dying light 200

Would echo the comments above, and can't really commend Andreas and Sharon (plus friends and family) highly enough for opening up their home to us yesterday and treating us to the best hospitality i've enjoyed all year on the cycling circuit..I couldnt get enough of that Pumpkin soup..and as it later transpired I definitely overdid it on the beer and spirits as i had very fuzzy memory of getting home around 11pm!!

As for the cycle once we we made the turn at Athboy i felt that a nice steady, but brisk, pace took hold amonst the group I was in..and the weariness and empty legs beginning to take hold as we rolled through Kells earlier lifted and I got a second wind...saying that the toughest part of the day for me was the suffering drag up past Culmullin Church from the turn off the R147 Trim - Batterstown road (i wasnt exepcting it!), that just went on and on into a relentless headwind...on the flip side the turn at the top gave sweet relief for the next few kilometres as we swept through a nice series of descending S bends on good wide road till we hit the bottom of Ashtown Hill..from thereonin we had a slight tailwind and it was just a case of maintaining focus and concentration and keeping it between the ditches after that. one scary moment was coming aroudn a bend in road with a wide carpet of matted fallen leaves lying on the centre of the road and then encountering a stationary fire truck on same blind bend on our side of the road..cue feathering on brakes and shouts of warning to the group behind and tahnkfully we all safely navigated our way through...real heart in mouth stuff..but exhilarating all the same!

All in all, briiliant day (and evening)..some good banter, slightly lucky with the weather..reengaged my love of all things biking that had been slipping of late for varying reasons.