Salzburg to Vienna by Bike with the Bambinos

A sleepless train ride marked the beginning of our Austrian bicycle adventure. We made it through the overnight train ride from Florence to Salzburg, well just barely. We had hoped for a sleeping car but ended up packing the three kids and myself into a 2nd class passenger car with two other women who were cruising through Europe in nine days. Luca was impressed that they had been to Rome, Pisa and Florence in the last 24 hours. Our very own talk show host, Luca continued to interview them about their adventures while simultaneously putting us all asleep. Since we did not have a reserved seat we had to move twice before landing in a passenger car with another traveler. Before long, feet, arms, legs and other body parts were stretching out all over the place. Dosing and rearranging ourselves continued through the night.

After switching in Innsbruck at 4:30 AM we arrived in Salzburg at 7:30 and took a cab to our first hotel of our trip. We were wiped out so Mauro, Lorenzo and Luca took naps while Valentina and I roamed the town by foot. A few hours later our bikes were dropped off and we all headed into town along the glorious river to the market place to gnaw on some local cuisine including several pretzels, Mozart Balls, fruit and strudel. We can do a lot of damage at the local markets. Then onto the Mirabella gardens to explore the flowered pathways and strange odd midget sculptures. We found a cool playground with an awesome slide while I wandered through a the setting up of an art show with the theme of Asylum. We spoke with the artists, one from Sardinia about the ideas behind their work when hunger called and we followed. After much searching we found an excellent restaurant: Zum Fidelen Affen.  I had a delicious risotto with vegetables, Valentina a fig salad while Mauro, Luca and Lorenzo had a grilled meat dish. The beers were cold and refreshing and the service very friendly.

We were tired after a long day and cycled back to the hotel to be fresh for day two. Day two in Salzburg, our first stop was the market for sandwiches and pretzels then a tram up to one of the oldest fortresses in Europe, The Fortress Hohensalzburg.  Gorgeous views and a museum with a collection of a typical fortress collection of Armor, gold, medals, wooden beds and the always popular, torture instruments. The highlight of the castle was actually the Marionette museum which was filled with beautiful puppets and scenes from the recent shows. We made our way through the museum and cycled down to the main squares bustling with street performers and oddities such as the guy seemingly balancing in air on a cane.

It took a local physicist to help us figure it out. Zig zagging through the streets on bikes is huge fun and everyone bikes in Salzburg so we feel like we fit right in with the locals From here we biked to the Hellbrum  trick fountains, the ride there proved trickier than the fountains themselves. It was long and we managed to get off the main bike path. The kids were starved, it was too late for the tour and it started to rain. Complaining ensued and the old “Mom Did it Again” routine began until I started in on the old “Don’t worry you’ll have lots of Misadventures” like this in your life speech which usually sends them running. We biked through the gardens, saw the giant fish, got a peek at the fountains and then we inhaled some cookies in a gift shop. Back to Salzburg on the main road went much faster. We were back at the square ready for a quick Lebanese wrap before the Marionette Show of The Barber of Seville. The marionettes were gorgeous but the opera was a bit hard to follow. The gestures of the puppets and the captions that were flashed helped us follow along but much to my kids disappointment, I dose off a bit but a rousing Figaro Figaro Figaro wakes me up again!

Day One, July 8: Our Austrian bike adventure officially begins! We head into Salzburg for one last Mozart ball and to visit the Salzburg Museum. We head out of town at 1:00 with me seeing “Bye Bye Salzburg”. We follow the river bike path out of town and after asking a few Salzburgians, we take a right on a small bike path following a river and heads through small neighborhoods. The climb is steady for miles as we make our way through hilly (and very pungent) farmland and towards the little village for lunch.  Valentina and Luca start singing 100 bottle of beer on the wall which drives Lorenzo crazy. I agree that this is one of the more stupid songs in the world and could never understand why anyone found it so enjoyable but they do and that’s what makes the world go round. We follow the Tirolian tower to the center of town and find a grocery store. Not too many picnic spots so we plop ourselves in front of a bakery where we also enjoy a café latte.

After lunch the scenery gets more dramatic as we head towards Lake Mondsee. It’s cow manure pungency increases as well and at one point we almost get hit with fertilizer machine as it comes a bit too close to the bike path. Riding toward Mondsee we get into a nice groove. Behind me I hear the kids chatting beautifully and playing rounds of 20 questions.  Valentina who usually squabble like old ladies get along great when they are biking. One of their favorite antics is to go no handed and to the Macarena. I only allow this on a bike path and where I know there are no cars of course. The bike path gets sketchy in this area. I believe we actually missed several miles of it and were taking the main road instead. By the town of Thalgau Luca has a small meltdown and is craving a chocolate bar so we stop at a supermarket and stock up on the sweets. They fill their bike pockets with Neapolitan wafer cookies and the stars are in alignment again!  The bike path from here is well marked, flat and gorgeous. The bike path goes along the base of a spectacular Mountain Range towards St Lorenz and Unterach. We pass lots of cyclists as we approach Lake Mondsee. The bike path along the lake continues and troops become anxious to reach the hotel. Just when we needed something to break up the monotony we get to go through a long bike tunnel that cuts through the mountainside. Lorenzo’s back begins to ache and I am thinking it’s because his muscles are very tight. He has been suffering a painful Achilles tendon and is supposed to be stretching daily.

We reach our hotel right in Unterach on Lake Atterseee by 7:00 PM. We are starved and tired and showers feel wonderful. The owner of the hotel, George, is welcoming to cyclist. After showers, we are ready for dinner. While the cream of asparagus soup is not a huge hit, we gobble up our main course of pan friend lake trout, potatoes and vegetables. After a simple bowl of ice cream for desert, sleep comes easy.

A marvelous Day on Lake Attersee. 25 miles

Today the kids slept in and the AM, after our abundant Austrian breakfast on the hotel’s lovely porch, we wandered around the craft market and into Despar to get lunch pickings. At 12:45 we boarded a lovely excursion boat that took us up the Attires to Were.  The views of the mountains, pristine landscape and the gorgeous blue water were incredible. We enjoyed our picnic lunch on deck and them moved inside out of the hot sun.  The boat was quite elegant with most passengers enjoying the restaurant and service on board.  By 2:00 we landed in Weyregg and begin pedaling North along the lake. The road was quite busy with cars all the way to Seelwachen.  In Seelwachen we managed to get off the main road and discovered an excellent public beach complete with high diving platforms and water slides. SCORE!  It was quite a scene filled with locals.  I reminded the kids that taking back roads is always the best way to find the local treasures. We made a long stop here. The kids loved the water slide and the diving platforms where the local teenagers were showing off their jumps and stunts to all their friends. Lorenzo and Valentina made it to the highest platform while Mauro and Luca made it to the second. It was tough for him but not to be outdone by his siblings, he made the jump. I was fine on the lowest level.  The water was so cold and clean, it was the perfect break from the hot sun.

After our swim stop we continued on our way along the lake. We found a small road paralleling the main road that meandered high above the lake through farmland and offering gorgeous views. In the town of Haining the road descended back to the busy lake road. This side of the lake was not quite as busy.  The road was fast and allowed us to move along at a nice clip. There were lots of great and tempting swimming spots but we kept going so as to reach Unterach by 7:00. Valentina was pushing hard in the front and it was hard to keep up with her. Lorenzo’s back began to ache so we stopped to stretch and have a snack. We kept moving along, the kids beat me to the hotel!

After showers the kids were all anxious to have some facebook time. We relaxed in the hotel’s lovely sitting room. I enjoyed a large beer and I offered the kids the local ginger ale. At 8:00 we sat down for dinner on the lake, our view and the mood could not be lovelier

Unterach to Halstatt. 40 miles

Another late start to our next destination. The kids are just beat from all the biking and I do not have the heart to wake them. They get up just before the waitresses put the breakfast away. We pack up our rooms and walk through the craft market one last time before heading out along the lake.  On the way out of town Lorenzo bike starts showing signs of fatigue. The fender is falling off so I go and find a piece of wire that I use to secure it to the bike. I think I impressed the kids with this little bike magic trick. The lake road is cool and the views are wonderful. I hate to leave this little Shangri-La. We start a long climb towards Bad Ischl. We watch the kilometer markings in the road go from one to eight while playing yet another game of 20 questions.

The descent begins at kilometer 9 and we luckily had the easier part of the climb, the descent was steeper and curvier for us. Lots of motorcycles on this road. At the base of the descent we hit another river valley, which we follow all the way to Bad Ischl. We pull into Bad Ischl, a very pretty and elegant town. We are all starved and I find a great little pizzeria. Too bad I can’t find my camera. I go a little crazy then begin retracing my tracks and ride about 5KM back on the river scanning the ground like crazy and asking cyclists if they had seen a small black camera.  I decide to give it up and ride back. Back at the pizzeria the family has already eaten. I check the bags again and discover the camera in Mauro’s pannier.. Valentina gets the whole scene on film.

I have my pizza and salad and we take a picture with our lovely hostess who speaks Italian and we head on our way up the river  30 KM Halstatt.  After watching a Rick Steves program about this charming destination, we are excited to get there. We follow the main road then get on a small bike path that follows a clear river for miles. We are tempted to hop in but feel the pressure to get to Halstatt to see the Salt Mines. It’s a glorious ride but Lorenzo finds it a bit boring. By 3:00 we make it to the bottom of the Lake and opt for the main road rather than the bike path on the west side. The road is busy with buses and cars but we just want to get there. We arrive to this lovely Austrian town by 3:30. It turns quickly magical with tiny streets and wooden houses perched on the side of the hill. Gelato calls and Luca discovers he can get his beloved ice cream cup person.

Onto the Salt Mines. We arrive a few minutes too late for the last tour. Disappointment reigned as we were all looking forward to this highlight of the day that we worked so hard to get to. After everyone gets a chance to whine and blame each other (except Mauro who says that he did not want to see them anyway) we calm down and opt to wander around the town for another hour before our little boat to the other side of the lake. The side streets up the side of the village revealed a salt history street that was quite interesting. Reminded me of the town of A in Lofoten where one singular economy drove the lives of the people. Lofoten and Hallstatt were obviously connected in some historical way since Salt and Cod are intertwined

Tired and cranky it was time for food again. After the kids enjoyed a lamb sandwich at a roadside stand (these roadside Lebanese food stands are very popular in Austria)  and I had a warm beer we got on our little boat to the other side of the lake to catch our train to Gmunden. When the train came we had to act fast to get our bikes in the rear of the train. This became another opportunity for the kids to goof around at inopportune moments. Once on the train, Mauro and relaxed and talked while our little Hooligans started singing invented Austrian songs out the window of the train. Never ever a dull moment.

We arrived in Altmunster at 7:00 and descended the hill a mile to our hotel where our cycling friends from Texas had arrived and were enjoying an intense soccer match for the women’s world cup: The USA versus Brazil. We got to learn all the players names as they went into a final kick. The USA wins. Shower and dinner which was an absolutely terrible Lasagne but we shared a lovely conversation about great places to travel. We convinced them about Italy, while they peaked our curiosity about Iceland!

Day 4 Halstatt to  Linz. 10 miles

Upon waking and reviewing the route I make an executive decision that going back and seeing the Salt Mines (and taking a rest day) would take precedence over the ride to Linz which looks uneventful and boring. Sometimes sightseeing and culture rules and this is one time the decision was easy. The kids were psyched and got up easily (well sort of). We were back on the train and took the 10:30 train to Halstatt. We were at the Salt Mines by 12:00. A very steep funicular took us to the top of the mountain where we had lunch with one of the most spectacular  “lunch” views I have ever seen. For some reason Luca was in his Dr Jeckle mood so that put a bit of a damper on our lovely lunch. It’s hard not to let these moods get into my head and he knows this.  Was a good family picture moment but Luca would not cooperate so it was just Lorenzo and Valentina.

After lunch we took the tour of the Halstatt salt mines which was incredible and so worth a return visit. The tour took over two hours and descended deep into the salt mines for a detailed, multi media immersion into the history of salt and mining since prehistoric times.  I had no idea that salt was like the petroleum of its day and was the driving force behind the Austrian economy of the day. Of course the children loved the tour. They got to go down a wooden slide though the mine, watch a movie underground about salt, see immense blocks of salt glowing with light and ride a mining car. Our tour guide gave an extensive tour in German and pretty good snippets in English.  After the tour we descended back down the Trail of Salt and down the funicular to ride around the opposite side of the lake to catch the train to Gmunden before heading on to Linz.  We had a nice little visit of this charming town on Lake Traunsee. I had forgotten about the big downhill to the Lake. We were starved and stopped at bakery for snack before heading over to the Tuscany Park then back up the hill to catch our train to Linz. We arrived in the Linz train station at 9:30 and raced through town and along the Danube at dusk. It was quite beautiful this time of day. We arrived at our modern hotel on the Danube at 10:00 just in time for a dinner on the Patio. The hotel was modern and business like but the rooms were big, clean and perfectly fine for a good night’s sleep, which we needed!

Day 6 Linz to Grein: 37 miles

The last ones to a large Austrian breakfast, we get another late start to Grein. The first 10 KM are flat and ugly as there are factories in the distance and the river is dirty. The head wind and our noon hunger does not help. We stop for lunch at a Despar. The kids fight over a fanta and there is already much dissent. Valentina is complaining of a bad headache. Luca just wants her to “shut up” and ride. Lorenzo stirs the pot on both sides.

The riding becomes more pleasant and in the shade as we near our lunch spot in the town of Ybbs where we stopped for pizza and to briefly check out the bicycle museum. As we approach Grein there are more and more cornfields. The ride is along the river and in the shade all the way to Grein. The flat riding is beginning to get to me. Although I can see why the Danube is a popular area to ride, it has not been one of my favorites. Simply not enough variety in the scenery to rank high on my list. While the maps are highly detailed, I need to see the big picture on a less detailed map. As we approach it’s already 7:30 so another late dinner awaits us. Our hotel in the main square is lovely and right next to the oldest theatre in Austria,  The Stadttheater Grein. We eat dinner outside but we are all exhausted from cycling. Valentina barely makes it through dinner. Good night!

Day 7 Grein to Krems: 50 miles

In the AM before leaving we finalize our Paris plans, have breakfast and get on our way. Well it is never that simple, movement forward quietly and efficiently is always a challenge. Before leaving we enjoy a short visit to the tiny theatre next to our hotel that included a toilet right next to the audience so there’s no need to take an potty break from the show. There is also a hole in the wall where prisoners were allowed to view from. From Grein we continue our tour down the river, more shaded routes.  As we ride a cargo ship is making its way down the river so we begin race with it. The non-trafficked cycling is peaceful and gives us all a chance to take it easy and talk about whatever crosses our minds. Several games of 20 questions evolve as we steadily make our way towards Melk. Lorenzo’s gears give out and I switch bikes with him and make a  10K sprint towards Melk to see if I can find a bike shop open. I arrive in Melk with address in hand and I get sent on a wild goose chase in search of a bike shop to no avail. I return to the center of Melk, sit down at a café and guzzle down two lemonades while waiting for the crew.  When I see them, I jump out into the square and wave them on. It’s hot, late and Mauro is done. He asks about a bus to Krems. I encourage Lorenzo to bike with me all the way. He opts for the Krems challenge and so the others want to ride too. We insist that they take the bus so Lorenzo and I can hit the road towards Krems. We take off and I tell Lorenzo that as long as we keep the pace of 13 mph we will be in Krems in two hours.  The ride from Melk to Krems is the most beautiful of the entire Danube trip. Pity the others don’t get to experience it up close. A stay in Melk would have been better then ride another stay closer to Vienna. Oh well. The ride dips up and down and along the Danube. We get on the right side thanks to a  dad and his pack of young Ausrtian cyclists off for a swim. We push hard but not too hard. The light is beautiful and the landscape evolves from flat to gently rolling apricot orchards and vineyard. This was the landscape that I had expected for the whole trip. Lorenzo is loving it too. At one point, a bus goes by and toots its horn. It’s Mauro, Luca and Valentina in the public bus. We are ten KM into the ride and know that we are making good time and having a better time on the bike. Lorenzo cannot resist stopping and picking apricots so we do. We enjoy the spray of the sprinklers watering the fields. We keep pushing along. I am so thrilled and thankful to be riding this 20KM with Lorenzo. He is wonderful company and it remains one of my most special memories of our entire tour. As we reach Krems, I ask a completely tattooed cyclist how close we are to Krems. He tells us 2KM! It’s 8:00 so we are 15 minutes within our time goals of reaching our hotel before dinner. We cross the bridge at Krems and I follow the last direction to the hotel, The Arte Hotel. We make it to our hotel by 8:20. Luca is mad at me for not letting him come. Of course it worked out perfectly so I choose not to argue, enjoy a hot shower and we bike to our lovely restaurant  “Crems” 2 KM away in the historic center of town. By dinner I am forgiven and we enjoy fish and other Austrian fare then a large gelato for all next door. While a passeggiata around the town would be nice, we head back through the dark streets.

Day 8 Krems to Vienna

The last ride of our European adventure begins with repairs at a bike shop. A couple of the bikes are showing signs of wear and tear so we take them for a little tune up that costs $18. On our way towards Vienna, we ride through more apricot orchards and corn fields towards wine country. Castles in the distance. I choose to ride away from the Danube in hopes of finding villages and a bit more rolling roads to add some variety to the flat river riding. The kids are in a rambunctious mood. What else is new but we have three close calls on the bikes. First Luca rides right into a corn field. While admittedly it was funny, the distracion concerns me. Next Lorenzo, riding too close and not paying attention slams into a young cyclist who stops suddenly. Last Luca and Valentina slam into each other. Luca goes down and seconds later a large truck come barreling down the road. Enough is enough. We stop in our track and reinforce safe riding. For the most part, they have learned well but when boredom sets in, their riding gets sloppy.

We descend from the rolling hills towards Traismeyer where we seek out lunch. We find a little café with a Charlie Chaplin theme (go figure) serving Middle Eastern sandwiches. We order, sit down but the three musketeers will not sit still and the horsing around begins. The apricot tree in the courtyard becomes a war zone as Luca and Lorenzo start hurling tiny fruits at each other. We bring it all to a halt to each our lunch and get on our way. Next stop is a Dinosaur Park that gets Luca mildly excited. We pass by it but it is closed. We move on and head towards the Danube for our last 20 miles of River riding. The kids get the idea of riding through a corn field which I quickly nix but opt for photo ops on top of Hay Bales which once again turns into a circus of jumping from Bale to Bale and of course someone gets hurt. We move on from that activity towards our final destination: Tullin. It’s a lovely village with a magnificent fountain.

I propose the Vienna Challenge: 40 KM ride into Vienna. Mauro insists we all take the train. Luca and Valentina are tempted and opt to join me. We take off at 5:30 and I set the pace. We have a strong tail wind so we’ll make it easily but we plug on. After one hour we do a mileage check and we discover only 10 more K to Vienna!  We pass by some very cool murals and then see a snack shop. We all could use some sugar so we stop for ice cream, drink and coffee. A mom and her kids is sitting there too and when we tell them how far we have ridden that day (70KM) she is very impressed (which pumps up Luca and Valentina). We keep following signs to Vienna but as we pass under overpasses and other large roads I am concerned that we missed a turn somewhere. Graffiti is everywhere and the scene turns from Bucolic to urban very fast. Bike lanes are great but it’s easy to follow any lane you see which of course can bring you off track quickly. Luca and Valentina are unshaken and having a blast talking. On perhaps one of the busiest path we have been on, Valentina sees a raspberry bush. They stop and start picking  while I try to figure how to get us the hell out of here. I ask a few people. No one knows but eventually I ask a local cyclist, Ziggy, who offers to escort us the whole way through the maze of roads to our hotel. As close as we were it ends up taking us an hour to wind our way through the city. We arrive at our hotel. Lorenzo pokes his head out the window. We take our final group portrait  with Ziggy and head up to our rooms for showers. 80KM! Bravi.  While not my favorite from a cycling point of view, the memories that we shared bring us together and keep us coming back for more. It’s been a wonderful journey. On to Paris!

9 Days Pedaling in the West of Ireland: Doolin, Connemara and Mayo

From the Lofoten islands our family traveled to Western Ireland to bike for 10 days around the Burren and Connemara combining parts of our current Ciclismo Classico itinerary with a custom tour that I had led 14 years ago with my parents and 15 of our dear Ciclismo alumni. The region is as beautiful as I remember it and, despite heavy bikes and some wet weather, my kids really loved the Ireland and want to go back in 2011. I certainly do! Who wants to come? In case you don’t want to read all the details of our trip, here are some highlights of our experience and useful travel info:

Highlights 
Staying in spotless B&Bs and interacting with our hosts
Irish Breakfasts & brown bread
The warm, outgoing and friendly locals
Pints of Smithwicks
Abundant quiet roads and stunning coastal scenery
Baaahhing at sheep, making friends with donkeys
Enjoying smoke free pubs and excellent music nightly
The Cliffs of Moher: Ireland’s nomination for the global online campaign to find the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2011
Doolin Pubs
The rocks, geology and stunning scenery of The Burren (not the bar in Somerville, MA!)
Music and crafty shops
Ferry Rides
The Aran Islands
Rock Walls, Shipwrecked Plassy
Reunion with June Boulger and family, CC guide from 1995
The Sky Road near Clifden
Ride along Killary Harbor to Leenan
2 nights @ Delphi Adventure Center
Coasteering with Patrick
Westport Grand Finale Ride
Street performers in Galway

Walking on Burren Cracks

Stunning late afternoon riding

The Plassy

A few general Ireland Travel Suggestions:
Summer cycling weather: Great temps for cycling. Never too hot and never rains for long.  We travelled between 30-50 KM per day. Wear layers and Keep your rain jacket and pants ready but the sun comes our regularly. Winds can kick up so make sure you are going in the right direction. Best to do Connemara clockwise. We did it counter clockwise and were hit with big winds


Bikes. If you travel on your own, you can rent hybrids or road bikes in Galway. No odometers. Have to book in advance. Our bikes were heavy


Cars and riding on the left: Most of the roads we travelled on were very quiet. You get used to riding on the left and best to ride single file when the roads get narrow


Maps: None of the maps I used allowed me to easily count mileage. The ones with the best detail are the Discovery Ordinance Series #51, 45, 44 & 37


Food: Eating out was relatively cheap and kid friendly. I loved the puree vegetable soup with brown bread and grilled seafood. Fresh veggies and fruit at meals is a bit harder to find. Supermarkets are in every small town for pick-nicking


Biking with kids. Most of the roads in Connemara are rolling so it’s perfect cycling terrain. It’s hard for kids to get into the flow. Each one likes to stop whenever they need to so one of the big lessons was learning to eat, change clothes, go to the bathroom, etc at our designated stops. By the time we hit day 5 the kids were starting to get the routine. Be patient and remember the day is made up of all kinds of moments.

Valentina in the lead on the coastal road in the Burren

9  Glorious days in Connemara
We landed in Dublin and connected to Galway where we strolled the lively streets, had our first pub lunch then picked up our bikes and were shuttled to the Doolin House B&B by Alan, the proprietor of Island Bikes who, having led many a tour here, had many ideas to share with us about our next few days


Day Two: Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher
Hungry and thirsty is a state of mind and body that is easily satisfied in Ireland.  We strolled down our narrow street where Luca and Valentina made friends with a donkey they named Nibbles. We made our way along the coastal road to O’Connors pub where we ordered the nightly special and waited until 9:30, where in every pub, a band of musicians was slated to play. Inside it was cozy with aromas of soup and fresh bread filling the dark rooms. The pub walls were coated with dollar bill, policeman patches, old photos and license plates from all over the states. We toasted our first Irish dinner with a couple of pints Smithwicks and three orange Fantas. Once the music started, Luca took a front row seat, while Lorenzo was entranced by the spoon playing. We could have stayed there all night but these cyclists need sleep to be ready for the Cliffs of Moher tomorrow.

First Pub of the trip

I enjoyed the early morning quiet of the light-filled sitting room and let the family sleep late. After our delicious home-made Irish breakfast made by our Doulinn House hostess Joan we gathered our rain layers and hopped on our bikes and headed uphill following signs to the Cliffs of Moher


After lunch we headed for the cliffs which rise high above a freezing sea. They are simply spectacular but looking across the Cliffs I see people walking on the edge and can’t help but wonder how many people slip and fall into the freezing Atlantic. We walk along the trail, pose for pictures that distracts me from my fear of heights.

We launched into “jumping” shot

The ride back is mostly downhill and fast. It starts to rain. Lorenzo and I take a detour to the tiny music store where there is a huge collection of Irish music. Lorenzo and I spend over an hour there listening to CDs recommended by the the gent from Switzerland who runs the place. We head back and get ready for an evening at Fitz’s pub. More great food and music follows. W are on an Irish roll!


Day Three: Rockin and Rollin in the Burren
We wake to a morning of sunshine albeit the skies are filled with clouds that we know can turn on us at anytime. Today’s 50 KM ride is through the Burren, one of my favorite Ireland geographies. Due to some incomplete trip logistics, we begin our 8KM uphill ride to Lisdoonvarna. Luca is not happy about the wind or hills and we slug along. He begins screaming “ I hate biking.” I have heard this before and know that once he makes it over the hill to a resting place he will be OK. We cheer him on as he pushes had up the hill and that seems to help.


We make it to Lisdoonvarna in an hour and have a picnic lunch in the center of town. Lisdoonvarna hosts an annual Matchmakers Festival and draws singles from all over the world. Each year, during the month of September, this small village on the western coast of Ireland offers a quest for the romance holy grail to hordes of lonely souls – the capturing of an Irish heart. Ah, ’tis a prize indeed.
Did I mention the scene we made over chocolate in the local Despar food market?

A typical crossroad in Ireland. The maps are OK but the signage is very good.

After trying to understand a local on which way to go, we continue on our more or less merry way through the rock covered, deserted  fields. At the next intersection I realize that I have missed the turn to the Poulnabrone Dolmen (one of the most photographed Dolmens in Ireland) and the fort but do not have the heart to have the kids turn around. Arggggg. We continue on the main road and hit the top of the famous corkscrew hill. Decision time again. Thinking of the 30KM remaining and hearing Valentina’s whining, I opt for the direct way down but later regret it. It would have been the only chance for us to see an Irish Dolmen.  The decisions one makes on bike tour can make the difference between seeing the sights or not. Note to self. Ignore the whining when there is major historical moments to be experienced.

Jumping Shot. Luca’s got it!

We have a grand descent into Ballyvaughn, the kids love the switchback turns. Valentina gets cocky and goes no handed until I catch her and pull her over with the consequence of no treat at the next stop. We stop at the Burren overlook to take a few “jumping” shots, our new pose for the summer. Last year it was the funk, this year it is the jump.


We arrive in Ballyvaughn by 4:30 and the kids begin making mahem at yet another eating establishment. I opt to wander around the town so as not to get sucked into being the referee in another game of “ Can I have” and “it’s not fair.” Mauro chooses to play, opts to buy the kids one smoothie to share between them. By the time I return, it has been spilled all over the counter and crying and arguing has replaced an otherwise happy travel moment. We clean up the mess and I suggest we get the heck out of town.


Valentina and Lorenzo laugh at the whole thing and despite the stress these situations can cause at the moment, they are, in fact the very comical moments that make our family life unique and fun. These three mini Marx brothers can and would be, if allowed free reign, in constant comedy stunt mode. The problem is that someone always ends up getting their bodies and feelings hurt then it’s run to mamma time. The minute I step in and try to fix the situation, I am stuck in the middle of futile fairness game of which there is no return.

Walking the Burren Rocks, learning about geology

We begin the rolling and flat ride down the “Coast road” to Doolin. The rain comes and goes as we make our way down this spectacular road. We stop to observe the limestone rock surface, geology in action, that parallels the road. The Burren is one of the finest examples of a Glacio-Karst landscape in the world and offer a unique opportunity to ramble across ancient stone. We climb across the fissures in this smooth typical burren stone where tiny flowers grow in the cracks and water has created delightful variations of cross hatch patterns over time. As the kids jump from rock to rock, I give an amateur  geology lesson about the Burren’s fascinating rock which seems to stick.

Onward down the road, the bushes grow high and hug the shoulder making the road extremely narrow. Although there are very few cars, we ride single file. I see a castle in the distance on the sea and try to follow a tiny grassy path to it. The path instead ends at family graveyard which offers an interesting peak back in time.

We continue pedaling and soon the road opens up to barren hillsides with burren rock to our left and the vast sea to our right. The clouds today have been incredible–constantly changing puff of shape carved by light and wind. While waiting for Luca, the kids find a small cave that they crawl into. Small finds along the way.

While I walked the rocks, Luca sculpted

We come upon another vast burren plateau that stretches flat to the sea. We park our bikes and walk around. Lorenzo and I shoot pictures, Mauro wanders and Valentina and Luca build stone sculptures to add to the other tourist creations that are dispersed across the flat rocks. Throughout these Irish rides I have been enchanted by the massive rock walls built high and seemingly going nowhere and serving no purpose. Here the walls run into the sea

It’s already 7:00 PM. We ask how far to Doolin, we hear 6KM but I believe it is more; it ends of being 16Km which takes us another hour. We have no odometers and no real sense of the distances we have travelled which on some level is fine but when trying to make it home before dark, it might be nice to know. The road descends along the coast, through the town of Fanore and then turns inland where it begins to climb again. We take a break at a large field where the bulls come to say hello. I groan at them and they groan back which entertains the kids. We keep climbing through this magnificent farmland until we see the right turn to Doolin, then its downhill all the way back to our tiny B&B on the sea


Quick showers and another night at the pub, tonight it’s Mac Darmada’s where we have another great meal, a few rounds of Smithwicks and an hour of delightful music. We head back to our B&B for a good night’s sleep before our morning ferry to Inisheer.

While we were in Doolin the kids made friends with a donkey Luca named “Nibbles”

Day Four: Inisheer Island
After breakfast we say good bye to the Doolin area and pedal our bikes to the ferry docks. The 11:00 ferry is small and filled with tourists making their way to the island. It rolls and rocks and the water gushes in and covers the floor of the boat which provides enormous entertainment for the children. I watch the horizon and try not to get seasick.


Arriving at Inisheer, we are greeted by a taxi service that takes our luggage to our delightful hotel set back from the bay. Our breaks squeak and rub and parts are beginning to loose on our rental bikes so we stop at the bike rental shop to get a tune up and buy a small map of this 2 KM long island which we can see in an afternoon. We ride to our hotel, meet the owners, see our room have some lunch and get on our way to explore the island.

Biking in Inisheer is easy, just follow the maze of rock walls!

First stop is the graveyard with a tiny ancient church set into the ground and  dating back to the 11th century. We then follow the tiny road east as it begins to zig zag through a maze of rock walls leading to a fabulous site, a completely rusty shipwrecked vessel perfectly perched on the shore. The rusting hulk, the Plassy, was shipwrecked in 1960 and thrown up high onto the rocks. We explore the ship from the outside and inside. Lorenzo wants to explore everywhere inside. I get nervous that the boat’s 2nd floor might not hold us. The whole scene reminds Lorenzo and I of the last scene in planet of the apes.

Now here is “find” they wil remember for life–The deserted Plassy

We continue the zig zagging ride. There are only a few roads so I know you can’t get lost but Luca still yells “Mom where the heck are we going?” At that time I explain the concept of rambling and serendipity and the art of allowing your curiosity about places lead the way. He says he does not get it but of course he does—children’s minds work that way. The next site that draws us in is the uninhabited lighthouse built in 1857. We take a break here, do some jump shots and pedal back down the straight narrow way. We pedal to the other side of the island where rock walls cover the landscape in box shapes. I am determined to follow the road to the end. The kids tire of my curiosity and turn around, leaving me time to wander on my own. I meander back to our hotel and stake out a spot at the WIFI bar where I can check email and have a moment to gather my thoughts. I meet an Irish family who tells me that they are staying 2 weeks on this tiny island so their children can practice Gaelic, the Irish language. They tell me that it is taught so badly in school that children do not learn it and that it is dying out in most of Ireland. Here in Connemara, the Burren and on the Islands, the language has its strongest foothold.

The jolly proud owner of our B&B

I head back to our lovely hotel  to shower and get ready for dinner. We sit down and toast another great day. I have a delicious baked haddock with dill and boiled potatoes.
After dinner, it’s pub time. There’s also a pool table that entertains the children while Mauro and I listen to music. Three young girls have come to accompany the main band. Their expressions are enchanting and their pride to play for us is beaming from their blue eyes. Luca, Lorenzo and Valentina soon gather round to hear the sounds before heading to bed.

Redheaded sisters serenade us

Inisheer to Inishmoor: Mishaps and Mahem


Day Five: Inishmoor
We wake up early to Anna’s delicious Irish breakfast in their light filled breakfast room. Today we are off on another ferry to Inishmoor, the largest of the three Aran Islands. Luggage down, we take a picture with our host Anna and Rory and ride our bikes 5 minutes to the ferry. Their B&B luggage delivery system is a brilliant solution to our 10 day tour here. With the help of our friendly B&B host we load our luggage and ourselves onto the tiny ferry to Inishmoor. It’s a bumpy ride so I take a seat and cuddle with Luca who prefers to sit outside and feel the sea mist on his cheeks. Upon arriving, we leave our luggage, get a map of the Island at the desk and orientate ourselves on where to ride.


Although it might seem that everything is going smoothly on our bike adventures. I assure you that kids are kids whether they are home or on the road. While traveling, they still don’t listen, they still don’t get up when you want them to and they still bicker and whine. The big difference is that we are doing something we love and they know that we hold the map, the money and the hotel keys so the power struggles are actually less.


As parents we just try to find the gold nuggets, photo ops, funny, poignant and the every day learning moments however our day on Inishmore flowed so badly; it’s best to reflect and laugh at the day through our top ten list of mishaps, that started right after breakfast

Seal Cove

Top Ten List of Inisheer Mishaps
1. Mom looses her glasses again and we almost miss the ferry to Inishmoore. Never lost just deep in her pocket.
2. Luca has a crying fit and we are not sure why.
3. No more Euro. No exchange place open until 2:00. It’s 11:30 and we want to ride
4. We completely disagree on lunch options. It’s cold and I want hot soup. Mauro wants to get sandwich stuff at Spar and have a picnic. Kids want chocolate. We gather stuff at the market that no one wants but we eat it in the cold anyway. Peanut butter gets stuck in Lorenzo’s braces so I get him soup. Tension mounts
5. The weather turns and we do not have enough warm stuff. We go back to the B&B. Luca revolts claiming we will never get to the fort
6. Back at the B&B. Kids play chicken on their bikes. Valentina plows into a wall, gets a pinched flat and rips the tire. No spare either. Mechanic is unavailable until 1:30. We get it fixed, did she learn a lesson?
7. We change money and get on our way. Tough headwind defeats Luca. He rides but screams the whole way and claims we will never get to the Fort
8. Lorenzo goofs around on his bike. Slips on his pedal and scrapes his leg, bad.
9. We arrive at the Fort. It’s all uphill. Luca claims we will never get there. We get a tourist shop fix
10.We make it to the base of the fort but realize we forgot the locks. The ticket lady hides our bikes so we can go in. Gotta pay all this goodness forward.
11.Walk uphill to the magnificent Dun Aengus. I read from a guide book about how the place is a spiritual pilgrimage site; no one (except Mauro) listens. At the top there is 300 foot drop to the sea. I beg kids not to mess with my mind here and be good. They listen, thank God no major mishap here!  We take some great “jump” photos. All is good and wonderful
12. Return ride to B&B. After a day of mishaps, we are blessed with a wonderful tail wind that pushes us up the hill and all the way back. Trip out took 1 hour. Trip back takes 30 minutes. The trips seems back in alignment
13. Off to dinner after showers. We sit down, order beers. Whoops. No Credit card excepted.
14.Walk to next restaurant. Kids fight over their ITOUCH, Angry Bird game. Even though this seems to entertain the family next to us, I quickly take it away.
15. Good food. Good time until Luca puts the napkin too close to the candle. Small fire is put out quickly. We laugh and make a toast to our day of craziness
16. We pass on music tonight to get to bed early to catch our 8:00 AM ferry to the mainland tomorrow. All in all, another wonderful day on the road with kids

We might have mishaps but we always have fun

One of the highlights of the day is that I was able to connect with June Boulger, the amazing woman who designed and led our very first bike tour in Connemara 14 years ago. Our Irish luck is with us. She is in Connemara for the weekend with her husband and three year old son Liam. We will pass by her house tomorrow!


Day Six: Inishmoor to the Connemara
We rise early. Valentina is suffering a very sore throat. Her glands are swollen and she is feeling miserable. She has probably caught the same bug that Lorenzo had the previous week. Luckily no fever and knowing she will survive and there is not much we can do, we get them up help them pack their bags that will be transferred to Clifden and head down to breakfast.

Leaving B&B

Clowning in Connemara

We board the large Aran Island ferry at 8:15 after 45 minutes of a relatively calm trip, we arrive  at Rossaveal where our luggage shuttle has arrived. It’s a windy but sunny day. We pack layers in Mauro’s panniers and make our way up the coast stopping first at a SPAR market to get each child a ration of chocolate.

The Bog road has bog!

Lorenzo wants the sign to say, we have arrived

We head in the direction of Cashel. The road is long and uninteresting for the children although I love the clouds and the rugged landscape. They continue to ask me how far it it is and unfortunately none of the maps I am using have reliable KM markings as my Italy maps do so I can only guess.  We get to crossroads and I get a text message from June wondering where we are. I let her know that at the intersection of route 465 & 496 and are near the bog road and she says we should be to her house in 45 minutes. I tell the kids and we continue on our way turning right off the coastal onto the bog road which cuts across through a wild wilderness with full view of the twelve bin mountain range. I find the road glorious. The head winds make Luca anxious and very angry. He looked at the mountain range and was convinced that I was taking him to the top. On a road that, for a seven year old seems to never end, he claims that I am a “white liar.”  He must have heard the term white lie and thought it meant a worse lie than most. Whatever he meant, he was not a happy camper and cried, whined and screamed for most of the 6 mile ride across the bogs. There was not much we could say; just had to get through it. The other two weren’t much happier and did not allow me to take any pictures. “We just hate biking mom”

We hate bogs and biking

I love bogs and biking

From the map it appears that There is a triathlon and a police at the corner. We ask how far it is to Cashel. He says 8 miles. “What?” I ask again. “We are going to June Boulger’s house, do you know June?
“Oh yes, that will be four miles” he replies

Happy to see Fresh Eggs

We ride a few more minutes and take a left to Cashel. I see a old man on a bike and ask him how far it is. He says one mile. I text June and tell her where I am. She says we are five minutes away. She tells me to take a left when we see a FRESH EGGS sign.  The kids now understand that  everyone is a “white liar” that distances depend on who you are and what you know.

Off the bog road, away from the wind and knowing that we cannot be far, the kids mental state takes a dramatic shift for the better. We follow a winding coastal road, the smell of the sea is strong and my excitement to see June again is mounting. I begin to recognize the scenery and then I see June’s mother’s house, take another turn and hear a ping ping on my phone. “Where are you now?” she writes. “At the Fresh Egg sign!” I reply.  We take a left, ride a mile and I see her standing there welcoming us with open arms. I jump off my bike and give her a big hug. Her singing voice and big smile warms my heart. She welcomes the whole gang inside her white cottage with a view of Cashel Bay.  The “45 minute” ride took two hours but whose counting?


We spend the next two hours in her kitchen with her husband, Neil and brother Cliff feasting on a continual flow of delicious food: fresh bread, cheese, fresh fruit, tomatoes, chicken and pasta. She prepares most of the meal with her three-year old son Liam clinging to her body and pulling so hard on her hair that her head tilts to the right.  I am feeling the glow of being reconnected with an old friend and great memories of our 12 day Ciclismo Classico Ireland tour 14 years ago.

The GREAT June Boulger Reunion

With another hour or riding ahead, we begin wrapping up lunch and planning the next 12 miles to Cashel. We take a family potrait and a picture of June and I. The headwind is still strong so June offers to take Luca by car to Clifden. Luca is reluctant as he does not want to “wimp” out on the miles but eventually realizes that it’s a good idea.


The skies are gray, the winds are strong and there is misty rain but our spirits and stomachs are full so the riding comes easy. It’s 5:00 PM and with 12 miles to go, I calculate that we will make it by 6:00. We avoid the coast and take another “bog” road to Clifden. The winds have shifted and are now almost at our backs. We ride at a good clip until Lorenzo has some problems with his shifting. He gets very mad at his bike. The wheel is blocked; I fix it by centering the wheel. Back in business. I see a cyclist pedaling the other way. He says it’s 3 miles to Clifden. I believe him since cyclists get mileage. We pull into town at 5:50. Lorenzo and I sprint to the bike store to get his brakes and gears adjusted since we have no tools. A very large mechanic smoking a cigarette takes a look but admits he is anxious to close his shop and head to the pub.

We indeed make it to Clifden by 6:00. We check into the Kingston House B&B and before taking showers take a walk around town and arrive at the supermarket where Valentina happily picks up nail polish remover, shampoo and a chocolate bar. We wander back to the hotel and take a seat in the warm and tiny “tea” room complete with fish tank, piano, TV, fresh fruit, a comfy couch and a tea and coffee table. What more does one need on a rainy afternoon in Ireland? Well we are still missing Luca who was delivered soon after by June. Her car is filled with kids so she cannot stick around. We say our sad goodbyes and hope to see each other again in Ireland or Boston

Kindred Cycling Spirits

Post showers we walk around the street to Guys Bar and Snug where we take a seat by the music. We meet up with some folks from Maine who have been living in Heidelberg Germany for the year and are on their way home with Ireland as their last stop. We exchange adventures and my imagination wanders to a year abroad with the kids. Where would we live? What would that be like?


The beers and dinner arrive and we savor another delicious meal. I start with the classic vegetable soup puree’ and finish with a lightly Cajun spiced baked salmon with wild rice. Nice. The next morning I rise early to sit and write in peace in the tea room. By 9:00 I check on the kids who are crowded in their bedrooms watching Tarzan on TV. I start rustling them and demand that they get dressed and down for breakfast in 20 minutes. It will take much barking to get them out and ready.


Our hostess prepares us a lovely breakfast. I have fresh fruit with yogurt and Luca and Lorenzo get pancakes! Just as we are ready to roll we discover Mauro has a flat. Luckily the bike shop is next to our B&B but the woman running the shop has just gone to church. We manage to find her and I get the tools and spare we need to change the flat. I take the time to patch the tire and give the kids a lesson in fixing a flat.

Day 7 Clifden to Leenan: A glorious day!


We finally head out the Sky Road and it is as beautiful as I remember it 14 years ago This is going to be a good day! The skies are clear and the views are incredible. We take our time climbing up this steep but glorious road. At the top of the climb Valentina whines about her sore throat and throws her water bottle, helmet and threatens to go back to Clifden. Mauro looses it, the boys start teasing and small battle ensues followed by a collective tantrum. I am feeling so happy, nothing can get me worked me up. I take it all in stride and do a series of jumping shots. Valentina choose to sulk but perks up when we take a picture together. Overall I am so proud of our children. They have been riding hard and strong despite the rain and heavy bikes.

We continue along the Sky road as it descends toward the coastline and heads back along the inlet to the main wall. We keep stopping to check out the views. Sheep are everywhere baaing at us. Luca keeps leading the way. It as if raising his seat has given him new energy.


Once on the main road we decide to head straight to Letterfrack for lunch. It’s a main road and busier than the Sky Road so we ride single file with Luca in the lead. The road is fast and we have a great spin into Letterfrack. Lunch is soup, sandwiches and pizza at a small café then we are off to the Kylemore Abbey, one of the most gorgeous castles in Connemara. 3 tour buses have just unloaded dozens of Italians and as we wind our way through the crowd of Italiani, Lorenzo gets thumbs up for his Italia blue cycling shirt. Although he has no interest in the history of the place, this makes his day. We roam inside the castle, the Gothic church and on the grounds for an hour and then depart for the last 25 miles of our ride.

Lorenzo poses reluctantly with me

We make our way up the road to the village of Tully Cross and Lettergesh following another gorgeous coastal road lined with flowers, sheep and high above the sea. It’s called the Tully Cross Loop. The road eventually dips down the bay and heads along an inland lake I am in heaven and I know it will end soon. Although they hate to admit it, the kids get along best when they are biking. They can’t get in each others way and must take turns following and leading

We love all the sheep!

A glorious lake road

We pass a group of fisherman wrapping up the day and although it is already 7 PM and we have another 10 miles to go, I stop and ask the man to demonstrate a fly cast. With a jolly smile he takes a fly from his box, ties it on, casts and tells Luca how it’s done. I ask “ How do you know what fly to put on? “ We just follow Johnny he replies with a laugh.

We learned the tricks of fly fisherman

A glorious road

We leave the lake and climb gently towards the Killary Harbor. A left turn takes us on the main road and a long descent swoops us down to a road that follows the harbor. The temperature, the light, the moment is perfect. Luca is cruising and he races ahead until I whistle for him to stop so we can enjoy the views. I don’t mind dragging the miles on now. We may never pass this way again. We reach Leenane by 7:30 and stop to get a snack at the tiny Spar market. Fig newtons and cookies will do. I go in and check out the Pub which is hopping with folks of all ages including a gang of kids playing pool in the backroom.

Luca races ahead to Leenan

The end of the glorious road in Killary Harbor

11 more KM until the Delphi Mountain Resort and Adventure Center. We ride down and around the harbor. At the very end of the harbor, facing North, is graveyard with a few dozen headstones. We all agree that this is a wonderful place to rest in peace.  The car free, sheep full road followed the eastern side of the harbor. Flat and downhill we cruised along. As we turn inland and face a mountain range. Luca gets anxious fearing the road will never end. His excitement quickly turned to tears. Before I had to distract him for another few miles, the sign for the Delphi Center appeared, he sprinted and was the first one into the driveway of our lovely 4 star home for two nights. We arrive at 8:20 with just enough time to shower and head upstairs to the airy bistro. It was late, we were tired but nothing could take away the glow, sense of accomplishment and bonding we all felt.

Our four star home for two days

Day 8 Coasteering at Delphi
We had a well deserved rest day today. It was pouring rain outside so rest came that much easier. For the morning we hung out in the big comfortable seats in the lounge. I caught on on emails and writing, the kids were totally entertained by a new ap on their IPOD called Angry Bird and Mauro made hotel and shuttle plans for the rest of our trip. Our time in Ireland is coming to a close and we are all sad. This has been a very special trip for all of us. Although the kids said they would like more rest days (agreed), I think that they absorbed with their bodies and souls what bicycle travel is about.


After lunch we loaded up in the van to go coasteering. an activity that I never heard of but that is apparently very popular in Whales and Great Britain. The definition of coasteering according to wiki is “a physical activity that encompasses movement along the intertidal zone of a rocky coastline on foot or by swimming, without the aid of boats, surf boards or other craft. It is difficult to define the precise boundaries between, for example, rockpooling and ocean swimming. “ This sounds like what we do in Southern Italy but the only difference is that here the water is cold and the swells were big.

Now this is FUN! Cold waters sharp rocks and fast currents

Captain Seaweed

We put on wet suits and followed our guide Stephen to the rocky coastline at Old Head. We started out in mild waters and as we worked our way around the coast the rocks, waves and swells got bigger and bigger. Our guide took great care to let us know where to climb and where to swim. The kids followed instructions and did beautifully.  The water was definitely cold and the swells were strong but we all did very well to swim, float and grab onto the rocks.  It was a great little new adventure for all.

For the last ride we dress the part!

The Last Ride: Delphi to Westport
We hoped on our bikes for the last time on this wonderful journey in the West of Ireland and began our ride up a spectacular road that followed the Doolough Pass to Westport. The Dolough Pass may be gorgeous today but in 1847 100 of those starving from the potato famine walked to Delphi to ask for relief. When they got there, the Board of Guardians were at lunch and could not be disturbed. When they finally did meet with them, the people were refused help. That day it rained and snowed and there was a piercing wind. On the return journey to Lousier, over 100 of the starving were blown into Doolough by the fierce wind where they died. The memorial commemorates those who died at this point. The sun peaked out of the clouds and painted the lush mountains in an array of tonalities. Today this landscape feels nothing but joyous. I could not help but be a bit sad to see it all end—it has been a magnificent trip.

What an amazing view. Hard to imagine such a tragedy occurred here.

Like every day, today was not without a problem or two. On the road for a few miles we noticed that while at the Delphi center, someone had borrowed Luca’s bike and lowered the seat. The seat was not a quick release and we were without tools so we had to stop at someone’s home and ask for tools. Frustrated and crying, Luca would not calm down. I stopped at several houses before we found the tool we were looking for (and a kind woman who knew how to use it). She raised the saddle and Luca was back in business.  Riding away, waving at the family, I repeated  one of my favorite mantras: There are no problems, just solutions.

Only 21 KM to go

We were riding at a great clip, making great time towards Westport. We used a bit of biking math conversions and calculations to figure out how fast we were riding, how many miles were left and our approximate arrival time. By the last day, they were beginning to think and act like real bike tourists. I felt very proud. We stopped in Louisburgh for a quick snack. We peeked into a gallery next to the supermarket and met a painter and graphic artist working on his computer. We discover that he use to live in LA where he worked on many animated movies. Small world.

To all my Irish friends: Here’s the real St Patrick!

Pedaling the last 12 miles was a breeze. More sheep, distant farmland and miles of seascape. Just before Westport we stopped at Croagh Patrick, Croagh Patrick has been a site of pilgrimage since before the arrival of Celtic Christianity, Saint Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit of Croagh Patrick for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there. It is said that at the end of Patrick’s 40-day fast, he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. Unfortunately we did not have time to climb all the way to the top but we did take a celebratory picture with Saint Patrick, a nice way to finish our last ride in Ireland!

We’ve arrived!

Westport Quay

We rode the last five miles to Westport taking the coastal road that passed majestic homes and elegant hotels. We arrived in Westport at 3:30 with just enough time to walk around, eat lunch, shower at our B&B and enjoy our last evening of pub food and traditional Irish music at the famous Matt Malloys, owned my one of Cheiftains

The next morning we wake early, have our last Irish breakfast, portrait with our host Noreen and rush to the bus to Galway It is a two hour trip to this bustling city. We say good bye to our bikes which albeit heavy have served us well.  We drop our luggage off at the train station so we can roam the town. Kids have waited for a souvenir shopping day and it has arrived and Galway with it abundant shops, is the place to do it.We only have a couple hours so we go from store to store seeking out hats and T shirts.

We leave for Dublin by bus. The trip takes longer than we think and we arrive just in time to catch our plane. One last problem: Ryan Air is very cheap for a reason–your luggage must be less than 15 kilos and of course ours is not. We scramble to rearrange and repack our luggage but still end up paying a hefty price for our layers. Gotta work on my packing!


We make it to the plane just on time for one last portrait. Good Bye Ireland. With any Irish luck (and planning) we will be back next year with friends!

BYE BYE ireland we hardly know yee but we will be back