Review - 6th SKS Travel Algarve Run 2021
The 6th SKS-Reisen Algarve Run took place from June 6 to 13, 2021. The location in the south of Portugal is a guarantee for good weather in June. The time went by far too quickly, which is actually a good sign in itself. Since May 7, 2021, the south of Portugal is no longer a risk area, which was the starting signal for SKS-Reisen to allow the 6th SKS-Reisen Algarve Run to take place this year after all. Actually, the 7th Algarve Run would have taken place, but unfortunately it was completely canceled last year.
It's a fully catered trip, you can drop off your Harley-Davidson and your suitcase at the authorized Harley-Davidson dealer, have the bike checked beforehand and SKS will pick up your Harley and suitcase directly from there to take them to the SKS central warehouse in Mogendorf. From there the transport continues to the south of Portugal. You could also ride yourself, but if you only want to or can get away from everyday life for a week, there is hardly a better way to take an uncomplicated break to recharge your batteries.
4-star ROBINSON Club Quinta da Ria
The Robison Clubs stand for a certain standard, there are no surprises. The big advantage of the Quinta da Ria Club is the all-inclusive offer. Good food and drinks are free, the Premium Bar has an extended offer for special drinks. We got our own area in the Harley Branding, the spot worked as a meeting point and to share dinner together. A wide range of leisure activities is also available, but we have our own Harley experience program.
What is on offer and how the trip works
The SKS truck has lined up the machines opposite the Robinson Club and that's where the takeover takes place. From now on, everyone is free to do what they want. There is a guided tour every day, the route has already been announced in advance, as have the small additions, whether it is challenging or not. Sometimes you adapt to the weather, if it gets too hot, you behave flexibly and tend to stay in regions where there is a breeze around your nose from time to time. Sometimes the thermometer rises to well over 35 degrees, which is not unusual for June, as long as you are riding, everything is ok.
Excursion to the limestone grottoes and dolphin search in the sea
For this reason, we changed our plans one day and took the Harleys to the port of Albufeira to discover dolphins and the limestone grottoes on a speedboat. Finding dolphins on the open sea has a lot to do with luck, which was an impressive experience. Our captain visited a well-known hotspot for dolphins and a school of dolphins promptly swam right past our boat, which was really cool.
We then drove on to the limestone caves in the bay of Lagoa. A location that would certainly be extremely crowded in the tourist season, but we were lucky. We continued along the coast past a famous rock formation, which looks like a submarine and is said to have given its name to the Beatles song „Yellow Submarine“.
This variety is what makes it so special, getting to know the country and its beautiful sides in the community and then having something completely different on the agenda the next day and cruising through the mountains on a Harley, for example.
On another day, I rode with Kai's group, because of course you can do that too. There are not only guided SKS tours, but everyone can also do their own thing
We also had a man from Hamburg with us who now lives in the area and introduced us to the friendly people of Portugal. We made a stopover at a small location in the mountains. Time for cool drinks and, of course, espresso, which you get very often in the Algarve.
We continued along the mountain passage towards the sea, from up there we had a fantastic view over the entire valley.
Our next destination is the harbor town of Quarteira, where we want to take our lunch break right by the harbor. There are a few restaurants, and it's certainly clear that these are more places for tourists, but we sat right by the water. These are the moments when you can really wind down, having just ridden in the mountains and now sitting by the water, relaxing in the shade and enjoying the moment.
We really had a very hot day on our hands, but at some point we moved on and drove back to our hotel complex, nice and relaxed. In the evening we met at our spot in the hotel, where we had dinner together. It went really well and was perfect, no stress, everyone came to the buffet as and when it suited them and some arranged to eat together.
One day I went on tour alone, I wanted to get a T-shirt from the Algarve Dealer for my buddy Hermann and me, actually it was only a tour of 90 kilometers, which I drove a bit confused via navigation and just looked at how I can not get there on the direct route if possible. That worked out well, the navigation system gives you the option of selecting particularly beautiful routes as criteria.
I did the same on the way back, riding along small roads to Faro and from there to the sea, where I shot the Harleysite news. Of course I took some nice photos of the new Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special and by the time I had everything together, the day was already over.
Unfortunately, it all happened far too quickly again in the end, with some people leaving on Saturday or Sunday. We still had to see what the current situation was and when exactly we needed which test. The process was handled directly by the hotel and a laboratory. Unfortunately, that's part of it these days, but nobody wants to get infected and it's good that we were able to take the test directly at the hotel.
On Friday evening we parked our bikes again for loading, on Saturday the bikes went back home, at the beginning of the next week they were already back in Mogendorf at SKS and were distributed in stages, including the suitcases back to the authorized dealers, where everyone could pick up their bikes again. After this long C-break, the few days in the sun were more than good for the soul.
Next on the agenda in August is the Westwood Run, which will once again take place in the beautiful Westerwald.
The report was produced in cooperation with SKS Travel, Thank you very much!
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