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Back in September I had the good fortune to visit Ireland for 10 days on a bus tour with my wife. The tour had us visiting some of the more popular tourist sites in Ireland - castles, cliffs, cathedrals, museums, etc. When the tour was over I rented a BMW from a motorcycle tour company and also hired one of their guides who took me to some breathtaking roads in the Wicklow Mountains NP south of Dublin. With that small taste of Ireland, combined with the roads and sites we visited on our bus tour, I've got a huge itch to go back and take one of the tours offered by the rental company. Since my wife can’t ride, I thought it would be fun to organize a little group to do a tour. I’m thinking September, because when we were there in the second half of September, the summer tourist crowds had thinned out, and the weather was nearly perfect. Plus the choice of bikes to rent would be much better.
Basically you choose your own dates, pick a bike from their fleet (they have a nice variety, something for everyone), they pick you up at the airport in Dublin, give you a GPS loaded with the route, book hotels for you (4-star hotels at minimum), and will even rent you riding gear if you don't bring your own. The bikes all come with luggage, and the company will store any luggage for you that you don't wish to carry on the bike trip.They have several tour options, all of which promise spectacular sights and fantastic roads with very little traffic. All you need is a passport and a valid US driver's license.
Why Ireland? Having been there recently, I can vouch for the warm & friendly people who are very tolerant and accommodating of tourists. The overall vibe in Ireland is very much laid-back and way more chill than the US. English is widely spoken there, the money system is the Euro, which fluctuates, of course, but generally comes very close to the dollar. The climate is mild – I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be hot. The scenery is stunning – see above re: castles, cliffs, cathedrals, museums, and the charming small towns, right out of a fairy tale. And the roads! Everywhere you turn there are awe-inspiring mountain passes, hairpin turns, curves with incredible views of the ocean…And unlike many other places in Europe, there’s VERY little traffic to contend with. And don’t forget the wonderful Irish pubs!
Here's just a taste of some the finer roads in Ireland, and the tour I would hope to take includes three of the top five:
Ireland top 5 rides
It's not too early to start planning, getting your passport if you don't already have one, arranging for time off, booking the tour, booking flights, etc. Any takers want to join me?
Basically you choose your own dates, pick a bike from their fleet (they have a nice variety, something for everyone), they pick you up at the airport in Dublin, give you a GPS loaded with the route, book hotels for you (4-star hotels at minimum), and will even rent you riding gear if you don't bring your own. The bikes all come with luggage, and the company will store any luggage for you that you don't wish to carry on the bike trip.They have several tour options, all of which promise spectacular sights and fantastic roads with very little traffic. All you need is a passport and a valid US driver's license.
Why Ireland? Having been there recently, I can vouch for the warm & friendly people who are very tolerant and accommodating of tourists. The overall vibe in Ireland is very much laid-back and way more chill than the US. English is widely spoken there, the money system is the Euro, which fluctuates, of course, but generally comes very close to the dollar. The climate is mild – I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be hot. The scenery is stunning – see above re: castles, cliffs, cathedrals, museums, and the charming small towns, right out of a fairy tale. And the roads! Everywhere you turn there are awe-inspiring mountain passes, hairpin turns, curves with incredible views of the ocean…And unlike many other places in Europe, there’s VERY little traffic to contend with. And don’t forget the wonderful Irish pubs!
Here's just a taste of some the finer roads in Ireland, and the tour I would hope to take includes three of the top five:
Ireland top 5 rides
It's not too early to start planning, getting your passport if you don't already have one, arranging for time off, booking the tour, booking flights, etc. Any takers want to join me?
