Ride Information and Ratings:
- Date: May 27th, 2016
- Distance: 253,3km
- Total Ascent: 2.250 meters
- Location: Rio de Janeiro to Paraty along the coast
- Total Riding Time: 10:20h riding, 12:00h total
- Scenic Views Rating: 9 - Very Pretty
- Ride Safety Rating: 6 - Decently safe (urban riding on the first 65km and highway shoulder the rest of the way)
- Cultural and Tourism: 10
- Level of Exercise Rating: 10
- Type of Terrain: Asphalt
- Description of Terrain: In the urban part, it´s mostly regular road in decent condition, which lasted for about 65km. In the highway, we rode on pretty well conditioned shoulder almost the entire way. On some climbs, the shoulder gives way to a second lane, so we had to ride on the side of the road, which was also in good condition.
Ride Map:
- https://www.strava.com/activities/590042101
- GPX (download here)
Ride Details:
- This was my third time riding this route, although on the first two times I didn´t cycle the entire route in one day.
- The first 65km are ridden on urban Rio, and other than the beginning on Av. Niemeyer and Joá Tunnel, there is not much great scenery. It goes through Campo Grande and Santa Cruz, which can be very crowed on weekdays and are not great places to ride.
- The fun part begins when we hop on BR-101, called Rio-Santos. The first 15km are completely flat and offer a great place to pick up some speed, althought the views around this area won´t get your attention.
- The best part begins in Itacuruçá, as we climb the first mountain, begin to ge the bay views and cross our first tunnel. The descent on the other side of the tunnel sets the tone for the next 150km: lots of climbs, lots of descents and great views. I think there should be a sign on the road: "Drive/ ride carefully, great views and distract you".
- Just as you see the sign to Angra dos Reis, there are a few markets, bars and bakery right on the road, on the right side, that offer a great place to stop for food and drinks. The other option would be cycling into Angra, which would add about 5km total to the ride, and would definately be a much better option if you are looking to get to know the area and enjoy your time. But we ere worried about getting to Paraty under sunlight.
- Up until just after Angra dos Reis, the climbs are frequent and a few are pretty long, alghouth none go above 240 meters in ascent. The views are amazing and more than worth the energy.
- Abouth 15km after Angra dos Reis, the climbs are less frequent, but there are still great views as you cycle around the hills the surround the beaches between Frade and Paraty.
- The best viewpoint is about 5-8km after you cycle throuhg Frade, on the ocean side, so be prepared to stop and enjoy the view.
- The rest of the way is probably the easiest and the hardest, as it´s mostly flat, but the legs were already tired from cycling more than 8 hours and 200km. But it´s an easy adjustment to slow down the pace, eat more and enjoy riding between the ocean the the mountain green.
- Paraty is one of my favorite cities in Brazil, as it offers a myriad of activities and events, for all ages and tastes. Most popular are the boat rides, but ecotourism has been growing quickly and it´s easy to find agencies that will take you in the wild for hiking, cycling, scuba diving, jeep riding, water falls, hidden beaches, kayaking and more. The Historic Center is very charming and offers many options to eat and drink. So if you plan to ride to Paraty, make sure you spend at least a couple to days, if not a few days, to enjoy what it has to offer.
Photos:
Videos:
