Eat, Drink & Ride With Me — In Portugal This Fall

I am so pleased to share some exciting news. I’ve been asked to join an exclusive ride and tour of Portugal. The best part is, up to 10 other riders can join me—maybe you? As guest of Portugal Motorcycle Tours, I will ride Doc, the same bike I rode around the world, and serve as a “VIP” guest-host for a weeklong adventure in Northern Portugal.

Want to join me? We hope to do one or two tours in September/October? When would you like to go?

I’ve agreed to participate in a few of these exclusive upmarket tours because of the people behind it, and the concept and approach they take to motorcycle touring: it’s about the ride, the culture, the cuisine—and most important: the people. This ride let’s people truly explore Portugal well off the beaten track.

Read on, this gets better.

The road less traveled. While its neighbors to the east and north might get more attention, the fact is Portugal hugs the wild Atlantic Ocean and is steeped in history, imposing landscapes, medieval towns, and a food and wine scene that begs discovery. Then there are the roads! It all adds up to a European adventure that few get a chance to explore and indulge in their lifetime.

Eat. Drink. Ride.

One of the most frequent questions—or requests—I get is “Allan, why don’t you offer WorldRider tours?” It’s an honest question. With my years of global riding experience, I do have insight, passion, and an interest in sharing the beauty of our great planet. So I’m pleased to announce we are now doing travel and tours. Stay tuned for more exciting travel!

When I met Miguel, the president and ultimate host of Portugal Motorcycle Tours, he shared with me his passion and how his vision and dream of motorcycle touring adventures came to life. It didn’t take long to realize we were kindred spirits—sharing that passion for culture, food, wine and motorcycles. When he asked me to consider co-marketing branded WorldRider Travel & Tours.

I’ve been asked to guide tours for other firms and opted against doing them. Why? I’d rather be more involved with the tour, in planning, promoting, and marketing. I will offer a limited number of WorldRider Travel & Tours—sometimes just once a year. No matter when or how often, you can be sure that the tour will be quality, professional and give you the opportunity to be a “WorldRider” as well.

So the more I looked at Portugal and the philosophy and passion that drives Miguel and his Portugal Motorcycle Tours, I realized that if I was ever going to help host, market and offer a WorldRider tour, this would be the best experience—not only for me, but for the limited riders on the tour, too. The Northern Portugal tour has just the right balance of adventure, challenging riding and yet it is all delivered as a five-star experience—something I never get a chance to participate in when traveling alone.

With the WorldRider Portugal Motorcycle Tours, riders just need to show up with their riding gear, helmet, and anything they want to pack on the bike. Everything else is provided: bike, insurance, fuel, food, wine, accommodations, and plenty of fun. And if you don’t want to bring your helmet and riding suit, I’m sure the folks at Portugal Motorcycle Tour will help fit you with what you need!

The WorldRider Northern Portugal Motorcycle Tour will take me and the other riders through Portugal’s grandest historical cities like Lisbon and Porto, but also the grand vistas of the Duoro River and Valley, and to remote and often forgotten villages of the far north near the border of Spain. And along the way we will be treated to home cooked regional cuisine prepared by families of friends of Miguel and his team at Portugal Motorcycle Tours.

Miguel explains, “I want you to experience the heart of our food culture. To sit at a warm welcoming family table where the wine and conversation flows through each and every delicacy of authentic regional Portuguese cuisine.”

From the backroads of Portugal’s north Atlantic coast, to the twisting and winding tarmac of the Douro Valley, where the corrugated lush green hills form the backdrop of one of the most exciting rides in Europe—it also takes us through one of its oldest wine region where vineyards stretch to the horizon. Miguel tells me we will head to a few villages where fewer than 10 people reside, families living there for generations. This is far from the checklist tourism that many companies lazily feature.

Topping off at the end of each day of riding, we will be wined and dined by the most fresher and typical regional cuisine and relax in some of Portugal’s most exclusive and beautiful small hotels and inns. Here we’ll sip wine and share stories of the days ride and get excited about tomorrow’s adventure.

Here’s a taste of the historic country of Portugal’s northern region. It’s a 2 1/2 minute slide show that will give you a feel for what the lucky ten will experience this fall.