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BIKE
RIDING IN IRELAND
July
1-3, 2004
At
last we have our bikes and they are set up and we are
able to ride again. It feels good and
bad to be back in the saddle. Good to
get the exercise and be out in the beautiful countryside, bad on my
sore bottom
until I get used to the bike saddle again.
The
first day we took a short ride around the area, down to
the beach and then up the hill and across the highway on the country
roads.
   The
next day we drove up to the town of Gorey, where we took
a nice ride around the Hill of Tara (a different one that the one we
went to
last week). We luckily avoided most of
the raindrops. Then we did some grocery
shopping at the nice big Tesco supermarket in Gorey.
By the time we were done shopping it was pouring down rain
in
buckets.
Today
we took another ride out from the house through the
little country villages—Ballycough, Moneyboe, Oulart, Raheenduff,
Knockadilly,
Tinteskin, Litter Beg and Litter More. Funny
names. Most of the
houses
around here are displaying the yellow and purple flags in support of
their
excellent hurling team. Many cars also
have banners or decals with the team colors.
       When
we have traveled in other European countries—Italy,
France, Germany, Australia—we have seen memorials commemorating those
who gave
their lives in the World Wars. Here in
Ireland we see memorials commemorating those who gave their lives in
the 1798
rebellion. This is equivalent to the
American Revolutionary War. In Oulart
we rode our bikes up a hill and visited a beautiful memorial site
remembering
the Wexfordmen who fought in the decisive battle of Oulart Hill, and
acknowledging the support received from Canada, Australia, France and
America.
From
the hill we could see the rainstorm coming, so we raced
it back home and got inside just in the nick of time.
   In
the afternoon we took the car to the town of Ferns where
we stopped for a tour of their castle and abbey. In
the visitor center we admired many tapestries, depicting the
history of Ferns, which have been woven by local women.
Some expressions we like:
- The first time we saw the signs
warning us to watch out for LOOSE CHIPPINGS we reacted as 4 year old
Gary used to with poison oiken, eyeing the underbrush warily, watching
for some strange Irish critter to leap out of the berry vines, baring
yellowed fangs and hissing as it took a chomp out of our ankle. A few km down the road we began to giggle when
we realized this is the Irish way of saying there is loose gravel on
the road.
- Every evening Don and I sit down
with our peanuts and glass of wine and turn on the GOGGLE BOX for a
little news.
      
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