Hill, hill, bang.
Another late-breaking cycle, though this time on a Saturday, the one day of the week I occasionally have good habits in that respect.
No "off-An Óige" cycle -- I think most of them would have been off at the hostelly weekend thing. Having successively scaled back ambitions, decided it'd been a while since I'd been on any of the Route 1 variants -- decided on "b", up Knockburden. To the bottom of the hill in unusally brisk time (averaging 25.9 to that point!), and against all expectations, up without a break until I reached the crossroads. Been long enough that I'd rather forgotten where I was going as I got to Memorial Cross, and then even moreso when I suddenly decanted onto the Killumney road at Mealagulla. Then went left to Aherla, then across Currahaly Cross, up to Upper Farran (following the clues in those respective names, I suppose), and meandered past where I think the cottage tea rooms must be, then the golf club. Not quite as scarily hilly as I'd thought (or half-remembered). Had a thought to see if I could find my way through Curraghbeg to Wood Road, but didn't find the turnoff, and ended up down at Srelane. On the spur of the moment, decanted myself on Brian, who was good enough to find his teapot unsupervised by the missus, and ply me with hot beverages. Off home, and halfway down MFR... bang! Massive blowout of my back tyre. Had a spare with me, but decided it was close enough to just walk home. Not sure what's caused it... looks like a rip or wear line right by the bead. Odd. Big enough that there was actually a decent-sized piece missing from the innertube (as well as a big ray-type hole beyond).
About 41k on wheels, averaging I think it was 18.7kph to that point, followed by a 4k trudge.
No "off-An Óige" cycle -- I think most of them would have been off at the hostelly weekend thing. Having successively scaled back ambitions, decided it'd been a while since I'd been on any of the Route 1 variants -- decided on "b", up Knockburden. To the bottom of the hill in unusally brisk time (averaging 25.9 to that point!), and against all expectations, up without a break until I reached the crossroads. Been long enough that I'd rather forgotten where I was going as I got to Memorial Cross, and then even moreso when I suddenly decanted onto the Killumney road at Mealagulla. Then went left to Aherla, then across Currahaly Cross, up to Upper Farran (following the clues in those respective names, I suppose), and meandered past where I think the cottage tea rooms must be, then the golf club. Not quite as scarily hilly as I'd thought (or half-remembered). Had a thought to see if I could find my way through Curraghbeg to Wood Road, but didn't find the turnoff, and ended up down at Srelane. On the spur of the moment, decanted myself on Brian, who was good enough to find his teapot unsupervised by the missus, and ply me with hot beverages. Off home, and halfway down MFR... bang! Massive blowout of my back tyre. Had a spare with me, but decided it was close enough to just walk home. Not sure what's caused it... looks like a rip or wear line right by the bead. Odd. Big enough that there was actually a decent-sized piece missing from the innertube (as well as a big ray-type hole beyond).
About 41k on wheels, averaging I think it was 18.7kph to that point, followed by a 4k trudge.