Ireland tour

[Throttled]

What with work, lots of other stuff going on, not doing the challenge this year and no rally, I was facing no trip on the bike at all. But a short gap has appeared and so off to Ireland in a few weeks.

The plan is home to Co Down and stay with relatives, then an overnighter in Westport, Co Mayo, back to Co Down and then home. Four days of about 6 hours a day riding, so quite leisurely. I have done the coast roads before, all round Northern Ireland and Donegal, so decided to stay in land and go to somewhere small and out of the way.

So looking forward to this.

[Snod Blatter]

Best of luck with the weather! Oh and take many pics

[Throttled]

Ferry over, the only biker and an odd experience of being for a time, the only European. The boat was full of Chinese who are daft on Game of Thrones and go by the bus load to see various sets and locations.

Run to Westport, in OK weather.

Then disaster. I find the back tyre is damaged. It has lots of little slashes and a nail in it. Goodness knows how it is still inflated, but I am not taking any risks and have to be recovered. I must have run something over, but not that I noticed. At least I had got to Westport and was able to arrange recovery from where I was staying, rather than stuck at the side of the road. Various phone calls and the ONLY places in the entire of Ireland that had a tyre of the size I needed, were in Dublin or Belfast. At least the place (Hursts) in Belfast is near the ferry and the famous H&W crane;

so I made it back, just thanks to the recovery lots keeping my bike overnight on the back of the lorry and then delivering it at 0800 to the tyre fitters. Ireland's roads are great, petrol is the same price north and south and that Hop House 13, the lager made by Guinness rather nice.

[Bender]

[mention]Throttled[/mention]

Looks great, so good thought I would join you....