1. The Irish people are great. If you cycle the backroads and stop too long, someone WILL come up and ask you if you need assistance. 2. Irish drivers are 99% tolerant, helpful, and mellow. Sure, one or two buzzed past me too close, but not nearly as many as in Texas. 3. At least 50% of Irish drivers do not turn on their headlights in the rain--just about the same as in Texas, but it did surprise me. 4. Using the shower cap on my helmet not only kept the rain off my head but kept it warm. 5. The whole time I was there, I only met one grouch. Everyone else was cheerful and more than willing to meet me halfway on any problem I had, including in the stores and pubs. 6. The hills there--which look like long inclines--are a little tougher than it first seems. 7. If you cross on the ferry from Tarbert to Killimer, expect the roads to continue to gain elevation for a long time while looking like simple "rollers". 8. Road signs leave a LOT to be desired. We noted the "Ennis 27 km" sign at Killimer, rode hard for 3 hours and came to a second sign which read "Ennis 20 km". However, Ennis was just over the next hill and we got there within 15 minutes after seeing the second sign. 9. Hostels are great places to stay in instead of spending more money on B&B's but be ready for people to come in around 1 a.m. from the pubs. you get to meet lots of people and have good conversations in hostels. 10. We took the tent, etc., but only used it two nights. Next time, I am not taking the tent, just staying in hostels. 11. Not as many Irish people rode bicycles as I had imagined. Certainly not as many as in Germany. 12. I took too many guide books. The Michelin guide weighed a ton! I liked the Lonely Planet Ireland guide and the Lonely Planet Cycling Ireland Guide. The Robin Krause book was not used at all--and I thought about just leaving it at one of the hostels. The hostels had several books which had been left behind and which you could borrow, too.
Pat, Thanks for the tips on riding in Ireland. I'm going with a bike club next spring and we'll be sure to consult your posting again before we go.
Guy Melbourne, FL
Oh, and in this part of Florida - someone on a bike is a target for a car - especially when you're in the bike lane.
"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
1. The Irish people are great. If you cycle the backroads and stop too long, someone WILL come up and ask you if you need assistance. 2. Irish drivers are 99% tolerant, helpful, and mellow. Sure, one or two buzzed past me too close, but not nearly as many as in Texas. 3. At least 50% of Irish drivers do not turn on their headlights in the rain--just about the same as in Texas, but it did surprise me. 4. Using the shower cap on my helmet not only kept the rain off my head but kept it warm. 5. The whole time I was there, I only met one grouch. Everyone else was cheerful and more than willing to meet me halfway on any problem I had, including in the stores and pubs. 6. The hills there--which look like long inclines--are a little tougher than it first seems. 7. If you cross on the ferry from Tarbert to Killimer, expect the roads to continue to gain elevation for a long time while looking like simple "rollers". 8. Road signs leave a LOT to be desired. We noted the "Ennis 27 km" sign at Killimer, rode hard for 3 hours and came to a second sign which read "Ennis 20 km". However, Ennis was just over the next hill and we got there within 15 minutes after seeing the second sign. 9. Hostels are great places to stay in instead of spending more money on B&B's but be ready for people to come in around 1 a.m. from the pubs. you get to meet lots of people and have good conversations in hostels. 10. We took the tent, etc., but only used it two nights. Next time, I am not taking the tent, just staying in hostels. 11. Not as many Irish people rode bicycles as I had imagined. Certainly not as many as in Germany. 12. I took too many guide books. The Michelin guide weighed a ton! I liked the Lonely Planet Ireland guide and the Lonely Planet Cycling Ireland Guide. The Robin Krause book was not used at all--and I thought about just leaving it at one of the hostels. The hostels had several books which had been left behind and which you could borrow, too.
: Pat, : Thanks for the tips on riding in Ireland. I'm going with a bike club next : spring and we'll be sure to consult your posting again before we go. : : Guy : Melbourne, FL
I have since learned that you can find lists of Irish hostels on the internet. And that you don't have to belong to a hostel organization to stay in them. I forgot to mention that I took a battery recharger with suitable plug and recharged my headlight/taillight batteries as well as my camera batteries in the hostels. I used the headlight for visibility purposes only; I didn't ride after dark.
I had a ton of fun. I wish I was still there! Oh, and I discovered I really, really like Guinness draft....
..... I had a ton of fun. I wish I was still there! Oh, and I discovered I really, really like Guinness draft....
Been there, done that. ô¿Ô¬
-- ***************************** Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO http://www.CycleTourist.com Integrity is obvious. The lack of it is common. *****************************
