The day started as norm, heavy cloud, some drizzle. I left my cork tree in the mist and headed along the trails coming to a reservoir.
The trail dropped down the edge of the dam to a river crossing. Slight problem though, the dam release was happening. The flood of excess water caused a fountain taller than my bike, the river flow was rapid and deep to say the least. Turn around time, that 0 for 3 on big river crossings so far on this trip.
The sun came out and the day warmed up to a beauty. The trails weren't difficult today at all and the landscape was huge grass lands full of live stock. There are loads of flocks of birds everywhere. A field full of Storks hunting, Black Kites and Buzzards circling overhead, hundreds of Lapwings taking off from a field as I came past, disturbing them no doubt, and lots of Partridge flitting out from the undergrowth.
I passed plenty of hunters as it was a Sunday, all camo kitted out, getting guns out to go shooting something. In one village, a group of guys had just beheaded a pig and were washing off the blood from the chopping table. The others all just chatting to one side. I'm not sure if it was a slaughter or a hunted animal, but it was big and there was plenty of meat for each of the guys for sure.
Another round of locked gates seemed to keep appearing today too. One place clearly wanted no one on their land, every gate had new chain and lock or a mound of material and a deep trench... A proper 'Get oorf my land' mentality.
In another of the villages, I found a beautiful Defender 110 TD5 Highcap Pickup. It's condition was superb and it shone in the sunlight. I took a picture to send to a mate who has one!
For some reason today, I was happy to keep riding, so I found myself above Alter do Chao on a ridge line at sunset. I took a photo, which never does justice to the actual and then headed up into the trees to find somewhere on the ridge line above the town to camp.
A dead end piste took me to a water pipe inspection point. Here was as good as anywhere and I set up camp in the trees. The wind was howling, dogs were barking, but it felt a lonely place for some reason. Pitch the tent, eat, then book time. I've almost finished this book, not sure what I'll do after that!
