We got to sleep in this morning, since our place didn’t start serving breakfast until nine. We also knew that the ferry didn’t leave until noon, and we didn’t feel the need to do any extra riding when we had 36 miles to do once we got off the ferry. So, we just rode the short distance into Kilronan (the main village, where the ferry pier is), and Mallory did a little shopping while I hit the local Imternet cafe to check email and publish the latest blog post.
The weather looked very promising on the ferry ride, but I figured we’d probably see a little of everything, which was not a real gamble, as we’re beginning to learn…
Once off the ferry, all we needed was a quick provisioning stop, and we were on our way…
The first five or six miles were wonderful, as we had the wind at our backs. It seems to blow a pretty steady gale of 25 to 35 mph here, and mostly as a headwind, for some reason. Something about the Irish and hardship?? Anyway, once we turned west again, we were facing into it for most of the rest of the day.
Here’s a couple photos to give you an idea of the landscapes we’re riding through:
…a creek over which we rode, on an ancient-looking bridge…
…and an example of the astoundingly green bogland with the occasional lake but nary a tree to be seen!
We had surprisingly little rain up until the last couple of miles into Clifden, when it really started coming down. It was perfect, though, as we were able to ride straight to our home base for the next two nights, the Sea Mist Guest House, where we could wash up and get into dry clothes.
Seeing as today is our 27th wedding anniversary, we then headed out to celebrate! We found a fabulous seafood restaurant where we enjoyed a meal fit for the occasion. We wandered around the square a bit afterward, listening to banjo music emanating from a packed pub, and checking out a couple other restaurants for tomorrow night. Unfortunately, we’re just a little too pooped to party into the wee hours like we used to. It’s okay, as we know we need to keep resting up for the rides ahead! Me especially, if I’m going to keep Mal from passing me all the time…
