Another year, another cracking weekend away! This year the destination was Mullingar, located in the exotic Westmeath heartland.
The weekend opened at Joe Daly Cycles, with riders gathering to dump bags before rolling onward to the Phoenix Park. To save everyone fitting panniers, a van was borrowed from Liam Williams from Wicklow Tri Club (big thanks to him, a proper gent!), and Rachel Glendon stepped up for Challenge Anneka to drive it to the shop and successfully reverse it into the car park without crushing any bikes, bags, nor small children.
The logistics team of Aidan Collins, John Twomey and Peter Gerrard between them got all the bags loaded and unloaded, and safely to and from Mullingar - all credit to them for taking on that task. Rumours that they sold some of the bikes on the way home have yet to be formally proved.
A large turnout of about 50 members at the Papal Cross split into three for the ride out. Dave Mc had picked out some quiet yet beautiful roads for the commute out. There were two speed groups for the long route, and another group for the short route. Thanks to John Twomey (again!) and Fergal O'Sullivan for looking after those riders. Thankfully incident free apart from some punctures, and the sun even began to shine for the latter half of the journey!
Donnacha McCormack waiting for latecomers in the Park
The longer route groups over-ran Tiffany's café in Athboy for lunch, with the usual array of coffees and three course meals being ordered. A small splinter group pushed on direct to Mullingar, and a breakaway went via Castlepollard, to get in at roughly the same time as the shorter route group. They'd stopped along the canal in Kilcock at the Harbour Café.
Tiffany's, Athboy
Harbour Café, Kilcock (photo thanks to John Twomey)
After a spate of showers and naps, many members gathered in the hotel bar to witness Ireland's disappointing run-out against Australia. At least with such a dull performance, there was nothing to keep people from being punctual for dinner at seven!
Table numbers were randomly allocated, with people drawing numbers from the swingers' key-bowl. This gave everyone an opportunity to get to know some new names and faces, as we all know it can be tough to recognise riders with their clothes on.
A sumptuous three course meal was served, with wine being covered by the club kitty. There was universal praise for the food, and in Dave Tansey's presidential address he thanked both the catering and waiting staff for the lovely meal. He also presented Dave Mc and Aideen Collard with a baby-sized Orwell jersey, in the new style, for their five month old baby Danny.
Dave Tansey with Aideen Collard
Dick O'Brien also made a quick presentation to Brian McArdle, who has been attempting to grow what he claims is a moustache for Mo-vember. After reminding everyone of McArdle's unfortunate early nickname of 'Minty Balls', O'Brien awarded him with a set of moustaches to disguise his pitiful efforts.
Brian Mc with a slug on his lip (photo thanks to Charlotte MacDonald)
The party was then moved downstairs to the bar, and spread to the residents' bar before an eager cohort headed by O'Brien and Sandra Telford lead the charge to Mullingar's finest hotspot, the Final Fence. What then happened in Mullingar will stay in Mullingar, for reasons of privacy, and not because memories are slightly befuddled. We can share that we drank the nightclub dry of Jäger, and Eddie Lynch - famed for his fondness of Jägerbombs - wasn't even present.
Breakfast the next morning - for those who managed to rise in time - was to the backdrop of a gentle rain. Quite a few did the walk of shame to stow their bikes in the back of the van, and get the train home. Many of those were newer members, for whom the trek to Mullingar on Saturday would've been their longest cycle yet. We can only praise them for their brave efforts, and hope that next year they'll feel up the distance of the two days. Chapeau!
Getting set to roll out in the rain (all photos thanks to John Twomey)
Dick O'Brien looking apprehensive
Nicole Bork and Lousie Nicholls ready to go!
Dave Tansey and Diarmuid Collins, not looking forward to the wet
Peter Gerrard, Diarmuid Donnelly, Rachel Glendon and Keith Harte
For this year, it was perhaps a sage choice to avoid the spin home - the rain didn't let up for the first two hours, and with a chill in the air, and a dull ache in the heads, it was truly a test getting back to Dublin. The third group on the road took a wrong turn at Kinnegad and nearly ended up in Edenderry, but made up for the scenic detour with a coffee stop in Enfield to get warm and somewhat dry.
Fortunately, everyone made it back home eventually, and now that the water restrictions are finished, we speculate that many hot baths were run around the city. Bags and bikes were picked up from Joe Daly's, and the van returned.
With the dust settled, there only remains the thank yous - to all the lads who looked after the van and bags, to those who helped out with the groups on the road (when Dave Mc calls for the third exit, that's exit number three!), to the cafés and the hotel who were hugely welcoming and accommodating, but most of all to Rachel Glendon. Anne Dalton left some big cleats to fill, and Glendon paid credit to her predecessor for the handover and helping her get the trip off the ground. She has made a fantastic start to her tenure as social rep, organising an amazing weekend at relatively short notice - there's not a negative word to be said about any aspect!
Everyone we talked to had a ball, which means there's a lot of pressure for the Christmas party to hit the same high standards! Saturday December 14th, O'Donoghue's of Suffolk St - stick it in the diary, and come along for the usual fun and frolics, and to buy Rachel a thank you drink. We hear she likes her cocktails!
