Day 9 - Derry to Naas

Today would be my last day on the motorcycle so I was anxious to get up and out of the hotel early. I skipped breakfast, partly out of a desire to get in more riding and partly out of fear for the music they might be playing in the restaurant.

My goal for the morning was the northern coast of Ireland. Just before entering the city of Derry the night before, I had crossed over into Northern Ireland. But I was surprised to find that there was no perceptible border crossing. I never even saw the remnants of an old border post. All of the sudden I realized the speed limits were posted in miles per hour rather than kilometers per hour and the license plates gradually changed from the familiar European Union format to the yellow plates of the United Kingdom. A lot has changed in Northern Ireland over the last few years.

The first stop along this beautiful stretch of coastline was Dunluce Castle, just east of the town of Portrush.

Dunluce Castle was in a stunning setting, but I chose to skip the tour. Time was limited and with such a sunny day, I'd rather be riding the beautiful coast roads! :-)

The second stop on the "Causeway Coast" was the Giant's Causeway, a famously odd formation of rocks that forms Ireland's only World Heritage Site. None of the locals recommended the Causeway very highly, but I found it beautiful when I got there. Pretty touristy place, but the weather was fantastic and I got to take an outstanding hike along the cliffs that look down on the actual "Causeway."

Hiking along the Causeway Coast, looking west toward Portrush.

The big attraction along the coast is the Giant's Causeway, an amazing formation of basalt columns along the ocean's edge. I was lucky to visit when the weather was absolutely perfect. I'm told this happens infrequently along this stretch of coast.

There are two competing theories about the creation of the causeway. One, held largely by scientists, is that the columns were formed of molten basalt during the Paleogene period.

The other theory, held by more sensible people, is that the causeway was created by an Irish giant named Finn McCool so that he could walk to Scotland. Take your pick on which theory to believe...I know which one I'm sticking with.

The Giant's Causeway

The only picture I could get of the Giant's Causeway that didn't include people.

At the Giant's Causeway I experienced Irish friendliness firsthand. The currency of Northern Ireland is the Irish Pound, which is different than, but pegged to, the English Pound. As I was in Northern Ireland for only a day, it was my goal to avoid exchanging money there. So I used credit cards for hotels, meals, and petrol and all was well until I got to the Giant's Causeway. I drove up to the parking attendant with Euros in one pocket and Dollars in the other. But he would only accept Pounds so I was going to be forced to exchange money just to park. The attendant was very friendly and told me where to go to change money and allowed me to pay him on the way out rather than in.

So, after my wonderful hike I changed 10 Euros to Irish Pounds, suffering the ridiculous exchange rate and two-Pound minimum commission. What should have been about a four dollar parking fee was going to end up costing ten bucks...but what the heck. I walked out to the parking attendant with my two Pounds in hand and reminded him that I owed him the money. He winked at me, clapped me on the shoulder, and said "doan worry, mate. Be-yon yo-way."

And so the unbelievably friendly Irish would save me the cost of parking, but I would spend the next hour and a half trying to figure out how to spend a pocket full of Irish Pounds before I crossed back over the border to the Republic of Ireland. In case you are wondering, I ended-up spending it on a tomato and brie sandwich, a Red Bull, and an ice cream cone.

By this time it was well after noon and I still had a long way to go to get to Belfast, then on to Dublin, and finally to Naas to return the bike. It was such a beautiful day that I stuck to the coast road as long as I possibly could before turning inland toward the motorway and the fast route south. As I left the coast road, I took one last picture to say farewell to the beautiful Irish coast.

My final picture before turning inland and heading back to Dublin.

When Aladin and I were staying on Achill Island, Ann the innkeeper said goodbye to us with the phrase "Safe Home." Except in Ireland it sounds more like "Say-Foam." It took us a minute to figure out what she was saying but once we did, we decided we really liked that phrase. Aladin and I would use it from then on during our Ireland travels and in emails afterward. And in Northern Ireland, as I was crossing the beautiful Ulster countryside on my last day on the Ducati, each of the little villages I traveled through had signs posted at the limits of the village that said "Safe Home." This seemed particularly appropriate on a motorcycle trip where safety is always on your mind.

I made it back to Naas to meet Paul and return the Ducati later that afternoon, just missing the horrendous rush hour traffic in Dublin. In total I had ridden just under 2,000 miles. Considering that Ireland is only 300 miles long and 175 miles wide at widest point (its about the same size as the state of Indiana), riding 2,000 miles in this area may seem a little implausible. But the coast of Ireland is over 3,000 miles of jagged inlets and mountains. It is this that makes the place so special for a motorcycling.

Over the years, I have been lucky enough to ride motorcycles in many great places. Among them the Swiss and Italian Alps, the Fjords of Norway, the hills of Tuscany, and the islands of Greece stand out, not to mention many great trips throughout the beautiful Western United States. Before this trip I would not have listed Ireland as one of my top motorcycling destinations. Sure I wanted to visit to see the lush countryside, take in the history, drink the Guinness, and most of all, meet the friendly people. But after eight days and 2,000 miles on the back of a Ducati, Ireland would also become one of my favorite motorcycling destinations of all time.

Ireland is a country of nooks and crannies. Its scale is small and its beauty and history are packed densely. Despite this, one never feels cramped and there is still plenty of space left over for lots of friendly people. For an American, traveling in Ireland is a great contrast, especially if you live in the West where traversing large distances quickly is a part of any travel routine. In Ireland, the narrow roads and frequent villages force you to slow down and take things in at a calmer pace.

For the motorcyclist, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The remote corners of Ireland are best explored on a motorcycle, in my opinion. But riders should be prepared for a slower pace, narrow twisty roads, and frequent hazards like rain, gravel and sheep..sometimes all three at the same time.

Riding these roads will keep your senses alert at all times. As you navigate a difficult corner, the road will open and reveal a spectacular seascape, or a mountain lake, or an ancient castle, and you will smile under your helmet, breath deeply, and soak in the sights, smells, and sounds of this wonderful country.

And at the end of each day, you can be certain there will be a friendly crowd and a fresh pint of Guinness awaiting your arrival...where ever you choose to stop.