TRAVERSE 81
TRAVEL- PORTUGAL
SUZIE PREVETT
A LOVELY GESTURE OF WELCOME
We ' d booked a couple of weeks off work and planned to tackle the Portugal ACT( Adventure Country Track), a route that begins in northern Portugal and winds its way down to the Algarve on the southern coast. Stretching roughly 1,250 kilometres, the track is designed to be completed over the course of about five days, with around 65 % of it being ' offroad '— just what we were looking for!
Excitement was high as we set out from just north of Bragança, despite the chilly 5-degree Celsius morning. After layering up against the cold, we set off to commence our ACT adventure. Almost immediately, we found ourselves on dirt tracks en route to refuel, which felt like an auspicious start. Both bikes and water bladders topped up, we navigated our way to the official start of the ACT route. Attempting to lower our tyre pressures, we discovered our electronic gauge had
failed, so we had to stick with the pressures as they were, a reminder that sometimes the simplest tools are the best!
The day quickly became a blur of dirt roads and breathtaking scenery. Early on, we faced two ' hard ' optional sections. Although I felt a bit apprehensive, the chance to see the Roman bridges was too tempting, so we pressed on. The first challenging track led us easily to the Roman Bridge, where we met two German riders on BMWs tackling other ACT routes. They struggled up the steep, loose corner after the bridge, so we pitched in to help, lifting one of the larger bikes and encouraging its rider until he made it. The younger rider, visibly nervous, also fell on the corner; together we helped him get back up and eventually up the hill.
Our turn came next. Kelvin, my husband, made it up without issue, and, with the German rider kindly waiting on the corner in case of
TRAVERSE 81