Tag: bike touring

El Jefe

Jyri Manninen | Kajura


It would be a relatively short ride of just 54km to Carreço, which is just north of the major northern coastal city of Viana do Castelo. However, it would be all the more significant, because this was the final destination of my 4220km long Finland to Portugal Trans-European bicycle tour back in 2018. I departed Póvoa de Varzim in idyllic conditions, with clear skies and a wonderful, fresh coolness in the air. It wouldn’t be long before I arrived at my first key destination of the day, the small historic town of Fão by the Cávado River. From there it was just a few kilometres more to Esposende, a popular tourist coastal location.

As I continued north towards Viana do Castelo, by pure luck, I crossed the Camino Portuguese walking trail. I took a moment there to take in the calmness of the water crossing, and to enjoy reminisce about my own Camino Portuguese, the original trek that had led to the birth of Life on the Run. Soon enough, I found myself at the southern bank of the Lima River at Cabedelo, with Viana do Castelo coming into view on the opposite side, and after a short ferry crossing, I was back in Viana do Castelo once again. However, I still had an additional 8km ahead to reach my day’s destination of Casa do Sardão at Carreço, where I had spent the penultimate night of my Finland to Portugal bicycle tour. To this day, this albergue still remains the most amazing guesthouse that I have ever stayed at, and it is run by the most gracious of hosts, Hugo, who is also a seasoned world traveller.

Seven year cycle,
from broken to renewed soul.
The boss speaks to me.

‘El Jefe’ by Jyri Manninen

When I’d started this current tour, I’d always planned to spend an extra day at Casa do Sardão, to not only catch up with Hugo, but to also have some valuable down time to re-explore Viana do Castelo and surrounds. After having picked up Matilda from Viana Bicycles in the morning, where Matilda had had a few of her rear spokes replaced, we rode through town and then up the coastal pathway back to Carreço. For the remainder  of the day I just chilled out at Casa do Sardão, chatting with some Camino Portuguese pilgrims about their own experiences. Then, in the evening, I spent some quality alone time, lying in a hammock watching the sunset, as I sparked up my ritualistic El Jefe cigar, which had been especially gifted to me back in Finland for my birthday by one of my closest friends.

It was now time to set my sights forwards to the Pe–neda-Geres National Park, which I would reach the next day by following the Lima River inland. This would then also include a reconnection with my original Camino Portuguese trekking route at Ponte de Lima. As the sun finally descended beyond the horizon, and the night sky lit up with a myriad of hues, my El Jefe gradually transformed into smoke and ash. In this moment, I felt that I was, once again, truly home.

Be blessed,
Jyri

Beyond My Eyes.

Jyri Manninen | Kajura


This third day of riding on my Portugal’s Northern Coastline and Peneda-Geres National Park cycling tour would be another almost century long one, starting from the relatively quiet Torreira, by the Aveiro Lagoon, to the very touristic, beachside tourist city of Póvoa de Varzim. At approximately the half-way point, I’d go through the major northern city of Porto, which is located on the banks of the Douro River. The morning’s ride had me leave Torreira at the crack of dawn, and I was able to ride in very quiet traffic conditions, given it was a Sunday morning. In fact, for the first few hours, I think I saw more cyclists out on their training rides than I did cars!


As lunchtime approached, I reached the long and busy beachside stretch leading up to the mouth of the Douro River. There was now a lot of traffic, pedestrians as well as cars, but the excellent bike paths made it fairly painless to navigate the chaos. I meandered along the south bank of the Douro to the famous Ponte Luis I bridge; and what views! After crossing it, I made my way back to the coast on the northern side to continue my ride up to my day’s destination of Póvoa de Varzim. On this stretch, the riding surfaces were quite varied, including nature trails, stretches of sand, wooden boardwalks, as well as very rough cobblestone roads in and around the small beachside villages, which actually resulted in Matilda breaking a couple of spokes on her back rim, but luckily not resulting in any warping.


While it had been a rather excellent day of riding, I was running very low on fuel once I reached Póvoa, and the only thing I had on my mind on arrival was to get me a shit ton of pizza and beer. So, once Matilda was set up for her rest at the hostel, I walked a few kilometres to my favourite refueling station, ‘Mr. Pizza; and boy did it totally hit the spot!

The horizon far;
all that lays ahead, still hides.
One day, I will see.

‘Beyond My Eyes’ by Jyri Manninen


Now, with a belly full of goodness, I slowly strolled back to my hostel along the beachside boulevard, as I enjoyed a wonderful, prolonged sunset over the Atlantic. It allowed me the perfect moment to reflect on not only the fantastic first 3 days of this current tour, but also on all the amazing places and experiences that still lay ahead of me, not just in northern Portugal, but also, in future years, over the ocean’s horizon.

Be blessed,
Jyri Manninen

Aurajoki Bicycle Tour – part 3

Jyri Manninen | Kajura


I started the third and final part of my Aurajoki Bicycle Tour from Halistenkoski dam. Unlike the first two videos, which included lots of commentary on Turku’s key tourist sites, such as the Turku Castle and Cathedral, this last relaxing 5km roll back to the central sports park along the riverside pathway on the northern bank of the Aura river, only takes in one more significant location, Koroistenniemi. It is said that Koroistenniemi was actually the location of the old Turku back in the 12th century, and Finland’s earliest administrative centre for the church, Before that, it was already functioning as a significant village and marketplace, the perfect location as traders with boats could not go any further upstream past Halistenkoski. There was also a church and graveyard, but all that remains now are some stone foundations and a commemorative cross and plaque.  

Anyway, I hope you enjoy(ed) the scenery from the banks of Aurajoki, with more views of the Turku Cathedral as I re-enter the city centre, as well as experiencing the chill vibe of life as people move along the Auraranta boulevarde. Summer in Turku is absolutely amazing, and I welcome you to visit my hometown to see it all too, in person!

Be blessed,
Jyri