Less prose and more photos today, inadequately capturing two very nice short rides, first downhill to the coast from steep Coimbra, followed by a jaunt amid the dunes along the beach running north to Aveiro.

Here’s the Strava blow-by-blow for each

Day 5

https://www.strava.com/activities/1036917090/embed/3ea74af3aa072a07eb1e2ef625577d58e59a3442

Day 6

https://www.strava.com/activities/1037859198/embed/fc5ca74602a0c6d5ae2b5126d2fc5947ddcfe7f0

And now on to snaps…

The not-quite-high season-scene at Praia de Mira

Dunes separate the Atlantic from this really cool old house in the distance.

I’m just about prepared to urge EVERYONE to start bike touring/visiting Portugal. Absolutely the nicest butcher/grocery owner ever helped me out of this village, including a directly on the street pointing session and the fascinating history behind what “Rua da Barca” means (it’s about boats). Terrific and nice people abound here.

Yup, as the roads get busier toward town (Aveiro), the people devote some space/money to a separated cycletrack.

And also spring for some very nice crossings at busy sections (although there wasn’t a car in sight at the time of my crossing).

And after a “hard” 24 or so miles dawdling along the coast, it’s time for lunch in Alveiro. Tomorrow, it’s a train ride to Braga and a weekend holed up there during a heat wave.