Portugal ride lasted 8 days, 350 kilometers, gathered 95 people cycling, 8 commitment letters (and counting), 1 minister initiating dozens of baton-passing ceremonies, many hours on the road, and unforgettable moments!
Day 1 : In Oeiras Portugal, The Portuguese minister of the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, together with the mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, and the 8-year old Miguel, have officially launched the COP31 Bike Ride on the European continent!
It was a deeply symbolic moment as last November, during the COP30 in Belém, Maria da Graça Carvalho had met with us and signed the COP30 Bike Ride banner. And now she was the first official and even person in continental Europe to receive and sign the COP31 Bike Ride banner which started its long journey at the worldwide Kick-off in Belém, and came all the way from south America via French Guiana !
The minister’s speech reinforced the importance of active mobility as one of the pillars of the climate transition and the construction of more sustainable cities. We then had the opportunity to share with the audience all about our objectives.
The session finished with the official banner handover from the minister to Miguel, representing the local School Bike Buses, who proudly took the first turn in the cycling relay towards COP31 with many to follow! A symbol of how we will involve children on the ride this year to generate new ideas that will be shared with the COP31 President in Antalya. And then we rode to Lisboa, where we had an electric boat ride in the Tagus river, onboard of wich there was a debate about integrated mobility.
Day 2: Departure from Campo das Cebolas, symbolically the same place where the European ride ended last year, arrival at Moscavide for a reception by the Loures City Council, overnight stay at the Sacavém Volunteer Fire Department.
Day 3: The day started with a meeting with the vice mayor of Loures and the premiere of the movie ‘Together’ in Portugal, followed by a ride along the beautiful scenario of the Tagus River walkways and a reception hosted by a councilwoman and the mayor of Vila Franca de Xira. Like in the first day, we had the trishaws of Cycling Without Age with us, so that some friends with reduced mobility could join us too. The day wrapped up with a bit of history, visiting the palace of the Samora Correia Tourism Office.
Day 4: Visit to the 5th Artillery Regiment in Vendas Novas, where we then and and splept. Stunning scenery along the way, led by our local ADN Trilhos guides, our first mishap, a warm welcome, and one more screening of the film Together.
Day 5: After following the Montemor Ecopista (eco-trail), we were welcomed at the Montemor-o-Novo City Hall. Very early start to avoid the intense heat, which, these days, is reminding us just how much we need to reduce our emissions. By riding a bike, for example!
Day 6: Meetings at the City Councils of Montemor-o-Novo and Évora, this one including quite a few local local society entities, with a few dozen kilometers of road and bike path in between and a lovely socializing dinner at the Vila Galé Hotel, with a youth choir brightening up our evening.
Day 7: The vice mayor of Évora passed the baton to our host Teresa Engana, and we set off along the Reguengos Eco-Trail, guided by Carlos Borralheira, on our way to a charity lunch provided by the Filarmónica Redondense, a philharmonic band and school society.
Then came the ride to Alandroal, under scorching heat, and we ended the day at the Fora da Casca Festival, inside the medieval castle.
Day 8: We woke up in Alandroal, heading to the parish of Caia, São Pedro, and Alcáçova.
Final filming, a farewell to Patrícia ‘Milady,’ and off we went to the border for the handoff from António ‘Marquês do Pedal’ (Marquis of the Pedal) to Pedro ‘Onde está o espanhol?’ (where is the Spanish?), who continued into Spain with Christophe ‘Le réalisateur,’ who aims to follow the entire relay all the way to COP31 in Turkey ! 🥳
