paused several times to gawk and take pictures before finally resolving to move down the road.
After traveling on main roads for two hours, I turned off onto N-625 around Leon, entering an entirely different, stark world. The landscape became flatter and browner and filled with scrub brush, traffic disappeared, and the roads narrowed and deteriorated. As I passed through several towns with no services or signs of life, I counted my blessings that I had happened to fill up right before leaving the main road.
As N-625 turned into N-621 and I continued northeast, I realized what a treat I was in for. I began to relish the solitude and the emptiness, settling into the ride and looking for different shades of brown and textures of brush. My phone stopped charging in the intense heat and I sent up a prayer that my navigation would last until I reached my destination.
Approaching the Riano Regional Park, the road became twistier, the land hillier, and a stunning green-blue body of water appeared beyond the dam to my left. Surrounded by large grey limestone mountains, the bright colored water stood in stark contrast to the rocky formations above it.
After about 50 miles on N-621, the road rose in elevation, climbing up and then over a large mountain pass for another 50 or so miles to the city of Potas below. I stopped to take in the view from the top of the pass, relishing the sight of scrubby fields of wildflowers in the foreground and the majestic mountains rising through the clouds above me. I could hear cowbells tinkling in the distance as a local farmer rounded up his herd for the night. Descending on one switchback curve after another I felt such enormous gratitude for yet another incredible day on the road.
