I am always unsettled by transition days when we move from being cycle-tourers to tourists and vice versa. Today was no different. After the euphoria of our fast – for us – run from Torráo to Évora yesterday, we had to adjust to late rises, leisurely breakfasts, strolling the Sunday city streets and taking in the tourist sites.
Évora, even late season, has a lot to offer the tourist.
And visitors come from all around for sure, bringing their own colour and cultures to the place and the party.
But somehow the cyclist in me feels a little out of place on these occasions. I find myself looking out for bikes and bikers. Checking out their gear and their cycle styles, especially the proper tourers.
I even find myself feeling a little disappointed and a little guilty. Did we really need a rest day? Did we actually need to step off the bikes? Were we not just beginning to get into the daily routine of getting up and underway and finding the joy of feeling the bikes move somehow effortlessly beneath us with only minimal pedal power applied? Was it really worth trading the feeling of being on an adventure for the few for the mass anonymity of the tourist, just for the sake of sparing the odd tightening muscle for a while?
Ah well, it’s done now and we enjoyed it. Especially as the day served up some wee reminders of what we are really about.
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