Classic Scooterist – July-August 2019

BOYLE-GALWAY
SayinggoodbyetoRoyandAngie,weproceeded
toGalway–anuneventfultrip,themost
interestingbitbeingstoppedbypeopleto
admirethescooters.Wegottalkingtoanolder
biker,stereotypicallywithlonghairandpointy
beardand 50 - year-oldleathers–lovelybloke
whoadvisedonroadsaheadandtownsto
visit.Ithinkheimaginedourscootshad 750 cc
engines.Wesetoffleavinghimadmiringthe
noiseofJoe'sexhaust.We’dbeenridingabout
20 minuteswhenaround 15 HellsAngeltypes
cruisedpast,beepinghornsandgivingpeace
signslikewe’djustbittenoffachicken’shead
andaffiliatedourselvestotheclan.Strange,
butnice.
Wearrivedatourb&binGalway,securingour
scootersandchillingwithaJackDaniels(ok,a
cuppaandabiscuit).WeendedupintheLatin
quarter.AsJoesaid:“Aplacewhereoldhippies
cometoretireandholdontotheiryouth.”
IGoogledlocalentertainmentandfounda
barwithaseven-pieceSkabandplaying.We
poppedalongtofindabarwithanall-blue
front,nobiggerthanyagrannie’slivingroom.
Therewasnowaysevenguyscouldplayhere

• buttheydidanditwasmad.Withinfive
  minutesofopeningwith‘GunsofNaverone’,
  anoldwomanwhothoughtshewasinadance
  hallsmackedthemicrophoneintothelead
  singer’steeth.Thebandperformedthegig
  withoutsingingonesong.

GALWAY-DUBLIN

(ViaBallinasloe,Athlone,TheCurraghandthe

PinkHouse).

LeavingGalway,Ireland’swindyWildAtlantic

Waywasamorepleasurableride.We’d

decidedtoovernightinAthlone.However,I

wantedtostopforanhourinBallinasloe,a

smalltownwerewe’dtracedmyfamilyback

tothe 1830 s.Pullingup,itwasevidentthey’d

beenhere:intelligent,handsomepeople

everywhere–astrangefeeling.Istaredat

agirlinacafé,insistingshehadourfamily

genes.Askingforthebill,shespoketoJoe

withherbroadPolishaccent.

Continuingonward,westoppedofffora

cuppaandmetlocalPaddy,whowaspushing

75 .Icouldn'tunderstandawordhesaid–a

genuinelyfriendlyman,althoughanywoman

whowalkedpastgottheirbacksideseyedup

withamischievousgrin–youcouldn'thelpbut

lovetheguy.

OnwardtoAthlone.However,thesatnav

sentuseverydifferentwaypossibleandwe

arrivedreallypissedoff.Thenthenextthing

itwasmorningandwe’dmissedAthlone's

delightsandsetofftoenjoylunchwitha

lovelylady,StephanieKeenan,whowe’dbriefly

metlastyearwhilstpassingherhomeon

theroadtoNaas.We’dstoppedforapic,but

we’dkeptintouch.Headingforourmeet,we

foundourselvesinthemiddleoftheCurragh

Racecourse.Joecouldn'tcontainhimself,

screaminglouderthanhisexhaust.Horses

workingoutwereprobablyGoldCupwinners

andVincentO'Brienwasprobablywatching.

WesoonarrivedatSteph’shouse.She’sa

farmer’swifewithfirm,worldlyviews.Youcan't

helpbutadmireher,especiallyherpainting

skills–yep,she’dpaintedthehouseherself.

Thesandwichandsaladwe’dexpectedturned

intochickenmash,vegandgravy.Admiration

turnedintolovewhentheapplepieandcream

followed.ThankyouSteph,itwasgreatseeing

youagain.

Withonly 40 milesorsotoDublin,we

werefeelingprettygoodandtheridewas

simplyaraceforapintofGuinness.First

though,wehadtorunthedreadedN 7.

Beingona 125 isfine,butbeingonone

surroundedbyarticlorriesissomething

different.Thoselastfewmileswerefilled

withthoughtsoftheexperiencewe’djust

had,frommeetingMaxandherdog,Paul's

donation,RodGillanandthePortrush

lads,andofcourseDoc,JoeinDerry,then

Roy,AngieandSteph,withmanyothersin

between.Withthedonations,weraisedover

twograndforTheSpecializedProject.

WearrivedsafelyinDublin;ourjourney

wasn’tcomplete,butourscooterrunwas.We

endedupinTheInternationalBarwithJoe

singingwiththelocalsandmefeelingproudof

ajobwelldone.Wemetmanypeopleonthis

tripandmadenewfriendsalongtheway;there

aresomanypeopletothank.

Tillnextyear?

MickDee

It’snottoolatetoaddyourcharitable

donations:www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/

thevic?utm_term=PBaRGq 58 Y

Much merriment in Galway

Joe, Angie and Mick out on the town

Steph with Mick at the Pink House

The lads with local Paddy – although they

couldn’t understand a word he said

Celtic Chieftain sculpture overlooking Boyle

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