Salema 19.2% climb

We awake to our coolest day, a contrast to the low 20's of last week, so rug up and head out of town, northwest, towards the Serra de Monchique ranges. We studied our route the night before and know what's in store, those steep pitches are going to be tough.  

Will I get up them????? am I any better than last year????? The dread lays heavy on the mind, the nerves stir the stomach

As the road swings around the headland, taking in perfect views of the Atlantic and down the other side, the first 20% climb looms ahead, holy shit, the chest gets tight as we ride across a flat plateau of cobblestones and once the road swings left and the only way is up.  

It's daunting, wide, straight up and no bends.  I stop and strip down to just my jersey as I hate getting hot and get going, nerves aplenty. I swing right and I'm on the climb, David, Lisa and Bob are ahead of me.  I try to stay calm, as it heads straight into 8% at the bottom, 'just breathe, relax and turn em' over' I say, my bike head unit says 12%, then 15%, ahead Lisa and Bob half way up are now walking, 'keep going I can do this', my brain says.  

They give me encouragement as I pass, but then I hit 19% and I now start to wind my way across the road like a paperboy. Ahead Dave's out of the saddle, so I do too. I can no longer control by breathing, lungs so desperate for air, I sound like a Choo Choo train. God it's hard, it would be so easy to give up but I cannot clip out at this point, unless I just topple over 🤔

No that would hurt too much, keep going............

I make it. Over the top, wow 19.1%. I take some time to bring the train back into the station and glide down the other side to the town of Salema, right on the Atlantic Ocean.

I feel pleased with myself, but that was hard, there's no way of making it easy is there?? Please someone tell me. The rest of the ride was really pleasant, cruising through lovely country side.  By the time we reach the west coast, the sun is out, we see lots of young trekkers and vans with surfboards.  We have a pleasant coffee stop, 1.50 Euro, everything is cheap here, away from the big tourist towns. 





A pleasant blast back to Portimao with a tail wind.



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