It's very near now...... or so said Padraic. Our ride on the Greenway


Wednesday, the 26th, dawned bright and sunny, just a hint of a breeze- gorgeous blue skies.  Well, okay- it wasn't any time near dawn- which is before 5:00 a.m. here- it was more like a civilized half 8:00.  But it was beautiful and we had plans- "promises to keep".

After attempting the Reek, another goal for this trip was to cycle on the Great Western Greenway.  It was such a lovely walk last year, that we were eager to try it with bicycles.  Here in Westport there are various opportunities to hire cycles and ride as far as you care to, and then be picked up along with the bikes.  The plan seemed prudent since we haven't any recent (try 40 years ago- on a vacation during which I recall an unfortunate cycling accident) experience on a bicycle.  So we decided to try a shorter route for our first go.

Meeting up with our great friends the Duffys, Padraic and Marion, at 10 a.m. we set out for the Mulranney Hotel where we would rent the cycles since Padraic and Marion have their own.  Thanks to a phone call from Padraic, we were set up and, after a coffee and scone to fortify us, we were on our way with no clear goal, just a pleasant cycle through the beautiful Mayo countryside.  Or so Tom and I thought.....

As we set off, a little shaky and focusing hard on the cycle's gears, pedaling, steering and already feeling "the burn" from our outing on Monday we actually found that the old maxim, is true, it is like riding a bike.  despite some of the modern developments.  It occurred to me that my last bicycle, Indestructible Ida, had only one gear and no hand brakes.  Tom had an "English racer" as we used to call a ten speed bike, but this was quite different.  We were delighted to discover that we really did adapt okay, and although hardly able to match the experienced cyclists (Marion and Padraic, or the many children and adults we shared the Greenway with) we acquitted ourselves  fairly well.

Go to "Brochures and Maps" and select "The Mulranny Walking Experience."



Starting Out

:
Look familiar?  Padraic's much better shot is on this year's calendar
     
Candee obviously sassing Padraic.  So wrong.
Where did they go?
Well hello......
Candee leaving me far in the dust


It was a great ride, but as time went on it seemed that we should be stopping.  After all, although we were having fun, there were certain parts of our anatomy that were getting quite a workout! And  wherever you go to you have to get back.  So we enquired of our leader, "Shouldn't we be stopping then?"  We should perhaps turn back (read quit while we are ahead).  But Padraic said, "Oh, we are very near now"....  So we rode on.  At some earlier stage, I can't quite recall now, it seems that "we" decided to try to do the whole route- Mulranny to Achill Island!!!  How far might that be, you would ask?  Well, according to Padraic, "very near now".  So on we rode.  The scenery and conversation continued to be gorgeous and with the exception of a few scary places where we had to cycle (or in my case, walk) along the edge of the busy roadway (here the reader may recall that Irish roads, even the better ones, are by U.S. standards, quite narrow) we had an enjoyable ride.   However, to ACHILL???   "That's how far, Padraic?"
 
 " Oh we're very near now....."
 
And eventually, we really did arrive - imagine 13 kilometers - 8 miles - each way!! A lovely lunch, complete with fortifying (for the return journey) desserts.  After all, we had only cycled TO Achill - now we had to cycle all the way back.  And we did it!  What an achievement - Tom and I, on bicycles!!  Who would have thought we could do it - except maybe Marion and Padraic - THANKS Padraic - too far a ride was all in our heads - and Mulranny to Achill?
 
"Very near now................"