Another late start to the ride today... After a fresh fruit salad and pancakes made by Polly, I spent the next hour trying to sort out my mobile phone situation. How exciting... Eily sprang to my rescue and talked the guys at o2 to help me out so I won't come home bankrupt by phonebills... after putting cyclemagic stickers on the kids' bikes, I said my farewells and wobbled up off the road with Conor for company. Hopefully the guys are going to join me in Dublin for a meal when I finish the journey...
So, off south in beautiful sunshine again towards Arklow... I was planning to stop and listen to Streets of Arklow by Van Morrison, but just kept on pedaling due to my late start... I made my way to Courtown on really quiet little roads where the only drama was supplied by a BMW X5 driver slowing down for his son to shoot me with a BB gun. I hope you're proud of yourself and your kid, whoever you are...
Courtown lifted my mood immediately. I found a nice cafe with outdoor tables and ordered a mountain of food... The ladies on the next table started talking to me about the bike, etc.
I have to say a huge thankyou to the McHugh sisters for buying my meal and sponsoring me for €50, too.
apart from getting lost and adding about 5 miles to my ride total for the day, the rest of the ride to Blackwater was pretty easy. I think the guy on the mountain bike who overtook me got a bit of a shock when I was still on his tail a mile later when he turned off. I'm MUCH faster when I have someone to chase...
Anyway, my Uncle Pat was in Blackwater waiting for me with his car to take me to Enniscorthy for the night. A lady called Ruth generously put the bike in her shed, and I was whisked off...
After stuffing my face again I went to Donohoe's bar in Enniscorthy, which is where stage 2 of the 1998 Tour de France started (if you're interested in that sort of thing) and where Pat knows everyone. I met the self-styled, and possibly accurately described 'Ireland's only Leicester City fan' Skinner walsh and he bunged me a Euros towards the sponsorship... Thanks!
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