I've only gone and bloody done it.
- martin dickson
- Jun 30, 2019
- 17 min read
Updated: Jul 1, 2019
It seems like forever since I first signed up for this challenge. I had a look at the just giving page and it started on 23rd July 2018. So not much shy of a year ago since I thought that this was the next big challenge to undertake and in doing so raise vital cash for an amazing charity and remember one of the biggest influences on me being the person I am. Yes in case you had not read any of the other posts yet the motivation for taking part in this was to remember my dad in a very positive way.
Need less to say there were a lot of moments along the way where I was taken back to times when he was around, when I got my first road bike, and the drive I made on the 31st May 2009 and I passed the sign above on my way back to Ireland to spend the last few moments with him. That hit me like a tonne of bricks as I got to that point I took the shot then I thought that it was just a few days over the ten years since I drove through the night to get back home on the ferry. He was looking down on me that day as there was nothing that slowed be down or got in my way. I had one of the easiest drives that night. I still go back to that time and ask myself if I would have done anything different the few days before. However the one thing you have to learn and I have is that you make your decision and you stick by it there is no point in second guessing if things might have been different. Fate is a strange thing and I believe that you will end up at your destination on way or another.
And I did end up at my destination this time with a brief stop for a couple of photo's to capture the beautiful countryside that is now near to my family home.
I was lucky to have a day at home before I needed to get up to Belfast to the Marie Curie Hospice to meet the rest of the group.
There are some very concerned looking faces there wondering what have they let themselves in for. The next stop would be the pub just down the road from Malin Head.
It was just a wee bit damp when we arrived there.
Yes that is a slightly concerned face wondering at what point are my legs going to need that well known catch phrase of the amazing Jens Voight 'Shut up Legs!'
I was not sure how this ride was going to go. I was nervous as to my own ability and to those in the group. I had doubts as to the stamina I would need to pull off seven days of continued cycling and if I would be a complete mess at the end of day 2. Day one and two should be fine but as the miles crept up to day four when we would cover excess of 80 miles I was concerned if I would make it that far.
The other thing I knew at the back of my head was that I struggle to pace myself. So I kept that thought firmly at the forefront of my mind as we left Malin head and made our way down the single track road. It was a bit sketchy as there was a lot of loose gravel due to it having been recently resurfaced. So I took it extremely steady not wanting to come off at the first real part of the ride.
Having got out on to the normal tarmac I started to slowly build up a wee bit of speed and upon looking over my shoulder saw there was no one around. Right your big eejit dial it back a bit its not Etape Loch Ness and your not riding with David. So I slowed down to a sensible pace and awaited some of the others to catch me up. once we had formed a little mini peloton we set off at a steady pace and started to navigate our way to Buncrana.
I was thinking as I saw the road start to climb that I needed to just ride at my own pace and not try and keep up with anyone so I selected a gear I would be comfortable with and just sat pedaling and did not think much about what anyone else was doing juts rode my own rate and once I crested the hill looked over my shoulder and to my surprise I was on my own. So it was at this point I thought I may as well just solo it in to the hotel and then get checked in and rested up before dinner. before I knew it I had arrived at the first hotel. and I was quite surprised to have been on of the first ones there.
So I awoke in a strange bed in a part of Ireland I had never managed to visit wondering what was in store for today. We had been told by Kevin that today would be one of the toughest of the week. so there a slight amount of nervousness through out the group. Yesterday had been a short warm up for today's slightly rougher day with a fair few feet of climbing before we arrived in Bundoran. The planned route would have 4509 ft of climbing.
I had a cunning plan, I would position myself close to the ride leaders Kevin and Donnie and then just see how the day pans out. I half expected them to set a very steady pace and not go too daft and that way I would not burn to many matches too quickly. So off the group went and I found myself sat on the wheels of two very strong riders wondering if I would maintain their steady pace.
As we approached a rather busy and difficult junction Donnie pealed off and manned the junction to ensure that everyone of the other 47 riders managed to navigate it safely. so I took up Donnie's position beside Kevin and continued to pedal along and have a chat. we were just flowing so easily I did not pay any attention to the speed I just adjusted the effort with a wee surge when the gradient crept up and then continued. it was a while later when we got to another junction and Kevin said he would stop and get everyone across and I could carry on if I wanted to the first stop.
So off I went on my tod enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery I had seen in a very long time. the roads were undulating and one minute I was going up the next flying down and then up and down and then I came to the end of a road at a junction with a main road the N15 and there were no nice little Yellow signs with a black arrow. it was at this point I realised I had gone past a turn and would have to ride all the way back up that last climb.
As I got close to where I should have turned I saw one of the other riders turn just in front of me and it was then that I say the sign on my right which should have been on my left. I took the correct route and when I arrived at the stop I was greeted by a slight amount of stick from Donnie who had arrived to see no one was there and instantly had tried to ring me and text me to check I was OK. I was fine just adding an extra 300 ft of climbing and pushing day 2 over the 80 mile mark. the rest of the day went very much to plan after we stopped in Castlederg for lunch there was only a small wee climb which took us up Scraghey Mountain which is roughly around 680 ft above sea level.
We were then treated to a beautiful ride along Boa Island which in the sunshine was absolutely breath taking.
And from there we just had a 15 mile blast until we hit the hotel and rest and a cold pint of Guinness would be waiting once everything got sorted.
Day three, this morning came around a lot faster than I was expecting. It was a beautiful morning which is not surprising considering how nice the evening before had been. The route today was 73 miles long with 3553 ft of climbing which was not supposed to be too bad a day. We set off in absolutely perfect conditions along the sea front and enjoyed the early morning sites of Bondoran.
Kevin had given his usual pre-ride briefing and it was mentioned that we would be on the N17 for a short while which instantly fired me back to my youth and those great tunes by the brilliant Saw Doctors and the super nights watching them play in Manchester with my uni friends. I had that song in my heard and all I could hear was the immortal words 'and I wish I was that N17, Stone walls and the grass is green.' I knew that this was going to be in my head for the rest of the journey that day on and off.
So we started to make our way through more amazing countryside until we came to the first stop of the day. The view from there was simply stunning.
After some refreshments we all decided to set off for the next stop which was to be a rolling stop and then we would hit the road until we reached the lunch stop. The next stop was at the side of a petrol station which was serving Costa Express so I decided to have one of those and in drinking it missed the first few riders setting off. I mentioned to Donnie did he think that I could give it some and catch them before lunch and he egged me on and said no problem so off I went on a 1 mile warm up with the other 10 miles being a little time trial into the lunch stop.
Too busy singing this song and remembering good times with great friends. The big stand out memory was the drive to the Mourne Mountains to go abseiling with some of my Physics class and a couple of teachers and everyone signing this in the middle of the Mourne Mountains when we saw all the stone walls and the grass was green.
It must have been around this point that I started my super domestique duties and picked up a couple of other riders who took the chance to draft me all the way to lunch. I had it in my head that if I gave a big push I could catch the other group just as we reached the hotel we were going to for lunch so I was on a mission. The other two merry men were up for that as long as my 'young legs' did all the work. We must have been getting close to what we believed the turn off to be when William chirped up from behind five miles to go, at which point I turned up the wick a little more knowing that lunch and a rest were not far away and the legs would get some rest.
It was then another 4 or 5 miles later when we were still on the N17 and there was no sign of anything. So we stopped and I started ringing numbers until I got through to the lovely and always helpful Sarah who said straight away are lost again. I hung my head in shame and admitted my mistake and then found out where we needed to be and we were another 10 miles away. so the 10 mile TT was about to become a 20 mile TT. so we turned the bikes and big Jeff shouts 'come on Marty you have younger legs'. and off we set with me on the domestique duties once again.
Had I know that was all it was going to take to receive probably one of the biggest welcomes into a room by anyone on the trip I might have done it before. The hotel had just finished serving everyone else and we were the last. so it was a quick lunch and then back on the road. the next stop was a rolling stop so I decided that I was going to stop briefly there and get on whilst the legs were warm and get to Knock. If I made it that far there was probably a few Hail Mary's to be said in way of thanks for the legs not giving up.
Upon arriving at Knock I had clocked up a few extra miles than the original plan of 73 miles. and whilst touching up this bigger blog entry I used the power of technology to review the day's riding and discovered something very interesting about each persons position on the road at the junction to Boallymote.
I am the wee dot at the back and we were traveling from top right to bottom left about to turn right were the others had already turned. I am just going to leave it there. Jeff Mc Henry and William Rutherford what are your thoughts gents?
And here is the actual mileage for the day.
Tuesday 11th June or in the terms of Malin head to Mizen head it was day 4. Knock to Ennis which on the official route plan was to be the longest day in the saddle of the event. At 84 miles it should have been the longest but given my extra curricular activities on the previous two days I had surpassed this distance and now this was the norm. I was determined however not to allow this day to become any longer than the 84 miles as per the plan. It was a slightly grey as we left the hotel in knock and I got thinking of another song by an equally great artist how I like and have listened to over the years. Christy Moore's song 'Knock' was ringing through my head and again I jumped back to those great days and night in Connahs Quay with the boys I used to share a house whilst studying for my Aeronautical Engineering HND.
And off we went in a reasonably good group for most of the way. In comparison to the previous couple of days today went very much to the plan and was quite uneventful. I stuck with a group of other riders and just road a steady ride. I had at the back of my head that still these old legs are going to start making a loud amount of noise and complaining and I may not be able to get them to shut up and carry on so a relatively steady day in the saddle was just what the doctor ordered.
The one change was when I was out with Keven and we hit the Burren and caught John 'The Rocket-man' Nesbitt which after his seriously impressive effects that afternoon got him the nickname he well deserved. Kevin and I had been riding along at a steady 20 mph and John sat with us for one of the stretches, never missed a beat. What a legend of a man in his 60's and still showing the younger riders how to do it.
The scenery in the Burren is one to be seen. it was fields of rock everywhere you looked.I have later found out that the fields are known as glaciated karst and I was in awe at what I saw and as I was riding I was wishing the boys were here to see this and thinking I have to try and get them over and go and look at this as it is spectacular.
After the run to the rolling stop with John and Kevin the stop had the most amazing setting just on the edge of a lake.
From here it was a ride down in to Ennis with the two amigos which was as pleasant as the ride here. Then it was time for the post ride Guinness and replenish the lost iron. will that was my excuse and I do not care what any one says I was sticking to it for the rest of the week.
Day 5 was the ride from Ennis to Killarny. We had the added complication that we needed to take a ferry and Kevin had set a target time of the 11:30 crossing which meant that both Vans and all 50 cyclists needed to be there ready for the crossing which was 25 miles into the days riding. The briefing that morning had highlighted this as the first milestone of the day and the second was to be just after lunch when we stopped in the lovely town of Listowel.
Thankfully we all made to the relevant stops and one of Donnie's girls actually beat us to the first stop for refreshments.
From here the next stop was the ferry.
Next stop Lunch in Listowel.
After having a hearty lunch we went straight in to the Ballgrennan climb which was only 0.62 miles but it topped out at 17% in places with an average of 8% for the duration. This was going to set the scene for the rest of the day and it would be a hard shift from lunchtime onwards. It was an absolute beast of a climb and once over that things just kept undulating all the way into Killarny. At one point Owen and myself were chasing this little Marie Curie jersey off in the distance but no matter what we did we were unable to reel them in. Our suspicion was that it was Ritchie who had been showing some real talent at different times when not riding with the family. if not him then the big frame of Neil on a gravel bike with road tyres who was like a mountain goat when things went upward.
We kept chasing and then before we knew it we were joined by Donnie and William who then helped push each other of the next few hills. once things reached the top and we started to descend the mystery yellow jersey person start to get reeled in which then it became obvious it was most likely Neil as his top speed on a downhill topped out way before the rest of us.
Once things leveled off a bit I took a turn at the front and gave it full gas and helped tow the other three until we caught Neil and then the five of us made a swift run into the hotel. and that concluded another day and we were getting ever closer to out final destination.
Bike friendly hotel
Thankfully it was Thursday the thirteenth and not Friday otherwise there may have been a few worried people amongst the group. This was a slightly shorter day from Killarny to Clonakilty.
Not surprising considering were were skirting the MacGillycuddy's Reeks which is home to the tallest peak in Ireland Carrauntoohil. Thankfully our route did not take us up near there but it was close enough for the day to be a case of going up and down much like a fiddlers elbow.
A little min-peloton formed up early on and we all kept together quite well and were enjoying the chat and have a bit of craic as went went when we met up with the most bubbly person on the trip Susan who had flown over from Canada and was doing her best to put in a reasonable time. Our group picked her up and supported her up a little bit of a climb and then she showed us how much of a dark horse she was by flying down the descent on the other side. once things leveled off and our pace was likely to pick up she wished us all well and gave us a few big cheers as we moved on at our pace towards the next stop.
After the pre-lunch break a few of us got together and formed up a nice wee group and got a bit of speed up and were motoring along very well and arrived to lunch in great time in brilliant spirits ready for our delicious chicken dinner. As the saying goes 'winner winner chicken dinner and that was how we all felt after we had enjoyed it.
From there it was just a final run of 28 miles in to Clonakilty which should have been reasonably easy going but was going to be a bit of an uphill battle for a good chunk of the time. The little groups of varying abilities started to form up and Kevin who is an absolute machine took off with the youngsters and fit much fitter than me to fly up and down the hills in a nice little chain gang and arrive at the final hotel of the week in record time.
For the rest of us slight more mortal human beings we put in a massive push and carried as much speed up each of the climbs that the legs would give knowing that when we finished today there was only 50ish miles left and the amazing journey was about to come to an end.
Then and yes you guessed it bikes were put away and it was the time for Iron replenishment in the form of a couple of nice cold pints of Guinness. Day 6 of 7 completed.
PS.
So as it was the penultimate night of the trip a couple of us had been looking to enjoy some traditional Irish music the entire trip but never got a chance. So a discussion had been had and a couple of scouts were sent out to find a suitable venue for a couple of creamy pints and some great music and a night of craic.
The two secret agents aka Pat and Gerry had done a brilliant job and found us a nice wee pub not far form the hotel which had a session on the go. The message was there are two fiddlers a bodhrán and a few others. We were to make our way to Shanley's and there we would find great music and have a great nights craic.
Not the best of picture but probably better than it would be in a few hours time if we tried to take it after the session.
When we got there we had a drink and Martin C had a brilliant idea to get a big shout out to Pat and Gerry who had been putting in a stellar performance all week and this was not their first event for Marie Curie these guys had ridden all over the world to raise money for this worthy cause. So he spoke to one of the guys playing an instrument and he agreed to sort it out. Sadly before it happened they gents left for the hotel but the shout went out and I am humbled to say that we walked out of there with 30 euro form three very generous ladies one of whom had ridden the route the other way around.
Day 7 Clonakilty to Mizen Head the final day and the end of an amazing trip.
Unfortunately the great weather we had been having all week to date seem to have left us and as we all filtered out with just our daysacks to the van it was raining and although you might have been mistaken that the spirits would be damped as much as our waterproof jackets there was no amount of rain which was going to dampen this group of 50 cyclist who were riding the final leg of an epic journey though the most beautiful landscape in Ireland.
So the last time that Kevin stood in front of us all in the morning to explain the day ahead.
After this it was time for one last quick group photo before we set off.
Next stop Mizen Head. Well not quite there was a couple of stops before that actually but you understand the sentiment.
Once on the road there was various things happening and lots of selfie's and video's etc being taken during and at the rest stops as well as a million at the end.
The two guys who helped me at times when I needed it and I hope they felt I helped them when they needed it.
Here we are on our way to the end of this journey.
The group managed to stick together very well for most of the day as the aim was to regroup at the 3 miles to go and then ride as one big group all the way to the head.
It was soon time to stop for lunch and the car-park of this lovely church offered us sanctuary from the road.
We then made our way to the 3 mile mark regrouped and started off to the finish.
There are a couple of videos on the Facebook page of the big yellow snake meandering up to the head.
Getting even closer.
We made it and boy did that feel good.
I have to say the emotions were very mixed when I crossed the line. I was very jealous of those people who had family there to meet them or had come as a family as one amazing family had done to honor their father. it was at that point that the reason for my motivation sunk in and I just took myself off and looked out over the Atlantic ocean remembering the great man how was may inspiration and still is as to how to be a gentleman, father brother and husband. I hope in the future I get to be the grandfather he was and I am half the man he was as then I know I have cracked this adult type thing and I will make him truly proud.
I think it was his competitive nature and the desire he had to be the best at everything he did that made me push myself as hard as I could through out the entire journey. I could have taken it easy and pedaled well within myself but I was doing this ride to make him proud and to make my two boys proud and how would they feel if they thought their father had taken an easy shift on any day. They know that if you want something you work hard and I was determined to work very hard over each and everyone of those 470 miles.
So I have finally finished compiling the trials and tribulations of the Malin to Mizen and I would like to thank you all for reading this and supporting me along the way in any way you have.
I have one final thing, If you have not already or even if you have and your feeling generous Stephen O'Neill you are exempt please got to the just giving page and chuck a few pennies in the pot.
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