Finally a big thank you to Strava, a incredible free application that we used to plan and navigate our ride.Monday, 15 September 2014
Overview
Finally a big thank you to Strava, a incredible free application that we used to plan and navigate our ride.
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Day 10 - Dublin to Wexford & Rosslare - Sep 2nd
Final leg is complete!
1049 miles under our belts. As well as, we estimate, 38 pints of Guiness each.
So it looks like we get just under 28 miles per pint.
Pete gets the Yellow jersey and Brendan the White for best young rider.
A very pleasant last day. Starting with an excellent full Irish in company with our wives we set off at 9:15 in cloudy conditions for a gentle 20mi climb through the Wiclow mountains before dropping down to the coast and an easy run into Wexford. By lunch the sun was shining and we had the nicest day of the trip. Glad now to be out if the saddle after a successful circumcycling of the beautiful, if sometimes wet, island of Ireland.
Monday, 1 September 2014
Dublin Rest Day - Sep 1st
945 miles done, just another 99 to go.
With Molly Malone
...and of course there is just one place to visit ...
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Day 9 - Downpatrick to Dublin - Aug 31st
Start off from Mourne Lodge at 8pm to get back to Downpatrick and pick up the course. Breakfast is just porridge, tea and toast. NO full breakfast! This is going to make for a tough ride.
Pace picks up through Newry where every other burglar alarm seems to be going off. Then after Dundalk we get mixed up in 90km endurance event. I have to admit that I amused myself by catching up riders, chatting with them then accelerating away. Very childish I know.
It is a tough ride. A series of long climbs with surprise steep bits keeps the pace low for the first 2 hours. The Mountains of Mourne make up for that though.
A few more tiring climbs towards Naul then a nice fast rub down inti Dublin, the Jury's Inn and a warm welcome at the pavement from Helen and Mary Beth.
Now for a nice rest day with good company.
Saturday, 30 August 2014
Day 8 - Londonderry to Downpatrick - Aug 30th
A self-service full English breakfast at the Ramada amongst the Canadian geriatric coach tourists. The difference between an Irish and English breakfast? Not a lot really.
The sun is out, but only until lunchtime is the forecast. We set out together, Brendan is running with an empty tank as he is still not eating properly, but making a huge effort. He dips in and out of the day's ride for which I am grateful as it has been a little lonely with out him. I have heard everything that I have to say already.
The rain held off until a late lunch break at Antrim (the support van went the wrong route) then it came down in buckets. What should have been an exhilarating downhill run through Hannahstown towards Belfast was a slippery slope with bad visibility and a nearly nasty skid on a catseye turning onto the main road. But luckily no accidents.
Arriving in Downpatrick in pouring rain we loaded the bikes onto the van and set off to our B&B. Tonight this is some 18miles away in the Mountains of Mourne. Of course the rain stopped the moment we drove off.
The B&B is a rather splendid walkers' hostel. Very friendly and comfortable and our hostess Maraid is lovely. She has washed and dried our cycling gear, left the kitchen unlocked so we can make some breakfast tomorrow and given us a donation.
Found a great pub in Kilkeel, about 5 miles away, with draft Guniness and a good menu. The service is very slow though and we are waiting forever for food to arrive. We watch a march go past as we wait. Bowler hats, drums, pipes, the full works. It of course then transpires that the chefs are out in the march.
Early start tomorrow as we need to drive back to where we got off the bikes. Then it is down to Dublin for a well earned rest day with our women folk before the last leg back to Rosslare.
Oh yes, the difference between North and South Ireland in my view? In the north the road lines are white, in the south they are yellow.
Oh, and sorry Mary Beth. The gift shop was shut
Friday, 29 August 2014
Day 7 - Dromore West to Derry / Londonderry - Aug 29th
Another excellent full Irish breakfast then we set off into the, amazingly, patchy sunshine with, if anything, assisting wind. Danger of overheating if there is no rain!
Trout stream by the B&B is swollen with the overnight rain
But the weather is looking good.
Sadly on my own today as Brendan is not fit to ride. So cracked on with a fast day.
Plenty of floating sections with just 2 gentle climbs. Downhill section of the first climb at around 60miles Was amazing, really fast and dry roads. Glad that we decided to go clockwise around Ireland as the downhill sections are often steeper than the uphill. Sunny intervals all day with just some misty rain around at Mallin Head. Got to Derry dry. The first dry day since day 1.
The scenery is as ever beautiful in Ireland and today I could enjoy it.
And we do actually get down to the seaside. Didn't swim.
After a mixup with B&Bs we check into the Ramada for a bit of relative luxury.
5pm now so off to find some Guiness.
Easy to find the Guiness but harder to find non-chain reasonably priced food. A woman passing heard us moaning and directed us to The Bentley Steak House.
Absolutely perfect. About the best meal we have had all trip.
Brendan and I even found a grooming stop:
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Day 6 - Leenane to Dromore West - Aug 28th
624 miles completed.
A tough day, not much in the way of climbs but unrelenting side and head winds in the afternoon, topped off with rain. Through the rain we have seen some impressive hillsides and more peat bogs than I can deal with. Too rainy to stop and take photos.
Great effort from the injured Brendan to get back on his bike, keep up the pace and stay (mainly) upright.
Pete's view of Ireland. 
Brendan's view.
This evening the rain is coming down harder than ever. We should probably have attempted a sponsored swim. Still the locals say is will be nice tomorrow with perhaps some wind assistance for our route to Derry. Full Irish breakfast + porridge booked for 8 am. Just hope the Lycra has dried out by then.
7km drive down to Ennicrone for Guiness and meal, drenched just walking to the car.
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