21/09/12
Headed
out along the N78 following the coast up to Galway, I have to say
there are some lovely roads here in Ireland. They are similar to
England's tho, often narrow with hedges or rock walls along the
sides. Some of the walls are very low so would make for a great way
to kill people, even a car would roll nicely if it slide into them.
I
checked online at McDonald's for a hostel as there where big black
clouds coming in and I didn't want to put the wet weathers on.
Unfortunately when I found a hostel and asked they had no dorm
beds left and wanted 70 euros for a double room. So I headed out of
town to a little place called Oughterard. I eventually checked into
an Inn in town for 35 lovely newly renovated place.
I
went into a pub over the road from the hotel and immediately got
welcomed by some locals there, even ended up being given a card
signed by half the pub wishing me luck and a key ring, was a very
special moment, thank you to the people from there.
why go to Thailand for hookers, ireland is the cheapest I've ever seen.
Unfortunately it is a beer lol.
22/09/12
As
is the best way here in Ireland I headed out along the coast, more
lovely roads and more nice enough weather. It's strange in Norway I
missed seeing a lot of things because it was raining and I had no
intention of spending a wet day sitting in a tent so I packed up and
rode. Here in Ireland it is the opposite, I expect it to rain all
the time and it isn't so I have to keep riding well it is nice enough
to enjoy the roads lol. Oh well at least they are good roads, mostly.
The
cliffs of Moher are nice enough, but the area is getting built up a
lot and turned into one of those tourist shit holes. Well
on the way north I spoke to a local and he said it would be a good
idea to stay in Donegal as they where playing in the All Ireland
Championship, so I decided I might as well head there.
The cliffs of Moher on a clear day.
Dirt farming, i eventually found out they use it for firewood, notice the number of trees.
23/09/12
Rode
out to Slieve League which is the sixth highest sea cliffs in Europe,
much better than Cliffs of Moher, way less tourist so Shhhh don't
tell anyone or it will end up like the other cliffs. Then followed
the coast up toward horn head. I did realise half way up that I was
not going to make it all the way and get back to Donegal in time for
the game. So I asked I shop keeper and he told me about a back way
that lead through a lovely valley road to Letterkenny and then
followed the main road back to Donegal in time for the game. Saying
that I got to the pub an hour before it started and it was packed.
Thje slieve cliffs.
So
Donegal played and won for the second time, last time was in 1992.
Interesting game a lot of differences to AFL, I'm surprised they play
a match against each other each year.
Even the sheep or for Donegal
with all the green and gold around i thought i better wear the All Blacks jumper, i have a wing mirror cover on my head someone gave me.
24/09/12
Spent
the day relaxing and waiting for the big event, Donegal's team are
bringing Sam back (that's the cups name). It was a hell of a night
for a small town must be almost everyone in town
25/09/12
Left
Donegal on a not raining but bloody windy day, this meant a slow ride
up to Portrush where I decided to drop my stuff at a Hostel before
heading out to the Giants Causeway. The wind here on the north coast
is bloody dangerous, blowing salt foam around, even up a 100m cliff face
and onto the road. Walking around the giants causeway you had to be
very careful near the edges.
The ocean was pretty ruff with a howling gail
Giants courseway
The pipe organ
Very windy
This was in the kitchen at the hostel, made by coke.
26/09/12
Nice
ride along the coast, although I think I will have to wash the bike
as it was covered in salt spray this morning. I even had to wash the
visor on the ride to Belfast as the spray was obscuring my vision so
much, this happened closer to Belfast when the Causeway coast road
was next to the coast enough for me to get a spray from it.
on the way to Belfast
Got
the ferry to Scotland but it still took more than 2 hours to get to
Glasgow, this meant I arrived at about 20:00. The first place I went
to only had a room for £35 so I started looking at my list for
another place and suddenly she was way less friendly lol. Found a
hostel down the road for £11.50, 12 person dorm.
27/09/12
Walked
around town looking for a piece of cotton material to make a sarong
out of but with the McDonald tartan colours...this proved not
possible, bugger. Also thought about getting a kilt but at £300 plus
this wasn't going to happen either. I did manage to have a Guinness at
an Irish bar at 17:59 to cheers Arthur. Arthur Guinness invent/first
made Guinness in 1759 on the 27th Sept supposedly, so at
17:59 on the 27th Sept the Irish have been cheersing
Arthur for about 200years now. Obviously this practice has not made
it out of Ireland tho as I was the only person in the bar that new
about it.
Some sawing machines, well lots there where 3 more windows like this.
28/09/12
Decided
to take the bike in and get the back wheel bearing checked , luckily.
When the wheel come of some little balls started rolling out, lol,
yes the sprocket guide bearing had collapsed. So Bill the Biker (can
he fix it, Bill the Biker, yes he can) got on the phone and found me
3 new rear bearings which where replaced after a while so hopefully
she will not die just yet. The chain is a bit stretched tho so it
still makes a bit of noise. Bill thought it would probably make it
till London tho, which i hope it does.
most of the bearing, the rest was stuck and needed heating out.
The new flag, well that peice of white cloth is all that was left on the bike. Some bugger riped it off
29/09/12
Rode
out on the A82 heading for the Mull of Kintyre, was a lovely piece of
road out to Cambeltown then back up along a B road twisting along the
coast looking out toward Arran Island.
Am lovely the Autumn, I didn't realise how long it has been since I
saw leaves in so many colours. I carried on up the coast till Oban
where I decided to stay the night as the clouds where rolling in and
I knew I was not going to make it to Skye for the night.
Oban tower
30/09/12
Headed
out to Fort William and decided to head around the point over the
river, beautiful ride, nice single lane stuff although a push bike
race was on so a bit of traffic. I realised when I got back to the
A830 that I was probably not going to make it to Skye by that road,
which headed all the way back around to Lochaber and then back to the
Island. So I headed up to Mallaig and court the ferry over to Skye.
This left me near Clan Donald's home but the rains had just arrived so
I carried on up and ended up in the middle of the island at Portree.
The winds and the rains at the end of the day where bad but most of
the day was nice enough weather.
01/10/12
I
had booked in for 2 nights as today was suppose to be shit weather,
but got up to blue sky so decided to ride around Skye. When I got to
the bike I found that my center stand has actually broken in
half...mmmm. Lucky I still have some wire left so I just wired each
half to the bike, this will make it interesting loading the bike and
also means I don't know how many miles I will get from a tank of gas.
Rode
about 120miles around Skye's 2 northern points, wonderful views all
round and even dry for most of the day. Not that the dry matters so
much as I am wearing my wet weathers all the time for warmth now. At
one look out for Kilt rock they have put holes in the top and bottom
of the railing and so it whistles as the wind blows, i.e all the time
lol. Also towards the end of the ride I came across the Talisken
Distillery... I said to myself I wouldn't buy anything as I cannot
carry a bottle of whiskey all over the place. Unfortunately when I
walked in one of the first bottles I saw was one called Blair Athol
lol. So I decided no I will not buy it...once I had done the tour I
decided bugger it and bought it. The big question is should I hold it
for dad or drink it for me? lol, mmm not sure how that one will end.
Kilt rock and falls
Musical railing
Somewhere on Skye
Somewhere else on Skye, I'll let you guess that one
02/10/12
Headed
out from Portree in the sun, for about 10min then it hailed for the
first time on the trip. I had been told to follow the Wester Ross
Coast road to Applecross which was a lovely piece of road but the
weather was ordinary. Sorry using the words lovely, beautiful,
awesome, great, far to much for Ireland and Scotland, it is simple
they are good roads and nice views lol.
I
stopped at one inn to see about a room but no one come when I buzzed
twice so went back to the bike. Of course by this time the sun was
out again so I carried on. Only to find I was running out of petrol,
mmm forgot about the fact that now I would have to fill the bike on
the side stand I get less petrol in it. I made it to Ullapool.
Decided to pay extra and go to a B&B.
Looking back at Skye from the main land
Clear skys, at the end of the day.
Enjoy your life
