We have kept our bikes in some crazy places on this trip but this defunkt, techo disco that has been closed may take the cake. Our bikes sat in here for two days while we were on our mini holiday (rest day). Hopefully they have not been haunted by the sprit of Johnny T!!! ‘Stay-in alive, Stay-in alive’

On the way out of town we passed this home that lost it’s second floor to fire. Looks like the firemen did a pretty good job protecting the adjoining structure’s, although the one on the left looks like it has been abandoned.

. . . speaking  of ‘a man’s home being his castle’, even if your castle has an entryway like this . . . someone still has to take out the recycling!!!

We have been riding by eight hedges the whole trip. Since we ride on the left side of the road, when you are rounding a curve with hedges right up next to the road, it is a surreal effect as the hedges go rush by less than two feet from your head . . . here is the type of tractor used, with a boom trimmer . .

. . . before the ‘haircut’ . . .

. . . after the ‘haircut’!!

Our major stop on todays ride was the city of Kell, know for it monastery and The Book of Kells. The city has four Irish High Crosses and here is one dating from the 1800’s . . .

. . . which is still in front of the old Town Hall, now serving as a visitor center.

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables. It was created in a Columban monastery in either Britain or Ireland. It is believed to have been created c. 800 AD

The original is housed at Trinity College in Dublin. it costs $15.00 to see it and tickets are hard to get. This copy kept in Kell was made in Switzerland taking 13 years to finish the copying process. And it is free to look at!!!

On the way out of town we saw this store . . . YES!!!!

. . . and outside of town was the Spire of Lloyd.

Constructed in the fashion of a lighthouse, the Lord and his family used it for viewing the countryside and hunting. Quite the ‘deer stand’!!!

This is the first thatched roof home I have seen on the trip . . . the real thing . . .

. . . the roof looked to be 12-14 inches thick.

Soon it was time for a snack and this little out of the way appeared out of now where. Uncharacteristic in Ireland. Not many gas stations or convenience stores in the rural areas (even in the small villages). A bunch of us pulled in for a break. Ends up Gretta lived in San Francisco and New York for eight years. Tom, who is from Brooklyn, knew exactly where she lived and they compared notes about local New York bars. Small world. She wished she was still in the US, easier to make a living!!! (that’s my cookie in the foreground).

. . . nice flowers along the way today . . . and it was sunny!!!

Want to by some mulch in Ireland, they sell it in these huge ‘shopping bags’. You would need a pickup and a lift to get it home. As we have ridden closer to Dublin the number of SUVs on the road has increased. Scary on the narrow roads . . . but pickup trucks are far and few between (and non are being driven by young men).

. . . some people have no taste. With all the beer choices in Ireland you think they would outlaw imported beer . . . just like we will not allow Irish butter to be sold in Wisconsin!!!

Yours truly in this ‘art shot’ using an intersection mirror near a farm road.

I came around a corner and there was a woman, her Samoyed type dog and this herd of cows. I asked her if the cows were supposed to be out and he said, “Of course not!!!”. The pooch couldn’t decide to bark at me or the cows. I said to the pup lets go round them up and switched my phone to video to record the whole scene. (unfortunately the movie did not record). The dog and I moved the herd down the road about a quarter mile where they all turned into this farm road. They were home now. I said goodbye to the pooch and traveled on towards Cavan. FUN!!!

Tonight we are staying at the Hotel Kilmore which is right on the outskirts of Cavan . . .

After cleaning up and getting the bikes put away it was time for a little happy hour, to learn about tomorrows ride from Tom and Tony and  . . .  EAT!!!