Farewell Scotty.

So like all good things, even my summer in Ireland must come to an end. After being knocked on my ass by a kidney infection for a few days I finally got back in the saddle (literally) and did one final ride with Scotty up and over Caha Pass. Truly one of my favorite rides!

Then we enjoyed some of the freshest mussels to be had on this little green island at Teddy O'Sullivan's in Kilmackalogue. Here's the view from our little picnic table. They pretty much just scoop them up right out there and bring them to your table. YUM.

One more trip to lead and I'm headed back to France (with Dylan!!! YEAH!!!)

More photos here.

Moving movies

Pretend you live in a small town in Ireland and there is no movie cinema, but you really want to watch the latest and greatest film with all the hottest stars. Do you:

A) drive 40 minutes to the closest town with a theatre.

B) rent a movie from the local photo-developing/dry cleaners/video rental and pretend they have an awesome selection that will surely satisfy your cravings for drama.

C) wait for the Mobile Cinema to come to town and watch Inception!!

C! C! Pick C!!!

Last night was once again an amazing only-in-Ireland experience. Siofra and I walked through town then went down to the moving cinema to buy our tickets in advance before loading up on snacks at the SuperValu (grocery). Of course they don't actually give you a ticket, the guy at the front just said, "yea. I know yer face." Ok. Grand.

Concessions don't exist at the mobile cinema so you get to go grocery shopping and bring in whatever you want, including beer! I didn't actually do this because I'm still on a drug-treatment program (treating my infection with drugs!) but others did and they didn't get in trouble. We chose crisps (potato chips for americans) and soda. YES! True couch potato success!

The seats were surprising comfortable and it's small enough that there's really no bad seat in the house. My knees did hit the seat in front of me, so I suggest an aisle for all those tall folks out there. Otherwise, brilliant!

It helps that the movie was good. Two thumbs up from Siofra and I. Not that I would be a good critic by any stretch of the imagination because I tend to like all movies and I have not been to a movie since Coraline came out, but this one was particularly good in an Eternal Sunshine/Vanilla Sky kind of weird. Makes you think. Maybe a little too hard. My brain hurts.

It was also just bizarre to leave with a full moon and "creepy Kenmare" in full effect. See all the pictures here for more proof.

Set dancing

I have been a little under the weather over here in Ireland with a fever and infection and now I'm finally back on my feet, but still on antibiotics so there is no drinking allowed and I can't say I have a ton of energy. Despite these minor details I really wanted to get out of the house last night (3 days no exercise = major cabin fever). Scott agreed.



A long time ago a local in town told me about the set dancing that takes place at The Atlantic bar every Sunday night. She told me that people get all dressed up and they even bus in from Black Valley! Woo hoo! So Black Valley is rumored to be the last place in Ireland to get electricity (in 1977) but the first to get the internet (in 2002?). Intriguing. I want to see these people! AND I want to see them dance! Not to mention, the local who recommended I go is also about 86, spends half her time in Barcelona, and made her now husband court her for a few months (and spend about 10,000 euro) before she agreed to date him because she "needn't any men's shirts to iron". Fiesty.




Set dancing is like square dancing. Traditional. Generally the music could be anything but it is often either polka-ish or johnny cash.

I had never been to the Atlantic and it was awesome! It felt like I stepped into a time warp and came out in 1958 Reno, NV. Neon green lights highlight the fake folliage at the top of the walls and the mirror behind the bar leaves you guessing: does the bar continue around to the other side? Not to mention the long plush red couches full of folks gussied up for the affair. The lady who played the keyboard (and guitar, cause god forbid you play only one instrument in this country) reminded me an awful lot of Marty and Bobbie Culp, the middle school music teachers from SNL.

I love the irish people. The are not pretentious. They could actually care less what you think. Although I did feel a little silly taking pictures in a place that is so sincerely "locals only". (Thus, no flash...sorry) My favorite thing has got to be the cross-generational pub scene. It is so easy and comfortable. Kids are not ashamed to be hanging out and talking to their parents or grandparents or grandparents friends. It is normal and I appreciate the honesty.

As usual the pub can be quieted by a ballad. I know you can't see him well, just listen. Yes, it is english. And this young man is probably 20 at best. Declan Finnegan's nephew. (Give me a few more months and I'll know his whole life story. Him and every other person in this town.) This could happen anywhere at any time. Normally they don't have a mic, but the impact is about the same. Everyone quiets for a beautiful voice.

(If you can't see the videos very well, try to view them on my flickr account instead. There's also another video of them playing Johnny Cash and quite a packed dance floor...if you can see it.)

She works hard for her money

Backroads is an interesting job. You work hard. You work very hard, and at the end of the day you hope that the guests you have been leading around see that and appreciate that and report that it was their best vacation ever. Seriously, that's what we strive for: the best vacation EVER.

Kenmare: Where we stay our last two days. Also where the leaders live when we are off work.

Every guest has the opportunity at the end of their trip to rate you on a 1-10 scale. The backroads leader's average (that's a "C") is 9.6. If you get an 8 that's something they might want to look into: "what happened? was there a problem? did everything go ok?" We strive for perfection daily then kick ourselves if it doesn't work out that way. We pick everything apart down to the tiniest detail: what rooms they have at night, where they sat in the van, did they get enough face time, did they get good seats for the cultural events that we hosted, did they like the snacks we put out for their hike, did they get their coffee by 6am despite the hotel not putting it out before 7? Someone mentions in passing that they used to ride horses and by the next day we have slipped a piece of paper into their hand providing the name and number of some stables near our hotel on day 3 should they choose to opt out of the hike. Options. It's all about options.

Devin (my co-leader) and I after the second day hike by the ice cream truck. Yum.

At the end of it all you are pretty exhausted mentally. Most of the time your tips reflect that they had a good time, but sometimes they do not. I recently got an email from a former guest with several links to her photos and a photo book that she had put together. It was so great to see the vacation from the guest point of view!

The forth day hike past Torc Waterfall and onward to Derrycunnihy Church.

This family was one of the greatest I've worked with yet. She and her husband were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and their son was celebrating his 22nd birthday. On the "on your own dinner" night we took their son out so they could do some celebrating on their own and little did we know he had a few pints before meeting up with us for dinner on his own. Several hours later Devin, Matt (the son) and I are all out at Crowley's (one of our favorite local pubs) and Matt is not looking so good. Long story short his parents and 2 other couples come in so proud that they "found" us. It was pretty hilarious. We had to assure his mom that we did not give him that much beer and she said, "oh please, I know. I know my son." After that we could all just laugh a little and it made their vacation that much better that they "busted the kids partying". The next day I also had to drive everyone to the trailhead (this was a walking trip) then come back to the hotel to collect him (since he over slept) and then drive him out to the picnic spot (half hour each way) where he could continue to sleep it off a little while I prepared lunch.

Matt, Devin and I after we'd been "busted" by Matt's mom.

The email I got from her with these pictures spoke of their vacation being seamless and how we really raised the bar for what they expect from a vacation now. We "made" the trip for them and that is something to be proud of. We provided their best vacation EVER and had a blast doing it! Here are some pictures from a guest's point of view:

Where we stay the first and second night: The Carrig House

The second day hike: Windy Gap. Need proof? Look at my hair.

Where we stay the third night: The Killarney Park Hotel

And the last two nights: The Park Hotel Kenmare. This is their dog. He doesn't have a name.

Saying farewell to the gang on a van drive day. Before I had to go collect Matt.

Post trip high five.

Homeward bound

Nothing like a music festival to inspire a very short but sweet visit home! I finished a trip on Friday afternoon and packed up all my stuff then returned a rental car for one of my co-leaders in Cork that evening. Got a hotel room at the Cork International Airport Hotel (which happens to look like a space station) and then stayed up a few more hours, crossed my fingers and set the alarm for a whopping 3 hours of sleep. 4am (Ireland time) woke up, stumbled around the room and took a shower

4:30am took the shuttle over to the airport and got checked in

5am strolled through the duty free shop where I deliriously decided a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush whiskey would be a good anniversary gift for Dylan.

12:30pm (Portland time) finally landed at PDX after a short lay over in Amsterdam where they confiscated and poured out my anniversary present then frisked me (all part of the normal screening) and reboarded us on a gigantic plane so that we could sit on the runway for an hour. Not that it mattered to me. I was sleeping. That's right. Already. Even before take off. I was out. Cold. Then, of course, after we did conclude our 11 hour flight with a safe landing we had to wait another 15 minutes for US customs to be prepared for us. Really? I kind of thought that extra hour and a half it took for me to get here would be enough time to get ready.

12:45pm collected by my dear friends Julie and Brent who graciously drove circles around the airport for said hour and a half and then took me home to shower and change into some more music festival appropriate clothing. And yes, mom, I know how hippie I look, but where else can I get away with it?! I now chauffeur rich people around Ireland. I can play dress up if I want to while I'm home.

The look on Dylan's poor unsuspecting face was priceless. He was legitimately confused for another 30 minutes or so and then it finally started sinking in. I apparently ruined his plans for a grand "welcome home" at the airport, but who needs flowers when you have good music and camping? Pickathon was wonderful as always although I didn't dance near as much as I normally do. Stupid jet lag. Happy to just relax with Dylan instead.

Monday night we had a few folks over to the house and I was finally starting to feel less jet lagged. I think I fully recovered by Tuesday and we went to dinner then saw a show at Alberta Street Pub featuring friends of ours and Langhorne Slim. It was fantastic. Wednesday we went to dinner with Ric (Dylan's dad), Marley (Dylan's sister), Kyle (my sister) and Nate (my sister's other half) to Apizza Scholls. If you live in Portland and have not been there yet, you are missing out. Go now and order an It's It. You will thank me later.

Thursday came too fast and I was back on a plane to Ireland. I was tired and felt like I could have used another week with friends and family, but I am grateful for the days I had and look forward to November.

You can see more photos here.

Dingle

I went to Dingle with Siofra for a few days. She's my local friend and her name is pronounced "she-fra". We stayed at her brother's apartment in town and it was a riot overall. Good craic. (That's what they say around here for fun: craic) Dingle itself is gorgeous. Bright colors. Complete with an equally vibrant nightlife. Hilarious.

Wednesday we took a drive out along the Slea head, visited the Blasket Islands visitor center and then hit the town again. A perfect little holiday away.

The Blaskets are famous for the many irish writers they produced and then the island population slowly decreased through the years secondary to hard lifestyle and emigration. They were finally evacuated in the 50s by the government.

"I sat down on the bank above the beach where I had a splendid view all around me. Dead indeed is the heart from which the balmy air of the sea cannot bannish sorrow and grief." Peig Sayers

"It was a narrow life, but their knowledge of it was profound. It was a simple culture, but free from the rapacity and vulgarity that is destroying our own." George Thomson

See more.

Climbing around town

Monday rolled around this week and I had no work to do and I was waiting for my friend Siofra to finish work so I decided to go on a little bike ride.

Me + bike + camera + (mostly) sunshiney day in Ireland = happy

I did about 50 miles along the coast then up Healy Pass, over to Glengariff and back over Caha Pass to Kenmare. 2 great climbs and 2 incredible descents. A great day all in all.

More pictures here