Mizen to Malin Cycle

Ruben O Callaghan is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Cork ARC Cancer Support House.

Donation protected

Cycling 600KM from Mizen to Malin head to raise much needed funds for Cork ARC Cancer Support House. Cork ARC were instrumental to our godmother Kate's recovery. All proceeds will go towards helping more people like Kate and their battle with cancer.

Darren Deasy and I will take off from Mizen head at 6am on Saturday, August 8th and aim to arrive in Malin head by 6pm on Monday, August 10th.

And we're off! Departed Mizen head at 6:15am.

9am update - 42km's in now taking a quick pitstop in Bantry.

12pm - stop for 40 minutes Macroom

6:15pm - after some tough hills we've made it to Charleville where Darren, in full cycling gear, sweating like mad, popped into the petrol station and got asked if he had any fuel.

8pm -

Quick photoshoot with Assets Model agency..because Darren wouldn't expect anything less. Hair and makeup isn't cheap he says!

8:35pm arrived in Limerick city centre.

9:30pm showered and ready to eat. Takeaway pizza on its way. Darren has opted to go for a shower just as delivery driver arrives as I go out in search of this food god. Except all my clothes are airing out, do it's just me and a towel walking the streets to find him. After exchanging strange eye contact with people I eventually find him. He also things i'm deranged and proceeds to hand the pizza out through the window and makes a high speed getaway as if he had just escaped the cops after a foiled bank heist. I return to the apartment to my fellow airbnb guest whom I've never met bearing pizza. Safe to say the pizza didn't last long. Bed time!
..................................
Sunday
6:35am departed Limerick. Feeling hungover (if that's even possible without drinking ‍♀️). Muscles are tight. Showerinh ourselves in sun cream.

10:43am - Third farmer in a row we've helped usher cows to their field after milking.

Third farmer donated a fresh pint of milk

10:17am - UPDATE. Darren Deasy has made it as far as County Clare and has run of with a beautiful blonde. I have not seen him since. If any one knows his whereabouts please let me know! :P

11:57am - Just crossed into Galway. 72km in munching through a giant bag of pasta. Took a wrong turn which added 15km to today. It's going to be a long day! But the weather and views are insane.

2:14pm - stopped for lunch. Just passed the 300km mark. We're halfways there!

4:43pm -Roscommon here we come!

6:52pm one final climb before Carrick-on-Shannon. My rear end and the seat have become one. Numb doesn't do the feeling justice!

7:51pm - filled up the gas tank then had some lovely pizza in County Leitrim.

10:28pm - arrived in County Cavan. Currently enjoying a bath before I pass out for the night. ~240km covered due to two wrong turns (and no that was no supposed to happen)

Monday
7:26am - no hangover this morning. Got a full irish for breakfast. Departing for Enniskillen now. It's looking like another epic day of sunshine

9:48am - 50km in (or should I be switching to mph since i'm in northern ireland?). Overcast and warm now which is brillliant.

Found this relic. Doesn't accept coins...so I guess it's free calls. Who should I call? Lance Armstrong?

Who designed the roads up here? They're all perfect waves. Up, down, up, down. Whoever designed them lives by the sea! Perks were learning how the gears actually work.

11:48am - stopped in Castlederg for chicken curry. Main learning from the past two days is to eat more solid food. Met up with my support crew to get more electrolytes. Good to go for another 50km now.

3:03pm - 30 minutes outside of Derry city. Going to pickup some more solid food then.

Stopping for a quick snack. Loads of heat left in that sun. Let the mental battles begin.

3:30pm - made it to Derry. Didn't get to check out the murals but i'll be back! Got some pizza to share with my support crew

5:16pm - crosswinds from Derry have been insane. Try cycling behind a 747's engine..then you'll know what i'm talking about.

5:19pm - we're in Donegal!

There's light at the end of the tunnel!

6:25pm - just arrived on the island of Malin. There's a sign that says 15km. So mentally i'm preparing for one final battle with the mountain for an hour or so. 10 minutes later my garmin watch vibrates to tell me i've clocked up 5km since seeing that last sign. No more than 30 seconds later another sign for Malin pops up, "Malin - 15km". Am I losing my marbles?? After a further 3km of cycling the signs now say "Malin - 14km". I divert to google maps for actuals. We're 14km away.

7pm - almost there!