Pan Celtic 2022

It's early July and a heatwave is on the way, what better time than to set off and do your first ultra-endurance race!After months of training, we were off. I say we, as for this first event I was doing as a pair. My partner in adventure, my good buddy Aston Byfield. Together we would take on the 1600mile challenge with the aim to be back for the finishing party on the 10th day.The starting point Celtic Camping, Pembrokeshire. So after a mad dash to Reading train station, which nearly resulted in smashing through the height barrier with bikes on the roof (the cars brakes work!) we were on our way to Haverfordwest, via Swansea aboard the GWR!The great thing about getting the train was we met a lot of other like minded crazy people along the way, The Clan was already forming! A quick group ride from Haverfordwest in the afternoon sun to Celtic Camping was a great time to get to know them better!

The night was spent eating Pizza and getting to know the other "competitors" The Clan, as the PanCeltic call it, was certainly starting to form - was this really a race or a massive group ride?!

Calm before the storm!

Briefing over, everyone took to the start line. A neutral jaunt through the Welsh countryside down to Pembroke dock.

A misty start that soon cleared to gorgeous blue skies and yet another chance to chat to more intrepid travellers. With the ferry not until 3pm there was no rush, with most taking advantage of the nearby supermarket to fuel and fill any spare load capacity with food to get them through the night.Aboard the ferry and greeted with a free pint of Ireland's finest, we settled in to get some shut eye, knowing we'd have to cycle into the night to make good ground.

Keep pedaling!

We were up early (4am), packed up and headed on our way hoping to reach Cork. With the sun rising it was clear the broken spoke was become more of an issue, so a bike shop was in order!300km with a broken spoke, not bad at all. Finding a shop with the right parts, quite a mission!4 shops later, ranging from really helpful without the parts, to downright rude we found a shop that was willing to help in the shape of a set of wheels. It was either buy these or go home 1 day in. Going home was not an option. So armed with a brand new set of DT Swiss wheels we were off again. All thanks to the guys at McCarthy Cycles, they even sent my broken wheels back to my house!

Legends that are McCarthy Cycles!

This diversion and fixing meant we had lost about 4 hours, so fuelled with a McDonalds we pressed on hoping to make up the lost time. After a cheeky pub dinner near Old Head, frequented by none other than Will Ferrell that day, we nipped round the headland and found a comfy bivvy spot amongst the sanddunes. We were soon joined by other Clan members who also had the same idea!

Good nights kip and we were on our way again with the aim to get to Checkpoint 1 at Mount Gabriel and onwards to Bantry.That morning we'd received a message to say there had been accident and the route we were supposed to follow was no longer an option. Luckily a diversion was put in place, and with the lightest of drizzle in the air off we set.Now Mount Gabriel, what a beast! Who's ideal it was to put the checkpoint at the top no idea, but fair play!

Now i could see the observatory when I began the climb and was looking forward to the views across Ireland from the top however. The weather gods on the other hand had other ideas, and half way up the climb the weather moved in. Fog covered the climb and as the gradients hit, at times, 20% we ploughed on up to the top and that all important Brevet Card Stamp! Here ends my Part 1 of my Pan Celtic journey, lots happened and a lot more was going to, so stay tuned!

Made It! Not for the view though!

We'd reached the top of Mount Gabriel at around 4pm, and after chatting (and eating cake) with others we'd realised we had caught up another pair of sisters doing the event, Alexis and Eve. This was the start of our yo-yoing journey together which was great!

Descending Mount Gabriel in the mist was quite something - busting through the cover into glorious sunshine at the bottom, passing other Clan members on the way up and giving them a cheer of encouragement on the way.

views for days!

The South Western part of the route was the hilliest (mountainous?) section of the route, Mount Gabriel being the first of many stunning (and brutal) climbs over the next few days. With it being summer, sunset was late, so we set our minds to getting to Bantry before nightfall, grabbing some food and for the first (and not last) time grabbing an B&B, an actual bed and a shower!

Bantry we decided, or at least nearby, was a good starting point for the next day. Priests Leap awaited us, and no-one wants to ascend, or descend, that in the dark quite frankly!

Chicken and chips later with fellow clan members inc, Ollie (who'd we'd met on the train down into Wales), Sam and his dad Duncan and Alexis/Eve (who's caught us up) we headed off to our B&B along with Ollie who also secured a room at the same spot.

A well rested night, batteries charge and a small feast of a breakfast provided we sent off to begin day 4 of our epic journey.

Our day started with the stunning but brutally hard climb of Priests Leap. About 5 mins into the climb however we were stopped to assist with some sheep herding, of all things!

Aston, thrown a pole and, told "make a noise and make sure the sheep go down there" to be honest we weren't going anywhere until the sheep were off the road!

Sheep farming done for the day, and we headed upwards, and boy what a climb! Glad we did it in the morning sunshine, rather than the dark, that's for sure!The last section of the climb was a brutal ramp, was I getting that far and then walking the last 25meters? Definitely not! So small gear and grind to the top it was, complete with applause from some members of public!

Climb done now the rest of the day was ahead of us. Not first without one of the sketchiest descents of my life. You can see in the image above the quality of the road surface, now imagine descending a mountain on 25mm tyres with that.I made the bottom unscathed, but about 5km later, bang! Tubeless sealant flying out behind me and all over Aston! The road surface had completely worn through the tyre! Now in Ireland most things don't open until 10am, problem its 8:30 in the morning. There was no-way this could be patched. Quick google and a bike shop was found in the next town along, then the wait for it to open began. Whilst sat in a farmers field, with yet ANOTHER issue, I began to wonder if we'd have a day where I didn't have an issue (the previous day saw my Hammerhead brick and only a factory reset did the trick, wouldn't charge though!) Then some luck came to me in the form of Farmer James, who's field we had commandeered! He offered a lift to and from the next town, so I jumped in and within 30mins was back in the field armed with an indestructible wire tyre and renewed optimism!Tyre, after much swearing, fitted and back on the road we went!

Switchbacks for days!

It took me a fair while to get into the ride the rest of that day, I was silent focused on just ploughing on. That was until we reached the Healy Pass. Those that know me, know I LOVE a climb, and this one was made for me! An alpine swtichback through the Irish hills, suddenly my clouded mind was lifted and I set off in search of the top. It's amazing what something you enjoy doing can do to your brain, but this sorted me right out!We knew this 3rd day was going to include most of the routes big climbs, so quick break and then descending to Kenmare along the rivers estuary.

Kenmare was the last big town before checkpoint 2 at Dingle, so we stocked on up on anything we could carry, from sausage rolls to copious amounts of Haribo, we had it all!Between us and our planned overnight stop of The Climbers Inn, Glencar were Molls Gap and the Gap of Dunloe, so we got cracking on with it.And what climbs they were, I will certainly coming back here with a bike less ladened with bags to take these on!

Wishing Bridge, Gap of Dunloe

Molls Gap Tunnels

Pilgrims be here!

Coffee found after the descent of the Gap of Dunloe, we set off to over overnight stop, on arriving we found some other weary Clan members had the same idea, rooms divvied up, Pizza and beers had off to bed we went.Another early start greeted us, quick pop down to the hostels kitchen to eat as much as possible and then we set off on one of the many headland loops that were on the race route, our aim for today was checkpoint 2 at Dingle.We knew that once we were past Dingle most of the climbs were done. Today was going to be another dig climbing day, and boy did it not disappoint. Straight off the bat from the hostel into the Ballaghbeama Gap, a blast along the coast and then back over the Ballaghisheen Pass. The Ring of Kerry certainly didn't disappoint, with views to die for!

What a start to the day!

The climbs of The Ring of Kerry done, we set off towards Dingle to get that all important 2nd brevet card stamp! This was going well, apart from the insessant headwind! That was until we hit the descent into Dingle. Now when carrying lots of gear, you may need brakes on your bike. Well mine had decided they had had enough, well at least the front one anyway. So after a quick fish and chip stop on the outskirts I slowly descended into Checkpoint 2.I had spare pads with me, quick fix when I get to the checkpoint I told myself. Brevet cards stamped, Aston headed off to bed, and I set to work sorting the pads. Rear one was perfectly fine, just the calliper needed realigning, front brake however that was a different story. New pads fitted and still no braking, SHIT! This was a problem for daylight and hopefully a quick bike shop fix.Lets leave it there for this Blog, as this is where I began to break but true friendship shone through!