Day 555 26th January 2018
39 miles (Jacaraipe to Vila Velha) Average speed 10.3 mph Top speed 33 mph
A longer day than expected.
I got up at 9 o’clock and had breakfast of cereal and melon with orange juice, then had a shower and left at 11:30. I followed the cycle path along the beach until it ran out and then some minor roads and a market. Then it was on to the main road, where I stopped to put air in my tyres as the surface was poor. I got to the major road, ba 101, and fought with the traffic but then realised there was a bike lane. I couldn’t get to it for a while until there was a gap in the Armco. I had to lift the bike down the high kerb to join the cycle lane which took me all the way to the express-way bridge but unfortunately I couldn’t ride across it!!!
I can’t cross the river by this bridge
That meant an extra 11 miles through Vitoria but it wasn’t as bad as I expected and although the road was pretty poor, it wasn’t as bad as before and I got to the other bridge without too much trouble. Then it became a two lane crossing with not much space for me. A very kind electrical appliances van protected me from the traffic by driving behind me with his hazard lights on and helped me across in one piece. I was very grateful and thanked him for his generosity.
No cycling room on this one
Once into town the roads didn’t improve much until I came to a cycle path and made my way to the hostel. The numbering system on the street didn’t make much sense but eventually I found the hostel and checked in at about 2.30. I had my leftover pasta and then went in search of the phone shop to get my phone camera fixed; they didn’t seem very keen to help me and said that my guarantee only applied if I went back to Salvador! They offered to fix it for 120 reais but I declined their offer and now hope to find a helpful soul in Rio.
I then ventured out to Decathlon where I managed to buy 2 small gas canisters for 40 reais. I then took the beach cycle path back towards the hostel but found myself on the wrong side of the two lane bridge road and a river so had to navigate my way back. A couple of beers and an early night followed.
Using the beach path
Brazil backpackers hostel 30 reais.