Riding in Ireland and Ancestral History - A Bucket List Trip

 I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland due to my ancestral connections.  The more I learned about my family history, the more I wanted to walk the path my ancestors had walked, see the things they had seen, experience the beauty of the Emerald Isle as they had done. So when the opportunity arose to do all those things and also incorporate one of my favorite activities, motorcycling, I jumped at the chance.

Lisa, of Dive N Ride Adventures, was planning an all women motorcycle tour of the Ireland coast, the Wild Atlantic Way. I think my spouse, Debbie, and I were the first to join this adventure.  We met with Lisa to talk about our hopes and expectations for the trip, length of stay and a dozen other details for a trip like this one.  Lisa made a point of asking if there was anything in particular that we were interested in seeing.  I don’t think she expected the answer to be the Crudden Orphanage.

In typical Lisa form, she didn’t bat an eye, simply asked more questions about the orphanage and its significance to me.  I shared with Lisa that while I knew my ancestors came from Counties Donegal and Fermanagh, the only real place I could associate them with was the Crudden Orphanage which I thought would be in the same area, but didn’t really know.  We had a brief discussion about if or how this place might be included in our tour.  Basically the plan was that if the orphanage could be located and I would separate from the group so I could visit the site.

Weeks went by and we had periodic Zoom calls with Lisa and other women who would be joining us on the tour.  Getting to know each other a bit and learning more about what the tour would be like, continually ramping up the excitement.  During one of these meetings, Lisa mentioned that Paul from Celtic Rider who was supplying our bikes for the trip had located the site of the orphanage in Bundoran, not far off the tour route.  It would be a short detour for us to leave the group and then rejoin them a little later!

Finally, the day came when we were actually in Ireland and at Celtic Rider picking up 9 Can Am motorcycles for our group.  I cannot say enough good things about Paul and his team.  Their hospitality felt more like welcoming friends than clients, serving us hot tea and coffee along with fresh scones while we watch the orientation video.  Once everyone was packed up, geared up, and ready to go, Paul and Lisa led our gaggle of Spyders on the first leg of our journey.

The scenery was breathtaking, green and lush, and we paid the traditional “green tax” of some light rain.  I was totally enamored with the sheep along the way, so cute and oblivious of us.  One day we ended up behind a herd of sheep along with their shepherd and dogs.  It was so fun to watch the dogs work the sheep and go after the stray here & there.  Each night after the ride, we would have dinner together, talk about what we had seen and done that day.  It didn’t take long before we became friends with a connection that will last for many years.  

We walked the grounds of Kilkenny Castle and wandered the gardens of Lismore. We stood at the stones in Drombeg and people watched in Dingle. We had a snack lunch on the beach, fresh open-face crab sandwiches near Baltimore Beacon, and hot chocolate at Slieve League cliffs.  We marveled at the Cliffs of Moher, Connor Pass, and the gardens of Lismore.  We learned the joy of an Irish breakfast with tea. We shivered while people swam at Fenmore Beach and strolled about Kylemore Abbey. Each day we rode, ate, laughed, shared our joys and and a few tears along the way.

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when the morning we were planning our little detour to see the orphanage, the entire group decided to join us.  Lisa led us through Bundoran past a small church to a group of old building surrounded by fencing stood. While we couldn’t identify which building was the original boys orphanage, we were able to walk the perimeter of the grounds and see the monument to the Casket Girls.  We walked through the cemetery looking for some familiar names but found none.  However I did find an alternative spelling, Crudean, on the plaque outside the workhouse.  It was a touching experience, to know that in 

another lifetime, people related to me built, worked at and may have lived here. The sadness and suffering of all those souls passing through the doorway will always remain in my heart.

This was near the end of our tour.  We only had another day or two on the road, where we continued to enjoy all that Ireland had to offer.  It was the trip of a lifetime for me for so many reasons.  Many thanks to Lisa (Dive and Ride) and Paul (Celtic Rider) for going above and beyond to locate the Crudden orphanage.  You made this trip extra special for me by putting in the effort to find an out of the way place for me.  Thanks to all the ladies who joined me on my little journey in history.  Most of all, to my wife, Debbie, for making it all happen for me.

Traveling to Kerrville, TX

We left Casa Grande on the 4th of July headed to Kerrville.  I think we saw at least 6 highway patrol along the way.  Our little party of 5 kept tooling along with no unexpected stops by the law.  However we did add a new item to our check list after one person left her cell phone in a restaurant bathroom and another though she left hers behind.

Overall, we had good weather although we had some rain it wasn't awful and we did see several lovely rainbows.  We stayed in Las Cruces, NM.  Unfortunately all the restaurants within walking distance were closed for the holiday, particularly the one Clara had planned for dinner.  After some discussion we decided to call a cab and go to a place named Farley's which was recommended by the desk clerk.  The food was good and the atmosphere was interesting, I particularly liked the chrome bumpers on the bar.  The green chili stew was quite taste.  

While we waited for our ride back to the hotel we watched fireworks in the distance. By the time we returned to the hotel we were all ready for bed.

Saturday morning found us headed to Barnett's Harley Davidson where we found a few good deals on t-shirts but none of the take off parts we had hoped to find.  This shop had by far, the largest selection of bikes I have seen.  If you couldn't find the Harley you are looking for here, it probably can't be found.  Having had our fill of HD eye candy, we bid farewell to Barnett's and continued our journey to Fort Stockton.  No major events for the remainder of the day.

We checked into our hotel for the night and made plans to meet another pair of travelers for dinner at the restaurant across the street called K-Bob's.  Despite the great company, we also ran into another couple from California, the food was mediocre and the service even worse.  It took over an hour for our food to come out even though the place wasn't that busy.  Orders were wrong and incorrectly cooked.  We asked to see the manager three times before she finally visited our table, apologized for our bad experience  and adjusted our bills.  Needless to say I would not recommend that place to anyone.

Before headed to bed, we visited a while in the parking lot and made plans to meet in the morning to continue our journey to Kerrville.

Sunday morning was perfect riding weather.  Our group of 5 had become 7 and we knew that another of AZ gals was only a few miles behind us.  So while we waiting for her to catch up we took pictures at the giant road runner.  And then there were 8.

When Theresa arrived she also brought the trip theme song, Girls Just Want To Have Fun.  I imagine 6 women in motorcycle gear complete with helmets, dancing around and singing was quite the sight to behold!   At a brief stop at a picnic area, we had so much fun the first time, we did it again.  If the truckers there weren't laughing they must have been sleeping.  What fun!

Finally we got to our exit, 505 off I-10.  Trust me, you really want to avoid the gas station right off this exit.  Whoever planned this Exxon station didn't have a clue.  Between the cars wanting gas, the ones trying to get to the store, the cars trying to get up the road  and the condition of the really tiny parking lot this place are a set up for a real mess.  However we all made it through the obstacle course unscathed.

When we arrived at the Inn On The Hill, the place was teeming with Motor Maids and their guests.  More will arrive tomorrow when the official festivities will begin.

Southwest Motor Maids Great Basin Run - Part 1

The Plan:  Leave Glendale, AZ early Friday morning & arrive in Las Vegas that afternoon.  Leave Vegas early Saturday morning and arrive in Baker, NV late that afternoon.  Sunday explore the Great Basin parks, caves and whatever else we can get into.  Monday morning head back to Vegas.  Tuesday morning ride home to Glendale.

Reality: SO much better! 

Friday, 9/21

Deb & I left Glendale a little ahead of schedule around 7:45 AM.  The weather was perfect, sunny but cool. The extra time was handy as we stopped to re-position my tour pack which had decided it was tired of standing up and wanted to lie down. Another unexpected stop along Carefree Highway to check on a biker, who had a blow out, put us just a tad late meeting our other riding companion, Jo, in Wickenburg.  After a hearty breakfast we were on the way to Vegas, Baby!

Arriving in Vegas mid-afternoon, we checked into Chez Pen, our affectionate name for the home of friends, Clara & Terry (aka Pig Pen).  The Pens (names changed to protect the not so innocent) are host & hostess extraordinaire.  If you love motorcycles, their garage is to die for.  We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with Clara before hooking up with a Motor Maid from Tucson, Theresa, and her husband.

 

Everyone converged on the home of Vegas Motor Maid, Trish, for dinner.  All I can say is when she says “it’s only burgers and dogs” trust me, it ain’t just burgers and dogs.  We were treated to an amazing spread of  homemade burgers with more trimmings than you could possibly imagine, yummy sausages, chips, gourmet cookies, salad by Clara, wine for those who wished all topped off by homemade cheesecake and coffee.  When we had had our fill, we rolled ourselves back to our respective beds for the night.

Saturday, 9/22

Kickstands up at 8:00.  Ten riders in two groups of 5 comprised of six Motor Maids, two husbands, one boyfriend and one son.  Can you believe the 19 year-old son wants to hang out with this group of older folks?  Well, I can say that we all enjoy having Bobby around; he’s a good kid and a good rider.

At the first gas stop we lost one husband who had to return home due to bike problems and Jo (Motor Maid, AZ), who had another commitment later in the day.  We regrouped and continued our trek along Hwy 93/Great Basin Hwy towards Alamo, NV.

In Alamo, we stopped at the local general store/gas station to fill up and pick up sandwiches for our picnic lunches for later down the road.  The store reminded me of the grocery stores in the town where I grew up.  Seriously, when was the last time you stepped on the mat for the store to open?  The sandwiches were made to order and the coffee was hot. 

Back on the road for another hour until we reached Kershaw-Ryan State Park, NV, our planned lunch stop.  Wow, what a jewel this turned out to be, the place was beautiful with a wading pool, a ramada, lovely landscaping and best of all, EMPTY!  We were amazed that on this perfect weather Saturday, there were no other people in the park.  What a treat!  The ranger at the gate even brought up horse shoes and a volley ball for us. 

One Motor Maid decided that her boot bound tootsies could use a dip in the wading pool. Unfortunately, she didn’t anticipate the slippery bottom of the pool.  Oops!  Her face has been blurred to avoid embarrassment, be WE know who you are. When we finished our lunch and recharged ourselves with the beautiful park we were back on the road to Miller Point near Cathedral Gorge.

Cathedral Gorge State Park surrounds Cathedral Gorge (duh!) a narrow valley that has been worn into incredible scenes by the centuries of erosion. The name was taken from the cathedral like spires.  Miller Point is just north of the park entrance and offers an excellent view of the gorge.

After a quick gas stop in Pioche involving a little offroading for one husband and a gravelly U-turn for some of us, our group bid farewell to the son and the boyfriend who needed to return home.  The remainder of our group continued on to Baker, NV and the Silver Jack Inn.

We arrived at the Silver Jack late in the afternoon and were greeted by Pig Pen, who met us there having just picked up Clara’s bike which broke down on their way back from Sturgis.  Teri, (Motor Maid, NV) was also waiting there for us on her way from a balloon festival.  Lots of laughs, coffee, wine and dinner at the LectroLux Café.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Cody Trip - Pioche NV to Jackpot NV

We were up and out early and enjoying the cool morning and for the first time not soaking ourselves with water to stay cool. It's nice to be dry and cool.

It's a lovely scenic road, snow capped mountains on either side of us, great rock formations, more Joshua trees, finally more trees, pines ans mesquite, than cacti and scrub brush. Very little traffic for the first part of the day which is also nice. Down through Great Basin National park.

Did 100 miles before breakfast at one of two restaurants we could find in Ely, at a casino. Back on the road, gassing up every chance we get which turns out to be about every 75 miles or so. Because you can never be sure about where the next gas will be.

On a side note, we are really enjoying the Scala Rider headsets. It's really great to be able to talk along the way to point out things of interest, road hazards, make decisions on when to stop and just general chit chat and silly stuff.

Approaching Lages Station we started noticing the clouds gathering on either side of us and while we were stopped for gas spoke to a trucker who was "hauling 'taters from Idaho to San Francisco" about the weather up the road. She informed us that while she got a deluge for about a mile 10 miles up the road, all else was clear. We decided to pass on the rain gear and headed up the road. We did indeed get rain mixed with hail a few miles up. Deb's hollering "ouch, ouch, ouch" in my ear and the wind was ferocious. One of those lean left to go straight things for many miles even after the rain had long stopped.

We came into Wells and stopped for lunch and to check the weather. The clouds were looking pretty ominous. While we were eating, there was a down pour. After talking to some truckers we learned there was construction between Wells and Jackpot. We wanted to make Twin Falls. We also met a couple of older guys from Milwaukee who were traveling about an hour behind us. They gave us some great tips about Yellowstone. After the rain stopped we were on the road again.

Several stop and go construction areas along the way but not too bad because the weather was a bit cooler. About 20 miles from Jackpot we pulled over to stretch and take a few pictures when we noticed lightening off to the east in the general direction we were heading. Short stop and back to it. Got rained on more, got a bit chilly too.

Finally made Jackpot and after checking weather info we decided to stay the night here. If we are going to have massive storms we would rather be rested, besides, it may be gone by then. Our Milwaukee friends caught up with us and checked into the same hotel. Nice guys.

Time for breakfast and then about 200 miles to Meridian ID where we will meet some of Deb's family for dinner .

Wish you could all be here with us.

A wonderful ride and great group of people

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I had updated my blog. Today Deb & I rode down to Florence to attend our first Motor Maids meeting. It was a pretty chilly when we left home but by the time we headed home it was a tad warm.

The ride was uneventful and we arrived in Florence early. So we decided to stop at the local Circle K, get something to drink and pass a little time before our scheduled lunch. We finished up our drinks and went to gas up so we wouldn't have to do it afterwards. In the process of putting my key in the ignition, it jumped right out of my hand and down into the engine of my bike. Wouldn't you know it? Out in the middle of nowhere, well, not really nowhere but Florence is a very small town.

I can't see the key anywhere. Deb ran down the street to the NAPA to get a telescoping magnet thing but that didn't work. I ended up having to loosen the cover over the clutch to get it out. In the end it was a good thing we got there so early, by the time we got my key out and to the lunch we were only about 10 minutes late.

The women there were an interesting group, several from Tucson, a pair from the Grand Canyon area, another pair from Mesa and Deb & I. One of the women there has been a member of Motor Maids for over 50 years. Listening to their stories was a real treat.

Anyway, we had a great time and a great ride.