La Flamme Rouge **off topic discussion**

silverharp

the mission I was given by my cycling buddy is come up with a Dublin to Poulaphouca route not going by the Sally Gap, Im familiar enough with Valleymount back to dublin but not cycled out to Blessington before, Ive only ever approached it from Glendalough or Sallygap. Any tweaks? or good enough?

Seth Brundle

It would depend on why they want to avoid Sally Gap - are they against hills? If so, follwing the N81 is possibly the flattest but you've the traffic for most of it.

Depending on how they want to leave the city, they could also head out towards Lucan or Saggart and make their way over the Saggart & Kilteel hills there. The route you have crosses Ballinascorney which is a good climb.

If you are just wanting an alternative to Sally gap, you could travel up Military Rd and take a right turn at Featherbeds and go past Bohernabreena...

Enduro

If not avoiding hills, but looking for them then you can turn left at stone cross near the top of Bohernabreena and continue climbing, then descend past Kilbride firing range. For a bit less climb than that, but still more off-piste, take the next left turn at the bottom of the descent from Bohernabreena. Both those lead you onto the road from Manor Kilbride to the Sally Gap.

Also, possibly the most spectacular way to approach the Poulaphouca is to take the really quite road around the back of Sorrel Hil (left turn after going down and up past Ballysmutten bridge). A long steady climb is rewarded with a blast of a descent with epic views out over the lake (presuming the weather plays ball).

silverharp

fitness restrictions ~100km with moderate climbs is about where we are at, aim to peak around july, I posted in the Ballysmuttan Bridge for future reference, not taken that turn before, cheers

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/John_Lauder/status/1529401793142304768

-=-=-=-

Haven't been out that way in a while but many here ride out around the Naul. Miracle this didn't end up worse.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/trainer-still-in-shock-as-17-horses-gallop-on-road-after-breaking-loose-from-field-41689986.html

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119117512#Comment_119117512

People won't be happy to see them gallop 2 abreast. Fair play to them for knowing the right side of the road though.

magicbastarder

i once found a horse loose on the road very near ballyboughal. thankfully a very friendly and chilled horse; called into a nearby house and the teenage daughter of the owner happily headed off to get it to safety.

devonp

on my commute home y'day some gardai at checkpoints/stops in the PP..?? not stopped and lots of tents to the left of the Kyber as i ascended ...?? whats that about ??

CramCycle

Day 3 of my food poisoning diet, quite under hydrated, but that is the quickest I have shed 4kg (conservatively) in my life. The mere sensation of liquid crossing my lips for hydration has me doing parkour through the house to get to the bathroom in time. Mild ketoacidosis due to the diabetes, and solidifiers, for want of a better word, have nothing to solidify so just make me feel worse.

Weepsie

Chased off someone trying to steal a bike earlier. Now the owner has shown up and can't get lock off as it's twisted.

Anyone in city with bolt cutters

CramCycle

Ask the Gardai?

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119119275#Comment_119119275

They told him to get a locksmith the lock is mangled so won't open

Weepsie

Gardai said ring fire brigade , fire brigade said they can't do it without the gardai being there. Great little country

magicbastarder

is it within range of a plug? an angle grinder would sort it quickly.

Weepsie

They came in the end

Where's a scrote with a stolen Lidl grinder when you need one eh?

sy_flembeck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119119309#Comment_119119309

DFB are protecting themselves. It's been that way as long as I can remember. If Gardai not there they may be guilty of abetting a theft.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119119768#Comment_119119768

I know, but it shouldn't be a case of the gardai telling him to ring the fire brigade as they won't come out until theirs a garda there. Like they're understaffed and bigger fish, but it's a 10 min job.

Obviously better police presence and deterence for the scrotes who do it in the first place is the answer.

I work in the city centre, and while parts of it are vaguely normal and full of life again, lots of it is just a cesspit now and it's not getting any better any soon. It's not a very welcoming city

magicbastarder

i don't have an issue with the DFB not coming out, they're a rescue service. if they are to attend a non-emergency like that, they usually charge, don't they?

should just be a case of arranging a way to get the lock open and the gardai sending a garda on his or her beat along for the few seconds it takes to get the lock open.

cletus

Why is a garda required at all?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119120747#Comment_119120747

To prove you are not stealing it.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119120862#Comment_119120862

How does that work? Do you just tell the Garda it's your bike? If you have actual proof it's yours, surely just burst on and cut the lock off, if a Garda happens along and stops you, show the proof then

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119120894#Comment_119120894

Letting them know before is a sign of good faith and I assume they will believe anyone who doesn't look like a complete scobe

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119120352#Comment_119120352

Oh yeah and the guy was entirely embarrassed by it all.

I'm slightly impressed the scrotew maneged to destroy the lock in such a way that the only way it could be unlocked was cutting it

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119121040#Comment_119121040

twisted using the bike as leverage?

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119121653#Comment_119121653

Yup

magicbastarder

it was probably posted here, but there was a tweet which went slightly viral recently along the lines of 'tell us your partner is a cyclist without telling us your partner is a cyclist', and one of the responses was 'he always knows which way the wind is blowing and when rain is due to arrive'.

anyway, on that note - i see met.ie has been updated, and has a minor but welcome tweak; a percentage calculation of likelihood of rain.

crosstownk

I noticed that Met Éireann update yesterday. It's definitely an improvement - not that there was much wrong with the previous version.

tomasrojo

I have a double fascination with when it's going to rain: the cycling, as already mentioned, but also I do the laundry in our house, and rely on the rotary clothes line in the garden.