Day 55
The day the rain came down
So this was it. Since 20 June we had ridden for about 30 minutes in heavy rain. We had been blessed with sunshine or just clouds. Today we woke to rain and wind, and lots of it. We had breakfast in the tent, no warm drink, packed up as much as we could whilst sat in the tent. Finally, we could delay it no more, it was out into the 40 mile per hour wind with heavy rain. Derry is probably fantastic, we just put our heads down and got through it as quickly as possible. Then suddenly road distances were in kilometres and we were in the Republic of Ireland!
It will come as no surprise that we were climbing, not as bad as yesterday but for about 10 miles the roads went up. We even had an up ‘out and back’ to see an old hillfort on Greenan Mountain. The road up was narrow and steep, even though we could have probably ridden most of it, we had to dismount to let the cars by. When we got to the top we were treated as celebrities by all the car drivers and passengers who had passed us, the reception almost made up for the push!
The hillfort, Graianan Aileach had been rebuilt in the 1870s with stones at the site. There has been a Fort there since around 800AD. The army of the King of Munster destroyed it in 1101. The fort gives a wonderful view over Lough Swilly, Lough Foyle and Inch Island.
Naturally although we thought we were at the top, there was another hill or so to climb before we started to descend. The rain was falling heavily between the showers, and of course the wind never let up!
We were on Eurovelo 1, heading towards our treat, a B&B in Letterkenny. Now the cycle route planners love to keep us cyclists safe and away from the busy roads, but as we crossed over the main road for the umpteenth time, heading to the hills again, taking five hilly miles for every one downhill mile nearer to our destination, we rebelled. The road was busy yes, but there was a 10 foot plus wide hard shoulder. We flew downhill, we saved ourselves about an hour of riding time, and today that was what counted.
It is always a worry storing your bikes at a hotel, what they consider a safe place doesn’t always tally with what we think is. Tonight, we need not have worried. The bikes are safely bedded down for the night in a garage full of classic cars. Alarms set, they should be safe!
We ended the evening with a great curry from the best Indian takeaway in Letterkenny, it didn’t disappoint, and a wonderful Zoom catch up with my wonderful friends, Jax, Matt, Anne and Pete. Sad to have missed Lorraine and Gill. Hopefully next time!
Tomorrow the forecast says no rain, must less wind, but not sure about those hills!
