Sunday cycle to Newcastle West
Shauna writes:
Luckily for me the weather was much better today which allowed me to go out for longer on my bike. I was meeting friends for lunch today a so I decided I would cycle from my home house in County Limerick to the nearest small town (Newcastle West) where I was having lunch. This is roughly about 9 km, it is mostly downhill. So I set off about 40 mins before i was due to meet my friends.
I wanted to allow myself enough time as this is not a regular thing for me and was unsure of how long it would take. Again cycling in the countryside is very easy because there is little to no traffic on the roads. As I got closer to Newcastle West there were a few more cars on the road. However as it was Sunday it was quieter than usual so I wasn't too concerned about cycling on the road.
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When I eventually got to town, I noticed how little places there are to secure a bike. This is something I wouldn't have noticed before as I would normally drive or get a lift to town. It is a real inconvenience for anyone that would cycle regularly into town. In the end I had to lock it to a lamp post in the main town square because there were very little options for locking it.
Some foolproof advice on locking your bike and other tips on preventing your bike from getting stolen: see here
The journey home was a little harder as it was uphill. I wouldn't be used to cycling regularly so this was a bit of a battle for me. I took a break at the top for a few minutes to take a drink.
Later that evening I had to call to a neighbours house, normally this would be a journey I would do by car or on foot. I decided to take the bike, my younger brother and our dogs decided to come along for the trip.
Taking the bike was much faster and more convenient for a small trip like this. My younger brother would cycle a lot so he was thrilled that I was going out on the bike with him.
Overall today was very enjoyable and I'm getting more user to being back on the bike!
