Cycle from Èvora to Central Alentejo

Alentejo was a region of large estates. The living conditions of the seasonal,workers were extremely difficult. This sociology-economic situation agitated the peasant masses in the region starting in the 1940s. The conflicts escalated for the next two decades. A woman, Catarina Eufémia, became a martyr for the cause when she tried to negotiate a modest wage increase and was shot to death. 

I take one look at the day sheet for today's ride including the elevation profile and know I need to get as early a start as possible. It is going to be a 89 km day. Also, it is already hot when we leave and will only get hotter. There are more trees and green landscape than on previous days, a welcome change since I am a little tired of the dry, parched, brown land with occasional cork trees. This is a hilly ride with two short but monster hills. 

We stop at 25 k at a cafe where we had a delicious pastry, folhados, made by tall Luis'wife. Yum!  We ride through the village where Luis lives, Viana do Alentejo. A marathon is going on and the village streets are closed to through traffic. However, Luis talks to the police who agree to let us through. Kathy and I switch bikes at 45 k after the first big hill and downhill. The e-bike saved me a lot of time and energy today. It would have taken me much longer and I would have been really tired. The e-bike is quite amazing! You are still cycling and you can pedal as hard as you want to. There are plenty of gears to shift into. You have to pedal to turn the motor on.

Lunch was ready for us at 52 k point which was nice . We didn't have to wait to order and then have a long lunch. We are staying at a former farm out in the country now called Monte das Faias. We find there is no soap, no shampoo, and no hair dryers in our rooms. There is one for all of us. When someone asks about soap, they are told that there isn't any. Our room and bathroom pretty new and just fine but there is very little light. Kathy has moldy shower curtain. The manager is responsive to our complaints and the next day Kathy's shower curtain has been replaced and we have soap and shampoo in our rooms. The government apparently subsidizes turning former farms like this into hotels. We seem to have the place to ourselves. There is a swimming pool which I don't use but others do. Breakfast turns our to be surprisingly nice with a good variety of breakfast items. 

A shuttle takes us to dinner in nearby Grandola. Dinner is delicious but it is very warm in the restaurant and I am so tired I can hardly make it through dinner. This is last dinner for Joanne and Blunt who will be leaving in the morning. They have been a delightful couple to have on the trip, friends of Billy's.

I am in bed within 15 minutes of getting back home.