The Weather is Lovely at the Moment so I took a Trip out to See the Mills in The Town of Skerries ,There are Three of them . Two Windmills and one Watermill and a Bakery, the Bakery and Mill was Still Working up to the 1960ties but the Windmills became Disused. They began Restoring The Windmills and Watermill in the 1990ties and are still Restoring Parts of the Complex Today but the Windmills and Watermill are all Working now. The Small Windmill Dates from 1500 and the Large one from 1750. On the Large one they had Horses to Drag the Sails around into the Wind Years ago but now they use Tractors. They have a large Field for growing the Grain and an Artificial Pond Supplied by a small River to Turn the Millrace on the Watermill.
I went on a Tour around the Complex, it was very interesting . There was two Old Bicycles in the Mills probably British possibly Humber or Raleigh Pre 1950ties Style.
I stopped off for something to Eat on my way Home at 6.30pm in the Village of Lusk and left at 7.00pm. I had a large Coffee with a Baguette of Chicken and Salad and got Home around 8.20 pm and had my Dinner at 9.50 pm Potato Haddock and Home Grown cabbage.
I Travelled all Told 58 Kilometre.
29 May 2009
Trip around the Nth Dublin Coastline and Breaking in the New Saddle.
Yesterday I took a Spin around the Coastline of North Dublin,Malahide, Portmarnock, Howth , Sutton and then Home around 25 Kilometre. I got fed up with the Saddle of my New Bike, a SelleNuvola it was to Hard and uncomfortable in spite of having the Bike for over Two Weeks. I had Travelled over 200 Miles around Dublin and one Trip to Drogheda and then around Wicklow and still it was making my Posterior Sore so I got a Brooks Leather Saddle. It is a B 17 Champion Standard,so I Slapped on the Proofide Polish and gave a good Dollop to the Underside then when it was Dry I Polished the Top and Left the Underside with the Polish on it as Protection.
The Pictures, The Brooks Saddle, Portmarnock Beach, Looking out to Howth and Irelands Eye The Island to the Left, my Bike at Sutton Cycleway,Road Sign at Baldoyle some Wag has altered the Sign to Read Reduce Pee Now.
The Pictures, The Brooks Saddle, Portmarnock Beach, Looking out to Howth and Irelands Eye The Island to the Left, my Bike at Sutton Cycleway,Road Sign at Baldoyle some Wag has altered the Sign to Read Reduce Pee Now.
Trip to Dalky on last Sunday 24 /5/09
The Weather was so good for over a Week now ,I decided to go off to Bulloch Harbour beside the Village of Dalky which is a few Kilometre past Dunleary. I had a Late Breakfast Cum Brunch around 12.00am,Some Feta Cheese & Tomato on Toast with Olive Oil and Wine vinegar Drizzled on it and a Pot of Tea. I had intended to Read for awhile but the Sun was annoying me.The Radio is a Freeplay Solar Powered and Wind up, The Organic Radio.
The Books one I have for awhile the other two I just got,The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien, Silverland and Cameroon with Egbert by the Irish World Trekker by Bicycle Dervla Murphy who is now 75 Years Old and still going on these Intercontintal Trips by Bicycle.
So I eventually went off on my Bike around 2.30 pm.
Brunch, Swan on the Tolka River at Fairview at the Pedestrian Bridge at East Wall Road En Route to the East Link Bridge Across the Liffey at Ringsend, The Market in the Village of Blackrock before coming to Dunleary,( Unique Bicycle that a Man Made he said it was not for sale when I started Photographing it I said you could make a couple of them it is a classic and it would go for € 1,000 Euro It would suit a Girl)
The Small little Fishing Harbour Bulloch around 18 Kilometre from Dublin City about 14 Miles.
You can Hire out a Small boat and go Fishing ,also you can Buy Langoustines, Lobster ,Crabs,From the Boat Owners.
The Books one I have for awhile the other two I just got,The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien, Silverland and Cameroon with Egbert by the Irish World Trekker by Bicycle Dervla Murphy who is now 75 Years Old and still going on these Intercontintal Trips by Bicycle.
So I eventually went off on my Bike around 2.30 pm.
Brunch, Swan on the Tolka River at Fairview at the Pedestrian Bridge at East Wall Road En Route to the East Link Bridge Across the Liffey at Ringsend, The Market in the Village of Blackrock before coming to Dunleary,( Unique Bicycle that a Man Made he said it was not for sale when I started Photographing it I said you could make a couple of them it is a classic and it would go for € 1,000 Euro It would suit a Girl)
The Small little Fishing Harbour Bulloch around 18 Kilometre from Dublin City about 14 Miles.
You can Hire out a Small boat and go Fishing ,also you can Buy Langoustines, Lobster ,Crabs,From the Boat Owners.
24 May 2009
Trip to Glendalough,County Wicklow, thurs 21/5/09
At 2.00pmI took a Mad urge to go for a Spin on my New Bike maybe out as far as Bray County Wicklow 15 Miles away then Home and by the Time I got ready to go it had gone 2.30 pm. But as it turned out Half in my Mind I was thinking about going to Glendalough, the Ancient Monastic Site in the Wickow Mountains . Then when I got to Bray ,I said what the Hell might as well give it a Blast.
So off I went I turned off up the Dargle Road to the Motorway Interchange and up the Ramp to Access the N11 National Primary Road. The Motorway is to the Right towards Dublin and the N11 is left towards Wicklow,Except with the Signs you can easily find yourself going on to the M Way you have to think about it and Double back to Access the N11. These M Way Interchanges are not Designed for Cyclists as we are not allowed on them of course. But you would think the Signage would be better. What if I could not Understand English , It would be Lethal.
Anyway I got onto the N11 and went a couple of Kilometres to Kilmacanogue and I saw the Sign for Glendalough, I had intended to go as far as Ashford before turning Right because on the Map I did not see any Mountains. However without looking at the Map, I decided to turn Right at Kilmacanogue big Mistake. After going 3 Hundred Metres I discovered I was going Uphill, I had to get off the Bike and Walk,and Walk and Walk for how long I do not know up a Mountainside Road. Up the Sugarloaf past Callary Quarry, I was wondering what all the Lorries were coming from I must have gone 250 Metres up until I reached the Summit. I was Exhausted plenty of Tour Buses and a few Road Cyclists came Tearing down the Mountainside past me.
After a Rest I was able to proceed comfortably at a fast pace and then Fly down the Hill for a Dozen Kilometres or more . Past through Roundwood the Highest Village in Ireland so it said on the Sign then the Nice Village of Annamoe where Roses Tea Rooms The Cyclists Tea Rooms were but as it was gone 5.30 or 6.00pm it was closed. Then eventually through the The Lovely Village of Laragh then a short Distance St Kevin's Bed's Glendalough.
It was Marvelous Cycling through the Mountains, The Smell of the Yellow Gorse a kind of Hair Oil Smell then Wild Mountain Tyme and then the Smell of the Pine Forests and the Beautiful Ferns at the side of the Road. I got to Glendalough at 7.00pm ,I did not have long to Sightsee I wanted to be as Near to Dublin before it got Dark so I left at 7.15 pm.
I took the Blessington Road Straight up another Mountain again Walking ,It must have been about 420 Metres Uphill. I calculated it would be around 10 Kilometre I would have to Walk. It took me from 7.15pm - 9.15 pm Two Hours Hard going until I got to the Summit of the Wicklow Gap Stopping every so often for rests and Slugs of Water and Energy Bars With Table Mountain to my Left and Tonelegee Mountain 817 mtr above Sea Level to my Right with the Valley and the Glendassan River between the two Mountains. Up on the Hillside I could see these little Shapes like Birds I thought then Wild Goats and then I discovered they were Deer on a 45 Degree Angle Jumping around the Granite Boulders.
By now it was getting Chilly but it was strange I was Sweating a bit and yet there was a Cold Breeze and I did not want to put on my Cardigan as I was afraid I would be to Hot. After I left the Summit I put on my Cardigan then when I started to Speed down the Hillside I started getting Colder so I put on my Goretex Jacket as well. Then it was getting Dark so I put my Lights on.
Eventually I noticed my front Light was getting Darker and it was Pitch Black on t he Country Roads then I came to a Hill and had to Walk then after a few Kilometre I could Cycle again. At this Stage I had almost no Light in the Front so I put on my HI VIZ Vest. I switched off the Light any time I was Walking to conserve Power for Cycling leaving just the Back Light on.
It was Dangerous with Cars coming toward me with their Headlights full on,it Blinds you for a Second or so and you have to Steer Dead Straight. When I got to Blessington and the other Towns and Villages I was glad of the Street Lights for awhile then Black again. It Rained throwing The Light from the Sky on to the Road a Bit so I could see a little bit. I eventually got to Crooksling Nursing Home ,then Down the Big long Hill into Tallaght for several Kilometres back into the Lights of Dublin Suburbs then Templeogue ,Terenure, New Street ,then into Dublin and Home at 2.30am. Tried to get some Batteries in the Allnight Garage Shop in Terenure but no Luck. When I was in New Street I saw several Cats and then a strange looking Cat with Long Legs and a bit Soggy with the Rain and I said Miaow to it like you do then discovered it was a City Fox. It was 5mtr away but it did not move it looked a bit stunned as I Rode past.
I saw Three Girls and a Man on their Bikes all without Lights of any sort and here was I worrying about mine. I saw the usual Pub Crowd on Dame Street with one Pub absolutely Loaded with People nearly falling over the Rail outside where the Smoking area is and you can sit . I heard the Sound of Hysterical Laughter from Young Girls Enjoying themselves and their Men Friends and Loads of Taxis waiting to pick them up. I saw a few People with Bicycles walking along, how the Scene has changed in Dublin People out with their Bikes at 2.00am in the Morning. I had some Prawns potato and Cabbage with Tea before going to Bed at 5.00am.
I was Sore and I only thought of the Boots Muscle Pain Gel the Next Day. I could do with that Stuff Assos Chamois Rub. I have Calculated I must have gone around 70 Miles in a Circle around Wicklow and back to Dublin. The Photo's below were taken with a Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone .800 Cybershot as my two othe Cameras are no more ,one stopped Working the Olympus and the other got Flattened by a Car in Balbriggan the Fuji.
So off I went I turned off up the Dargle Road to the Motorway Interchange and up the Ramp to Access the N11 National Primary Road. The Motorway is to the Right towards Dublin and the N11 is left towards Wicklow,Except with the Signs you can easily find yourself going on to the M Way you have to think about it and Double back to Access the N11. These M Way Interchanges are not Designed for Cyclists as we are not allowed on them of course. But you would think the Signage would be better. What if I could not Understand English , It would be Lethal.
Anyway I got onto the N11 and went a couple of Kilometres to Kilmacanogue and I saw the Sign for Glendalough, I had intended to go as far as Ashford before turning Right because on the Map I did not see any Mountains. However without looking at the Map, I decided to turn Right at Kilmacanogue big Mistake. After going 3 Hundred Metres I discovered I was going Uphill, I had to get off the Bike and Walk,and Walk and Walk for how long I do not know up a Mountainside Road. Up the Sugarloaf past Callary Quarry, I was wondering what all the Lorries were coming from I must have gone 250 Metres up until I reached the Summit. I was Exhausted plenty of Tour Buses and a few Road Cyclists came Tearing down the Mountainside past me.
After a Rest I was able to proceed comfortably at a fast pace and then Fly down the Hill for a Dozen Kilometres or more . Past through Roundwood the Highest Village in Ireland so it said on the Sign then the Nice Village of Annamoe where Roses Tea Rooms The Cyclists Tea Rooms were but as it was gone 5.30 or 6.00pm it was closed. Then eventually through the The Lovely Village of Laragh then a short Distance St Kevin's Bed's Glendalough.
It was Marvelous Cycling through the Mountains, The Smell of the Yellow Gorse a kind of Hair Oil Smell then Wild Mountain Tyme and then the Smell of the Pine Forests and the Beautiful Ferns at the side of the Road. I got to Glendalough at 7.00pm ,I did not have long to Sightsee I wanted to be as Near to Dublin before it got Dark so I left at 7.15 pm.
I took the Blessington Road Straight up another Mountain again Walking ,It must have been about 420 Metres Uphill. I calculated it would be around 10 Kilometre I would have to Walk. It took me from 7.15pm - 9.15 pm Two Hours Hard going until I got to the Summit of the Wicklow Gap Stopping every so often for rests and Slugs of Water and Energy Bars With Table Mountain to my Left and Tonelegee Mountain 817 mtr above Sea Level to my Right with the Valley and the Glendassan River between the two Mountains. Up on the Hillside I could see these little Shapes like Birds I thought then Wild Goats and then I discovered they were Deer on a 45 Degree Angle Jumping around the Granite Boulders.
By now it was getting Chilly but it was strange I was Sweating a bit and yet there was a Cold Breeze and I did not want to put on my Cardigan as I was afraid I would be to Hot. After I left the Summit I put on my Cardigan then when I started to Speed down the Hillside I started getting Colder so I put on my Goretex Jacket as well. Then it was getting Dark so I put my Lights on.
Eventually I noticed my front Light was getting Darker and it was Pitch Black on t he Country Roads then I came to a Hill and had to Walk then after a few Kilometre I could Cycle again. At this Stage I had almost no Light in the Front so I put on my HI VIZ Vest. I switched off the Light any time I was Walking to conserve Power for Cycling leaving just the Back Light on.
It was Dangerous with Cars coming toward me with their Headlights full on,it Blinds you for a Second or so and you have to Steer Dead Straight. When I got to Blessington and the other Towns and Villages I was glad of the Street Lights for awhile then Black again. It Rained throwing The Light from the Sky on to the Road a Bit so I could see a little bit. I eventually got to Crooksling Nursing Home ,then Down the Big long Hill into Tallaght for several Kilometres back into the Lights of Dublin Suburbs then Templeogue ,Terenure, New Street ,then into Dublin and Home at 2.30am. Tried to get some Batteries in the Allnight Garage Shop in Terenure but no Luck. When I was in New Street I saw several Cats and then a strange looking Cat with Long Legs and a bit Soggy with the Rain and I said Miaow to it like you do then discovered it was a City Fox. It was 5mtr away but it did not move it looked a bit stunned as I Rode past.
I saw Three Girls and a Man on their Bikes all without Lights of any sort and here was I worrying about mine. I saw the usual Pub Crowd on Dame Street with one Pub absolutely Loaded with People nearly falling over the Rail outside where the Smoking area is and you can sit . I heard the Sound of Hysterical Laughter from Young Girls Enjoying themselves and their Men Friends and Loads of Taxis waiting to pick them up. I saw a few People with Bicycles walking along, how the Scene has changed in Dublin People out with their Bikes at 2.00am in the Morning. I had some Prawns potato and Cabbage with Tea before going to Bed at 5.00am.
I was Sore and I only thought of the Boots Muscle Pain Gel the Next Day. I could do with that Stuff Assos Chamois Rub. I have Calculated I must have gone around 70 Miles in a Circle around Wicklow and back to Dublin. The Photo's below were taken with a Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone .800 Cybershot as my two othe Cameras are no more ,one stopped Working the Olympus and the other got Flattened by a Car in Balbriggan the Fuji.
11 May 2009
My New Bike ,St Ollies Head and the Trip to Drogheda
I got a New Bike last Week and got rid of the Hybrid Junk Bike. It is a Raleigh Pioneer LX and it is a Grand Bike ,a Mid Range Bike that is great for Touring on and going Long Distances.
So I used it for Four Days going into Town and also one Trip to Bull Island a Grand Total of 40 k or 24 Miles. The Weather is very good at the moment around 14 Celsius and Sunny,so I decided to go on a Long Trip and try the Bike out. I had a look at the Bike and discovered that they had put the Tyre on the front Wheel on back to front. There are Directional Arrows to tell you the way it should drive. It would not matter in the Dry so much I suppose but in the Wet it probably would because of the Grooves in the Tyre. I took the Wheel off and Reversed it on the Bike.
So I eventually headed off at 2.00 pm then stopped at Halfords The Chain Store Bike and Motoring Accessories Shop and went in to buy a Bottle Cage then I bought a Helmet. I would not usually use a Helmet at all but for long Trips it would be Handy in case I went into a Pothole and Fell off the Bike. I have an Old Helmet but it is to Daggy Looking and Gigantic looking on my already Big Head so I wanted something Neat and with a Peak.
I had a look at some but they were either to Dear or to Small,eventually with the Help of the Shop Assistant I got a Bell Helmet. I got outside and had a look at the inside,what I exclaimed outloud to myself an American Helmet made in Bleedin China could they not make them in America or better still in Europe like Ireland for example. That is downright Unpatriotic Running off to a Sweated Labour Country and doing the Dirt on your own Country, The rather Nasty side of Globalisation Is there nothing at all getting made in America or Europe.
This meant that I finally got away at 3.00pm, I stopped a few times enroute to take Pictures for a few minutes and finally got to Drogheda at 7.00pm . Because of bad Sign Posting I got held up for a half Hour. The New Motorway M1 runs Parallel to the Old National Primary Road the N1 and there are a few Interchanges and also Breaks in the M1 and I got caught out at Stamullan. I went up the Hill of the Interchange and saw the M1 Sign and also N1 but when I got to the bottom of the Hill I thought I was on the Motorway so I turned back to Stamullan. I asked two Men walking there Dog for Directions,and was told that it was not the M1 when Heading North but if Heading South on the other Carraigway it was the start of the M1 so off I went and Nervousely Entered the road but after a Hundred Metres it went from looking like a Motorway and Narrowed to the Ordinary N1.
About the Pictures , The New Raleigh LX, Saint Oliver Plunkett was the Archbishop of Armagh in which Drogheda is part of the Dioces and he went to Remonstrate with the English Parliament on behalf of the Catholic Religeon and was Executed by being Hanged Drawn and Quarted at Tyburn on July 1st 1681, An Attestation to state that John Ridley Charugeon and Elizabeth Sheldon took the Head and Hand Arm and Finger Bones from the Coffin of St Oliver Plunkett,the Writing is hard to understand on this Ancient Document, The Door of St Oliver Plunketts Cell in Newgate Gaol where he was Imprisoned for 8 Months before being Hanged Drawned and Quarted at Tyburn. This Door was Presented to St Peters Church in Drogheda by the Mayor of Wrexham in Wales William Clarke in 1951,The Head contained in a Glass Shrine and also the Casket containing the Bones, St Peters Church, St Oliver was Executed in 1st July 1681 as a Martyr for the Catholic Religeon at Tyburn which is shown in the Picture. St Laurances Gate one of the Medieval City Gates of Drogheda,The Boyne River where the Famous Battle took Place in 1690 between the Glorious Prins Willem Van Oranje(King Billy) and the Papish King James for the Thrown of England and the Protestant Faith about 5K or 3 Miles upriver from Here. I was to Tired to go off to see the Site and I did not want to waste any more time as I wanted to get back Home and I did not know how much Power was left in my Bike Light. I eventually left Drogheda at 7.15pm and I had to rest every so often on the way Home I took several Picture of Thatched Cottages on the Way.
In Balbriggan because of the Rough Tarmac on the Road in the Town the Camera hopped out of my Pannier and landed in the Road. I could not Flag the Traffic down as it was to Dangerous,not that there was much on a Sunday Evening at 8.30pm in a Country Town. The inevitable Happened it got Crushed so I retrieved the Camera and got the Memory Card out together with the Batteries which came in handy when my Bike Light Failed altogether in Lusk.
I eventually got Home at 11.30 then had my Dinner at 12.00pm Midnight .
I had Travelled a Total Distance of 77 K or 54 miles , I was Totally Shattered.
Click on the Pictures for an Enlarged View.
So I used it for Four Days going into Town and also one Trip to Bull Island a Grand Total of 40 k or 24 Miles. The Weather is very good at the moment around 14 Celsius and Sunny,so I decided to go on a Long Trip and try the Bike out. I had a look at the Bike and discovered that they had put the Tyre on the front Wheel on back to front. There are Directional Arrows to tell you the way it should drive. It would not matter in the Dry so much I suppose but in the Wet it probably would because of the Grooves in the Tyre. I took the Wheel off and Reversed it on the Bike.
So I eventually headed off at 2.00 pm then stopped at Halfords The Chain Store Bike and Motoring Accessories Shop and went in to buy a Bottle Cage then I bought a Helmet. I would not usually use a Helmet at all but for long Trips it would be Handy in case I went into a Pothole and Fell off the Bike. I have an Old Helmet but it is to Daggy Looking and Gigantic looking on my already Big Head so I wanted something Neat and with a Peak.
I had a look at some but they were either to Dear or to Small,eventually with the Help of the Shop Assistant I got a Bell Helmet. I got outside and had a look at the inside,what I exclaimed outloud to myself an American Helmet made in Bleedin China could they not make them in America or better still in Europe like Ireland for example. That is downright Unpatriotic Running off to a Sweated Labour Country and doing the Dirt on your own Country, The rather Nasty side of Globalisation Is there nothing at all getting made in America or Europe.
This meant that I finally got away at 3.00pm, I stopped a few times enroute to take Pictures for a few minutes and finally got to Drogheda at 7.00pm . Because of bad Sign Posting I got held up for a half Hour. The New Motorway M1 runs Parallel to the Old National Primary Road the N1 and there are a few Interchanges and also Breaks in the M1 and I got caught out at Stamullan. I went up the Hill of the Interchange and saw the M1 Sign and also N1 but when I got to the bottom of the Hill I thought I was on the Motorway so I turned back to Stamullan. I asked two Men walking there Dog for Directions,and was told that it was not the M1 when Heading North but if Heading South on the other Carraigway it was the start of the M1 so off I went and Nervousely Entered the road but after a Hundred Metres it went from looking like a Motorway and Narrowed to the Ordinary N1.
About the Pictures , The New Raleigh LX, Saint Oliver Plunkett was the Archbishop of Armagh in which Drogheda is part of the Dioces and he went to Remonstrate with the English Parliament on behalf of the Catholic Religeon and was Executed by being Hanged Drawn and Quarted at Tyburn on July 1st 1681, An Attestation to state that John Ridley Charugeon and Elizabeth Sheldon took the Head and Hand Arm and Finger Bones from the Coffin of St Oliver Plunkett,the Writing is hard to understand on this Ancient Document, The Door of St Oliver Plunketts Cell in Newgate Gaol where he was Imprisoned for 8 Months before being Hanged Drawned and Quarted at Tyburn. This Door was Presented to St Peters Church in Drogheda by the Mayor of Wrexham in Wales William Clarke in 1951,The Head contained in a Glass Shrine and also the Casket containing the Bones, St Peters Church, St Oliver was Executed in 1st July 1681 as a Martyr for the Catholic Religeon at Tyburn which is shown in the Picture. St Laurances Gate one of the Medieval City Gates of Drogheda,The Boyne River where the Famous Battle took Place in 1690 between the Glorious Prins Willem Van Oranje(King Billy) and the Papish King James for the Thrown of England and the Protestant Faith about 5K or 3 Miles upriver from Here. I was to Tired to go off to see the Site and I did not want to waste any more time as I wanted to get back Home and I did not know how much Power was left in my Bike Light. I eventually left Drogheda at 7.15pm and I had to rest every so often on the way Home I took several Picture of Thatched Cottages on the Way.
In Balbriggan because of the Rough Tarmac on the Road in the Town the Camera hopped out of my Pannier and landed in the Road. I could not Flag the Traffic down as it was to Dangerous,not that there was much on a Sunday Evening at 8.30pm in a Country Town. The inevitable Happened it got Crushed so I retrieved the Camera and got the Memory Card out together with the Batteries which came in handy when my Bike Light Failed altogether in Lusk.
I eventually got Home at 11.30 then had my Dinner at 12.00pm Midnight .
I had Travelled a Total Distance of 77 K or 54 miles , I was Totally Shattered.
Click on the Pictures for an Enlarged View.
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