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Nice to hear. When a group of my Swiss friends came over they said the same. And Switzerland is quite a stunner too.
Caher also notcable is no angry aggressive car drivers. Poor drivers yes but no aggressive idiots and they all know how wide the car is to the mm.
Its been good from that point of view
Talking to a dutch couple of cyclists on the campsite. They have 40 kg of luggage. They thought my 15 kg very light and they don't even have proper coffee
Yes true, I do notice that. Laid back but distracted...not sure that's always such a good thing. See many more mobile phone use/mothers moving kids/lorries with flasks being drunk (coffee/tea). A little like Greece.
Trailer stuff is interesting. I had always assumed that paniers were easier and trailers a lot heavier and more cumbersome but clearly that's not quite right. Have to keep my eyes open for a cheap second hand Bob now
You get a weight penalty of 3 or 4 kilis campared to panniers and not everyone agrees with me
Just weighed my kit without food or water. 13kg. That's a full Brompton Borough front bag and a tent and sleeping mat on the rear rack (including the weight of the rack). Nothing to make coffee mind. Compared with a walking holiday I've got a heavier sleeping mat, a minimalist lock, repair kit, more changes of clothes but less footware as sandals will do for everything.
No coffee? Tut tut
No coffee? Tut tut
He's not really French you know... He's just pretending
🙃
they don’t even have proper coffee
Are they even cyclists without coffee? 🙂
I think that confession will see him thrown out of France and sentanced to mellow birds "coffee" for life🤣
Or a bottle of Camp coffee🤮
Mmm chicory pretend coffee
🤮
Wow
Scorchio. Scenery to die for and a paddle around in a kayak. Now sitting in tbe sunshine with beer and waiting for chips
Days don't get much better. I haven't done many miles tho😎🙄
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Why would you want to do the miles when you have that. Nice to just sit and sup sometimes. Where are you today?
Glengarrif right now. I'll stay with my pals a few miles away tonight then head east.
Only come from Adrigole where i did the kayaking .
People keep asking where I am going and the only answer is " dunno" as i am making it up as i go along🤣
I think follow the coast east
Nice spot, good to see you kept away from that Kerry lot and stayed in Cork 😉. Schull and Baltimore are nice, similar vein to what you have seen last few days. When you get to Clonakilty you have to try their black pudding and if you see their black pudding sausages they are to die for IMO. I went a cycle at Ballyhoura earlier and boy was it hot so I don't blame you having an easy day and a good day for the kayaking.
The weather is always like that in Kerry! Ahem.
Just did a loop around the lakes and had a great day.
Nah. The weather didn't improve until he was back over the county border and safely in Cork. It will of been raining in Kerry. 🤪
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I'm sat at my desk (pretending to work) and looking at these photos. I'm sorry that I suggested the Beara now !!
It looks hellish
🙃😜😎
It was. Did you not hear me cursing as i sweated up hill?
On my way to cork now. Im in Glandore
I think my bike is drunk. 3rd pint may not have been my best idea
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I'd be inclined to turn around and spend a couple of days doing nothing at all in Crookhaven especially if the weathers good. As you're no doubt aware it can change quickly and if it's as glorious as it looks you really need to take advantage especially if there's no rush to be anywhere.
This is my absolute favourite part of Ireland. I've got lots of memories of camping holidays there with nothing much available to buy in food shops.
I didnt get to far today. A late lunch with a pint in Clonakilty brought me to the decision to stay here. I did find a stone circle and meandered along the coast which has fine beaches. Lots of these odd shallow inlets/ lagoons as well
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Looks amazingly awesome.
I (partially) followed your tyretracks today from Johnstone to Dalry. Bugger me sideways that's a boring slog, no wonder you were keen to get going towards the sea! Next time anyone asks I'd recommend turning off at Johnstone onto the NCR75 towards Kilmacolm (or just ride over from Erskine) then cut off to Largs via the Gryffe Valley Way. Bigger climbs but if you're in no rush then it's the difference between motorway and interesting B road.
I enjoyed that ride. Old railway line and some nice views
Ireland does not disappoint again. Tonights campsite is a grassy corner in a farmers fruit and veg patch. Rustic is the word. No one at all on site when i arrived. Im pitched on a little bit of grass surrounded by fruit trees and bushes as well as leeks and onions.
Totally charming and random.
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Wifi is very slow!
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Ruined abbey
That looks stunning!
Im near Cork now if anyone is around
TJ I am about 40mins North of the city. I am in Limerick tomorrow but in cork city on Tue. If you are in he vicinity on Tue am or pm I could try to meet you before or after work. Let me know where you end up tomorrow.
Roger that
The randomness continues. A columbian lass is on the site and the farmer turned up on a motorcycle with an American lass and started cooking burgers on the barbie for us all. Lovely but weird
Sounds perfectly normal for Cork. Oh, the weather is always like this too🤣.
The wind has changed direction again. Headwinds all day yesterday and some of this morning. Bah!
Ruined abbey
Who's Abbey?
Andy. Sent you a pm
Im bolloxed today . Ended up east of cork . Followed eurovelo 1 much of the day and took the ferry over passage west. Passed thru Cobh.
I need a rest day but dont fancy it here. Campsite is next to a dual carriageway but o do t have the legs to ride further today
Slow progress last couple of days
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That campsite you stayed at last night looks absolutely idyllic tj.
I'm guessing the heat is taking its toll?
Edit: Missed the headwinds bit!
Could be. I might be both a bit dry and underfed today as well
I might be both a bit dry and underfed today as well
I read that as un-derfed. I couldn't work out what derfed means and why you would need to be it.
Sent you a reply TJ
🤣
Reminds me of a mate of mine, on hearing The Stone Roses "I Wanna Be Adored" for the first time, asked "WTF is a 'dord' anyway?"
Im certainly derfed
While i have been going around i have been chatting to other tourers. Everyone is interested in the trailer so conversation goes to kit. All the Europeans are amazed i am as light as i am on kit. The record so far is a french couple with 52 yes 52 kilos between them! A scond persons kit would add around 4 or 5 to mine keeping it under 20
Who complained about the heat? Its pishing doon this morning.
Character building stuff?😁
Am I the only person who thought there was a link between the words Slow progress last couple of days. ...And the photo of the ambulance?
🙃
How many miles you upto tj?
Character building stuff?😁
I am reliably informed that I have plenty of character already. I don't need more
How many miles you upto tj?
Dunno. Given up counting. Close to a thousand
I know it's not about the mileage but that's impressive. Good luck for today tj.
👍
The record so far is a french couple with 52 yes 52 kilos between them! A scond persons kit would add around 4 or 5 to mine keeping it under 20
It's absolutely standard round here, the "first days ride" distance and the route to the lakes from Göteborg ferry terminal leaves cyclo tourists at the campsite a handful of km from me (and i'm pretty much at the top of the hill. So if it rains, they shelter in the bus stop.)
So i see loads of massively overloaded Dutch and German tourists riding past from about mid June to mid September.
Very very few will have less than two massive panniers, top bag and bar bag. (Flag as well.)
Worst i've seen recently was an older couple, on e-bikes, front/rear panniers, bar bag and top bag and a laden B.O.B Yak trailer... She had almost the same, but no trailer.
I would not have liked to see what would have happened when the batteries went flat. I doubt they could have even reached the cut out on a flat road.
Not sure if it's the overloading or the unrealistic distances that is the worst thing. Planning to ride/train from some town in Germany to Kiel, ferry to GBG then a tour "round the lakes" in two (or three) weeks. Some of them must be doing 10 hours a day in the saddle to even do one of the lakes. Then they have to pitch and break camp every day too.
@mert We had a couple of Germans out last week on our bikes. I had to fit flags to both bikes. It must be a hidden part of the German Laws on Travel that flags must be flown when abroad.
A few years ago i met a dutch chap who had been to knordcap and back. Among his kit was a track pump!
Im flying a saltire
I just met andy4d for breakfast. Lovely chap. Gave me a t shirt that says cork a badge and some beer.
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The kindness of strangers ( or my imaginary internet friends? ) again.
👍😃
Nowt at all on the legs today. Didn't get far at all. Im in Youghal ( pronounced Yawl to confuse tourists like me)
All the hotels except the really expensive one have been given to Ukrainians. Good for them. Shit for me. Most of the b&bs full.
I have found a decent b&b and im staying 2 nights. I am desperate for a rest day. Hopefully a day off the bike will sort me out. I just hope its not the chronic fatigue coming back.
Oddness of the day? Machine gun nests in hedgerows. Im hoping left over from the civil war not for sniping at tired cyclists 🙄🤣🚴♂️
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Im in Youghal ( pronounced Yawl to confuse tourists like me)
We have a load of streets near me named after places in Ireland. I don't think anyone pronounces that one correctly here though!
Good luck with the rest day. Eat as much as you can.
Recovery drink is great you should try some....
TJ - you'll be pleased to hear that whilst you are away the tandem community has been making an impression on Scotland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-62121867
(all I can think is - surely there is not enough udder cream on the planet for that?)
Poly
Thats nasty.
Recovery drink is great you should try some
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Im now thinking i might be low on electolytes. I normally don't have much salt but im craving it and put loads on my chips tonight as well as scoffing a load of dry roast nuts.
A few hot sweaty days
I have never in my life put my body under so much stress for so many weeks
Yeah you probs need some given the volume of riding you've done.
Salt isn't enough though you need sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium. You really want some tablets or something, they are more likely to be available in a sports shop in a city. I've got a big bag of the powder I can send you some if you have an address. Over here you can also get Amazon deliveries to local collection points like convenience shops and post offices etc. and they will sell it.
Or you could eat a shitload of salty banana milkshakes and er.. Epsom salts..
Actually salted nuts are a good one too.
Ta..there is a cycling and sports shop in town failing that andews powder is magnesium sulphate
Lovely couple in the b&b offered to wash my kit. I don't think the realise how nasty it is🤣🙄
The kindness of strangers ( or my imaginary internet friends? ) again
Rather than the km you should be counting stw'ers that you meet up with. I'm liking the idea of everyone giving you a shirt so you end up having to drag 50kg of them around 🙂
🙄🤣
I can just see me ending up with statues. Glass ornaments and aĺl sorts of shite tied on the bike
I have never in my life put my body under so much stress for so many weeks
Never mind, not far to go. 😂
🙄
🙄
Let us know how you get on with posting the unmarked bag of white powder molgrips - will need a customs declaration form too, thanks to brexit, sure will be fine.
Good to meet up with you today TJ. Hope it dried up for you. If you are ever this way again we can grab a pint next time. Enjoy your rest.
Ireland has set the bar with sun and scenery so we will see what Wales delivers for you in the days ahead.
PS careful on the zebra crossings when you get back over the water 😉
I have never in my life put my body under so much stress for so many weeks
Not as fit as you think you were then, yes I know I’ve said this to you before, you starting to believe me now😈
Let’s start a book to see how far you get on your journey to Bilbao, I’ll start with 200km from Amsterdam.
If you get near Wicklow/ S Wexford I can help you out if needs be (and further afield if you really need a hand).
Oddness of the day? Machine gun nests in hedgerows. Im hoping left over from the civil war not for sniping at tired cyclists 🙄🤣🚴♂️
I think they're set up to repel the English, so you'll be reyt.