Second Day on the Wicklow Way

This morning began with blue skies, early morning sunshine and high hopes for a sunny day. After a breakfast of cereal, fruit and yogurt we hit the road. A nice mixture of grass and mud trail stretched out before us after a .5 mile start on the highway. Once on the trail we immediately began climbing the first set of hills. Most of the run was spent traversing the same set of mountains, North and South Ballycumber. After dropping down into a glen with a swiftly flowing stream we began clmbing Ballycumber. We passed an old schoolhouse with a red door to our left. Built in 1822, the schoolhouse later served as a resident's home but is now rundown and abandoned. The trail began a steep ascent throu a recently platend forest and countless acres of bracken fern. As we apporached the summit the wind grew stronger to about 40 miles per hour. We then retreated to a grand view of mile and miles of farmland in ten-hundred shades of green. After hunkering down behind an overgrown rockwall to check the map and compass we deteremined the route onward down the ridge and off the shoulder of Ballycumber to Kyle Farmhouse, our evening stop.
The last 200 meteres of trail was the slickest with cowpies and sheepcrap piling up under a cascade of yesterday's rain.
Moments after rinsing our muddy feet and steping into the home of Hugh and Margaret, the rain began and the storm grew worse throughout the rest of the afternoon.
Margaret made us a delicious dinner of ham and cheese sauce and a great salad. There was no beer but we had a wine from Western Australia that Mom wouldn't have liked. Although Dad thinks she would have.

Total Miles Run: 12 miles
Total Beers Consumed: None! 1 Bottle of Merlot