A good lights sleep at the Kilmore hotel, and a hearty breakfast and we were on our way . . . to Leitrim, our home or tonight. The folks in Cavan are VERY serious about littering issues . . . a $4,659 USD fine for littering!!!

. . . out on the outside of town today were these two handsome fellows, ready to pose!!!

The first little town we road through was Fenagh . . .

. . . where, I’m telling you things were tidy . . . everything in it’s place!!!

Another fun thatched roof house. They always look like the thatch has just had a haircut. Not a strand out of order. Very … tidy!!!

We’ve seen lots of homes covered with ivy, usually the whole house except for the windows . . . this house has a few years to go until it is covered. Looks like a painting now!!!

The Irish pound was the currency before the introduction of the euro in the year 2002. A pence was about equal to a US penny. So . . . I guess this old pump stopping pumping petro, sometime before 2002 for about 27.2 pence/liter. With about four liters to a gallon that would be about $1.08 USD/gallon. Today, with the euro being about $1.16, a liter of gas is about $1.79USD. Multiply that by 4 liters, and the approximate cost per gallon, today in Ireland, is about $7.00USD. My . . . how times have changed!!!

Today we are biking through lake country and the vegetation reminded me a lot of SW Wisconsin. Scattered tree lots, ag fields  . . .

. . . and cows. When you ride by these critters they don’t get too excited . . . until you stop. As I pulled out my phone for a photo the guy on the right just started to get up . . .

. . . that got the rest of them up, all within about 20 seconds. They all just stand there and stare at you while you talk too them. FUNNY!!!

mmmmmmmm . . . No More Sitka Spruce Forestry . . . afforestation being done according to EU standards is changing the landscape in this area of Ireland and many locals don’t like it!!! Read about it here . . . ‘Leitrim a national sacrifice zone for Sitka Spruce’ – Harkin

. . . a typical clearcut . . .

. . . not a pretty site for a couple of years or until the site is replanted or returned to agricultural use.

. . . another nice setting. The Irish are big users of  stone in home construction.

We rode around many lakes today . . . one thing I noticed is there seems to be no shoreline development!!!

Just outside of Leitrim was this house which now serves a visitor center . . . but closed today.

The Leitrim area is know for its canals and locks. Until recently many of the canals had become plugged and overgrown after the actually barge traffic industry collapsed.

Today, many have been dredged and the tow paths along the side mowed and maintained for cycling or walking. This area is big for renting boats and cruising through the lock system . . .

As I rode over a bridge, I looked down and saw these two women piloting their craft through this lock. The lock keeper, is in the upper right by the control box, was just opening the lower gates  . . .

. . . for the women to lock through. After he had opened the locks, he walk to a canal level pier on the other side of the bridge and waited for the boat to pass under the bridge. I think he was going to collect a lock fee.

Leitrim is built right on the canal and there were lots of boats coming and going . . . being Friday many probably were weekenders out for a ‘three day cruise’.

. . .we could see a lot of the action from the deck on the back of our hotel, The Leitrim Marina Hotel . . .

. . . but I did take a little time out for a nice lunchy . . . a cod BAP and vegetable soup!!