TransPortugal Day 5

Today was supposed to be an easy day. 145km with a castle-top finish up 20+% cobble paths didn't feel easy.

Jon had his best day yet and finished 13th. It was an interval climb sort of day which seemed to suit him well. He hung with the lead group until the hike-a-bike hill (see below). Looks like everyone is coming into form a bit - good job Jon! On top of that, his parents met us today at the hotel on their holidays.

Kate is hurting a bit from the antibiotics, but pulled in another 6th - sitting in 4th overall still.

Craig had 3 flats, bummer for him. At least he's had some highlights, plus I got to ride with him a bunch today.

I felt decent this morning and hung with the lead group on the coast down the first roads. Once we hit fire-break road along the hills it sped up as it was endless rollers. I was doing fine until I hopped a puddle and one of my friend Gian Malar's Swiss acquaintances (small world!) told me something came out of my pocket. It was my phone/tools/money in a zip loc so definitely needed to pick that up. Lost the group and was on my own. Eventually Tom and I paired up for some road and put in a few good miles, but we parted just before a town where a circus was setting up. From there it was downhill pavement which was fun, rolled along pretty well in big ring. Craig caught me (he flatted earlier) and we worked together to reel in a half dozen riders. One we couldn't catch for a while was Marco the guy who won the first stage... no idea what happened to bump him from lead group, but that explained his pace. He was upset with Craig's stage win yesterday for some reason or another.

So here I am with two stage winners who've got some history together, 40k into a 145k stage, and all I was really hoping for is Pedro to come by and snap a photo in the rolling meadows since Craig and I were riding together and both had full deadgoat kit on. I pounded back some food and held on. The combo of them going easy and allowing me to stay on, with me drilling it, was the name of the game. I hoped to hold onto the next climbing section at least as it was advantageous to stay with a group for a while.

I have little idea of how long that section lasted, I think from about 45 to 80km. Once the climbing started I said don't wait, Craig pinned it and dropped Marco, and I went slow until I recovered a bit. Only 65k to go... felt empty. So much for easy day.

Didn't see anyone for a long time. Covered ground, ate, looked at the sights. Portuguese countryside has a lot of meadows with nice flowers and smells. Some Dutch guy caught me on a road section, needless to say a big Dutch guy is a great companion for riding headwinds on flat to the next town. The massage team passed in a car which was a nice pick me up to take my mind off how long my ass has been on a bike seat, how many hours I can ride tempo in a day with stage winners or Dutch roadies, how many blisters my hands have, etc.

He let me go on the next climb after we filled up for water, and when it peeled off for gravel I passed Craig fixing a flat again. He had what he needed, but bummer of a day.

Climb after rolling climb after rolling climb led us to another town for water, then off to the forest paths again. Did a steep descent to a stream that had a trail straight up the other side. I saw two guys ahead and hiked for all I was worth, caught one but not Tom. This is the hill where the Dutch twins attacked and dropped the remainder of the lead group. Ridiculous, but I guess if you can do 500W for 3 minutes and weigh about 50kg it works.

Endless rolling roads between fields, rock walls on both sides, and a few gates. Some stick got my left ear and cut it enough that blood dripped down, got my head too behind in my hair which I don't quite get, and ripped my helmet strap and took a chunk of foam out. Oh well. The sting took away from the hurt of the saddle and legs for a bit.

Around this time I could see a few guys coming from behind in a group, the Swiss guy who told me I dropped stuff this morning ahead, and a couple sharp peaks with castles on top like 20k away. I had a good day up to this point other than a little trail side break, and didn't really want a group of three to go by. Caught Swiss guy but he was too fried to work (not too windy, but just having a pace buddy on the trails helps too). Kept pounding the monotonous taste of gel and driving on.

Finally got to bottom of castle hill, ear was itching. A Portuguese guy was 30 seconds up; shoulder checked and saw 3 guys closed on the last bit of headwind road and were right behind. Ugh. Didn't want it to be that way so just pinned it up the steep sidewalks/cart paths or whatever they are. Portuguese guy got off on some stairs, but they were wide spaced so I could ride up them. I got off when I made a wrong turn on a steep incline and he went by. I walked back and up, then photographer was there. I hope I re-mounted before he clicked, sheesh.

Pinned it on a few more hills, took one more wrong turn, then saw the remainder roll in after me at the finish line. I think another 6.5h day... man this is a physical challenge. Of the many ups and downs of the hills, I didn't get the ups and downs of poor fitness as much today, none of the "about to meet your maker feeling", none of the "I want to lie down right here and cry" feeling. So I guess that's good. The duration and the proliferation of soreness through my body is ridiculous, I'm sore almost everywhere now for days. My ears weren't sore but now one of those is too. Hands and feet. Legs and back. Hamstrings, glutes and calves. Shoulders and neck. Saddle. Shins and forearms from bramble bushes. Eyes from sunscreen and sweat. Wow. My nose feels fine, and memory is recording a lot of fun and a lot of beautiful countryside and sights, so I'll count my blessings. My spiritual journey today came in the form of half an extra strength muscle relaxant pill before massage. I was putty.