What a Ride!

On Saturday our group assembled in the lobby of our hotel to get ready to go to Celtic Rider where we were going to rent our motorcycles and gear.  We were going to be shuttled there by our hosts, Ireland I chapter of the Blue Knights.  After our "transporter" got there we had to wait a while for the other person to bring another car around since not everyone would fit in the first vehicle.  Not a joke,but this is what we rode down in to get our bikes.

After we rode the bikes back to the hotel we went to dinner at a very unique restaurant called The Church.  Why is it called that?  Well, believe it or not it is a bar and restaurant in an old church - it stills has the organ pipes in the walls.  Dinner was very good and the group was even better.  We had people from Calif.., Virginia and Utah with us.

The following day we took off for the ride to Kilkenny where the "official" tour would start.  We have over 170 participants that come from the US, England, Belgium, Norway, France, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Wales, and of course Ireland.  We first met in the courtyard of the Kilkenny Castle where we were "officially" sent off by the Lord High Mayor and a couple of newspaper.  It was kind of funny seeing all these modern motorcycles gathering in front of  an  11th century castle. 

We took of in groups and would meet up at different spots to sight-see or eat and then take off again.  One of the spots we stopped at was the Rock of Cashel - a medieval church where they are doing massive restoration of the building.

Many of the roads we were on were barely large enough to fit two cars so you can imagine our horror when this is what we encountered on one of those roads - 

Tonight we are in the town of Kinsale after a very rainy ride.  Water soaked through the suits and the temps were rather low so it was good to get to the hotel for a dry off and warm food.  Tomorrow we are off to Blarney Castle (yes, I already kissed the Blarney stone 15 years ago) and ending in Rosscarberry on the southern coast.  Forecast calls for more rain (blah).