Final Day. Day 9 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020 Mullingar to Swords

Final Day. Day 9 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020

Mullingar to Swords

Good morning everyone.

Before we begin ! Would the people who painted Joe Dolans statue Orange and stuck an Orange bike under his arm last night. Kindly go and remove it.

Hope you all enjoyed your homestay last night. Sometimes we can forget that this cycle is not all about us. Its not just about the cycle. Its about awareness and sharing( when we are able). Its great to meet new people. People who welcome us into their homes and feed us and look after us. We come as complete strangers and hopefully we leave with memories and leave memories behind. People we can share our lives with for a short time and they with us. Making friends and sharing the message that ITS OK NOT TO FEEL OK AND ITS ABSOLUTELY OK TO ASK FOR HELP. Maybe we did that.

Today is VIRTUALLY our last virtual cycling day. I hope it has been as good for you as it has for me. It was great to see, over the past week, the number of people who 'liked and shared' our experiences. Resurrected old photos from the archive of past cycles and friends. Sometimes you forget people we have been with momentarily and when I look at a picture and I see the subjects of the photo. But it was also nice to search the background of the picture and pick out a distant face that sparks a memory maybe of a person you knew but have forgotten. An there are so many of them. So it has been a good positive experience.

Today we have an easy day. Again its all flat or downhill. Lunch is in Enfield and onward to Swords Castle for the finish.

We are winding up the cycle tonight at 8pm with our quiz night. don't forget to register beforehand so we can include you in the ZOOM VIDEO CALL.

Its also not to late to donate €8 (at least) in aid of Cycle Against Suicide to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/virtual-cycle-against-suicide-2020?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Thanks for sharing.

WASH YOUR HANDS!

Day 8 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020 Roscommon to Mullingar

Day 8 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020Roscommon to Mullingar

Good morning guys! We are now on Day 8 of our cycle and we are heading for Athlone and Mullingar where we finish for the day.

But you know what? I think most of us are getting fed up with this VIRTUAL cycling stuff. We are dying to be on the real thing. Proper cycling it. Cycling the route for real. Want to be ACTUALLY, meeting up in the morning, as we return to the school we left last night, meeting up with our friends, finding out how our homestay went the night before and, just like kids in the playground in the morning, greeting each other like we have been away for ages. Lots of us have been saying this week how much we are missing the actual cycle this year. How much we have all been looking forward to it for so long. How much we are missing the friendship and camaraderie that comes naturally with every cycle. Being out on the REAL road, wind in the face, sun on the head, sometimes the hailstones and the bitter wind cutting your cheeks. What we wouldn't give for that now! Our buddies that we maybe only see once a year and can instantly gel with once again. The Ray's and the Christy's the Andrew's the John's and all the faces that just appear around the place in the ORANGE as if they never went away. That has nearly all been taken away from us due too this coronavirus. But we have seen on these platforms this week, photos from previous cycles, being posted and I know, for me, that has been that placebo needed. So thanks to everyone who posted and shared. Im sure it has been good for others too. Big hotels and guest houses are ok, in their own right. But the joy we get meeting our homestay hosts and spending time getting to know them and sometimes making friends for life, is a big lose. And indeed, sitting around a dinner table with our casual cycling friends and getting to know THEM better too is a bonus and a huge price to lose. September is our new date but I just wonder, sadly!

But HEY!! Enough of that! ITS OK NOT TO FEEL OK! And saying it out is a help!

But, we have places to go this morning! Namely! we are heading for Mullingar. Today this the JOE SHOW! ( a prize for those who post what that means, that's for cocooners! The young ones won't have a clue 😜)

We are on the homeward leg. Lunch stop is in Athlone before we make for Mullingar. I special treat in Mullingar for everyone!

Everyone has a homestay tonight. You'll all get a proper home cooked dinner, maybe a glass or two and for sure it will be the highlight of the week and maybe a friend for life.

So! On our bikes. We are outta here in five minutes and remember if you haven't already done so donate €8 to :

gofundme.com/f/virtual-cycle-against-suicide-2020

Day 7 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020

Day 7 Virtual Cycle Against Suicide 2020

Cavan to Roscommon

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE ON DAY 7 !

HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOIUR FEAST LAST NIGHT?

Whatever rain we are having came last night and even though its cold now, it will be a beautiful day today. The road to Roscommon is flat so you might have a bit of work to do today. We have a selection of ELECTRIC BIKES on our 40ft dedicated bike carrying wagon. Where, incidentally Christy Montague assures me that every bike has its own stall which is padded and secured. The ELECTRIC BIKES are for anyone struggling with the pace today. We know that always by Day 7 people start to flag and look for a second wind. Well, not to worry today.

Actually the Margaret Levingston who drives the courtesy 44 seater luxury bus was saying that she has had no one on her bus all week. Even the Joe Dixon and Micheline Murphy are not availing of the bus. Im told they are editing photos on the move on their bikes> Now that's impressive! GIVE IT UP FOR JOE AND MICHELINE!!

This morning we are leaving here and heading for Granard were we will have our excellent lunch stop. after lunch we will have the usual cyclist briefing. Now there have been complaints that a lot of the cyclists are sloping off and lying in the sun at these times. That has to stop. Yesterday when Titch was giving his 'little chat' there was NO ONE THERE! And he was cryin' ! Not a pretty site! So please give your attention. These 'little chats' are for nobodies benefit. Just makes Titch feel good. ITS OK NOT TO FEEL OK TITCH!

After Granard we take the beautiful scenic route to Roscommon Town. I don't think we have ever stayed there before. Only passed through it in 2016 I think. So that is something to look forward to.

Because there is no hotel in Roscommon that passed the scrutiny of our dedicated and particular Front of House manager Darrell Hayden it was decided that we would bus everyone to The Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone. If anyone would like a local hostelry in Roscommon please see our accommodation manager Andy Mc Girl.

So if we are all ready to go. I hope you made your bed before you left?

If you haven't already done so don't forget your €8 donation for the week (and you must admit it has been great value so far) €8 for 8 days full board ! Where would you get it? Donate to :

gofundme.com/f/virtual-cycle-against-suicide-2020