TET Portugal 00

 

Its been a long time since I felt equally as excited as I am I nervous about a trip. My first TET trip with Jason, my first enduro and the Intercontinental Rally spring to mind. This is different though, it's not nerves for me, it's feeling the responsibility for another.  This is Sarah's first big 'cover a country' TET trip and I feel the nerves of a worried mother. 😆

I met with Barrie and the adventure truck is packed and ready to roll! 

Like seasoned adventures we've been hard at the preparation over the past few weeks. Kit prep, bike prep (some mental preparation and calming words) and practice all adding to the building excitement.  

Here's Sarah on the spanners! 

Almost every week Sarah and I have been out on the bikes, both off-road and on road honing our skills.   Last week my old travel buddy Jason joined me for an outing.  True to form, and never one to use a bike twice, he now has a rally prepped KTM 500 in the stable. 

Jason at the back of the photo on our recent practice ride. 

At the time of writing I'm sat on a plane waiting to take off. I'll be meeting Jason shortly in Faro, Portugal, with Sarah arriving an hour later. Barrie and the Adventure Truck are making their way to Faro with the bikes overland. 

 Excited. 

Packing just the essentials...

Is Portugal a biking Mecca? Hmm, probably!  I'll know for sure soon. What i can already confirm from the research and route planning is that the country is strewn with trails like spaghetti was thrown on the ground. 

Due to the varying skills levels in our group I've planned slightly differently.  Rather than just follow the TET I've used the TET, the ACT Portugal routes, WikiLoc and satellite images to plan. We have 700 to 800miles between Faro and Porto, our start and end point, and hope to pick up the sights, cities, beaches and mountains. 

..a little later in the day... We all arrive at our B&B for the night. 

Jason is coming so we'll be travelling like hungry hobbits and having second breakfasts and decent lunches. 

Barrie is coming so we'll be eating his dust and following his tracks as he trail blazes. 

Sarah will be nervous and add squeals to the intercom..

I wonder how we'll get on?