Day 8 Alpalhao to Castelo Branco

Day 8. Alpalhao to Castelo Branco. 65.48 kms. 5.04 hours cycling. 68.73 max speed. 12.86 average speed. Weather – sunny but with a very cold head wind from the north.

Well, basically I got hit with a double whammy all day today ... massive hills and a vicious headwind.
With the terrain changing dramatically from the previous couple of days, I soon found myself surrounded by mountains, some in the distance still covered with snow.
After stopping in Nisa, another historic and beautifully maintained town, for a bite to eat after about 10 kilometres, I didn’t really know what to anticipate for the day.
It didn’t take long to find out however, as I found myself careering downhill at nearly 70km/h for about 4 kms. But the adrenalin rush soon came to an end with vicious climb from the Nisa River at the bottom of the gorge.
The climb, the steepest I have come across yet on the tour, lasted for just on 5 kms, and was made all the more difficult with an unrelenting headwind all the way.
I felt the effort was well worth it at the top however as there were some magnificent views to take my mind off my burning legs!!
The climbing continued – with small downhill respites - gradually until Vila Velha de Rodao, where I stocked up on my daily fruit ration before getting back to something like the same gradient I tackled earlier in the morning. The only trouble with this was that it lasted for at least 25 kilometres and was into a ferocious headwind all the way!!
Suffice to say I was wearing out quickly and still had 15-plus klms to go to get to Castelo Branco, my destination for the day. With the wind so strong I had to start pedalling down the few hills that came my way to maintain momentum, I was delighted to finally make it – and you guessed it I got hopelessly lost trying to find the centre of the city.
Boy I hate big cities!! Anyway I finally tracked down the Touisimo office and got directions to the parque de campisimo only to find that it was another 4 kilometres out of town.
Exhausted I finally made it to the camp only to find there was no restaurant for dinner, with the closest back in town – and there was no way I was riding up another big hill to go out to dinner!!!
With very little food stocks in my panniers dinner was somewhat makeshift, with a big promise made to myself to lash out on a huge breakfast in the morning.
But while the riding was tough throughout the day, the scenery was brilliant and I am told by the lady at the tourisimo office it continues to get even better as I head north.
Wind and terrain permitting my goal tomorrow is Penamacor.

As a sidenote in Vila Velha de Rodao I bought what I thought were sardines to have with bread I already had from the previous day on the side of the road for lunch. On opening the can however I realised I didn’t know what I actually purchased!! Have a look at the pic and maybe you can let me know what your take on the translation on the tin is ……………………sure hope it wasn’t cat food, because it was horrible!!!!!!!!!!

Captions...Top pic: In Nisa who needs a garden when you can have one upstairs. Pic 2: Central Nisa. Pic 3 &4 and bottom: The views after a tough climb. Pic 5: Lunch ...what is it??????