M2m Day 3 the toughest day yet in our cycle with Kilmacud Crokes and Breast Cancer Ireland– as we got past the half-way stage.
Remembering 2016
This time we stayed in Lehinch and headed for Kiltimagh. 6 years ago we went from Ennistimon to Ballina. Much bigger group now, weather just as good – this was a shorter spin (but tomorrow we will make up for it as we have 180km to our next stop in Letterkenny).
What I did notice this time was the ease with which all the cyclists climbed out of Ennistimon. All the training has paid off – and the consistent encouragement of Donie and Linda!
Lehinch onto Kinvara.
Beautiful weather. Down Corkscrew Hill into Ballyvaughan. And from there pressed on to Kinvara
for an idylic stop and a well earned coffee.
M2M also about the hard yards
Yes – the company is great, the craic is mighty, some of the scenery is fantastic. But getting from one end of the country to the other also requires effort and focus on safety. The 2nd half of the morning – cycling from Kinvara up to ClareGalway had all of us working hard – hard months of practice paid off as ‘up and over’ was called again and again. Great gathering of all the cyclists in Claregalway – sharing stories from the road and encouraging each other And our support crew always there to help.
And the planning never stops – cyclists across different hotels (right bags in the right hotel), on the road stops, departure times, coordinating early breakfasts, meeting up with people as we travel through the country.
And then back in the saddle 
– tough afternoon on busy roads up to Knock and left for Kiltimagh. And I think plenty of us feeling the effort after 400km in the first three days.
Dinner in the Cill Aodain Court Hotel – Kiltimagh
Once again we all sat down to dinner. 
And Liam O’Carroll treated us to ‘The West’s Awake’. 
Congratulations to the manager and the staff on an excellent meal. This is one cyclist who polished everything off.
