New records have been set! Sunday 12th August saw me travel down to Dungannon to my friend Brian McAllister, who is a bit of a road biker (owns a Ridley - say no more!). Well he asked if I wanted to do a "wee fifty, or seventy or...." - just stop there!
Well off we set to Glasslough, County Monaghan - home to unsuccessful celebrity weddings! The route is not particularly challenging, but we did have a headwind the whole way, and the countryside is somewhat undulating.
Road bikes and mountain bikes are not entirely great travelling companions. Heading up to Glasslough, Brian disappeared from view. That wasn't so bad until I came over a hill, saw a turn to my right, and...no sign of Brian! Maybe he went straight on. Maybe he took a turn off? I ploughed on and after about a quarter of a mile there was BMac at the end of the road! Phew!
The very pleasant village/small town of Glasslough awaited us at the top of the hill. In the estate is the CoI where McCartney and Mills gave the wedding lark a lash. Brian had remembered his Euro so we had good strong coffee and fantastic scones, thick cream, jam and wasps! But we were much too cunning for the little blighters, and being fed up spending more time swatting them away than eating, set an almost empty pot of jam at the opposite end of the table and ... hey presto, no more wasps harassing us.
Our journey back took us in a loop back onto the road to Dungannon. The legs were starting to hurt a tad, and the shower of thundery rain certainly kept us cool. Brian on his road bike maintained a healthy distance up the road. Was it just his natural rhythm and lightness of bike? Was it shame at my slowness?
If you're cycling in Dungannon some time, head to Glasslough, and on your way back head up past the police station! Oh! Not good on the quads. Then there's the hill up Lurgaboy! A hot shower has never felt so good.
In summary we rode through three counties, two countries and enjoyed one great bike ride!
The stats, I hear you cry?
Distance: 70.06km - Avg: 22.4kph - Max 52.5kph - Time: 3h 07m 08s (riding time) - Odo 865.50km
Well off we set to Glasslough, County Monaghan - home to unsuccessful celebrity weddings! The route is not particularly challenging, but we did have a headwind the whole way, and the countryside is somewhat undulating.
Road bikes and mountain bikes are not entirely great travelling companions. Heading up to Glasslough, Brian disappeared from view. That wasn't so bad until I came over a hill, saw a turn to my right, and...no sign of Brian! Maybe he went straight on. Maybe he took a turn off? I ploughed on and after about a quarter of a mile there was BMac at the end of the road! Phew!
The very pleasant village/small town of Glasslough awaited us at the top of the hill. In the estate is the CoI where McCartney and Mills gave the wedding lark a lash. Brian had remembered his Euro so we had good strong coffee and fantastic scones, thick cream, jam and wasps! But we were much too cunning for the little blighters, and being fed up spending more time swatting them away than eating, set an almost empty pot of jam at the opposite end of the table and ... hey presto, no more wasps harassing us.
Our journey back took us in a loop back onto the road to Dungannon. The legs were starting to hurt a tad, and the shower of thundery rain certainly kept us cool. Brian on his road bike maintained a healthy distance up the road. Was it just his natural rhythm and lightness of bike? Was it shame at my slowness?
If you're cycling in Dungannon some time, head to Glasslough, and on your way back head up past the police station! Oh! Not good on the quads. Then there's the hill up Lurgaboy! A hot shower has never felt so good.
In summary we rode through three counties, two countries and enjoyed one great bike ride!
The stats, I hear you cry?
Distance: 70.06km - Avg: 22.4kph - Max 52.5kph - Time: 3h 07m 08s (riding time) - Odo 865.50km
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