1) Highlights
- The Spirit of the event - everyone waving, offering help to other teams and giving encouragement
- Weather - it rained a bit and we didn't need sun cream, but compared to the forecast it seemed like we were very, very lucky!
- Shannon Ferry on day 2 - it bunched the teams up again so you got to see a lot of other cyclists and vans on the road which was great.
- Hollyhead Ferry - cooked breakfast and a chance to sit and read the Sunday paper (a rare treat when you have young kids!).
2) Favourite rides
- Jason (Day 1) - sun was out, and a long climb to the top of a pass with a team mate (Paul) on the road as well. Then through a tunnel and a cracking decent the other side.
- Paul (Day 2) - cycling along the coast, admiring the scenery and then coming head to head with a bull in the road!.
- Colin (Day 3) - slip-streaming with another cyclist towards the end of a hard ride when the legs were tiring
- Rich (Day 3) - challenge of a big hill with a broken derailer, then cycling along by a lake and under a bridge and knowing we were close to the finish!
3) Memorable teams
- Chrome domes - coming down a hill at 40 mph on their butchers bike dressed like leprechauns
- Team with capes on - shouting encouragement at everyone through their megaphone
- Tilshead Tortoises - who gave a couple of us a tow when we were tired (Jason owes Dave a beer still).
- Rear View - Rich had hoped to win this year!
- Everyone! - for smiling and waving at the video camera as we came past.
Some people asked for copies of the video and we'll try and edit some clips together and make it available
4) Best kit
- Gore top with sleeves that unzipped
- Borrowed bike!
- Gilet top which kept the wind off, but didn't get too hot
- Places to park outside all the houses!!
5) Biggest surprise
- Surprised how hard it was
- Surprised how many fields, lakes, mountains and how few houses
- Surprised how many dogs chased us out of their driveway
- Surprised how long the stretch battery lasts on a laptop when you're ready for bed!
6) Final thanks!!
- Hotel staff - for tolerating so many sweaty cyclists and the Hotel in Killarney in particular for a great cooked breakfast
- Abacus - for a good hire van and finding us a quick replacement on Day 0!
- Paul - our captain, for making the bike rack and organising the van hire and us
- The Team who organised lunch on the side of the road on day 2 - massive thanks, you have no idea how much we needed it at the time!!
- Marshalls and organisers - for all the work putting up the arrows and organisation that ran like clockwork.
- Finally, to all our sponsors - who gave so generously and helped us raise so much money for some very worthy causes.
