Have you ever seen the rain.

I feel a little lazy today, so I only get up around 9:00am and it takes me a while to get my morning going. I hope this won't happen everyday.

Once I get all my gear packed up, I head over to the garage near the hotel to ask if they can help me with removing the broken kickstand. I couldn't get one of the screws off, as the head was stripped. I stop in at Grove Motors and ask the owner Paul Donohoe if I could borrow a drill and drill bit. I explain what I'm doing, and why I'm cycling, and without a moment's hesitation, he says sure, and goes to get the drill. While I'm working on the bike, he tells me that he is a member of the Brave Wheelers Cycling Club. After explaining how he got pushed off the road by an oncoming car, he warns me to be careful of "eejit" drivers and always keep aware of traffic.

I finish up with the repairs, and go to pay Paul for the use of his tools, but he won't hear of taking money from me and says we have to look out for each other. There are some really good people in today's world.

As I leave Grove Motors, it starts to rain, so I put on my rain suit, thankful I have all my gear covered. I cycle (and walk) for the next 22 kilometres with non-stop rain. I cycle through Newcastle and I see an old castle. I stop to take a few photos. It was built in 1172. I take it slow and easy, and end up pushing my bicycle 1 1/2 km up a hill, as I had no strength to cycle all the way up. But this gives me the opportunity to look back down the hill, and even though the weather was bad, the view was beautiful. I take a photo, happy that I turned around to look.

I start to look for a place to stay for my Sabbath, knowing it's getting late. I call every possible accommodation within 10 kilometres of me, but nothing is available. I don't despair, I just keep looking. I finally find a place called Dunbur Lodge in Wicklow with one room left. I don't hesitate, I take it. Sight unseen. And then cycle over. I get settled in and run to the store (Supervalue) to buy food for the Sabbath. Again, the rain comes down non-stop. The rain suit works perfectly though, and other than a little sweat, I'm no wetter than if it hadn't rained.

I get back to the motel and cook up some rice and hard boiled eggs, make a tuna salad, and with everything ready, I sit down to a good meal. Looking forward to a day of rest, but yet still itching to get back out on the open road.