Lagos to Olhau, 25/09/04

25.09.04 Lagos to Olhau 65.5 miles
65.5 miles in 4h 55min
Up early….Surprise!
The vomit encrusted tent still shows no sign of life, and as Im taking down my own I keep stepping in more camouflaged catshit scattered about the place.
I left easily enough.
N125 east, fairly level road with a few small hills but mostly good going with a sunny 30’c and a following wind. The riding feels different here, I feel exposed and on show, definitely don’t feel safe. The people I pass don’t watch me in the same way as elsewhere, they have a predatory look to them, weighing me up. I think a lot of people have passed this way doing what I am doing, and the locals and skint travelers are all looking for an easy target. I didn’t get this feeling in France, or on the Camino, or even in Northern Portugal. Here I think its far away from most peoples homes for them to be tiring, there are cyclists here from Germany, France and Holland, maybe the odd one falls prey to this place and this encourages the attention of the local lowlife. Its not a countryside ride here, not an exploration meeting locals and other travelers, I feel that there are spiderwebs all around and I’m the fly.
This may seem a small thing, but its made a huge difference to my riding, a feeling of insecurity is not needed…. Im tired enough thanks.
I passed behind and north of most of the Algarve coastal towns riding on the N125. Through Faro, and will be back into Spain on my next riding day. I’m hoping that this doesn’t continue through Spain. I will be passing through a lot of tourist towns busier than this one and it will be a long ride if the locals aren’t friendly.