Right. Day 19 was depressing. Wind, rain, mist, no view at Moher after a bus ride. The hostel was full of Germans and French and other people congratulating each other in pidgin English at how great the other nation's travellers are. Ahem.
I want to meet Irish folk on this trip, predominantly. Spare me from back-packers and other planet-destroyers. Guess I'm not too diferrent in that I'm a tourist, and there ain't no getting around getting round, etc, but I left Doolin bored of tourists. Seriously. I did not hear one Irish voice on my side of the bar last night. How sad. Kerry wasn't like that. I know I'm practically as English as anyone, but 15 miles from my mother's birthplace, I felt a long way from home...
In a flat mood, I set off towards Galway, after tossing up the advantages of getting a a ferry to the Arran Island and then over to Galway. I decided to head inland a little and see some of the Burren and hope the wind wasn't so bad inland. I've heard that wind has driven sailors mad in the past. I can see why. Relentless hard work and fear will mess with anyone's mind...
Anyway. I had the 4 seasons in one day thing today, and I think my plan to avoid the coast a little was a good one. There's no point in photographing the Burren. it's just too odd and has to be seen to be believed...
Anyhow... I had a first today. Graham calls a road in Scotland the Electric Brae. It looks like you're going up hill, but you're going down. I had a similar thing. The wind blew me uphill. Bizarre. I stopped pedalling, and freewheeled up hill for 100 metres. Hmmm.
Galway. one-way systems, exciting, pretty, and no place to be alone. Also full of back-packers...
Oh, I'm in Connacht! Only Ulster and back into Leinster and I'm done. It'll take me 3 weeks...
Showing posts with label Moher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moher. Show all posts
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Day 18. Kilrush - Doolin 50.9 miles, 5 hours 31
More wind, rain and big hills. Terrible food at Doonbeg, but a really nice hostel in Doolin. Knee pain re-occuring. pants. Nearly halfway round! Oi, Cyclemagic. How come my saddle hasn't shown up in Clare yet! Too late now. Rode straight past the cliffs of Moher. too knackered to be a tourist. Maybe tomorrow!
More to follow, oh I should be on Ray D'Arcy's show tomorrow... Look at me. I'm almost as much of a media whore as that lazy, self publicizing fella with the fridge. Hey, Tony Hawks. I bet you one Euro you wouldn't ride the tallbike for one day...
Hmm. that was a tough day. hills, wind and rain. Crap cafe for lunch and not much human contact...
Found the Aille River hostel as instructed by Pauline & John who I met in Kenmare (hello) and the owner gave me 2 free nights and €20, too! thanks Robert. Good name that! Needed the rest. But rest messes with my mind. Inertia is at once my best friend and worst enemy on this trip... When I'm moving, I want to keep going. when I rest, I want to quit. Seriously. This trip is very tough. It's like riding a tandem with the passenger not pedalling... Hmmm.
The food at McDermott's in Doolin was marvellous both nights, especially the beef in Guinness stew. But, without wanting to be disingenuous... I don't like Clare much. I was the nearest thing to a local in Doolin. Americans, germans and French. So much for the real Ireland.
More to follow, oh I should be on Ray D'Arcy's show tomorrow... Look at me. I'm almost as much of a media whore as that lazy, self publicizing fella with the fridge. Hey, Tony Hawks. I bet you one Euro you wouldn't ride the tallbike for one day...
Hmm. that was a tough day. hills, wind and rain. Crap cafe for lunch and not much human contact...
Found the Aille River hostel as instructed by Pauline & John who I met in Kenmare (hello) and the owner gave me 2 free nights and €20, too! thanks Robert. Good name that! Needed the rest. But rest messes with my mind. Inertia is at once my best friend and worst enemy on this trip... When I'm moving, I want to keep going. when I rest, I want to quit. Seriously. This trip is very tough. It's like riding a tandem with the passenger not pedalling... Hmmm.
The food at McDermott's in Doolin was marvellous both nights, especially the beef in Guinness stew. But, without wanting to be disingenuous... I don't like Clare much. I was the nearest thing to a local in Doolin. Americans, germans and French. So much for the real Ireland.
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Day 16. A rest day that wasn't. Clarecastle to Parteen. 24.5 miles, 1 hour 55
I was going to take a day off, but I wanted to see my cousin Tracey, her husband Colm and their kids Kevin, Niamh and Darragh. I also wanted to meet the Focus people in the morning. So, if I wasn't to have a monstrous day in the morning, it made sense to ride the bike to Parteen, leave it here and then come back tomorrow and then ride back along the Co. Limerick shore to the Tarbert ferry and cross north again and meet the miserable shite fare collector and then head west to Kilrush to continue up the Clare coast.
So, I bashed down the N18 to Limerick without my luggage feeling almost like I was on a normal bike. Well, the gawping, tooting and photo taking reminded me pretty quickly.
Small rant. If everyone who laughed, stopped and took my picture, waved, or whatever gave me a few € I'd be raising a fortune. Sadly I'm not. I don't mind being a bit of a freakshow, but, I'm not doing this JUST for fun. Cough up, you tightwads. That means you too, Burbeck, Hayter, Ted, Alison etc!
Anyway. Rant 2. Dogs. I like dogs, but if I get round this country without being bitten by one of the little sods, I'll be amazed. I've been chased, barked at, jumped up at by about 50 dogs. Please Ireland, if your dog knocks me off, I'm going to make sure I land on it.
Rant 3. Honda Civic drivers. Guys. Your car is NOT a rally car. It's your mum's car she's left you and you've ruined it with a stupid exhaust pipe and some fake Lexus lights and you fill other road users with dread. Really. Learn to drive. Soon.
On a less ranting note. I met Parteen's priest, Tom, in the pub this evening. What a character. A generous character: He chucked me €50! (Hint hint, Ted, et al). I'm hoping to get him on the tallbike in the morning at my second couisins' school.
Right. Back to being sociable... I'll write from Doolin after seeing the cliffs of Moher and all that.
Oh, and Ted. it's my blog. if I want to moan about the wind, I will. Get your wallet out!
So, I bashed down the N18 to Limerick without my luggage feeling almost like I was on a normal bike. Well, the gawping, tooting and photo taking reminded me pretty quickly.
Small rant. If everyone who laughed, stopped and took my picture, waved, or whatever gave me a few € I'd be raising a fortune. Sadly I'm not. I don't mind being a bit of a freakshow, but, I'm not doing this JUST for fun. Cough up, you tightwads. That means you too, Burbeck, Hayter, Ted, Alison etc!
Anyway. Rant 2. Dogs. I like dogs, but if I get round this country without being bitten by one of the little sods, I'll be amazed. I've been chased, barked at, jumped up at by about 50 dogs. Please Ireland, if your dog knocks me off, I'm going to make sure I land on it.
Rant 3. Honda Civic drivers. Guys. Your car is NOT a rally car. It's your mum's car she's left you and you've ruined it with a stupid exhaust pipe and some fake Lexus lights and you fill other road users with dread. Really. Learn to drive. Soon.
On a less ranting note. I met Parteen's priest, Tom, in the pub this evening. What a character. A generous character: He chucked me €50! (Hint hint, Ted, et al). I'm hoping to get him on the tallbike in the morning at my second couisins' school.
Right. Back to being sociable... I'll write from Doolin after seeing the cliffs of Moher and all that.
Oh, and Ted. it's my blog. if I want to moan about the wind, I will. Get your wallet out!
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