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Racing Vacation in Portugal - 2009 ISDE Photo Gallery

We stumbled upon the incredibly picturesque Montemor-O-Velho. This strategically placed castle was once the frontier of the “Reconquista,” the southern advances of the Christian princes against the Moorish strongholds of Southern Spain and Portugal.

Chilly White recalls his "vacation" to Portugal for the 2009 ISDE. For this dirt bike rider, playing tourist was just as fun as the race action. Read Chilly White's full story - Racing Vacation in Portugal - 2009 ISDE.

Once inside Montemor-O-Velho, it was completely empty and we had the entire castle to ourselves.

Ultimately the trip was about racing the ISDE, but Portugal offered so much more.

Sharing much of its social and political history with Spain, conquerors such as the Iberians, Romans and Moors have left a strong Mediterranean influence that is displayed in the culture, food and language of the region.

Majestic cathedrals were breathtaking. Each village and resting point has something to capture your attention.

With one free day before the race, we set out to explore the countryside. One of the difficulties was that with so much to see, it’s easy to get sidetracked.

Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the language barrier was more difficult to overcome, but the locals were no less accommodating.

The people were almost universally nice, even when language was a barrier.

Figueira Da Foz hosted the 2009 ISDE, and proved to be a wonderful area for sightseeing and soaking in Europe's coastal atmosphere.

Our last stop of the day was Nazare. This seaside village has all kinds of cool things, all for the benefit of tourists, including another great beach.

The Castles at Leiria and Porto de Mos are both worth a visit.

Our last stop of the day was Nazare. This seaside village has all kinds of cool things, all for the benefit of tourists, including another great beach, and a hillside tram.

For someone with an understanding of Spanish, the language can be read with some effort, but pronunciation is totally different, so we found it most practical to stick to English and muddle through.

During the summer months, particularly August, tourists from all over Europe flock here, but off season things are very quiet.

We found a network of postcard quality villages dotting the mountain roads. To call them sleepy would be an understatement.

Our home base of Fig is a centuries-old seaport and resort featuring miles of white sand beaches.

The only thing that kept it from truly being ours was that the ISDE took over much of the town with motorcycle racers from all over the world flooding the beachfront cafes.

The hillside tram in Nazare.

As with every major city in the region, it is best to explore on foot as driving and parking both begin to feel like futile efforts, so hit the streets to really get the feel of the city.

Exploring the countryside revealed welcoming locals and amazing architecture, much of which dates back centuries.

The Portuguese are fascinated by motorsports. A few years ago they had to quit holding world rally events because there was simply no way to keep the mass of spectators out of harm’s way.

Portugal is a country of fascinating contrasts. It’s hard to believe that with an area roughly the size of Indiana, it was one of the greatest naval powers in the world at one time.

Portugal offers many great views and equally as many wonderful beaches.

During the summer months, particularly August, tourists from all over Europe flock here, but off season things are very quiet, and we felt that we had the town to ourselves.

After a long six hard days of racing Chilly takes the oppertunity to slow down and take in the sights.

Chilly made the trip as part of Team USA's club-rider effort.