Bikepacking Paradise: Peneda-Gerês Loop Adventure

After a long wait, Anise and I finally got back on our bicycles. Jerez was the perfect spot for a bikepacking adventure, but this time with some friends. We rode through some tough trails, cross streams and we supported each other through every challenge. Every morning we packed and geared up for whatever the road surprised us. If you're curious about how our Jerez journey turned out, stick around and enjoy this video. I'm not usually a fan of biking in the rain, but this time we decided to take on the challenge. We embraced getting soaked and just kept pedaling. First 10 kilometers done, it's been just a bit challenging because of the rain. That's it. The ups has been easy because we decided to go on the tarmac road. Since the weather is not pleasant, the views are not great. I think we're gonna stop soon for brunch, let's say, because it's getting late for the lunch spot that Diogo has planned. Diogo is the organizer of this exploring trip through Jerez on the four days. Well, let me explain what was the plan. The bikepacking adventure through the Peneda-Jerez National Park covers 220 kilometers with over 5830 meters of elevation gain. This journey winds through highlands, grave paths and hidden roads, exploring the rugged beauty of both sides of the Portugal-Spain border. Along with me and Danisa, we travel with our travel buddies Diogo, Marta, Ricardo and Ruka. We're here in a more technical area. Some rocks on the road and it's going up. We have to move the wheel all left and right, left and right. So it's a bit exigent. The environment has been like this, fog but no rain. It's interesting to see how heavy our bikes are and how much we can do. Everybody has a normal bike. Me and Danisa has an electric bike. And of course, we are the most relaxed ones doing this. It's a mind game where you have to be persistent and thinking this is not going to be the whole journey like this. It's just a moment. But yeah, it's tiring and physically and mentally. But then again, that's the beauty of traveling by bike. I can pedal at my own pace, stop wherever and whenever I feel like it. It's just me enjoying the freedom to soak everything around me. We still have 25 kilometers to reach our destination and it's 5.30. Supposedly, we are going to arrive around 9.30, which is really already night time. We're going slow. It's a long first day. But we are really enjoying the time now because we finally got some good weather and the views are starting to get really, really incredible. The sun also came out right now and it's just beautiful. Just arrived to the village where we're going to have food. We're supposed to be here quite early, but I guess not. After that, we headed toward our final stop, Castro Laboreiro, just 20 kilometers away with a few climbs to keep things interesting. Starting the second day. Today we're going to Pitões das Unhas. It's going to be a nice going away to Spain and then come back to Portugal. So let's start today. Really nice. This area where we slept, very, very beautiful. And starting already with a uphill. As we pedal through breathtaking landscapes, we fully immerse in the sights, sounds and scenes of nature. Each turn reveals a new view and makes us wonder about the next one. On a paved or gravel road, Jerês is a huge treasure for bikepacking in Portugal. We just left Portugal over there and here it's Spain. I think we crossed here and now we're going this, then to go inside to Pitões das Unhas around here, if I'm not mistaken. It's been almost six hours that we are traveling by bike and we did already 51 kilometers on the road. It's been a lot more than yesterday. Yesterday, I think we did 40 something. Now we are around 17 kilometers to the destination, Pitões das Unhas. It's a place that we went before and we really enjoy it. So we've been on this cycling journey for nearly two days now. The 125 kilometers we've covered, the shared memories and the challenge of this route are starting to tire us out. But they are also shaping us into stronger, more resilient adventures, ready to whatever comes next. On the next day, after a cozy night escaping the rain at the friend's place, we headed straight to the famous village bakery. And then it was time to say our goodbyes to Gracinda, the friendly owner of the bakery, to our new friends, Diogo, Flávio and Kátia. Then it was time to say goodbye to Marta. The injury in the knee made her stop early to recover and avoid future problems. And then we continue our travel. On our third day bikepacking through Jerez, the route throw us into nature and gave us plenty of challenges to handle. We've been cycling for only eight kilometers, for about one hour cycling, but duration two hours and a half. It's taking us quite a long time. But what's the point of traveling by bicycle if not to lose yourself a little? It's all about the thrill of taking risks, stepping out of the comfort zones and testing our limits when we explore new places. Every uphill battle and an expecting turn is a change to discover hidden places and create our own unique journey. It's about navigating those unfamiliar trails that aren't on the usual tourist maps and finding the true essence of adventure in the unknown. The challenge we face and the risks we take aren't just obstacles, they're opportunities. They enrich our journey, turning every ride into a story of resilience and growth. So we thought we were on the right track and we were, but we find out that it's impossible to continue further. The track is kind of close and very hard, even to walk it's hard. So we have to go back around 5k back going up and down again and then find a different road to go to Oteiro, which is a village nearby. It happens when you're exploring. So the news are we probably have to abort our mission to travel because tomorrow is going to be super rainy. And so we are thinking to abort the journey and go back to Pitões das Unhas where we were this morning and stay there. And eventually somebody is going to bring us back to Soares where we start the whole journey. It's a bit sad, but we cannot control the weather. Eventually this trip didn't reach the end as we thought, but one thing I learned. By the end of the trip, we realize it's not just the destination that matters, but the journey itself, the sweat, the laughs, the breathtaking views and the shared sense of accomplishment. These are the moments that transform a simple bike ride into an epic adventure.