and finally....
sorry folks - been somewhat busy since i got back.
ANYhow,
arrived in Cork city early afternoon and met Richie at Fergus Cawleys (good shop - all work space / feck all showroom - my kind of Bikeshop
).
then met Jimmy - Grumpy one, who shared hs feelings on Guzzis (short, blunt and not sweet - tempted as i was, i didn't run over his foot as we left.
).
So after a little detour we headed into Da Wesht.
though i've often been in West Cork and thought i knew it well enough,
.. Allihies and the roads and scenery up to it...... just WOW!
as we left Castletownbear the road ahead looked... 'technical'
.
it was and it was one i got to know well over the weekend. you know when you get a rhythm going and the bends just keep on coming and you reach the other end with a daft grin?
i seemed to be doing that a lot over the weekend - but to have that road as the 'Drive Up To Your House'... Richie, you are blessed / i am jealous!
got deposited to Veronicas B+B. nice welcome and an excellent shower which i was truly glad of - being damp and cold. that shower got a lot of use over the weekend!
settled, sorted and fed (Big Thank You to Nadette, the boys and Richie for the welcome
)- now where's the pub?
over beer and bollix much was sorted for the next day.
o.k -
Richie sorted much - me? - not renowned for my navigation skills - i left him to it.
Saturday a.m. wot gobdaw thought a 9.a.m. start was a good idea?
oh yeah - that'd be me.
.
so we headed for the Schoolhouse.
as with all the arrangements - Richie did us proud and looked after all the details, Fair Play
- made my life SO much easier (i just had to focus on abusing - i mean assessing riding
).
i've rarely had such laid back (sofa all to myself) classroom facilities!
this is always the most revealing part of a session - getting a 'finger on the pulse' of what the guys wanted / expected etc.
well - it would have been
- but these guys were so easy going i knew i'd learn little til i got them on their Bikes.
theory went well, but as always "After all is said and done - more is said than done" so...
onto the aptly named Slurry pit slalom.
now i have never done 'car park' work in a farmyard before. between the aroma and the inbuilt hazards (hay, organic deposits and rough terrain) the lads soon showed a good level of low speed control
.
Richie was my stooge -
he did demos while i waffled / talked technical (i'll lets the group decide which!). this helped enormously, freeing me to make better use of the time.
oh, did i mention it was raining just a little? yeah - just a little.
Now, on to the road section.
challenging conditions..... (this comment laden with sarcasm and understatement).
ahem.
Richie was taking half the group for a warm up ride and sightseeing - if you could see anything more than a few metres in front of you that is.
i took the other half off and away through the twisties.
as already said - it was truly a matter of finding the tarmac under the water and between the debris washed onto the road.
Sheesh!
someone said hardcore?
Oh Yes. i can honestly say i have in 18 years of doing this lark that i have never come across a bunch of more determined all-weather-riders.
ye feckers - ya worked me hard!
half time / change sides.
Richie met us in...ah...er... town.
we swopped groups, we carried on .... it was still raining somewhat.
more twisties, more over the hills and far away. though we didn't do Healy Pass this day - there'd have been a danger of me and the Guzzi taking off and paragliding into the atlantic. conditions were "harsh" (a euphemism for F*rkin Hell!
).
ANYhoo...
thats all for the 'Ride report' (a.k.a. as Noahs diary) for now, coz it was back to the B+B / shower / a lie down in the dark for the gibbering Trainer and then food and pub.
two bee continued.
Sunday morning and the sun is shining at last 
.......had no bike.....otherwise......
...ask Ritchie].
and i'd have to return to the Real World©.
