HOME BASE

DAY 10,

Sept. 12, 2019      Enniscrone ➤ Sligo

Time, 3:15, Dist. 59 km, 18.3 km/hr. (Total time incl. stops and brake repair - 4:12)

    The ride out was wet & windy but the narrow, quiet Atlantic route was awesome. Actually, this route, 297 was extremely awesome! The road was so narrow, only one vehicle could fit. Luckily, I was the only vehicle mostly. I was in bike heaven. For a little while at least. I came upon the only hill and it looked to be a good one, downward. I was concerned enough to check Shirley over and surprisingly, I found her rear brake pads missing! So I took all the gear off and installed new pads. Yes of coarse I had some in stock, thank you very much. The portion ahead was awesome 😀

    Back on the main road was OK, same old crap

Upon arriving in Sligo, I found myself a bit overwhelmed by the level of busyness. It's not always a good idea to judge a town when looking at a Google map. I dialled in "Sligo City Hotel" which was perfect at 90 €.

    I decided to make Sligo a home base of sorts. I was planning to do some riding further N.E. and then returning to this hotel. From here, I would train it back to Dublin. Having said that, I decided to check out the train station. It is very close by and will make for an easy departure when time comes.

    Originally, I was gonna ride to Belfast, then down to Dublin. I stressed myself out over this change in plans. I was very unhappy about my alteration, but my uncertainty won the day.

    Anyway, I digress. Here are some pics of this short trip,  Unfortunately, they are not in perfect order:

Heading out on the Atlantic Way"

Rocks and ocean, quiet ride

Solitude

Big hill

Brake check. Good thing I took the time. Brake pads were missing from rear callipers.

"Split Rock"

Rock walls 

Highwaycat rocking it

Happy Sean

Signage

Holy crap. Busy

Home base. Good thing I have all this camping gear. Ha ha, sigh

Emotional Rescue

Day 9, Sept. 11, 2019: 

Castlebar ➜ Enniscrone: Dist, 52.4 km, Time, 2.5 hrs, Avg, 20.9 km/hr, (some tail wind!)

The Route: N5 East, N58N, Fox Rd, N26 Ballina - N59 (Sligo Rd). Left on Riverslade bike route - Quay Rd, to 297 Main St, Ocean Sands Hotel

Went for breakfast at 8am. Took forever to serve me. Anyway, I spent more time planning my stay for the night and was running out of time. I was FINALLY able to book a room at "Ocean Sands Hotel" I didn't get a confirmation email, but I had to go with that. I wouldn't be so worried about securing a stay, if Ireland was more like Canada. Ha ha, crazy statement, but there literally is nowhere to stop and set a tent up in a stand of trees. There are no trees and the roads are secured by rock walls everywhere.

The route out of Ballina was awesome and the weather was good. In fact, the weather has bin good everyday so far. I'm very surprised. There was some tail wind and of coarse nasty roads too. A mixed bag. I got a bit confused while finding my way to town so I enlisted some help from a friendly Irishman.

Rolling into this small seaside town, I stopped at the first beach front hotel. Oops wrong place, it was the next in line. Super nice place that would probably be busy as hell in July. I feel very lucky to get in at a low cost of $100.00 CAD.! Its right on the bloody ocean!

I was so happy to get this place. I actually felt stupid for staying in a nice hotel while biking with camping gear. Oh well! 

Atlantic Way

Leaf tunnel

Forest home

Roadside memorial

The strip

Luxury stay. My camping gear is really helpful. Ya.

Highwacat becomes Sandcat

Weirdo

Tiny castle. Strange

Cat on rock

Castle windowcat

Time portal cat

Cat in a hard place

Very old castle. I could look up the details but too lazy right now

Hey. Another Cyclist!!

DAY 8, Kinvara ➜ Castlebar (N84) Time: 5 hrs, Dist, 105 km, 21.5 avg/km, (wind assisted) (5:45 inc. stops) 

The Route: N67 to Galway, N84 to Castlebar  Mostly flat, some good sections, no shoulder and spotty traffic.

I was in a bit of a rush today. I wasn't able to pre-book a stay due to phone data problems. Luckily, we had a helpful tail wind. To keep the Anger level at 7 or higher, I hit many road reflectors. I try to miss one, then hit the next. This goes on for miles. Call me "The Swearing Cyclist" Interesting note; I saw a "roady" heading in the opposite direction. It felt good to see another cyclist. Seeing another cyclist is like seeing a good road in Ireland for cycling.

    The weather was OK for riding. Overcast, drizzle at maybe 10 C and a bit of rain for the finale.  This is an interesting place that has a mix of old and new (most structures are old stone and iron), yet there is a Dominos Pizza 100 metres away. My room is OK but a bit goofy with poor lighting (My eyesight sucks), The pub downstairs is an option, if I'm desperate.

    I had to store Shirley in a shed in the courtyard. After getting vital supplies at a nearby Tesco, it was time to plan tomorrows route over beers of coarse. I could hear Shirley whining quietly. I hate locking her up in a dungeon especially after a good day.

                                     On the way out, we stopped at "Dunguaire Castle

                                       Nice road with a generous 3 inch shoulder, sweet!

                                                                      Greenhouse

Roadside memorial, lots of these

Rocks and sheep

 

Good place to...

Entering Castlebar

Connaught Inn, home base

Courtyard

Black door is the way into Shirley's dungeon. Safe, but unkind

 

Cliffs of Mohen

DAY 7, 

Mon Sept 9, 2019       

Ennistymon ➜ Kinvara, via N67 W Coast

Dist, 75 km, 17.2 k/hr, Time, 4:20. (Lots of stopping for pics)  

After an awesome breakfast, I was on my way to the "Cliffs of Mohen". It didn't take long for me to get directionally screwed. About 200 metres actually. Signs that are placed to help motorists get around are not always read the same way from a cyclist's view point. Anyway, I took the first left up a steep hill into an odd neighbourhood that seemed to go nowhere. This was a record for me, 38 seconds to being lost.

    I backtracked and found "Wild Atlantic Way" The N67 along the west coast turned out to be an awesome ride. Actually, I don't mind calling it amazing! The road was busy with tour buses, but I didn't mind. As I rolled up to the Cliffs, I decided that I wouldn't go anywhere without Shirley and of coarse, Highwaycat. This made sightseeing a bit difficult with the hordes of tourists everywhere, so we kept it brief. We took in a couple viewpoints and headed on our way. My goal was to hit Galway, but do to our tardiness, we had to stop short in Kinvara where I hit the first hotel. At € 66. The Merriman Hotel was doable. Unfortunately, Shirley had to be locked up.

Leaving Ennistymon for the coast, great road!

Bike Route, Yay!!

Lonely road

Cliffs of Mohen entrance. I didn't see any other cyclists

A peek a poo over the wall

Castle on the edge

Highwaycat loving the touristy signpost

I don't normally include blurry pics, but this one is useful

Road outta Mohen tourist trap

Nice road

The Burren. A unique rocky landscape...

Spot the cat!Add caption

Moving rocks is bad. But shooting is OK I guess.

Cool landscape. No Starbucks or a transit option if a bike fail materializes

Highwaycat LOVES this environment

Break time. I past a couple humans "camping" under some rock overhangs. I love this ride through the Burren. One of the coolest rides ever. Some cool stuff in Newfoundland, but nothing like this!

Out of nowhere came a rock dining table and chairs. Damn, they love rock in Ireland!

They had bike parking! I actually wizzed passed this and did a double take. Turned back for pics. It was such a random surprising and hilarious sigh to see.! 

Of coarse we had to stop for make believe tea time! I couldn't believe that I was doing this! Ha Ha. Highwaycat was getting frisky with the hens.

Municipal water source. My fill up. I didn't include a pic of the inside showing the water because it was dark and scary, HWC was terrified.

Not sure

Deadly boring

Crazy awesome highway stretch that didn't last very long

Break

Kinvara

Kinvara street

Home base

Kinvara local

The situation room