Saturday, 19 June 2010 00:00

Due to Kev's inspired idea to push for the final climb it greatly increased Friday's activity to 2 mountains and 60 miles on the bike on predominantly bad road. We rose at 6.30am and were pedalling out of Moycullen at 8am. After a brief stop to talk on air to Tommy, (after great difficulty finding coverage!), we pushed on through familiar but ... See morefantastic scenery to the base of Galway's highest point, Benbaun, in the Twelve Pins. Were we not so busy I probably would have been more melancholy, cycling the roads where I did all my training for the ill-fated Sweden trip a year ago. We blitzed up and down Benbaun in a couple of hours stopping to talk to a sheep farmer and a large group of hillwalkers from Antrim on the way. When we had arrived back at the van Lisa had made some food which we ate quickly before pushing for Mweelrea.

Friday, 18 June 2010 00:00

Thursday morning started in mayhem with a late rise, a terrible breakfast, two radio interviews and the gathering of a wonderful group of people from the area to climb Moylussa, (Clare's highest point). Leaving the house of the man who cycled across Canada we'd barely cycled a couple of miles when we met Mike, a lovely guy who had rowed across the ... See moreAtlantic recently. About 9 of us climbed Moylussa when we got going including the local Garda sergeant, Joe, who had contacted me and rallied the group. He then cycled with us to Feakle, organising a Garda and Fire Brigade escort through Scarriff!!

Thursday, 17 June 2010 00:00

Fergal took over driver duty on Wednesday morning and my girlfriend Lisa also came along to help with the last few days of the challenge. Leaving Killarney on a bright, warm morning we made rapid progress. The low energy and demotivation of the day before had evaporated. Not advisable but with a poor breakfast and a purple snack bar myself and Kev ... See morecycled the 70 miles to Limerick where we ravenously ate the delectable sandwiches prepared by our now comprehensive support team of two! After a coffee we ploughed on the last 15 miles to Killaloe, Co. Clare, where we stayed in Tony Griffins house. Tony is an All-star hurler from Clare who cycled across Canada and raised a fortune for cancer research. I was lucky enough to meet him on the road near Scarriff during a training cycle and he was good enough to put the four of us up. The evening consisted of a lovely meal in the Wooden Spoon Cafe as well as a throw-about of a rugby ball and a visit from my friend Suzanne.

Wednesday, 16 June 2010 00:00

Leaving Kenmare in the warm morning sunshine, with myself and Kev on the bikes and Denis behind the wheel we headed for our highest high point, Carrauntoohil. I'm not sure if it was due to the hot day, a dip in form or the rapid uphill pace of Denis but we laboured all the way to Cronins Yard at the base of Carauntoohil, failing to find our rhythm ... See moreat any stage. For me the rhythm began to appear on the way up the mountain with the lengthy hike to the summit taking 1 hour and 25 minutes. The descent was a lengthier process with lots of people to talk to along the way and a few blisters developing on my feet.