Toon's Bridge recon in farce
Pretty much a whole week of amazing weather. Seems like it was only a week since it was horrendously dull with constant gale-force westerlies...No, wait, it is only a week. Was in two minds whether to go out on the social cycle on Thursday, or to go see O Emperor -- no good gigs for ages, then two come along in a week! So... did neither, and went out for a (slightly!) earlier cycle by myself, in the hopes of going rather further. Out through Bishopstown, MFR, Angler's Rest, and round the reservoir.
Made surprisingly good time, 21kph av out, and at the N22 junction in daylight, for once! Then the bonus third lake: around The Gearagh, to see if I could make it to (and find) the Toon's Bridge Dairy, Cafe, Buffaloes, and whatever they're having themselves. Not that it would be open, for both "day of the week" and "month of the year" reasons. Getting on a bit by the time I got to the road junction. Chat at the grand consolidated road sign in Toon's Bridge (Toons Bridge? Toonsbridge?) with a chap putting up signs for his cèilidh, who "not being around here himself" might have felt gotten over-specific on when I told him I was looking for the caff, after he'd asked if I needed directions. But there was a sign for it, among the profusion of others, so I found it shortly thereafter. Then boldly off down the Dunmanway road, nervously looking for the left turn... which duly led onto the same road as I'd taken back from the Gearagh last time, so not too tricky there.
The infant formula plant was blasting away full bung. Gave off quite the part Steampunk, part Terminator vibe, all lit up and gushing fumes while I cycled towards it down what was otherwise an utterly quiet and dark country road. Was by now noticing the lack of my cycling jacket, but the rainjacket just about sufficed. Then back the main road. A little heavier going, as by now there was a bit of a headwind. Or maybe there'd been a wind in that direction all day, and I'd just been in a fool's paradise to that point! Or else my legs were just flagging. Certainly my rav was lower on that leg... but that may well also be my bikeputer, which seemed to "lose" maybe around 5k on the latter part. Back too much late for Aldi or Dunnes, so back to the good old days of a late-night trip to Tesco. But it's admitting to 82.9k at 19.4kph, at any rate, which is a stretch to start with.