Biking Day 2

(from my journal)

This was the long day. But I didn’t wake for breakfast until 10:15 because there were no outside windows in my room to wake me up. I had a traditional Irish breakfast in a very cute old kitchen, made by a very cute old woman. I talked with the woman who owned the B&B about her life, and she told me a little bit about Ireland and the hard times it has been through. She told me how people used to leave the country to find work but now there is enough here in Ireland that most of the young people stay. I noticed this in the housing industry. Outside of almost every town a housing development is going up.

When I started out, this being my second day, my butt was so sore I didn’t know if I could continue. I stopped in the town bike shop (a rarity) and the man said that people used to put seat covers on, and held up an example of a plaid ¼-inch thick piece of padding. He said now people just buy better saddles. That’s what I should have done, or a gotten a better one from Cycleways (the bike shop in Dublin). I started off but realized I left my booties (waterproof shoe covers) back at the B&B and had to return.

The whole day was beautiful and not too cold. But then I reached the Slieve Bloom Mountains. By that time I had traveled 60 km and I had no energy left so I pushed my bike for 8 km up to the top of the mountains. On my way down the mountains it was getting dark so I turned on my lights and was extremely thankful for my “shock yellow” windbreaker that I have been so embarrassed off. An older couple stopped their car to ask me “How long to civilization?” Once they discovered I was biking solo the older woman remarked, “My you are brave!” I replied in all scared truthfulness, as one can only feel alone on the top of a fog-covered mountain at dusk, “I’m feeling it.”

Well, I made it down to the Ardmore House B&B. It is a beautiful early 19^th century home, with six bedrooms and vaulted ceilings. Once again, (as at every B&B) I wish I had a camera when Chris came to the door and saw my, how do I describe it, wind beaten soul.