"Never will play the Wild Rover no more"

My trip to Dublin was Delayed by the Bank Holiday weekend, which booked most places right through Sunday night. So, I stayed in Kilkeny another two days, and got to see a few more attractions before heading out on Saturday morning. Most notable was the is St. Canice round tower, which is one of two towers still open to the public in Ireland. The 4.5' wide, 100' tall tower stands on a 24” foundation and has a series of ladders and platforms to the top, and is view able through the city.

I stayed at B&B near the Wicklow Mountains, which put me in a good position for my last day of riding into the city. I went through Hollywood, complete with hillside signage replica, and rode two somewhat major passes through the national park. The bike was light, and a effective tailwind made it a moderate day. There were many other cyclists, most with racing bikes that looked frail for the conditions and climate. As I passed the treeline the misty rain made me feel bad for the riders climbing in the other direction. Overall the views were good, traffic was low, and it was a good last glimpse of the Irish countryside. Being a national park, it was surprisingly undeveloped for being so close to the city.

I was doing well enough to visit the Powerscourt House and Gardens. After throwing on a pair of paints and a jacket, I visited one of the top gardens in Europe (number 3 I believe). The house had a fire in the 70's, and was only partially rebuilt or open. The gardens fared much better, and have portions of traditional English and Chinese gardens, forest parks, walled gardens, expansive rose gardens, statuary, fountains, even a castle tower built for aesthetics. You can tell they had a lot of weddings there. Some of the windy “hidden” paths in the Chinese garden were well done, as well as a wide assortment of plants, many of which I didn't recognize.

The ride into Dublin was fairly about what I expected. The city has done a very good job with bicycle paths, and I was glad to see other people riding. I ended up riding in the dark, which was unusual for me, and plenty of one way streets made things tricky. Roads were also closed for a Marathon, which I did not participate in despite assumptions at the Hostel reception. They were able to put my bike in the utility room, and I shared a 12 bed dorm with a bunch of french guys. The hostel was busy, with many tour groups packing the kitchen and lounge area. There were hundreds of beds in this place, and it was somewhat less warm and welcoming then the smaller hostels at smaller cities. This was more regimented. More German.

I did a lot of walking in the city. I was here in 2005, and it was good to see some things again. The Spire, one of my favorite monuments and landmarks, Temple bar, Trinity College... After the bank holiday I was able to visit the national museum which had a large collection of gold and religious artifacts, tour the Jeanie Johnson replica immigrant ship, take another walking tour. I decided to be part of the problem and do my first pub crawl tour, which went fine but was not well cultured with bud and bud light specials. I left before the tour ended at about 1:00. My last night I did a full dinner with music and traditional dance, which was a nice way to spend the last night before heading out early the next morning. Dublin is a great city, but it does support a drinking problem with some reports of over 1000 pubs in the city. There is also a moderate degree of homelessness, which is troubling to see.

The bike is great for riding, but it becomes an anchor when you try to do anything else with it. I rode to a bike shop that opened early for me, but the owner was still nearly a half an hour past our meeting time and admittedly hungover while boxing up my bike. We managed to fold the seats down and fit the box into the back of a taxi, where the airport took the bike on prior reservation. Still, it was very rushed through security and customs, and fortunately there was no issue as boarding had already begun by the time I reached the gate. A lot of things had to go right, and it was good that they did. The flight was long and uneventful, I was tired and hungry throughout, but most of the stress was gone.

Once in the US, I was able to collect my belongings on a luggage cart and, after much trouble and many phone calls, eventually find my shuttle. I had a half a mind to unpack the bike and ride off, but 170 mile ride in the rain was a bit much, at least at that time of day :) Buses and trains don't take bikes, and finding transportation was difficult. The box is big and cumbersome to move, and simple things like escalators are impossible. It is logistically challenging to manage a packed bicycle, particularly when you are on your own. Even hitting the bathroom was a risk. At least the bike was well packed and I was somewhat confident it would have a safe trip.

Overall reflections: no regrets except perhaps I should've gone sooner. After I resumed my trip, my ambition for camping was greatly reduced, and I was starring to become somewhat self conscious sleeping in youth hostels. The comforts of home were missed more, and I want some regularity and stability in life besides living out of a suitcase. I do want to become an active member is society and not jut a transient observer, to be involved and not just take pictures. The constant uncertainty, physical demand, and exposure to the elements take a cumulative toll that makes you question your sanity when riding, but somehow wanting to go further the next day. I will never again experience the same sort of freedom and self reliance that bicycle travel affords. Watching the clouds and the direction of the wind on the open lands, meeting fascinating people in the cities, overcoming all sorts of challenges and emerging myself in far flung lands and language barriers, were people were amazed to meet an American. I would encourage more people to undertake such a trip, and may very well put these (more polished) thoughts into a book. I may do more cycle touring, but I feel I got done what I wanted to do, and it's time to go back and make a life for myself. Thank you all for following along. Please send your comments and stay in touch. All photos have been uploaded to my flicker account below. Best of luck, and Goodspeed.

-Keith

Waterford Kilkenny

The past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind as I try to get in some last minute touring. I took the Copper Coast to Waterford. The Copper Coast has several old copper mining operations, none of which are active anymore, but still boasts and impressive coastline and nice geological part. I tried to stay in Youghal, but was unable to find anything, so booked the last 25km to Dungarvin, which didn't have much. At least the main roads had good shoulders to ride on, which made things easier and more straight forward then knocking around the side roads. I ended up staying at a fancy B&B outside of town and had to scramble to find dinner, but breakfast was good and rest of the way to Waterford was fairly easy and scenic.

I spent one full day in Waterford and managed to bang out as many things as I could, starting with the Waterford Crystal factory tour, and Reginald's tower, Ireland'

s oldest and continuously used structure. Here there was much more info on the Viking origins of the city, but this was much supplemented by the Viking Museum later, which had the only remaining golden vestments in Europe. Waterford in Ireland's oldest city as well. Some of the history lessons are starting to mesh together as the same names keep popping up. I then briefly toured several churches before heading into town for dinner.

I was planning on going to Wexford, but I changed my plans to Kilkenny after visiting the tourist info office. Kilkenny more inline with Dublin then Wexford, and there seemed to be more to do. It was a short ride, so I made two stops at Jerpoint Abby and Kells Priory that were both christian settlements until the protestant reformation around 1500. Jerpoint Abby in particular, had well done stone carvings that reflect the history of the Abby and the peoples there. I liked the decorative borders, which would be good to replicate in my future mansion. Some of the artifacts matched with what was in the Waterford museum, and it must have been really impressive before it was destroyed. 

I had planned one full day in Kilkenny, and was able to see Kilkenny Castle which had been carefully restored to its original condition. Some of the restoration efforts were fascinating in researching and replicating remnants found to fully restored rooms. No pictures, sorry. There is also a large park attached, which would have walked given a bit more time. I then visited several churches, and did the “Smithwicks Experience” as Smithwicks was brewed in Kilkenny until 2013. This also had an interesting history as the monks started brewing to help keep water clean. Things were quiet until the world wars where entrepreneurial founders started exporting widely. I then met up with a walking tour, and being the only person there, I got a private tour of the city for the next two hours. Many things are really more impressive with a little bit of insight, and he was able to point out less prominent, but more important parts of the city, as well as local history, legend, and circumstances that made things the way they are today. It was a great tour that left me wanting to go back and visit these places we went past. So I did manage to get back to a few before things started to close for the day. Dinner and a brew, then back to the Hostel to plan my next moves.

It's looking like my trip into Dublin will be more compacted then I then I thought. Accommodation is tight up through Saturday night, so I will be arriving later then I expected. I'd still like to ride through the Wicklow mountains, but am having a hard time making reservations. I guess I'd rather have a hard time now then on the road. Either way, I have another day in Kilkenny to figure out what to do, relax, and perhaps get to a few more attractions that I missed yesterday. Indeed, this may be my last day to really relax my time in Dublin will be busy, and I'll be busy as soon as I get home. 

A cannon ball and a catchers mitt

Again, much has happened from my last post and I'll try to be complete and concise as I can, as I'm already starting to get fuzzy on the details :) My last post I was debating on doing the Ring of Kerry, which I did do partly encouraged bu the signed bike route that would take me off major roads. Again, the route was signed in the wrong direction, sending me backwards before I remained on the more dangerous main roads. I was able to break off here and there, but I still don't understand these one way bike routes. I was able to get to Cahersiveen in one day, where I stopped early to explore the old Barracks that was used to protect where the first transatlantic cable made landfall. There was also some interesting history on Daniel O'Connor, Irish abolitionist. I had dinner in an old pub with my first open peat fire. I smell many of these along with the briny ocean winds as I go along. The next day was more touring then cycling, were I saw an castle, ring fort, two cliff vistas, two good climbs, oh, and a chocolate factory :) My favorite castles are the ones you can walk around and explore somewhat unrestricted. With a little climbing and crawling you can really get into these old structures at your own risk, but I took great knowing a banged knee or twisted ankle could be bad news for remainder of my trip. I nearly visited the Skellig Islands were a famous UNESCO monastery stands, but the weather was to bad to land a boat there, and I had to settle with the shore side exhibit. I thought about staying an extra day, but there were no guarantees of good weather. The images look amazing as the story of the people who built these civilizations on the steep rocky islands. Apparently parts of the new Star Wars movie where shot there, Luke's new home.

I had my first bad hostel experience where an drunk host turned off the building's power because, apparently, we had the lights on too long. This really didn't sit well with me. This act, along with a cluttered and dirty place, staring feeling like a horror movie. I used my bike light to quickly pack up my things and leave around midnight. I left with one other guest who found a B&B to take us in (separate rooms), but I was ready to pull out the tent if need be.

I was off to Kenmare, where I only stayed one night at a much better B&B. Staying to the official listings, or ones with good reviews, I think. There was a nice rock circle, and a harpist playing in the pub, but otherwise not much going on. Interesting to just sit and read a newspaper. 

I then started running each of the peninsulas down south, continuing to follow the Wild Atlantic Way wherever I could. There are mostly quiet areas with colorful little towns. The rocky peninsulas ride more like mounting tops, and some there are some steep and twisty sections getting from one of each peninsula to the other. Most of the days have been cool in the morning, where leg warmers, ear warmers, gloves etc. come off as the day goes on. I was down to shorts and a t-shirt for some of the longer climbs, but I always zipper up for the windchill of the descents. Wind has and rain has been good, which is a huge plus.

I stopped in Allihies and was briefly locked in the copper mining museum when they closed, which seemed rather fitting. These early miners had it tough. One of the things I'm learning is how tough life used to be, in every walk of life.

I stopped in Bantry and was most notable for the Rugby game I watched at a pub, which was good fun. Ireland is doing well in football (soccer) and rugby this year. I spoiled a bowl of cereal with lumpy milk from the fridge, but was able to get a good lunch on the road once the supermarkets opened that afternoon.

My last stop in Conakilty turned into a rather inebriated affair where I met up with some Irish Germans and closed the bar around midnight. Good company, live music, coal fire, definitely hung over on the relatively short ride to Cork... I didn't even bother looking for the bottle.

Cork is a fairly large city with a lot going on. There is great shopping district downtown, with good mix of traditional and modern offerings. Some good music in the streets too. There are also a lot of pretty girls, fairly high proportion, I'd say. They also have a bike share program and some inconsistent bike lanes that is encouraging. Seeing as I finally found a cheep, clean place to stay, I've stayed here three nights to rest see the city.

I went to the city Gaol (Jail) that closed in 1922, but was functional for nearly 100 years prior. The museum had mock-ups, really good manikins, and an interesting history of crime and punishment. It used to be tougher then it is now. Also interesting was the punitive system; some people were locked up for seemingly no reason at all, others never stood trial. Some people volunteered imprisonment to avoid starvation during the famine. Many were sent to prison ships to Australia or immigrated to America unable to find work after release. Good museum, definitely ranked up there in the spooky factor, especially areas that were unrestored.

I went to the “English Market” a large, and somewhat famous food market where independent sellers sell some really odd things at good prices. I love these markets. I made another Lamb Stew, but got talked into trying seaweed (Kelp) as a vegetable which was, Ok, I suppose. I toured a good sculpture park, did some bike tuning, went out with some of the Hostelers last night, reluctantly, for one beer only. I almost mailed my camping equipment home, but I believe I'll need it if I do.

I've reached the midpoint of the month, and I need to start watching the clock to make it to Dublin in time. I've also spent a day making plans for my return, so hopefully things are lined up for, and after touchdown. 

Heading down south

Much has happened since my last post. I left Galway and continued south on the Wild Atlantic Way. Many of the roads were busy and not great for cycling. Garmin put me on a much longer route, so I had to balance good riding roads with expediency. Most of the main roads had enough of a shoulder that I felt comfortable taking the more direct route southwards. By making a mile or two on the main roads, the GPS will recalculate and eliminate miles of far flung rural loops. Suddenly your route will be 30 miles shorter. I found the same was true in Derry, were the GPS put me 140 miles out of the way to avoid a bridge I walked across. Recalculating... In any event, the trip south had good weather and was generally a nice day, though each day had/has a few days of mild mist. I made a few stops, mostly notably at Dunguaire Castle, one of many small fortified estates that dot west Ireland. The castle was setup for a mid evil style banquet, but I was much too early, and only stayed about an hour before heading out. The Wild Atlantic took me along some coastal roads with steep rocky coastlines that eventually built up to the Cliffs of Moher, where I was able to lock the bike up, check a bag, and walk some of the cliff top pathways towering over the ocean. Many of these pathways had no railing or anything...it was a dangerous area. Ample warning signs of loose soil and strong winds don't stop people from toeing up to the edge of the cliffs, I can see how people can, and sometimes do, go over the edge. The paths go on for many miles and take hours to complete, so I was only able to do a little in each direction. Really great place, glad I was able to see it. Next time, I would go for the boat ride as the cliffs are hard to see when standing upon them (seems obvious now).

From there I hosteled again, and in the morning heading away from the coastline toward Limrick. The way in and out of Limrick was rather mundane, lots of foggy farmland that was somewhat meditative, giving me plenty of time to think of limericks, which mostly fell flat.

I was only in Limerick for one day. I dropped my bike off for new brakes and handlebar tape and was off to see the city, including King John's castle, and St. Mary's church which had an varied history going back to the 11^th century. The castle, like the others, had a long history of Irish and English battlements, but was most famous for a siege that “undermined” the city walls. Unable to breach the walls directly, the Irish dug tunnels to collapse the walls from underneath, which in the end worked rather effectively. The English dug counter tunnels, a questionable move, that lead to some very brief underground fighting,the only direct fighting during the siege. What impressed me just as much were the city models that showed how large the city once was, rivaling Dublin in size and strategic importance. It's interesting to see the historical models, where some structures have been reused, and sections of walls and arches still exist. The collapse of the city walls was an important landmark in Irish independence.

I then rejoined the Wild Atlantic on the Dingle Peninsula with plans to explore the far western portion. I rode the Connor Pass (1300ft), which was scenic and somewhat treacherous, but thankfully not as difficult or steep as I expected. I got to Dingle and ran into a rather large food festival. It's been said, a good cyclist can pass anything but a food truck. So I decided to forgo my ambitious plans, and spent rest of the day wandering streets full of food tents and vendors of all sorts, nothing too crazy, but things were fresh and there were good deals all around. I was pretty stuffed by evening. Dingle was a surprisingly large and fun town, like so many charming little towns I pass through. The next day the wind was against me, so buckled down and plowed through, off the peninsula to Killarney.

By this time I was feeling warn down. I had a dry cough and a runny nose, and decided to skip the hostel business to get a some actual rest. I got some mild medications and, unlike most of my “rest” days where I walk the city, I actually rested. I applied to some jobs, finished a long outstanding application, but it still felt like a waste of a day. By the second night I was well enough to hit the pubs, where I'm starting to recall or learn most of the common songs. Good atmosphere.

I thought long and hard about my plans after Killarney. I had planned on riding the Ring of Kerry, but my way into Killarney was tiring, and through my illness I really thought of heading back to Dublin. But it's difficult to pass street signs for the route I was looking forward to taking. The thought of not going make me feel regretful, or should I say I anticipated regret. As I started feeling better, I decided to go for it. Maybe the bottom of a pint glass gets my boldness back up as I decided I simply cannot skip this opportunity. So off I went, tourist maps in hand, for what was supposed to be a signed bike path around the peninsula. However, the route is only signed in one direction (not in the literature) and it was the opposite direction as I was going. So, I spent more time on major roads then I would have liked, much cell phone navigation pending signal strength. Some of the roads are dangerous and stressful, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the countryside.

Aside from the hardships, I'm still having a good time. There are more things to see and do then I could ever get done, and I frequently pass places of interest, photo places, otherwise I'd never get anywhere. These are some of the picturesque areas of the world, and I'm glad that I'm afforded the opportunity to see them, especially with all the vision problems I had earlier. So tally-ho, tomorrow more castles, monuments, and perhaps a chocolate factory?

Galway Races

The way out of Westport was some great riding. The weather was mixed, but it was easier to take it in stride. The way through Murrisk was natural and beautiful, with several major outdoor outfitters offering mountain and sea tours. I visited Kylemore Abby, a west coast “must do” but had to come back the next day when they could not offer a safe place to put my bicycle. The Abby was run as a catholic girls school until 2010, and now appears to be in transition without a clear core business. The tour was disappointing, with only four (4) of the 70 rooms open to the public. One of the rooms had a slide show of the areas they wouldn't let us into. Thanks. The walled gardens were more worth seeing, with historical insights and a functional history of the watering systems and early greenhouses that were used to grow tropical fruit. I also had time to climb Diamond mountain, met a few nice people along the way. I met a Wyoming girl and had a good Irish stew. I'm finding the Irish are very generous in hospitality.

I was then able to make it to Galway in one day, though I had to truncate some of the peninsulas along the coastal route that may have prevented this. During the day, I was the only soul on the horizon as I rode through the bog lands; by night, I was packed shoulder to shoulder in some American themed bar celebrating some girl's birthday who I met in the hostel. After about two hours of primping, the whole lot of us were finally off, with plenty of drunken girl drama to ensue, but I can't make fun, they invited me, and it was good company.

I decided to go to mass, seeing as I'm in Ireland, and I have free time on a Sunday morning. It was nice. I went to Galway Cathedral, which is actually fairly new at 50 years old. I visited the museum, and toured the very nice shopping district downtow
n. One of the shopping areas is built around the cities historic stone walls. It is literally a giant stone wall through the center of the mall, where historic preservation meets modern commerce, yet the design of the mall, textures and colors, make it all come together well. The city is famous for its horse racing an oysters, neither of which I partaked in, but I did learn a few things about Rugby and Hurling. There is also some famous “Galway Hooker” fishing ships, but I could not find any charters. I went out again with a different group from the hostel, and had more relaxed, overall nicer time talking about culture, travel, and life with the German and Australian girls.

Today I walked all over town looking for new brake pads to no avail. I guess the style I have is unique and somewhat dated now, but I called ahead to Limerick and they should have them for me there. The pedestrian areas are very nice, but the automobile areas can be hazardous with narrow sidewalks and mixed driver reactions. The city is clean, but does have a lot of late night pubs where the streets are cleaned early in the mornings. Galway was a good city to see for few days, with good day and night life, and overall good score. Tomorrow I'll head off to the Cliffs of Moher, another “Must Do.” Weather looks good, time to roll out.

County Mayo

The past few days have taken me through county Mayo, which has been remote but “unspoiled.” The ride out of Sligo took me along some spectacular coastline, with roads edging along coastal cliffs, jagged and irregular from the ocean waves beating the layered sedimentary cliffs into all sorts of formations, where the waves continue to pound and play, ever evolving the landscape. The gulf stream winds makes this a popular area for surfers, and I've seen more surf shops then I ever thought. Some palm trees also survive in the temperate climate. The countryside was quiet and unpopulated, with none of the shore side condos that I would expect for such a view. Also, there has been no Wallmart, Petco, Pannara Bread, or any of those other annoying places since I arrive, that has been a mental relief. Instead there has been a mix of inns, B&B's and locally owned pubs. Some of the signs and other literature have been in Gaelic, which has been interesting. The weather has been mixed, but the terrain has been much flatter.

Overall, I've been much more comfortable provided the steady workload. I also found cycling shorts usually sufficient, changing zipper vents in my jacket, headgear, and gloves as necessary. I had been following the Wind Atlantic Way on my way south. Progress was good, but rain and a side wind developed late the first day that stopped me 20 miles short of my destination. I remember watching the water spin off my front tire and get blown sideways. When it starts feeling like the Marine Core, it's time to call it in. Luckily, I found a B&B where a fisherman and his wife were happy to take me in, and provide a fish dinner from his own catch. My bike was stored in the shed along the the peat which they still used to heat the house. We talked at length about local issues, it was a good night.

I backtracked to Céide Fields, a neolithic settlement that was burred by a meter or more peat which grew over the millennia, and only rediscovered in the 1920's. There was an interesting exhibit on the settlement. The settlement was quite large and well organized, the museum had artifacts that were well preserved in the boggy soil. I decided against the field walk, and took a short day in the rain, going to Bangor to refill on food and cash. The chocolate chip mini-breads were good to have on hand, I'm also carrying more fresh fruit and fruit juices. I felt a little wimpy calling it a short day, but the next day would make up for many of the miles. I went to Achill Island and did a loop there, which again, offered some picture perfect scenery in a hilly sort of environment.

 I wanted to camp on the grassy hills overlooking the ocean, but could not find anyone to ask. The riding was amazing and this side trip was well worth while. I then found the Greenway, Ireland's longest off-road cycle path, that lead right to Westport with a good tail wind and plenty of inexperienced rental bikes along the path. I helped someone with a flat, and provided them with a spare inner tube, only partly repaying the generosity people have shown me on my trip.

I don't usually stop for lunch, so when I arrived at Westport I had a pizza, burger, pile of chips and two milk shakes. I tried to rally for a beer, stayed for a song or two, before returning to the hostel and sleeping for 12 hours. Today I did some shopping, bike adjustments, visited the tourist into office, and walked around town a bit. One of the hostelers offered some extra stew around that I've been working on, may go out later for a pint after taking some time to plan my way down south.

Donegal

The past week has been difficult but beautiful. The weather has been good, with clear skies and generally low winds. The tourism season seems to be over, and accommodation is no longer a problem. The Wild Atlantic Way has been called 'the most scenic route in the world', and after riding some of it, I can agree that it must be in the running. There have been all sorts of scenic beaches, green mountains, cliffs, rock formations, castles, monasteries, whatever you prefer. However, the terrain is challenging, and +10% grades are common, leaving me in my low gears and wearing out my brakes for what has been slow progress. The steep hills make for hot climbing and cold descents that leave me cold and sweaty at the end of the day. It is not uncommon to be at ocean level, then climb 500-700 feet where the mountain passes resemble the Scottish highlands, to go back down again. On my way to Malien Head, there were several such passes which caught me off guard, one of several days where conservative planning was well justified. I arrived at the hostel later and much more tired then I anticipated, only wanting to shower, eat, and pass out.

I've been following the Wild Atlantic signposts for guidance. The route strings together popular sites, and supports mixed amounts of useful tourism information, side trips, accommodations, and so on. The route nicely provides scenic turn by turn direction whereas my GPS only does point to point navigation. People have noticed, as I have, that some of the natural phenomenon are under represented, and on more then one occasion I missed something where there was no obvious signage or entrance. The Wild Atlantic has also been problematic in that it often joins highways that are unsuitable for bicycles. Navigating around these sections been tricky but doable with GPS and cell phone coverage.

Aside from this I've also had some equipment problems and a lingering cough that has gone on for about a week. I was glad to take a rest day today, do some necessary shopping, bike adjustments, laundry, and get extra sleep. I feel guilty for having to shortcut or otherwise bypass some of the sites, but there is just too much to do and I'm feeling worn out. I already took a shortcut through Donegal, bypassing much of the coastline by cycling through the interior. The remainder of the Wild Atlantic is quite a long way (1500 miles I believe) and I'll likely end up turning off towards Dublin early then I anticipated, for the sake of time, colder temperatures, and an actual desire to get going on real life. In the mean time, I'm trying to make the most of my time here, not stress out about what am missing but what I'm still able to do, and what's yet to see.