Ireland the North 2. Day 3 Clifden

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Ireland the North 2. Day3
What can I say? Phew!
The departure from Galway was in a little sun but quickly went into overcast skies and then drizzle. Rain jackets on and then capes (only the professional riders may I add). However, the professionalism went out of the window after lunch. The lunch was had at the ??? Cafe in pouring rain which only diminished slightly as we set off again. The beans on toast brigade were a bit disappointed as the beans could have been counted on two hands. We set off with me in front of 7 other riders taking the correct road only to miss the next junction due to my cape covering my Garmin. We went in for 15km before I realised that we were not going to join up with my original route. The rain was that hard I could not get my maps to work on my phone so I asked a lady in a car the directions to Clifden. She was in shock as she told us we had to head back east 15km over the bridges to the junction that we should have taken. On a good day the diversion would have been wonderful as it was over narrow bridges amongst the estuaries with seaweed clad rocks and wonderful views. The rain kept pounding down and half of the group decided to take the major road to Clifden whilst we took the planned route, which took us up hills and over wild and windy open moorland. As we wound around the coast and were flagging we were delighted to find a roadside coffe and cake stall - manna from heaven. The lady said it was about 30km to Clifden, if we didn’t follow the coast around Roundstones, which we were happy about. About 10km on we saw a sign -15km to Clifden - wonderful. We went for 10km and another sign - 15km Clifden. What? About another 20k and Clifden arrived, and not too soon, but 15km after my legs were giving up and turning more slowly. After booking into the Station House Hotel I had a bath for the first time in years to soak my weary joints. I cadged some old newspapers from reception and my shoes are now receiving the water removal treatment by capillary action.
To made my ego worse was that Ken informed me that his Information Booklet has now suffered terminal water damage and what was pure fiction has now turned into pulp fiction. Sauce!
Dinner was a prawn starter and Rack of Lamb for me, which was very succulent and tasty to replace my lost calories of a very hard day. Ireland was at its worst today and my reputation as a tour leader is now at a very low ebb and has only marginally improved by offers of Guinness and coffee with muffins. We hope for better things tomorrow.

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Photos

Snoozles Hostel
Galway