Sunday first long Cycle of 2011trimCastle county Meath/1ere de longue Ranndonée velo Chateu Trim ,Comte du Meath Dimanche an 2011

My two companions/mon deux compagnons,Ricardo from Portugal and Nayroka from Brazil at the Start on Conyngham Rd Routiere Conyngham  depart   7.30am  Weather was 1C but no Ice very very cold/ Meteo 1C et Tré Tré Froid mais ne pas glace

Myself and Nayroka

Chilling out and getting some Coffee's 3 km from Trim,Nayroka was suffering badly from sore Feet because of the Cold/Nayroka suffre tré mal á le pied parce le froid et marche la voie et restez pour demi houre et consummere le Caffé et nourritee snack's

Stopping for Coffee's and a Massage 3kmfrom Trim

Young Foal ,Trim/Jeun Cheval

First Castle to be Built it was destroyed by the Irish High King Rory O'Connor beside St Mary's Convent and facing the new Castle across the River Boyne. /1ere Chateau Trim Detruit par Haute Roi du Irlande Rory O'Connor proche Couvent Ste Marié sur le Gauche ,face le nouveau Chateau Traverse le Riviére Boyne.

Boyne River/le  Riviére Boyne

myself /ce moi

Nayroka par Brazil

Ricardo par Portugal

Trim Castle Built for the Norman Lord Hugh De Lacy  AD  1160 /Chateau Trim Fabriquet  pour le  Seigner Normande Hugh de Lacy .AD 1160

The Castle is spread over a large section of Land/ La Chateau Trim Contenu un grande quantite de terre

Sculpture in Batterstown Village mid point of our Cycle 22km from Trim and 23 from Dublin/Village du Batterstown ,Sculpture,  ,22km par Trim et 23km par Dublin midi distance á le Ranndonée

M 50 Motorway Castleknock/autoroutiere M50Castleknock

Sunday 30th January, I belong to the Dublin Social Cycling Group and I go off on Cycles with them every so often.This trip to Trim was proposed by a Brazilian Girl and I said I would go Weather permitting. There was supposed to be at least 6 and 4 maybe's,the maybe's did not go and 3 of the yes's did not turn up so it was just myself and two other's .It was a freezing cold   Sunday morning  1 Celsius when we met up on Conyngham Rd across from the Gates to the Phoenix Park at 7.30am. I arrived first at 7.15 am then the Brazilian Girl then a Portugese chap last.
We headed off eventually at 7.45am just as it was starting to get light off up the Chapelizod Rd ,then up Knockmaroon Hill I got off and pushed the last 50  metres then the Strawberry Beds on Lwr Rd. It was Beautiful Cycling along but very misty and gloomy in the Liffey Vally with the River alongside us. Then after 4 km we went up Rugged Lane,a very steep Hill for 1 km,I got stuck and had to walk up it while the other two went up it like Mountain Goats. I was just getting over the Flue and not feeling the best but it stil was very steep and would not have made it anyway.
On to Luttrelstown Rd then to Clonsilla then after a few more km to Mulhuddart then Clonee. Next to the Motorway Flyover on the M3 then on to Bracetown then we nearly ended up on the Motorway,very bad signage. Ever since they put in these Motorways in Ireland there is always a problem for Cyclists due to their Micky Mouse signs, they are alright for Motorists but not for Cyclists. We continued on to another Roundabout then went on a minor Rd with the M way running alongside us. Then we continued on another Rd until we got to Batterstown Village then eventually 3km from Trim.
We stopped at a Service Station because Nayroka's Feet was freezing and she had to walk around a bit to get the feeling back. Ricardo gave her Feet a massage and she put some Cling film on it to ease the Pain and we got some Coffee's and some Food in the Shop.
Then we Ambled into Trim and the Castle,lot's of foreign visitors and Locals viewing the Castle in spite of the Cold. After looking at the outside we went inside the grounds of the semi Ruin,it is very big and spreads over a good deal of Land and is the biggest Castle in Ireland. Built by Hugh de Lacy in AD1160 . There is the ruin of the first Castle to be Built across the Boyne facing it. This Castle was Destroyed by the last high King of Ireland Rory O 'Connor.
We had a great time in Trim and seen Loads of Cyclists on the Road in Meath mosly in two's or three's but one group was in a Peloton of about 3 Hundred.
On the way back Nayroka was suffering badly from her Feet and was not going very fast so after Batterstown things got steadly worse. Then by the time we reached Blanchardstown Nayroka had to get a Taxi back Home to the City. Ricardo had already went on ahead after leaving Batterstown so after Nayroka got the Taxi I was on my own. I decided to go back to the City a different way by way of Castleknock then through the Phoenix Park. It was  Ghostlike in the almost Pitch Dark of the Phoenix Park with it's Victorian Street Lamps throwing out a very dim Light and the Park itself was nearly dark ,this was after 5pm. We had covered  90Km there and back 45.57KM each way.

It was a very enjoyable trip in spite of the Freezing Cold.

Sunday spin to Howth.

Outside St Annes Park/Face Parc Ste Annes

outside St Annes Park/Face parc Ste Annes, Raheny

At the Old Red Stables St Annes Park/proche La Ancienne Centre d'équitation rouge,parc Ste Annes

Cycleway ,Raheny/  Chemin duVelo, Raheny

Farmers Market Howth Village/ Marché Ferme Village du Howth

Harbour Road Howth/Routiere de la Port  Howth

Farmers Market /Marché  ferme, l'enfant fille regarde le confectionaire fudge avec plaisir.

Bread and Cakes StalFarmers Marketl/Boulangerie et Patisserie,Marché ferme Howth

Fish and Chips/Poisson et Frites

NewBike Shop/Nouveau magazin au le velo,  Howth

View of Howth Village from Balglas Hill/Vue au  Village du Howth sur Col Balglas

myself at the Lighthouse/ce moi pres du Phare avec mon Velo Surly LHT

The Weather got very mild after Christmas around 11  - 12 C and after the last Bike Ride to Howth last Week I decided to go off again this Sunday.  I headed off into Saint Annes Parkland  first and I was shocked by the amount of People there. Loads of People with Dogs and Children and People on Bikes with their Children. It was Lethal ,very hard to avoid not hitting them ,I had to keep slowing down and say excuse me. Dogs straying into my Path off the Lead and more with long Leads,I just had to hurry up and get out of there fast.
Loads of People walking and  Cycling on the Cycleway out to Sutton . It is great to see all this activity with more and more People Cycling and also walking. I eventually got to Howth and had a look at the Farmers Market then took a spin up one of the steep Hill's out of Howth Village to see how the new  Bike handled it.


It is a great Bike for the Hills the Surly LHT, it went up it like a Mountain Goat. One of the Pictures is taken from Balglas Hill of the Village. I did not bother going up the rest of the way to the Summit.

There is a great new Bike Shop on the Harbour Road,The Bike Hub, worth having a look at for Bikes and accesories. I got a Bike Computer off them last week,there is Bike Parking in the Shop which is nice.
Finally a Picture of myself beside the Lighthouse on the East Pier.

Premiere Sortie sur mon Velo apre Jour Noel,First Bike Ride after Christmas Day.

Outside Tesco's Supermarket on Kilmore Road before Christmas Day

Surly LHT on the West Pier  Howth

The Surly LHT and I on the West Pier Howth

Harbour Seal waiting for People to give it Fish at Howth

At last the Thaw set in on Christmas Night and continued on Saint Stephens Day. The Temps rose from - 10C before Christmas Day to 8 C on St Stephens Day but with Patches of Ice still on the Paths and Roads. The 27th came along with Temps rising to 11Celsius and only tiny bits of Slush,as I was suffering from Cabin Fever I decided to go for a spin at 3.00pm on the Surly LHT. I headed off out to Raheny then onto the Cycleway out to Sutton then Howth Village.

It was getting very Gloomy with the Rain falling and slowly getting darker. There was still little bits of Ice here and there but I could hardly see it with the Rain on my Specs and I had to keep wiping the Lenses every so often with my Fingers. This was the Third time to be on this Bike since I got it on the 24th of November. Because of the Snow and the two falls I had on the Dutch Bike I just stopped Riding in the Snow. The second time out a small problem cropped up with the Bike,the Chain began to hit off the front Mech Cage particulary in high Gear. So before I left the House I decided to try and fix it. I put the front Gear on the Granny Gear which is the big Chain Ring and the Rear Cassette on the high Gear which is the small Gear. Then I loosened one of the two little Screws ,the right one on the Derailleur a bit and tightened it a bit,then it righted itself and all was fine,no Clanking off the Mech Cage.

Out on the Cycleway at Sutton there was a strong Breeze coming from the Sea on my right and I could feel it pushing me over a bit  but it wasnt impeding my progress much. The Rain was blowing into my face and I had to keep wiping it off my Spectacle Lenses with my Fingers. The Sea was coming in and you could hear it bashing off the Sea Wall.It really felt good to be out Cycling along really Invigorating. Loads of People out Walking and Dog Walking and Jogging and a few People on Road Bikes,they seemed glad to get out of their Houses like me possibly for the first time for Days because of the Snow.
I got to Howth and took a few Photo's of myself and the Seals then headed Home and when I got to Clontarf I continued on the long way up the Cycleway back Home.  With some stretches of Ice on the Cycleway of 10 metres or more every so often,I just got off and walked it each time I came to the Ice .

Total distance I had covered was 30 KM or 19 miles.The Surly was very smooth and dependable with no Twitching of the Steering,it held the Route solid and true,it was a Pleasure to Cycle on it but what would you expect from a Tourer it did what it said on the Brochure Brilliant Bicycle.

Joyeaux Noel Happy Christmas everybody keep on Cycling,one less Car.

New Brook's Flyer Saddle on my Surly LHT Photographed in between the two Cold Spells of Vicious Wintery Weather. Firebrigade and Ambulance nasty Stuff happens this time of the Year.The Dutch Bike, I was caught in the New Outbreak of Snow on Monday the 20th when I left the Supermarket.The only People in the Park is those with their Dog,s.Icy Conditions on the Roads.There  is supposed to be a Thaw on St Stephen's Day but it will be a very slow one with Icy Rain and bits of Snow. Cant wait to go off on my Bike for a spin. Need Knobbly Tyres badly for the Wintery Weather.

19th & 20th Dec 2010 The Dublin Flea Market,Critical Mass, Finally the Snow arrived.

The Snow had come back to  the UK & Ireland on Thursday the 16th Dec it Crept down from the North in Donegal to the West then the Midlands and was approaching Dublin gradually but held off from hitting the Dublin area,we were lucky for a few Days but there was a heavy Frost and Ice in the Night Time. There was a  Slight Dusting of Snow on Friday Night and on Saturday but that was all with Ice on the Roads. Then Sunday came along and the Weather was Beautiful with Sun but it was very Cold but tolerable all the same and I went on the Critical Mass Special Edition. Because of Christmas and the Dark Evenings it was decided to hold a Special one at 2.00pm instead of the End of the Month at 6.0pm.

I went into the City at 12.30 am and went to the Dublin Flea Market in Newmarket Square. I had a look at Bespoke Cyclery Stand at the nice Vintage Racer they had and their other stuff then had a look indoors then headed off to Saint Stephens Green to Critical Mass. There was only four of us at 2.00pm so we decided to wait for 15 - 20 minutes,then bit by bit more showed up and we eventually had ten Cyclists. So we headed off at 2.25 pm down Dawson Street with some Whoops and Hollers and shouting about Dumping the Car and using Bicycles and getting Rid of Carbon usage etc. We reached O'Connell Street and the Polish Girl said we should go to the Phoenix Park and have some Crackers and Hummous so we did. We had a great time in the Park and sat down at the Picnic Tables and Dunked Crackers into Hummous and had a Mini Picnic. I said if I had known we were going to End up here I could have brought a Trangia Stove and a Coffee Pot or a Kettle and had Tea or Coffee and maybe bring some Food as well a well maybe next time. So we had a Photo Shoot of ourselves at the Table and with the Bikes. Then we went to Shomra Spraoi/ Fun Room in Belvedere Court and had some Refreshments and watched the Film of the San Francisco Critical Mass. We are Traffic.There was bits of Snow Falling while in the Phoenix Park.

The Next Day Monday the 20th I went to the Supermarket at 4.00pm,Weather was lovely but very Cold. While I was inside I heard the Shop Staff say it was Snowing out really bad, Sure enough it was Trundling down so I took a few Photos of it. On the way Home I slipped on the Icy Road and came off the Bike,People came over to see if I was alright and I thanked them and continued on my way  but it was to Slippy on this Road and walked to the main Road before Cycling again. When I got to my Estate I just Walked because it was even worse. It looks like we will have the Snow until Christmas Eve and then a Thaw with higher Tempson Christmas Day.