Cycling, Day One

               Today was the first day of my cycling tour.  It began with breakfast in the B&B, which began with the landlady saying “the buffet [of toast, cereal, yogurt, granola, fruit, etc.] is over there, and what would you like to eat?”  After breakfast (eggs, very good bacon, toast, and coffee) we got situated on our bikes, and then set out.  Much of the morning was spent near Killarney, seeing attractions in the Killarney National Park – Muckross Abbey (a ruin) and Muckross House (a Victorian house with a tour, complete with reenactments).  The group started out together but I ended up spending a lot of my time with two women on the trip, which was nice because it gave me some company (and gave one of the other girls some company later in the day, when her friend elected to ride in the van) and encouraged me to move at their pace, which was more laid-back and fun than mine might have been. The first half of the cycling today was actually fairly tough – there were some steep hills, and I fell over once when I was going slowly up a hill and being passed by a car and moved too far to the left and ended up in the ditch, with my bike on top of me, because I couldn’t get out of the clips fast enough.  After that I felt pretty shakey, and it rained for a while, and there were still some steep hills before the lunch break.  Fortunately, the girls I’d been with earlier had caught up to me, so I rode with them all the way to lunch.

               Lunch was at a café at Molls Gap.  The view was lovely, the soup was warm and filling, and the chocolate cake was excellent.  Afterwards, we had another fifteen miles to cycle, and I was a bit worried because the last twelve or so miles had taken us two hours (we hadn’t left the park until 1) and it was already 4:30.  But the long lunch break had been very refreshing, the weather had perked up, and the ride was easier, and we made it to our destination around six.  This left time for a short bath, a quick shower, and a walk around town before dinner; somehow through the excitement of travel I’ve bonded with one of my bikemates to the point of sharing entrees (neither of us could choose between the cod and the lamb; I’m very glad I got to try both).  Also, there was more chocolate for dessert. 

               What else to say about the bike ride?  I saw beautiful scenery, to which I cannot do justice with either words or photographs, and adorable towns and houses, and sheep.  I got sweaty and dirty, and at some point I cut my thumb.  I felt exhausted at the end, and it was awesome.  I am a very simple person, I suppose; give me pretty scenery and an opportunity to sweat in it, and something good to eat afterwards, and I consider it an excellent vacation.