Stream of Consciousness: Biking Across Ireland Edition

As many of you know, I'm currently spending a week bike riding around the West of Ireland: Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle, County Clare and the Cliffs of Moher, and finally Galway, a total of 428 km over 6 days.

My camera broke the first day, but it looks like this:

I've ditched all semblance of personal hygiene, carrying 3 outfits with me (one of which got stolen last night, unfortunately), toothbrush, and contact solution. Nope, deodorant and a hairbrush didn't make it. However, I am wearing a really sexy combination of 90s red windpants I got in a thrift store, a tshirt with an Irish sweater, a pink rainjacket, a highlighter yellow bike vest that says "Be safe, Be seen" on it, and of course my trusty helmet. This serves two purposes:
1) Keeping me safe (You're welcome, Mom).
2) Keeping all members of the male sex a good 5 kilometers away (You're welcome, Dad).

I've been riding for two, and here's what I've been thinking along the way (in no particular order):

Holy shit, am I really doing this? Around 75 km a day?
yep, you're actually doing this. Feel those calves yet?
Ooh. Hill. Maybe even Mountain.
Why did I think this was a good idea? What was I thinking? %"£$$^%$
I can do this. I can do this. Positive self-talk.
Downhill! I'm basically Lance Armstrong!
So this is the meaning of "saddlesore."

Rain. rain. rain. rain. rain. (this was all of Sunday. Didn't see the sun once.)
Note to self: Beer and early morning biking don't mix.
Ok, officially no part of my body is dry. Thanks a lot, rain coat.
I think I left my legs in Killarney.
What are the symptoms of trench foot again?
OMG OMG OMG OMG SHEEP! GOATS! COWS! LAMBS!!!! THIS TRIP WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT!! CALVES! HORSES! AHHHHHH!
Stuck behind a tractor. Welcome to County Kerry.
I need to remember to shut my mouth while biking. Neither insects nor mud taste very good.
Hot shower +bed = amaaaaazing.

I wonder if my ancestors lived here. Shoutout to any Brosnihans in the area!
Begin quoting songs to and from myself and parts of my body, such as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody (from my legs to myself): "If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on..." and then from myself to my legs Ben King's Stand By Me "So darlin', darlin', stand by me, ohhh stand, by me."
Waterfalls waterfalls waterfalls.
Oh. Another sheep. meh.
Raspberries on the side of the road! Woo-hoo food foraging!
Man, I think all of Germany and part of Austria invaded western Ireland for vacation.
2 tire blow-outs in the middle of nowhere. Shit. Don't know how to change tires. No phone reception.
GOD BLESS AUSTRIANS. They somehow appear every time my bike breaks down and randomly fix it.
Is this liquid running down my body rain or sweat? Is that smell me or the cows?


I'm in a little town called Killorglin right now, just had a pint of Guinness with a bunch of old Irish guys who asked why I was "ballyhooting" around Ireland. Gotta love it.

Cheers.
Claire