Day 1 Thu Jan 31 - Home to near Lindoso

 59km today 59km total 390km to Palencia

4:26hr riding time

Elev 355

Just 10km short of making it into Spain today. It was a short day after having a nice send off around 11am by Sandra and Angie in Paredes de Coura. (we won't mention Sandra having to drive me back home because I'd left the satellite tracker thingy in the garage). It didn't really sink in that I'd actually started as all the roads were so familiar. It was up the hill above town into the drizzle and over the top and down into Arcos de Valdevez, a very wet and chilly descent. The ride up the Lima valley to Lindoso was very pleasant, good fresh air and the scent of jasmine blossom.

Farewell Paredes de Coura!

Either my bike is to heavy or I'm not fit, probably both. All I know was that most of that gradual climb up the valley was in a worryingly low gear. I'd planned to carry on and cross the border into Spain before camping for the night but around 4.30pm I started to climb into that grey wet drizzly low cloud and I pulled up short at a fantastic beauty spot next to a tumbling river where the locals have a bar open in the summer. My tent and bike and a personal picnic table were under cover next to the bar (unfortunately shut)  and there was a spring a few yards away - perfect! (apart from the roar of the river which was in full spate). I felt this is a good omen.

A perfect camping spot