Rain Jacket Sky Blue

Today's outfit: GORETEX style... once again... from head to toe... We planned to drive the Slea Head Drive today, a path about 50 km along the coast to the end of the Dingle Peninsula and back to Dingle. At first, it's just light rain coming from the fog, but it increases, and soon everything is dripping down us. We simply continue down the road stubbornly. To make matters worse, there's construction with a lead vehicle guiding us over torn-up roads. Definitely not fun. The coastal road would surely be very beautiful, but there's no chance to see anything. Water from mountain streams is also flowing over the road. We take a tea break at Stonehouse Dun Beag. No one says a word; we sip our tea and stare at the stone walls. Next to us sits a German family, doing the same. They are hiking the Dingle Way and came in soaking wet. After half an hour of mutual sympathy, it suddenly gets brighter outside. That was the sign of signs, departure. It's still raining, but the clouds aren't hanging so low anymore. To the west, we can actually see blue sky. But immediately, we floor it to the west. Dunmore Head is the westernmost point of the island. As if by magic, the sky is suddenly blue, the sun is shining, and it's like a paint bucket has been spilled over the landscape. It's simply a dream; we can hardly believe it. Just this morning, deep black Gore-Tex confusion, and by noon, short-sleeved rainbow bliss. We unpack our fresh walnut soda bread, paired with Irish cheddar, listen to the sound of the waves, and feel grateful for how colorfully our day has been rescued. The road runs along the cliffs, a sort of high plateau. This is exactly how one imagines Ireland. It's a rugged area, no trees, a constant wind blowing from the sea. There are only meadows with heather and wind-resistant plants. By the way, we need to be resistant as well; there's a strong crosswind blowing. But it's very fascinating when you think about where you are. Heading west, in 5000 kilometers, New York is eventually out there; the landscape is barren and lonely, and everything is reduced to the minimum. It feels very liberating, everything unnecessary has been blown away, and all that is superfluous disappears on its own. Such thoughts are refreshing, and we try to pack that feeling into our bike bags and our heads like a holiday souvenir. In the late afternoon, we're back in Dingle. Of course, the sky has closed over again. We quickly check in at the B&B. The town has beautiful colorful houses and countless pubs. Our evening itinerary: Fish 'n Chips at the harbor, Dingle ice cream (with crazy flavors like Irish Brown Bread or Dingle Gin), and finishing it off with a cider at McCarthy's Pub, complete with Irish live music. The day started with rain, ends with rain, but in between, we had several hours full of nice weather moments. Now we hope that not just the beautiful images stay in our minds, but also the many treats in our bellies.

Route: Dingle - Slea Head Drive - Dingle

Kilometers: 48

Elevation: 542