Today we circuited the 200 km. Ring of Derry, in the Iverage Peninsula, the largest of the four peninsulas jutting out into the Atlantic on the southwest coast of Ireland. An English artist who lives on part of this coast says she returns home to Portsmouth for two months in the winter, that the storms are so bad that the rain bites into you horizontally, that you can't walk or cycle without being blown over. So this is why the coast is called The Wild Atlantic West.
We stopped at a cafe en route for some Irish coffee just as this cylist was talking into her iPad, to record, I suppose the beginning of her Ring of Derry trip. I asked her where she was headed. She said, "I'm cycling 100 km. and camping out tonight." I said, "You've got quite a load." And she said, "Probably too much."
But she was eager and all full of vim and vigour. We watched her leave, helmut and pack askew and the load way too heavy. Paniers would have helped. But even so, the route is hilly with twists and turns. We passed her about 20 minutes later stopped by the side of the road trying to adjust her back pack. I wonder how far she got before turning back.
Most cyclists we passed had no gear.
A view to the sea over pastures with sheep.
We met artist Nicole Tilley today in an art centre en route. She is multi-faceted -- does etchings, paper cuttings and theatrical shadow installations. Nicole received a Masters in Fine Art from The National College of Art and Design in 2011 and I discovered later that has since won many awards. You can see some of her work below.
An installation at the art centre
A giants table that looks inviting but is way too big to settle into.
Ruins along the way.
The Skellig Chocolate factory in the middle of nowhere.
Waves crashing onto the craggy shoreline looking down from high above.
A cliff inthe background.
Cars are wheel to wheel with no room to spare. We were enroute today foe nine hours and bed feels so good.
Good night. Sleep well.
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