The Big Cycle is over

So everyone, I have cycled the length of Ireland.6 days away from home.
c.27 hours on a saddle.
c.400 miles covered.
1 Hybrid bike.
6 full Irish Breakfasts.
7 Gel packs.
1 pulled knee ligament.
2 fingers with nerve damage.
10 Carbmix Powerbars.
4 Protein shakes.
Too many litres of water to count.
2 burnt thighs.

I want to thank everyone who supported me in this, and for those who gave money. We have raised over £1,600 which is just amazing.

Thanks to Nick, Trevor, Ed and Peter for their cycling advice and a couple of items of kit.

Thanks to Uncle John for the use of the bike these past two months.

There's plenty of stories, but I won't bore you all with them just yet! Sorry I couldn't get online more often to update you as I went!

Again, sincere thanks to all of you.

God bless,

Dave

P.S. You can still donate money by going to
http://www.justgiving.com/mizen2malin
or when you see me in person.

Day 1 - It's Not A Race

So I'm sitting in the Killarney Court Hotel following a 79 mile cycle and my bum is, to be honest, a little bit sore! But I'm now a fifth of the way there! And a lot closer to home than I was a few hours ago!

I now know that most of the guys here are possibly part-time Tour de France types, and even though the phrase "It's not a race" is widely used, it's not widely adhered too! So I've continued my slower plod miles behind everyone else! Everytime we take a break, I cut mine short and take off just to get a mile or two ahead before everyone passes me again!

So following a long journey down yesterday, we arrived at our hotel and headed off for a bite to eat before retiring to bed in anticipation of the day that lay ahead. Mizen is actually my new definition of the back-ar$e of nowhere, and so by the time we got there we didn't set off until half 10! Up through County Cork and into County Kerry by travelling through the Caha mountains and through Moll's Gap. Two big climbs (for me anyway!) but what a rush coming down them! The villages down here are lovely, especially the ones right on the coast. If time was no object I would definitely have spent some more time down here, especially in Glengariff, Bantry and a few others. Though I might bring food with me, as these places are all tourist spots, and the prices are sometimes pretty wild!

So key facts from today's ride (I got a cycle computer and have nearly got it working 100%):
- Top Speed - 38.7mph (I thought I was going to die)
- Avg Speed - 13.8mph
- Total Distance - 79 miles (wrong turn in Killarney town!)

Hope all is well in the North with everyone! Thank you to everyone who has texted and wished me luck and said a wee prayer, I flippin' need them!

Much love,

Dave

Twas the night before...

...the longest weekend of my life!

So I have only hours to go before I begin the long journey down to County Cork, and begin the even longer journey to Malin Head on Saturday. I will try to keep you all posted on my progress, but can we all please remember that it is in the taking part where the satisfaction lies, and there is no shame in failure!

Seriously though, I want to thank everyone who has supported me (and I'm doing it now before the trip, should something untoward happen to me and I can't later!), whether it was with donations, advice or equipment, it's been fantastic. We've raised alot of money for a great cause, so thank you all on behalf of the people who will benefit from it.

Whatever you're up to this weekend, enjoy it! If you see a cyclist on the road, pause and think about me, even fire a wee prayer heavenward if you're inclined!

Talk soon,

Dave

Modern Day Prophecy

So I just realised that a modern day form of prophecy is the weather! They forecast stuff all the time and quite often get it right! Amazing.

Anyway, I hope they have got it wrong this time, as I have checked out the extended forecast over Ireland for the nex week, and pretty much every day of the 5 days there is a high chance of rainfall! As if I could get any more excited about the prospect of cycling 410 miles, the thought of doing it in the wind and rain just makes it seem too good to be true! Who wouldn't want to cycle up and down hills cold, soaked and feeling beaten and weathered?

Please note: Sarcasm in use

Uneasy

Just over three days to go, and I'm beginning to feel a bit of apprehension...

Number 2 & 3

Having never swallowed anything while cycling before up until the other week, I managed to catch two more bugs in my mouth last night, both of which managed to make it in to my stomach. One wasn't too bad, but one flew right into the back of my throat and left me retching at the side of the road trying to bring whatever it was back up.

Alas it was not to be, so hopefully it died without laying eggs somewhere inside of me.

I'm actually getting qeasy just thinking about it.

Bitter disappointment

So last night I checked my proposed route on Google maps and it said 50 miles, so thought I'd have broken it yesterday, but just to be sure I went back today and checked it out on GMAPS instead, and found out that it was only 45 miles. Which is still good, but means I STILL haven't broken 50.

I'm gonna have to go for it on Thursday night instead.

Only three or four training sessions left before the Big Cycle!