Sierra Nevada Hike

Today, we decided to give ourselves a break from the bikes. While most of the group headed to the beach, Robbie and I opted for a hike in the mountains just above the village.

Thanks to an unusually wet spring, the landscape was greener than ever—almost as green as Ireland! It was more beautiful than any botanical garden I’ve ever visited. Everything was just perfect; the variety was incredible, with wild flowers and fragrant Mediterranean herbs everywhere filling the air.

We even spotted another Ibex along the way!

In total, we climbed 950 meters. For the final leg of the trek, we headed back along the same river we ran earlier this week. This time, however, we crossed it via a very wobbly—and officially closed—hanging bridge. It was a bit of an adrenaline rush and a really cool way to end the hike.

Photo Excursion in Guadalfeo Valley

I made sure to bring my camera, of course, as I really wanted to capture the "golden hour" in the beautiful Guadalfeo Valley. It’s a stunning spot we first saw on day one, just down from the village.

I headed out on a little photo excursion, and while the light wasn't quite as perfect as I’d hoped, the scenery was still breathtaking and I managed to get some great shots. One of the highlights was spotting a Spanish Ibex (the local wild mountain goat). I was lucky enough to get some clear pictures of him; he seemed just as curious about me as I was about him, perched high up on a rocky ledge and staring back at us for ages.

We also learned a quick lesson: while you can scramble up the canyon walls relatively fast, descending them is a different story! It’s much trickier than it looks and takes a lot longer to get back down safely.

Sierra Nevada Cycle #3

We had another stunning cycle today, focusing mainly on the roads around the lake just north of the village. It’s a massive body of water formed behind an impressive, towering dam, providing some incredible views throughout the ride.

For lunch, we stopped in the town of Lanjarón. The town is famous for having the longest-living inhabitants in Spain, largely attributed to the quality of its local springs. Naturally, we all took a drink from the fountain! Whether or not it’s truly a "Fountain of Youth," it was certainly refreshing after a morning in the saddle.

Sierra Nevada Day #2

As true triathletes, we tackled all three disciplines today. We kicked things off with a "short" 33km cycle, featuring two Category 3 climbs that led us up to a stunning waterfall. After reaching the top, we rewarded ourselves with some well-earned coffee and beers in the village before enjoying a flying 20-minute descent.

Once back in the village, we headed out for a 40-minute run. We plotted a route along the river, which was a lifesaver given the blistering heat. The ice-cold water flowing beside us meant the air was significantly cooler, making the effort much more bearable.

To wrap it all up, we finished the day with a quick dip in the sea—the perfect recovery to cap off a three-sport day.

Sierra Nevada Cycle #1

Today, we decided to head straight into the mountains. The first half of the ride was dominated by climbing, but since the return leg hugged the coast, the second half felt a bit more forgiving.

The standout challenge was the third climb—a Hors Catégorie (HC) ascent. For those unfamiliar, that’s "beyond category," even tougher than a Category 1. It earned the rating primarily through its sheer length: over 15km at an average gradient of 5.1%. It took me over an hour of continuous effort to reach the summit.

Laoighse and I were the first to the top, though I have to admit she was the stronger climber today. Every time I managed to claw my way back toward her wheel, she would effortlessly pull away again.

Despite the burning legs, the day was incredible. The scenery was absolutely fabulous, and compared to the roads back in Ireland, the tarmac here was butter-smooth. With the temperature sitting at a perfect 23°C, it was an ideal day on the bike.

I also created a video of todays' cycle, mainly from Brian's GoPro footage

Easter in the Peaks: From Ballymahon to the Sierra Nevada

 This Easter is looking a little different for me! Instead of the usual quiet weekend at home with the family, I’m headed for the Sierra Nevada in Spain for a cycling trip with some friends from the Tri club.

The journey started early—and I mean early. Pat picked me up just after 3:00 am to catch our 6:30 am flight. After a few typical "rental car adventures" at the airport, we finally made it to Vélez de Benaudalla.

We’ve already picked up our bikes and checked into our apartment, which turned out to be a total win—the view of the snow-covered mountains is absolutely stunning! After a quick bite to eat, I managed to get out just in time to catch the local church’s traditional Easter procession.

Good Friday

We’ve officially brought out our traditional Easter branch. There’s something so special about this ritual—bringing the first signs of spring indoors and decorating the blossoms with our collection of colorful eggs. It always makes the house feel like it’s finally woken up from winter.

The garden is definitely following suit! I took a wander outside with the camera today and couldn't get over the star magnolias. They are absolutely covered in white, spindly blossoms right now, looking like snowy clouds against the trees.

I also found the Snake's Head Fritillary showing off its unique, checkered purple petals. They’re so delicate and strange—definitely one of my favorite sights this time of year.

It’s the perfect, peaceful start to the holidays. Wishing you all a restful Good Friday and a very Happy Easter!

Waiting for Eternity (and a Lidl Bargain)

 I was just doing a quick run into the Lidl in Ballymahon when I spotted this gem in the car park.

You have to appreciate a business that really leans into the "vibe." Raymond’s Cemetery Services clearly doesn’t take itself too seriously—or maybe they just have the most patient passenger in Ireland!

Visualizing Curtain Decision

 I'm putting AI to work again, this time to help visualize which fabrics will look best for the new blinds and curtains in the study. Uncle John was kind enough to bring over some physical samples, and we’ve officially narrowed the search down to two final contenders. Now, we just have to wait and see if the reality actually lives up to the AI's "vision"! We have chosen the bottom one...

Three Peaks

The Dublin jazz notes were still ringing in my head when the alarm went off. After a late-night gig in the city, my "Three Peak" plan for the Slieve Blooms was starting to look like a hallucination of my own optimism.

The negotiations for the start time had been a battle of wills: I proposed 11:00 AM to recover, Debora pushed for 12:00 PM, and Pat—ever the early bird—wanted to be gone at dawn. We compromised on 11:15 AM.

I rolled up a little late, only to find that Pat had already bailed! He’d chickened out, claiming he forgot his cycling shoes, and was probably halfway home to a fry-up. Little did he know I was traveling with a mobile Foot Locker. Because I’d been uncertain which bike to use, I happened to have two pairs of shoes in the boot.

I called him immediately and hauled him back to the start. I handed him my spares—big shoes to fill, literally—and suddenly Pat was clipped in and facing the music.

The First Ascent

From Blueball, we hit our first climb, "The Cut." It was Pat’s inaugural attempt at this 7km stretch. It’s a gradual, constant slope, and honestly? We crushed it. Nice steady gears, no drama, just the mountain air starting to clear the jazz syncopation from my brain.

Then came "The Wolftrap." I don’t know if it was a lapse in memory or genuine muscle deterioration, but that hill felt significantly worse than I remembered. I’m claiming "old age" as my official excuse! Despite his lack of mountain miles, Pat was doing surprisingly well. We enjoyed a hair-raising but beautiful descent and found ourselves in Pevoy’s for coffee and some desperate refueling before we knew it.

The Kinitty Beast

I’ve always said the third climb—steep but shortish—was optional. I dropped a few subtle hints, but they didn't take them; they actually wanted to do it!

Just past Kinitty Castle, things got wild. An enormous dog cleared a garden wall and decided we were the day's entertainment. Debora performed the fastest acceleration I have ever seen in my life. She effectively threw me to the wolves, preferring to use me as bait while she bolted! Luckily, I think the dog only wanted to play, and we managed to regroup for the final boss.

The Triangle of Pain

We turned to face the last hill: the "Triangle of Pain." If you think that's a dramatic nickname, look it up—it’s an actual Strava segment.

This is where the mechanical tragedy struck. Debora has a serious masochistic streak—or maybe just a lazy mechanic—because her front derailleur decided to go on strike. She literally could not shift into the small ring. I was on my gravel bike, clicked into my lowest gear, even zig-zagging across the road just to get up the steepest parts. Meanwhile, Debora was grinding up the incline in her big ring like a total machine. I felt slightly vindicated when Pat finally had to hop off and walk a little on the steepest pitch, but Debora made it to the top without a single shift.

The Sprint Home

We decided to avoid the section with the wolfhound on the way back, opting for the route via Killcormack. That left us with a brutal 10km stretch against the wind back to Blueball.

Pat put his head down and went upfront. Debora and I tried to close the gap, but we just couldn't. I finally caught up, but on the very last little kicker of a hill, Pat pulled a pro-sprint and pulled away again. I was searching for an excuse, but age won't work—we only differ by a few weeks and I’m not even sure who is older anymore. All I know is he was wearing my shoes, so I have to give it to him: fair play!

In the car on the way home, I cranked up the volume for "God is a DJ." When Maxi Jazz started singing about his church being "where I heal my hurts," I just started cracking up. For me, that’s exactly what today was. On the bike, in the mountains, healing the hurts with a great crew.

Thanks guys for another epic cycle!