By bike and train to Porto

Thursday, May 2: From zero to 120

In the morning it is four degrees in Salamanca, and during the course of the day the thermometer does not rise above 10 degrees. In addition, there is a cool wind that comes slightly from the front and makes the short, sharp climbs even more difficult. One idea was to start the EV 1 in Scotland and Ireland - it would certainly not be colder there. We will return to Salamanca in about three weeks during our tour, this time from the south, and we assume that the city will welcome us with sun and warmth. Today a big challenge awaits us, 120 km and 1200 meters of altitude. From zero to 120, because we have not been on the bike for the last two weeks because of the bad weather and the journey by train and ferry. Why such a long distance? In the deserted area with a few small villages there are hardly any places to stay overnight, and if there are, there is no restaurant. Freixo, on the Portuguese side, offers all of this, and is just 120 km from Salamanca. In addition, we want to catch the first train from Pocinho to Porto at 1:08 p.m. on Friday. We leave Salamanca with a delightful view of the impressive cathedral and follow the CL-517 provincial road for the next 75 km. There is a well-drivable shoulder and little traffic. The cold and the many short, sharp climbs make the journey exhausting. At the first coffee break after 40 km, I have the feeling that I won't be able to keep this up for long. My legs and bottom are already starting to complain, but they prove to be surprisingly resilient as the journey continues. After 70 km, the next break is in the only larger town, Vitigudino. The bar on the square is well-filled, everyone is eating tapas, drinking wine and beer. We join them, but avoid alcohol at this time. A few km outside we change to a small country road and get wet a little later. We didn't need that today. We drive in the rain for the next hour and are glad that we can take a break in a bar, Hostal Valverde, until the rain lets up. Before the Douro finally shows itself in all its glory in the sun, we still have to climb. Then we go into the Douro valley and over to Portugal at the dam. There, with tired legs, a small pass with a tough 350 meters of elevation awaits us. Once we're at the top, we can already see Freixo and our hotel. We've actually made it!

Wine recommendation today: Quinta dos Castelares Douro

Friday, May 3: Freixo - Portinho (bike) - Porto (train)

We set off early so that we can catch the Linha do Douro train at 1 p.m. It's only 42 km but over 700 meters in altitude. After an initial descent, a "climb through the Alps" with 350 meters in altitude awaits us. We feel our legs after yesterday's exertion - Dominique much less so, because soon I can only see her from far behind. Her winter training with Zwift is paying off. We are in a very lonely area, every now and then a car or a farm. There are many terraced vineyards and many olive trees and many beautiful wild flowers. The yellow broom in the middle of the wild purple lavender is particularly beautiful! After just under 20 km, the asphalt road ends in a small town. Without a sat nav, you wouldn't be able to find the rest of the way. On a poorly navigable dirt road through vineyards, we come to a small dam, over which we reach an asphalt road. With gradients of up to 15%, we pedal hard again and then we are back in a village. And there is the sign for 'Pocinho' - our destination with the train station. It is already almost 12 o'clock and we still have 17 km to cycle, but since it is now mostly downhill, we are at the train station at 12.30 p.m. The train from Porto arrives at 12.45 p.m. and we can safely store our bikes in the bike compartment. The Linha de Douro was built at the end of the 19th century to transport large quantities of wine, the basis of port wine, from the Douro Valley towards Porto. A little later, the extension of the line to Salamanca was planned and implemented. In 1985, the Spanish state railway stopped operations on the Spanish side for reasons of profitability. As a result, the Portuguese railway also stopped operations between Pocinho and the border. So we had to manage this section "pedaling". The train journey follows the course of the Douro for the first 100 km or so, in tight curves over bridges and through tunnels. To the right and left are steep slopes full of terraces and vineyards. Every now and then there are large farms that can only be reached via steep roads. Spectacular. In Porto we arrive at Sao Bento train station, whose lobby is beautifully decorated with numerous azuléjos, the typical Portuguese tile pictures. We have lovely accommodation in the center and helpful hosts who give us some good tips for exploring the city.