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Day 7 – 10/06/09 – 10 June, 2009
Everone is still tired and cold from the slough from Dingle to Killarney in the rain. The girls are taking a bus tour of the ring of Kerry while I ride on my own without the panniers. Lauren is need of pants so we spend 5 minutes at the outlet mall across the street from the hostel shopping. She can’t find anything within that time frame so off we go to make the 10AM bus pickup. After AC and LB depart I get onmy gear and head out of town up to Molls’ Gap on N22. A sign indicates that there is a low clearance tunnel 8 km ahead, the climbing is steady and mild – able to stay in my large chainring – great scenes of a llake floored valley to my right and mountains on my left. After the short 50m tunnel the climpingsteepens and I have to shift inot the small chainring. The traffic is very light in both directions and cars only have a brief delaywhen passing me. Stopped at the Lady’s View for a good picture downward into the valley. I understand the AC and LB tour bus made its last rest stop there. Shortly after that the climb lessens and even occasionally flattens out as it approaches Molls Gap. At the gap I don’t stop and begin my descent in to Kenmare. The first 3 km are mountainous – narrow, twisting following mountain side and with a dropoff on my right. The last 7 km are thru farms – wider straighter = faster. Turn around after a brief chat with some local and return the same way to Molls Gap in under 27 minutes. Brief snack break and then its off on the funest, scareiest descent I have ever been on. the road is .9 of a single lane with sharp pop ups, drops and 0 radius turns, throw in some gravel, the rare but possible oncoming car and you get tired forearms from heavy braking. The road descends 16km into black valley where it begins to ascend again as it climbs to the Gap of Dunloe. Either this was very steep or I was bonking cause I was just climbing up the gap. the descent of the gap of dunloe is just as tricky as the descent into the Black valley but now there is the addition of a sprinkle of rain to deal with, more traffic – walkers, cars, horse drawn carriages, to deal and horse manure sprinkled across the single lane. More fun – less braking. the rain stays light and ends bythe time I get on N 71 into Killarney. I end the day with a quick shopping trip to Tesco for food and chain lube. the girls fix a pasta dinner and we bemoan the losing of the deck of cards.


Card Update: AC and LB gave me a deck of Irish picture playing cards so cribbage has return. I won the first 3 way game and Alicia the second. I am still dropping points to be claimed by the ever vigilant AC and LB. Aaaagggghhhh.




Date: 11 June 2009
Location: Killarney to Abbeyfeale
Event of the day: NO RAIN!!
Accommodation: Jack O’Rourke’s Bar Accommodation
Cribbage: we lost the cards, no change except that I skunked Dad

Left Killarney to pursue Dad’s plans for the next week: back up to Clare to loop around the peninsula, see the Burren and Doolin. Lauren and I have been pushing to see the Rock of Cashel, which is out of the way.
Dad conceded to the possibility of renting a car at the end of the week during our day off (1 day off bikes/week).
Dad again proved his lack of navigational skills. It took several attempts to find the unnamed* yellow road out of Killarney, but then followed Dad of it to an intersection with a primary national road. I correctly identified our location on the map and the correct direction, but Dad didn’t share m confidence and had to verify route with a local.
The yellow roads on the map aren’t numbered at all. The only way to identify the road is by intersections and road signs to towns. (National primary, national secondary, and regional roads are all numbered.)
We made an uneventful arrival in the untouristic town of Abbeyfeale. Only 2 B&B’s listed online, a hotel on the main street, and a bar with an “accommodations en suite” sign. The bar was the cheapest: got our own room with shower and small breakfast.
Lauren and I had our first Irish meal pies last night: chicken & mushroom (me) and beef & Guinness (Lauren). Hers was better.
I notice that we’re all eating and sleeping a lot. 10hrs of sleep each night, breakfast (>1 bowl of cereal), bike, lunch, bike, snack (or pot of tea if it’s cold/wet), bike, snack & find room, nap, dinner, relax for a couple hours, snack, early to bed.
And as I said before, no rain! A dry day.

Lost: deck of cards




June 12, 2009 Abbeyfeale, Ireland
Time: 10:15 AM

On June 10 Alicia and I went on a bus tour around the Ring of Kerry. It was a nice break from the bikes. I took a nap at some point. The trip was relaxing with big comfortable seats and amazing views of Ireland’s highest peaks.

Alicia took a pluthara of photos. The dominant color in all the photos is most likely green or some shade of green.

The bus trip was not that exciting due to the fact that we followed five other buses and each stop was loaded with people taking pictures. The most interesting or fun part of the short trip was the stop in Waterville where Charlie Chapman lived for awhile once exiled from the USA. Plus, the beach there was picturesque with rocks lying everywhere. I skipped a few stones into the Alantic Ocean.

So, Alicia and I returned back to the hostel and had dinner. I played Alicia once again and beat her at least two more times. Ha. ha. But, Dad and Alicia have now lost the cards. Gr.




Saturday 13 of June, 2009
Another day where warm beds overwhelm the three sleepyheads. alicia gets up first and heads downstairs for breakfast of Kellogg’s Start 7 whole grain cereal and light milk. Start cereal is like Honey Nut Cheerios except this is not solely oat based but is made up primarily of whole wheat, maize, and whole barley shaped into clover like rings. Minutes later I am up and I open the curtains to let the light in knowing that this will arisee Lauren. As is there usual routine they head back to bed post breakfast and I straighten out our last night B&B reservation. I inasverively made it for the 25th the day of departure the the 24th the day/night prior to departure. It took 5 minutes to clear up at the IT board lacated next to Katie O’Connor’s hostel. I also check the likelihood of catching the boat to scattery Island. Though the island visiting tourist catch is small today there is enough for the captain to make a visit to the island. The boat will leave at 2:15. alicia and I decidde to get a 2+ hour bike ride in and head off towards Loop Head. We made to Carraought before turning back to Kilrush via Kilkee. On the return the winds are at our backs aiding the effort to get back in time to change and catch the boat.
Scatterry Island has a well preserved round tower – nearly unique in Ireland since it has a access opening at ground level – thus allowing one to view the inside of the tower. 4 foot thick walls and a height of 26 meters (= over 4 stories). the rains start in an on and/off pattern that continue through the rest of the day. We visit the rest of the ruins on the now uninhabited island and after returning to Kilrush partake in a Supervalu meal of bread and soup.



N: national, nocturnal, nattering, Neverland, Notorious, Nameless, Negotiating, needy, Nefarious, Necrotic

O: office, order, organization, Offal, Other, Outrageous, Oust, Ordinary, Onery, Offhand

L: League, Learning, Liebatious, Likeable, Lovable, Liable, Leering, Lethargic

A: Athletes, Attorneys, Autocrats, Artisans, Aristocrats, Adagio, Atheist





Date: 15 June 2009, writing for 14 June
Location: Kilrush
Event of the day: Scattery Island
Accommodation: Katie O’Connor’s Hostel
Cribbage: still way ahead on Dad, Lauren 1 up on me

Yesterday, for unsaid medical reasons, we stayed an extra day in Kilrush. Dad and I attempted the Dolphin Head Cycle way along the peninsula, but were slowed down by the wind; we made it to Craighholt, but had to head back to make 2pm boat ride to Scattery…..Lauren stayed in Kilrush to tour bookshop, buy food at the SuperValu, and eat a whole can of Texas BBQ Pringles (in Texas, it’d just be BBQ) for lunch.
Thus, our main tourist event was the trip out to Scattery Island, which, until the late 70s, was inhabited by a small population (~11 houses). In chronological order, first was the monastic tower (5th/6th century), several churches (6th, 9th?, and 12th centuries), St Senan’s well, St Senan’s bed (who rid the island of the dragon/monster and cursed any woman that crossed his grave to be barren), and the abandoned village (government forced inhabitants off). Quite a wet tour, the rain was off and on…. The captain of the boat that took us tourists (us 3 + 8) to the island was born on island (on of the few remaining).
To get to the island, the boat had to go through a lock to keep the bay water level higher than the Shannon River. We would debate where the Shannon River begins, as they (the Irish) call the river what we would call the bay: it’s not freshwater, it’s really wide, and it’s subject to the tide.
And we’re all ravenous. I tried to convince Dad to buy the larger loaf of sliced bread, but refused and brought the smaller loaf, which we all easily finished for dinner (bread with soap). He went back to buy more bread for Sunday’s lunch.
Dad snores. Loudly.




Date: 15 June 2009, writing for today
Location: Kilrush to Doolin
Event of the Day: Cliffs of Moher
Accomadation: Rainbow Hostel, Doolin

Overall, very good day. Mainly determined by the fact that we successfully avoided the rain and stayed DRY (= happy Alicia).
Started out from Kilrush earlier than normal at 10:20am, rather than the later 11ish o’clock to avoid the rain. Today we could see the rain coming—I was rather concerned with our progress against the oncoming ominous cloud. Stood in first in a doorway in Quilty, known for its rescue of 22 French sailors caught by a storm in the bay. Next, got 2 pots of tea and a Bailey’s cheesecake (very good + belle presentation) at Danny Mac’s in Lahinch. And a free pot of tea from neighbor at the bar who had changed his mind.
Next, the Cliffs of Moher! aka the Cliffs of Insanity from the Princess Bride. According to Old Man Willie, tourism has had its impact on the cliffs since his last visit in the 80s: the edge of the cliffs were barricaded. Old Man Willie indicated the spot where he had thrown soda cans into the Moher wind. Trespassing on either side was in effect. O’Brian’s Tower on the south side looked extremely fake, but proved to be real.
We seem to have trouble finding hostels; stopping to ask directions a couple hundred meters from the hostel. Rainbow Hostel here in Doolin is really nice...new furniture, nice common areas, laundry for only 3€, dorm rooms for 2 nights 90€ total…Dorm rooms to get away from Dad’s snoring. Expect to sleep well tonight.




June 15, 2009 Doolin, Ireland
Time: 10:44PM

Ok, so here’s the day. Sun came up in the east and set in the west. Dad went on some long ardous bike ride through the hills while Alicia and I lazily coasted through the Aran Island getting lost, hot and tired.

Though, that’s not the story entirely. Alicia and I went down to the ferry to purchase round trip tickets to the Aran Island. Of course, we planned to bike around the island. The ferry was breezy and rolling with the waves.

The island itself consisted almost entirely of either stone or grass. And, of course, filled with those hills that bicyclists love. Not as many pictures were taken due to the fact that Alicia camera has battery difficulties.

One interesting site was a Dunerg fort. This fort is surrounded by several stone walls near the edge of a cliff and situated at the top of a hill. So, we walked quickly up and examined a fort that has stood for centuries against erosion and human interference.

This cliff edge was more scenic sine we could actually go to the edge. I looked down to the crashing waves and was filled with a sense of wonder, awesomeness, and slight vertigo.

I’m tired so, the story will stay short. Alicia and I biked some more and came back on the ferry

AND, we FINALLY had a pint of Guiness beer. Took long enough.

And I seem to not be winning at cribbage. This needs to be remedied.