THE PERSONAS
A hymn to people
The true value of heritage was left to discover in places and people.
UNCLE FLORETT
When you grew and lived in the golden era of car industry, nobody can’t blame you for the grumpiness towards the new generation of plastic vehicles.
Did you know that microplastics causes you to have 3 times less sperm than your grandfather? Well, that explains a lot why Rock is considered outdated and K-pop is the new trend.
Back in the day, tobacco was medicinal, alcohol was the best photoshop and women had eyebrows made out of hair. This was a generation that truly lived by the motto “Specs, Drags and Rust & Roll”.
ACCORDION GUY
With dancing fingers on the keybords, S.L.Benfica in his heart and Holy Mary on the dashboard of his Fiat Punto, this man might have discovered the formula for true happiness. What a light soul!
Give a Portuguese man an accordion and a five litter barrel of wine and you’ll get yourself a jukebox for half a day. Your feet and hips might not be programmed to dance along all the traditional Portuguese folklore hits, but after the second clay bowl of wine, you’ll start to get use to it!
Don’t be afraid, because nobody will make Insta stories of you dancing. With the local low signal strength, what happens in Alentejo, stays in Alentejo.
SEAMSSTRESS ALICE
Being Alice the seamstress next door to Stache headquarters, she’s well familiar to smells like gasoline and burnt rubber, and sounds like engine revs.
In the night before the WildRide she always knows that duty will call. This manly event flooded in octane and testosterone causes a strange phenomena, making the so hyped participant wildriders to grew wire hair chest and double the size of the already balls of steel.
That means a ton of work for unflagging Alice, that works all night to adjust clothes, ease fitting the overalls crotches and sew new patches.
She’s the seamstress we don’t deserve, but that we needle.
PETIT WILDRIDER
Some kiddoes want to be astronauts, others firefighters or policemen.
Noble indeed, but we got faith in humanity restored with this particular one, that is growing strong to become a future WildRider!
In a foreseen future of electric cars, seeing this little WildRider is a beam of hope to believe in a future with rust cars. We are so relieved to know that roadtriping the classics is assured in the next generations, thanks to all the people out there doing parenting right, putting child to sleep listening to engine sounds instead of baby shark.
Baby Stache, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.
CARBORATOR GUY
Around the world there’s an underground culture of people that always have a long pinkie nail, for reasons that humanity can’t yet fully comprehend.
Although carburator guy is one of them, he might be the only one with a manly reason. While most of the people use that long nail quirk to teeth pick or earwax clean up, our beloved persona has an unique capability to tune old carburators with is pinkie and he always nailed it!
A technique we got to witness when this bare handed guy tuned the vocal cords of a KE20 Corolla’s, setting it ready to face a WildRide.
Being a man that lives with at least one motorcycle in every compartment of his house, summing up a total of plus 40 bikes on a 5 room house, he certainly had to “Adapt, Improve, Overcome”!
RICARDO RODRIGLINGS
Arriving at the zero EN2 landmark deserved a couple of beers at the balcony of a small bar called Kilometrozero, owned by a fervent adept of road trip synergy that gave us a warm reception.
Living all day looking at the starting point of one of the most mythical road trips in the world, is like working in a candy shop without being able to taste the treats. Maybe that led to one of our favourite delusional moments, when the so enthusiastic bar owner claimed to personally knew the world star Richard Rawlings, guaranteeing that Richard got tired of all the cameras and traded Texas and the custom car business, to get a living in Paços de Ferreira on the furniture business.
It was for sure one of the most incredible pulled out stories we have ever heard and there’s an inner side of us that refuses to not believe in this statement. It is certainly a better story than Twilight and more believable than that new trend of fake exhausts tips, so at this point its veracity doesn’t even matter.
SHADY DEALERS
WildRide started as a no destination trip. There’s no better sense of freedom than starting an old rust car and driving until the tank goes empty.
Riding this way in survival mode, means that each day you’ll have to improvise a shelter to rest the rust. That’s how the first wildriders found themselves looking to a place to stay at 3:00 AM, when suddenly appeared 3 dudes drinking beer, smoking weed and trying to sell counterfeit clothes. How random! Surprisingly, these fellas turned out to be good people, that like the Three Magi, providing us some gifted goods, and the coordinates to a location that became a must stop landmark in every following WildRide – Alvações do Corgo in the heart of “Alto Douro Vinhateiro”.
PORTO WINE GUARDIANS
Alvações do Corgo is a small village shaped by Douro’s grapevine mountains. A rare beauty, this gem destination was discovered with the help of the shady dealers guys. There we met “Dona Augustinha” and “Sô José”, owners of a Porto wine vineyards hillside that ends on a magic private river beach.
José is a rust lover himself having a 1986 Nissan Patrol, and with a guided rally tour in his property, he proved to have 5 extra horsepower in each hand nail.
Living on a remote distant place, were the train passes no more, they were so hospitable receiving us with homemade Porto Wine and giving us the keys to that private fluvial beach, that we had no other chance than adopt this lovely couple as WildRide grampas, and since then we go visit them each year.
We couldn’t be more “grapeful”.
DRIFT KING ARTUR
Artur is the owner of a restaurant near N222 (Travanca – Portugal), the beautiful road that goes alongside Douro river. A humble introvert that hides inside a hard petrolhead that swapped an Opel Calibra engine on an old Opel Kadett, to go underground drag racing.
His restaurant is a true barn find to the palate that need no Michelin stars. He just uses Michelin to prove his value racing!
How can’t we love someone that dominates the road with a stick and the table with a steak?!
ZÉ BIGODES
Among the woods somewhere in Viseu district, there’s a dam named “Barragem da Várzea” where one vintage bus, one aircraft and two old cars, are sunken left to rust.
Well, rust is the perfect decoy to attract WildRiders, so we pinpointed this spot to the road trip and took an afternoon to enjoy being bathed in those high vitaminized rusted waters.
Loch Ness monster would be embarrassed with his tail between his legs when we glimpsed something even more mythical… A vision of an incredible long twisted moustache of a legendary fisherman that responded by the name “Zé Bigodes”. We are talking about a 7 years in a row moustache national champion!!
Never judge this fisherman by the amount of fish in his basket, without counting the mermaids he hooked with his heart.
TANCOS TROOPS
The Almourol’s castle sitting midwaters is truly a magic place we had to pinpoint in the 2019 WildRide route.
Barely located a mile away from Tancos Military Base, recently involved in the controversy of stolen weapons, we knew from the start it would be a hell of a challenge to camp there without getting arrested.
As soon as we set up tent, we got visited by the army patrol. After a bit of chit-chat, some major intel information was gathered! One of the WildRiders and one of the troops banged two cousin girls back in college years, fact that instantly made them brothers in arms.
Lets hope their dicks aren’t as small as the world is! What are the chances!?! Not only we got our ticket to camp in a high guarded area, but we also got the military LandCruiser to pose on this memorable picture, to recall that epic moment.
THE BASTARD PICK UP TRUCK
There are two type of people:
- Those who wish to won the lottery;
- And the one’s that wish to live long enough to see the reunion of a Caddy, and Hilux and a Taro.
Both have terrible low probabilities to happen, but these guys just accomplished this last listed feat!
Back in 1989 when a Toyota Hilux rode along a Volkswagen Caddy in the woods, forbidden love happened. The Volkswagen Taro was the unloved sideslip lost child that few even knew to exist.
The joy of the proud owners let us believing that this might be the most awaited reunion since the Spice Girls!
JONITO
People seem to overly care and argue about the definition of what is a classic and what is an old car. Not Jonito… owner of the “Jonito Garage”, specialized in customization of old american rides, his will is detached from pre-conceived ideias. He’s a true petrolhead, passionate about every single type of cars and bikes.
Daily driving a pimped hearse van is a statement of “zero fucks given” to the imaginary boundaries of customization. He does what he wants and we admire that way of living!
Jonito is like the Portuguese version of Danny Koker from “Counting Cars”, resembling him a lot both in style and spirit. Like his cars, is a guy that stand out in any crowd, what makes him the perfect Wally antagonist.
PETER PAN FÁBIO
Fábio is an awesome dude that lives in São João da Pesqueira, one of the most beautiful Douro places.
He’s a long date friend of the renowned WildRider Jean Torres. What’s the chances of him driving a Seiscento and Jean a Cinquecento?!?… Very Fiat (few), we’d say (*ba-dum-tss*).
When the WildRiders camped in his hometown, he joined the troops for a escapism night. With a Peter Pan vibe, he represents the youthful innocence of a magic pot, and proved that there’s no need of wings to fly HIGH… W-indEED!
MR. PIÇARRA
Known among mortals by the name “dick of steel” on his younger days, his two “Tweedle Dee – Tweedle Dum” colossal sons are the living proof that the myth is true and lives on! With a sneaky smile on her face, his wife still testifies to this day all of his stiffness deeds!
He is a kind hearted man presiding a humble local association, that didn’t turn his back when starveling WildRiders randomly knocked on the door. He loved Stache spirit so much that he even bet all the food and drinks on the table, in a man vs man beer down contest. The chosen WildRider for the match proudly lost, so we all won each other’s respect and hearts.
HILUX OWNERS
These two Toyota’s used to look exactly the same, and that’s what made this moment special, with both owners proudly posing to the photo.
There’s a kind of magic between drivers when you pass by a car exactly like yours. Not an easy task when you drive a pimped pick up truck, but even so, when at a gas station we get to picture a “before and after” 1987 Hilux, with both owners equally proudly presenting their rides, well, let’s say there were a manly respect vibe between them.
Toyota Hilux are immortal duty slaves that rarely get any love. Fuel its all they ask and maybe a change of oil every leap year. For most people, a Hilux might be an odd choice for a project car, but not for Pinocchio owners who like to bury their money, in the hope to see blooming something more precious.
WANG CHU GIRL
Life’s made of simple moments that put a smile on the face when remembering them, like this one that took place at the WildRide.
Going to a Chinese store in Portugal and pay the bill in Yuan, the Chinese currency, is as epic as it sounds. Although surprised, Wang Chu girl wasn’t even mad, in fact, she was amazed!
Forget Forex trading, because this was literally a Chinese deal!
SÃO JOÃO DA PESQUEIRA FIREFIGHTERS
Every firefighter corporation keeps historic firefighting vehicles as crown jewellery, proudly showing them at city events.
Being one of the WildRiders a firefighter himself, we know the necessary efforts and sacrifices to embrace this noble profession and we can’t thank them enough for protecting so well the community and the old memorabilia.
We couldn’t resist joining the parade to add extra rust rides and extra hose.
CARAVAN GUY
Luis is a man of simple pleasures. His wife, an old caravan and a freezer full of beer its all he needs. He might be simple, but he has a refined taste, so don’t try to fool this guy with skunked beer.
As soon as his lips touched Mecanica Craft Beer, he acknowledge it as “pure malted gold”.
He is the typical camper that travels along national roads, stopping by here and there, enjoying soccer games on a portable TV, while is wife reads a pink magazine from 3 years ago. An enviable lifestyle that most of us can only dream of for now.
BITOOTHRBO GUY
A typical Portuguese that despite the age, keeps the power of youth going strong in his veins. This man’s positive energy represents many other people we cross by on the road trips journeys.
Getting to track down landscapes shaped by generations before us and come across people molded by the culture of this places, is truly the core value you’ll get in a WildRide.
This culture made Portugal a three year in a row winner of World’s Leading Destination award. How lucky and proud are we to get to uncover more miles of this beautiful country, each passing year.
THE WILDRIDERS
Meet the riders that stood the Stache road trip challenge.
The 738kms of the Portuguese National 2 (EN2) makes it the third longest road in the world, crossing a whole country from north to south. In a WildRide road trip, the 300kms journey just to get to the EN2 starting point can be a quest itself, resulting in a bike breakdown right on the face of kilometer zero starting line. Gladly, no WildRiders where harmed and a free pick up bed came in handy!
Optimistic by nature, we saw this as a sign of good omen for the history that would be made and the friend memories that would be created.
Meet the WildRiders in their brief profiles to get to know them, and we hope to see you become one of them in the next event!
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Estrada da Circunvalação 9543,
4250-148 Porto, PORTUGAL
+351 919 547 404
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