Gap of Dunloe

I can't believe we are at the end of our riding trip.  Tomorrow, everyone will go their separate ways.  Some are flying home, and some are doing more days in different cities.  Dan and Karen are actually going north to Belfast with our Tour Guides and doing 5 more days of riding in the north.  We will be traveling on to Cork, Kinsale, Kilkenny, Limerick, and then on to Shannon where we will fly home.

 

Today's adventure was magnificent!  We rode our bikes to Ross Castle and took a boat ride (with our bikes) across the lake (in the rain) for a 1 and a half hour ride to the base of the Gap of Dunloe.

At this point, we had to get out of the boat and walk a ways because the waterway was too narrow.

 

 

It was wet and wild, but I'm SO glad we did it!  On the boat we met Carmel and Karen.  They were so delightful to talk to.  Karen, on the right, was actually the MAYOR of her town! 

Well, I have to admit, I haven't done any riding like I've done here in Ireland:

Jami Ribera 190.1 miles 11,270 ft. of climbing 5 days

Excited for the next part of our journey.......not exciting about renting a car and driving in this bloody country!!

Killarney

Nice riding day today... Waterville to Killarney.  We traveled a back road that wasn't too busy which was really nice considering the narrowness of the roads!  I didn't take too many riding pictures today, as we were kind of on a mission to get from point A to point B.  We had our toughest hill to climb on this ride.  At one point, there was an 19% grade.  I wouldn't know as I had to stay focused in order to stay on my bike!

We stopped at the bottom of the hill in a small town with 1 pub for lunch.  Only in Ireland would they have a pulpit in the middle of the bar!  I guess they were thinking just like Jesus.......go where the people are!  Mitch's sermon was short and sweet, "Take courage, only one more big hill before we arrive."  HA!

 

 Absolutely loved finding this gem right in the middle of nowhere on our ride!  GORGEOUS!

 

 

 

KILLARNEY

 

Here are ten fact about the place described as ‘Heaven’s reflex’ by local poets.

 

1. Killarney means 'Church of the Blackthorn’ and nobody is quite sure why.

2. Immaculately kept it was voted Ireland’s tidiest town in 2011.

3. It was first made popular by Queen Victoria who visited Killarney in 1861 staying at Muckross House.

4.  Killarney is included in many popular songs , most famously ‘Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra’ which Bing Crosby sang in ‘Going My Way’ in 1944. ‘Christmas in Killarney’ is another perennial favorite from the music hall era.

5. With the exception of Dublin there are more hotel beds in Killarney than in any other town or city in Ireland.

6. Actor Micheal Fassbender is the most famous local resident. Though born in Germany he moved there as a young child with his  parents who took up work there running a restaurant. 

7.There was a major dispute recently over jaunting car drivers refusing to have their horses wear diapers to stop dung on the streets. Eventually the jarveys gave in after ongoing protests.

8.Ireland’s highest mountain Carrauntoohill 3,400 feet is nearby ringing the majestic lakes of Killarney. Some say it would be even higher if it wasn’t set in a depression

9.Ireland’s greatest gaelic footballer, today is Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper a native of the town and captain of theKerry football team.

10. Ireland’s first talking film "The Dawn" , was filmed, scripted and acted in Killarney and based on a War of Independence story. They recently reshowed it on the 75th anniversary and had to turn hundreds away.

Our hotel was about 1 mile and a half from the center of town.  We decided to walk to dinner instead of taking a taxi.  Such a cute town!

We wanted to take in some Irish music and had a fun night at Courtney's Pub!

Tomorrow is kind of an "on your own" day.  Some people are riding horses, some are riding the horse and carriage, some will shop, and some will ride their bikes for the last time.  We will decide in the morning!

 



Skellig Islands

Today was an amazing day!  Our guide, Wilma had us set up to ride our bikes to the McGee Port, jump on a fishing boat, and tour the Skellig Island. 

 

It was our first day to take a wrong turn on our 12 mile ride and end up at the wrong port.  I believe I mentioned the craziness of following maps and reading road signs here.  First of all, everything in measured in kilometers which means doing MATH while riding.  HA!  Needless to say, here we are below, poor souls, lost, dazed and confused.  Wilma came and picked us up and drove us to the correct port so we could make our trip!

 

The earliest reference in history to the Skellig Islands dates back to 600AD. During the time of the Penal Laws, Skellig Michael and Little Skellig became a haven for many Catholics whose beliefs and rights were being suppressed. The largest of the Skelligs is Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichil) and was home to one of the earliest monastic settlements in Ireland. The monks of St. Fionan’s monastery led simple lives and lived in stone, beehive shaped huts. They would descend the 670 steps early every morning and fish for the morning’s breakfast and would spend the rest of the day praying in the church, tending to their gardens and studying. The huts, which are round on the outside and rectangular on the inside, were carefully built so that no drop of rain ever entered between the stones. The monks left the island in the thirteenth century and it became a place of pilgrimage. There is a fantastic wealth of birdlife on and around the Skelligs, especially puffins in late spring and gannets on the Small Skellig. The monks of St. Fionan’s monastery led simple lives and lived in stone, beehive shaped huts. They would descend the 670 steps early every morning and fish for the morning’s breakfast and would spend the rest of the day praying in the church, tending to their gardens and studying. The huts, which are round on the outside and rectangular on the inside, were carefully built so that no drop of rain ever entered between the stones. The monks left the island in the thirteenth century and it became a place of pilgrimage. There is a fantastic wealth of birdlife on and around the Skelligs, especially puffins in late spring and gannets on the Small Skellig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's incredibly humbling to consider the unspeakable devotion and commitment of these monks who led a "set apart" life commitment to praying, not only to themselves, put to the unreached.  Our guide told us this prayer rock was at the edge of the then known world.  They dedicated their whole existence to a life as a prayer warrior for God. 

Little Skellig is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km south-west of Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland. Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, the other being Skellig Michael, 1 km to the south-west. The island has a large bird population, including a colony of Northern Gannets which is the largest in Ireland, and one of the largest in the world. The island, together with Skellig Michael, is the center of a 364 ha Important Bird Area established by BirdWatch Ireland in 2000.

We had a wonderful team dinner tonight at our hotel.  Such a great group!  Really enjoying getting to know my Parker's Team friends

Good night!  Tomorrow we ride to Killarney!