On Saturday We Assembled at the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park Dublin at 9.30am and waited for some more of the Group to turn up then headed off at around 10.00am on a Marvelous Trip to the Hill of Tara. Our Leader and Pathfinder General on the Trip was a Young Frenchman called Jeremie who is mad into Cycling and thinks nothing of going up the Wicklow Mountains on his Carbon Fibre Bike .We had our Lunch at the Tourist Restaurant and Souvenir and Clothes Shop Maguire's of Tara.
We were plagued by a Deluge of Wasps as we Dined outside on Picnic Tables and Garry and Jeremie had a mad Glint in their Eyes as they tried to dispose of them in Beer or Cider.
A group of us headed up the Hill of Tara to have a look at the Ancient site of the High Kings Palace and Tomb. The Mounds of the Palace is still there ,I surmise the Wall's were Built with Timber which has disintegrated over the Centuries. There is two Pictures of the Tomb one is the Interior. We had a Photo Shoot on top of the Hill ,that is myself in the Blue TEE shirt.
We headed off then to an Old World Pub O'Connells for a Refreshing Drink in Skreen or Skryne which means Shrine The Church was Built in 954 and contained the Relic's of St Columba or Columcille but was later Sacked a few times and is now a Ruin.
I got Road Rash and I was not even on the Bike. The Chap from the Pub took a Picture of the Group and I moved back to Bunch up and I fell off the Plastic Chair onto the Gravel Ground and Bruised my Elbow and said it was a Pity he did not get me actually falling over .
Then we headed back to Dublin to the Phoenix Park to the Wellington Monument at 5.30 pm . I had a rest in the Evening Sunshine for a Half Hour before heading Home at 6.00pm. The Weather was marvelous on the Day not to Hot Typical Irish Summer of around 20 - 22 Celsius great Cycling Weather.
The Picture's begin from the bottom up ,The first couple are when we had a rest and Rehydration stop and a Snack in the general area of Rathoath in Nth County Dublin .A picture of a Thatched House and the Cyclists Enroute to Tara.
The next twelve are at Tara. The Peculiar Pillar shaped Stone object is Lia Fáil or the Pillar of Destiny like the Stone of Scone in Scotland.Two People playing the Bowrán/ pronounced Bowrawn an Ancient Irish Musical Instrument it set the Ambience of the Place very well.
The next group are at O'Connells Pub in Skreen,That is myself in Blue enjoying a Lager,Pictures of the Group and Bikes, my Bike against the front of O'Connels.
The last two Pictures are arriving back in the Phoenix Park at 5.30pm on the main Road Chesterfield Avenue facing the Wellington Monument.
Poscript ,Distance covered there and back around 90KM or 60Miles .
overall I covered about 104 KM or 70Miles.
Sunday.I was a bit sore but not to bad,the Saddle on this New Bike is Grand no problems with it Selle Italia. It is nice and comfortable,at least my Ar*e was not Sore. I got up late and had a Brunch rather than Breakfast at 12.00am or 12.30 am. I always seem to stay up late when I do a long Ride on the Bike. I eventually went for a Relaxing Spin out to Howth on Dawes about 10 KM or 7Miles at 4.45pm. The Village of Howth was absolutely Chockers with Cars,I have never seen so many at the Fishing Port in my Life. Should all be Banned for Polluting up the Beautiful Village. They were all along the Fishing Pier in their Cars,the Rubbish was all over the Place from the Farmers Market selling Food and the Bins was overflowing at that End. The Fish Restaurants and Pubs were thriving with Tourists and Natives and there were some Motor Homes and Caravans Parked on the Piers. I eventually went Home at 6.30 pm and had Dinner with a nice Czech Lager Bliss.
2 comments:
We have quite a few bicycle tour groups here in the region now. The most popular is run by Steve Bauer, one of Canada's best road racing cyclists we've had.
They pass my house every Sunday during the summer. Last weekend I counted close to 40 in the group.
I love that building (24th picture).
Despite all the cars, how were the motorists in Howth? I find in many smaller Canadian cities, motorists are actually friendlier.
I'd love to see that church area. I am always amazed at our architecture here which usually dates back no more than 200 years. What amazes me most is how buildings way back when were built better than most modern buildings.
I think you will find that anything to do with our Culture usually ends up involving Pubs Churches Graveyards and Horses ,they are all here.
It was not our intention to go Traipsing around Graveyards ,only to go to Tara but sure enough it happened all by Accident. So Pubs Funerals Graveyards and Horses they are somehow Intrinsically Linked.
Even one Englishman in our Group was caught up in the Magic of the Area and went off Photographing Old Churches Pubs and Horses.
In our Literature you will come across this a lot nearly every Story Contains a Funeral and a Wake and Arguments over Land and Property and long Standing Feuds it is almost as bad as the Italian Families.
I got involved with this Meetup Group of Cyclists for something to do. I normally go off on Cycles on my own so this can be boring and I am glad of the Company. I need to Socialise with People more so I joined up with them.They are not Sportif they only go on Social Cycles except when they go on Trips up the Mountains, I just would not be able to keep up with that. I can also go off on Hikes with another Group if I want to as well.
Howth is not far from Dublin about 15 KM or 9miles so the Motorists are mostly Day Trippers from the City and County .It being the Weekend and the fine Summer Weather they all decided to bring their Cars with them unfortunately. It was a Holiday Crowd in no Particular rush and anyway the Roads were so Blocked around the Port they could not Speed.
They have absolutely no need to use the Car at all as there is an Excellent Train Service from the City and it is far more comfortable than the Bus which they can also get.
I have heard it said that these Old Buildings are actually better at withstanding Earthquakes than a lot of Modern Buildings because they are Built with Stone instead of Concrete which just snaps apart.
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