New Blog

Welcome to our blog. It's taken us a little while to get it together but here it is!

The story is: Gary, Jamie and Katie Baldwin are traveling abroad in Europe with two main purposes, to run on some cool foreign trails and drink some of the best beer that Europe has to offer. We've written a brief summary about each day and soon we will add a few pictures.

Thanks for checking it out!

Day before the Wicklow Way

We are at the Sunindale Bed and Breakfast in Tinhaley, Ireland. Our hostess is a wonderful grandmotherly woman named Madge and she thinks we are crazy for attempting to run the Wicklow Way. We arrived here after a morning walking the streets of Dublin. Yesterday's run was 25 minutes of laps around the Trinity University campus.
In last night's jet-lagged stupor we managed to find an over-priced "Irish" dinner in the Temple Bar District and a milkshake to calm Dad's stomach. The best part of the evening was drinking a freshly-poured Guinness just minutes away from the world's Guinness Headquarters.
Mr. Price has been our unnofficial tourguide since our arrival in Tinhaley. We met him while looking over a Wicklow Way map in the town square next to the library. He kindly gave us details about the trail and showed us a few points of interest on the map. He also mentioned an old railroad track turned walking trail near the Derry woods and river, Derry means oak.
We made it to the trailhead where Mr. Price happened to be waiting for us. It's a five-mile run to the town of Shilelagh and we weren't able to cover more than the first 200 meters or so before booking it back to Madeline's Restaurant for dinner. After dinner we went to a small pub for a beer. We each had a Smithwicks Ale. If Budweiser made a dark Ale, this would be it. A little bland and left a sour after taste. But the bar was cool and the lady tending it was very friendly.

Total Miles Run: 3 miles yesterday.
Total Beers Consumed: 1 pint of Smithwicks each, 2 pints of Guinness each yesterday

First Day on the Wicklow Way

The day began with Madge's delicious frenchtoast, fruit and yogurt. After a breif and failed attempt at waiting out the rain we headed out to Ballard Crossing where Madge dropped us off for our first run. The air was warm but wet. The 9-mile run consisted of half roads and half trail -- it started with a steady pattern of climbs and descents and not a flat piece of ground to be found. Our first stop on the trail, the famed Dying Cow Pub was closed but we were releived to use their facilities which were left unlocked.
We enjoyed miles of fresh green scenerz, old stone buildings and rock walls overgrown with vegetetation to the point fo looking like hedgerows. The last third of thetrail was between pastrues and covered in ankle-deep mud. Certain portions resembled a creek more than a trail owing to the rain. A few sheep crossed our path and we had to be sure and close the many gates we passed through so they did not run free. We encountered gores and stinging nettles on the trail which really weren't all that pleasant. The copious amount of mud was laughable and Madge got a kick out of us upon our return to the Sunindale Bed and Breakfast.
Dinner at Madeline's was relatively uneventful although the waitress didn't have much patience for us. The Guinness at Murphy's Tavern was delicious as usual, Katie tested out the Irish cider.
Also visited the Courthouse Art Center todaz and admired 17 different variations of paintings of ravens.

Total Miles Run: 9 miles
Total Beers Consumed: 1 pint of Guinness for Jamie and Gary, .5 pint of cider for Katie

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

Third Day of the Wicklow Way

We tried to stay awake for the live music at the Glenmalure Lodge but our legs are too tired to do anything but lay in our beds. Today was our longest day yet and it definitely felt like it. The trail consisted of 3 major ascents and a stretch of shin-deep mud. We had some reat views of the surrounding farmland and several miles of forsest that reminded us of Oregon. We also saw a group of motorists on some very cool vintage bikes, our very first Wicklow Way Walker, 3 rabbits, a fox and a deer.
Jamie hiked behind for most of the day but came in onlz 45 minutes after Katie and Gary. His knee was bothering him so he decided to take it slow.
Glenmalure is a lively place with weekend hikers and hunters filling the lodge for pints of Guinness and the surprisingly popular Budweiser. Dinner was steak and venison at the lodge. We are stuffed and tired, Jamie is already sleeping.

Total Miles Run: 13.5 miles
Total Beers Consumed: 3 pints of Guinness each, Katie and Jamie also had 1 shot of Jameson each

Rain.

Rain. Today can best be categorized as wet. On the way up Mountain we had great views of Glenmalure Valley and a very long waterfall taht we would like to hike to someday. We went over the top of the mountain through a peet bog and saw a girl hiking with a very big red backpack.
Most of the trail at the top of the Mountain was made up of wooden planks.
A long descent took us into Glendalough. We stopped after seeing a deer and ate lunch by an Irish Spring. Last nights Bed and Breakfast hostess made us ham and cheese sandwhiches with butter and also packed in cupcakes and little chocolate bars. We continued part-way around the first lake in Glendalough(Glendalough means glen of two lakes).
Monastic Ruins from the 6th Century were the highlight of today's run. Tommorrow we are going back to check them out when we aren't completely soaked and freezing.
After showers and tea at our Bed and Breakfast in Laragh we headed down to the pub for some Guinness and some Guinness beef stew. It was delicious! Jamie drank a Beamish which was more suttle than Guinness and not too impressive. Gary described it as bland.

Total Miles Run: 11 miles
Total Beers Consumed: 2 pints each

Last Two Days of the Wicklow Way

Well we were too tired to write yesterday so here is an entry for the last two days. Yesterday started with a big fried breakfast. Gary indulged in the full Irish which consisted of lots of fried greasy meat and eggs. Jamie and Katie opted for the equally fried, greasy and delicious cheese sandwhiches and eggs.
After an hour and a half at the local internet joint we headed to the Montastic Ruins. The walk over was lovely owing to the abundant sunshine!
We toured the visitors center and saw an audio-visual presentation which served to be most intersteing as we were educated on the many Monastaries in Ireland. We proceeded to the Monastic City where Katie took about a million pictures. The highlight of the ruins was St. Kevin's Church and the Round Tower. St.Kevin was the founder of the Monastic Citz back in the 6th Century AD. Apparently he was a bit of a magician and once stood in the lake for 3 months while birds layed eggs in his out-stretched hands.
After a look around twe hit the trail. A quick ascent started us off to a rige avoce town which gave us a splended view of the surrounding area. The Glendalough vallez was on the Wicklow Way highlights.
Roundwood was our evening stop and we made it in at about 4 o'clock after a day getting lost and found again and enjozing the many vistas. Our Ned and Breakfast hosts were great and Stellas sent us to a great restaurant for dinner. Dad ate chicken and chips which was fine and the Guinness was excellent. Jamie had a beef stew wihch was prettz good with a thin broth and potatoes similar to the dried kind they serve in Peru. Katie had Hungarian Goulash which was thick, tender and very good but not as good as Vasi's.
We left Stella's around 9:30 am. Today was probably the best scenery of the trip. The trail whad more of an Alpine flavor. About two miles of it was on boardwalks made of old railroad ties across what looked like tundra, the peet bogs had the same familiar tussocks and low-bushes. Dad and Katie saw what looked like two ptarmigan. The birds were brown and one had a trace of red on top of it's head. As they flew away they made a ptarmigan-like kluq-kluq noise.
The mountain trail led up to the highest point ofthe trip where we enjoyed a 360 degree panoramic view of the Wicklow Mountains, farmlands, lakes and we even saw a ship way out on the ocean. The trail eventually dropped down along a forested area with an overlook of Powerscourt Falls. We passed agroup of school children who were noisy and somewhat amusing.
We ate a lunch of salami, cheese and brown bread while looking out over the waterfall on the side of the trail. The last section of the trail ran along a beautiful river. We sadly left the Wicklow Way and ran the ramaining 2 km to Oaklawn Bed and Breakfast.
Appetizers and Guinness at an Inn in Enniskerry followed . Dad was especiallz fond of the chairs(plush). Dinner followed at Emilia's Italian Restaurant. The food was great but the beer selection was limited. Dessert was delicious! Bailey's cheesecake, homemade tiramisu and chocolate cake. We tried to make it to Johnny Fox's but after 6 days and over 100 km. we were too tired. We'll have to make up for it in Dublin tommorrow night!

Monday Total Miles Run: 9 miles
Monday Total Beers Consumed: Katie and Gary had one pint each, Jamie had two

Tuesday Total Miles Run: 11 miles
Tuesday Total Beers Consumed: 2 pints each, and Katie also had a glass of wine

Total Miles Run on the Wicklow Way: 65.5 miles
Total Beers Consumed on the Wicklow Way: About 14 pints each

10.11.06

*Took a bus to Dublin
*Stayed in an overpriced hotel (pretentious bastards)
*Searched for laundry
*Bar called the Turk's Head for beers
*Ate at a chic place called Kitty's Bistro..everything was pink..
*Guinness at a cool beer garden with heat lamps!
*Partied in the Temple Bar District
*Toasted Kenny Rogers
*Watched the English score against themselves, the Irish played it over and over roaring with laughter
*Listened to Irish Folk Music at the Temple Bar

K-2 beers, 2 shots Jameson
J-warm Guinness with breakfast, 7 beers, 1 shot Jameson
G-5 beers, 1 shot Jameson

10.12.06

*Finally got our Laundry done
*Changed hotels..much nicer and less expensive
*Ran along the river
*Explored the Guinness Brewhouse..Highlight of trip..will be described at a later date
*Ate some wonderful Thai Food and drank Beer Chang!!
*More drinks at the Turk's Head

K-2 Jameson on the rocks
J-5 beers
G-4 beers

10.13.06

*Woke-up at 5 and flew to London
*Transferred to hostel
*Went to pub for lunch, nice lady, cheap food, yum
*Walked around the London Eye and Big Ben, watched cool street performers
*Met the Carlos, Gwill and Thomas at Spitz bar and restaurant--wonderful to see them!
*Ate a curry on Brick Lane with Thomas
*Took the tube home to the hostile hostel

Enjoyed London's Pride (Fuller's), Bitter, Paulaners and some Indian beer

D-5
K-5
J-6

10.14.06

*Got up and ate at hostel
*Checked out
*Tubed to Liverpool Station
*Found cool used book warehouse
*Train to airport..long line..mailed postcards..security..lunch..more lines...boarded plane..finally.
*Landed in Frankfurt Hahn...not to be confused with Frankfurt...the city we thought we were landing in.
*Ate sandwiches, pizza, and salad on the curb while drinking Paulaner and waiting for the bus to the real Frankfurt
*2 hour bus ride brought us to the center of Frankfurt where we found our hotel, smack-dab in the middle of the red-light district
*nice hotel, good food, nice waitress
*Alt Beer is yum
*Called mom. We miss mom.

D-2 beers
K-2 beers
J-3 beers

10.15.06

*Jamie woke-up at 6am to check on train schedule
*Left porn capital of Frankfurt for an 8:30 train
*Rode to Rothenburg
*Nice train ride, great scenery, nice taxi, good food, lovely B&B, nice run...PASTRIES!!!
*Great German dinner followed by drinks at a pub..stayed until the bartender started being nice to us..said mean things about Bush Administration..got dirty looks from nearby Texan's..Drank shots of Jack Daniel's and toasted to Jack and Zach because they are both in Tennesee

Total Drinks: 5 beers each and one shot of Jack
Total Running: 57 minutes, no Jamie

10.16.06

*Breakfast - Yum!
*Visited the Criminal Museum..a museum dedicated to the history of torture and punishment..we were really grossed out by the time we left.
*Found great Trails outside the walled city to run on
*Ate Salad...really good
*PASTRIES!!!
*Watched the clock change..somewhat anti-climactic
*Visited Annaleissa's shop, a nice old lady who Katie met when she visited Rothenburg 10 years ago. Annaleissa said the offer of free a wedding wine cup is still on if Katie visits again on her honeymoon.
*Dinner outside the wall...real German Cuisine...

-Lamb Shank and fried potatoes
-Butter-fried cutlet with spetzel and gravy
-Mushroom and cheese casserole

*Nightman's watch tour, very entertaining and interesting
*Walked wall in the dark
*Went to Hell! Just a bar called Hell actually. We drank in the cellar which is over 1,000 years old.
*Met Chris, Nick, Rich, Carrie and Scott...the first three Gentleman were in Germany reinacting the Napoleanic Wars, the next day we saw an article about their reinactment in the paper. The last two were a lovely couple from Canada

Totals-- 5 beers each, pilsner, dark and Heffeweizen
Ran-- 4 miles, no Jamie

10.18.06

Sleep in day, the first of the trip. Dad and Katie worked out first thing in the morning and ran up to the Boat Lochs. We headed straight for the pastry shop and enjoyed some chocolate-filled croissants and rhubarb crumble. After a long stint in the internet shop we headed downtown for beer and brots. Jamie and Dad had the famed "smoky beer" or "Schwartz bier". The beer was very agreeable with a dark roasted smokey flavor.

Katie had the Hefifizen which had a light sweet citrusy flavor and a clean finish.

The brots and saurkraut were great and the bread made for a nice side.

Another trip to the pastry shop was in order. Chocolate truffles, Apple strudel and a marzipan candy coated cream puff with rum flavored jelly.

The Franconian Brewery Museum was our next stop. We climbed the great big hill to he St. Michaels Monastery. Gothic tower, gardens and a huge courtyard with a splendid view of the city.

Unfortunately most of the information was in german . btu we got a lot of photos of the brewery machinery and figured out what most of the contraptions did. One sepction had info about barrel making, much like the Guinness brewery and showcased many of the hand tools needed for barrel making.

We walked along Little Venice after the museum and looked at all the fishermaens houses and little boasts.

A rest at the hotel room followed. We made our reservations for Spain and then headed to Dinner.

Dinner was at Bolero's, a Spanish restaurant. Tapas were fabulous! Shrimp, calamari, and chicken on a skewer. The calamari came in a spicy tomatoe sauce and the shirmp was marinated in lime. We all ahd salad. Jamie had the best olives he's ever tasted.

The table in front of us was occupied by very affectionate couples throughout the night.

The blues bar followed. Fun but lame folk music and the worst rednition of Dishwalla's 'Wonderwall' ever.

Dad enjoyed a beer brewwerd right here in our hotel. Katie and Jamie opted for Jameson on the rocks.

10.21.06

10/21
The day before yesterday:
Running – 25 minutes speed on river path.
*Picnic in the Park.
-Cheese shop and sausage with the French guy. Brie and Blue Cheese. Herb de Province crusted Salami and Tapana.

*Dad and Jamie met Jeff Smith, a foreign editor for the Seattle Times, over beers at Fassla.

*Katie took photos at Dom

*Met Mike at Fassla. Mike Negla took us to Shlengala where we had the strongest beer…ever! 8.5% alcohol..

*Dessert at Bolero

Jamie-6 beers
Gary-5 beers
Katie-4 beers

Yesterday
*Travelled all day long, lots of lines, Bamberg to Barcelona

*Wandered the streets looking for food. The Ramblas is crazy.

*Expensive restaurant, the food was okay.

*Went to bed at 2am

Gary- 2 beers
Katie- 1 beer
Jamie and Katie also split a pitcher of Sangria

Today:
*Breakfast was yummy sandwiches.

*Laundry

*Picasso Museum, really interesting stuff about his childhood.

*Sagrada De Familia – highlight of the day! Jamie was scared at the top because we were up so damn High!

*Parc Guell – Couldn’t stay long enough, we really wanted to run there.

*We ate dinner at a great Italian restaurant a few blocks off the Ramblas. Cheap and satisfying Pasta for tomorrows 10K.

Dad- Double Malt Damm Beer
Jamie- 1 beer at lunch
Katie and Jamie split a bottle of Spanish wine

10.22.06

Woke up 7 and got ready for our race. Hopped on the metro and headed to Sabadell. Once there we followed a couple of guys in running shorts all over town until we found ourselves amidst 1,000 other runners at a big, huge, club.
After a somewhat confusing start which involved not even knowing where the start line was we headed underneath a bridge somewhere at the back of the pack. Hollers, whoops and yells echoed in the underpass. It sounded more like a bullfight or a football match. The next mile we were in a gridlock until we discovered that you could run on the sidewalk. After that we passed throngs of people, literally hundreds. At around kilometer 6 we passed a group of people warming up their musical instruments, seconds later we were startled by an overpoweringly loud rendition of the Spanish National Anthem.

The race continued on throughout the town of Sabadell. Katie and Dad finished at around 380 out of 1,014 with a rather unimpressive time owing to the extremely slow start. Jamie missed the start of the race because he was taking a really great shit. After the race we were pleased to discover that the race organization offered fabulous t-shirts and little backpacks.

While we were stretching in the football green a race official approached us and aid they were honored to have guests come from so far away to run in their little race. He gave us great beach towels, backpacks loudly colored in neon green and a few magazines and a book about heir swimming and water polo club. We also posed for a photo which appeared in their local newspaper.

We returned back to Barcelona. After shower we had a lovely lunch on Placa Reail. Would you like my watch. Dirty Cheaters.

Our chocolate walk was non-existent because everything was closed. (Strike one for Rick James)

After a lousy internet experience Jamie and Katie headed to their cooking class/sangria drinking class.

We went to a restaurant where they demonstrated how to make sangria, paella, gazpatcho and tomato bread. Right after the sangria lesson 3 cute girls walked in and sat down next to Jamie and Katie. Turns out they ahd all studied at Cordon Bleu and are now working at Wolfgang Puck’s new restaurant in Minneapolis. Jamie and the ladies chatted the whole time and one seemed quite taken with his freshly grown goatee and moustache. We also talked to two strange Germans who were very nice but somewhat geeky.

The girls from Minneapolois had to leave early because one was not feeling well and seemed rather crankcy. The other two seemed very disspaointed to elave their new found Alaskan Friend.

We returned to the room to find out dad who had just been to the Erotica Museum. Actually he was at the Maritime Museum.

Dinner at a tasty but kind of snooty restaurant followed. Jamie was actually capable of olliciting the waitresses’ only smile of the evening.

Mom's Birthday

10/23
*Mom’s Birthday consisted mostly of traveling to Nerja. We arrived in the rain and checked into our lovely hotel. After a short orientation run we headed to an Italian place called Pinnochio’s. After checking email we decided to eat again. Off to a fabulous restaurant called New Orleans we went! The food was great and the owners are a couple of guys from New Orleans. They were exteremly friendly and filled us in on all we needed to know for our stay in Nerja. We also drank a fabulous bottle of Spanish Merlot in honor of Mom’s birthday. We were able to catch mom on her way to work and sing her Happy Birthday. We miss Mom.

10.24.06

10/24
Today we slept in until 11. Rare sleep in day. After enjoying a grocery store breakfast we headed out on our own to explore the area. At 3:20 we met back up at the hotel and went for a run to the Nerja Caves. Unfortunately the entrance fee was not 5 euros but 7 euros and piece. (Strike 2 for Rick James). We only had 20 euros on us. We kindly begged the ticket lady but she was unsympathetic so we began scouring the parking lot and phone booth for coins. After 20 minutes of fruitless searching we asked an elderly Englishman if he could spare us a euro. He laughed at our tale of woe and pulled a shiny euro out of his pocket. We thanked him profusely and headed to the vaces. The caves were spectacular and reminiscent of the set on Fraggle Rock. We ran back to towntook a dip in the Medd. And returned to the room and enoyed a picnic meal with the great grocereies that Jamie had purchased earlier. We then went tapasing at a couple of bars for locals. The first one was disappointing but we had a chupita on the house. The second stop had seafood! The waiter took us up to the counter to pick out what we wanted. Jamie, our translator, told him that we wanted a combo platter. A while later they brought a huge pile of delicious fried seafood which we managed to polish off. We went to the balcon de europa to check ou the view. While enjoying the lights fo boats and nearby to us we noticed a lady feeding the town cats. We have since discovered that a dozen or so cats hang out under a bush in the park area. We then went to Cochran’s Irish Pub for a pint of Guinness. There was an obnoxious drunk British lady hitting on a young local patron. After that it was home to bed. Totals:
Running: 5 miles
Beers:
Katie – 4 beers and a shot
Jamie – 5 beers and a shot
Gary – 6 beers and a shot

10.25.06

Wednesday 10/25
*We ran up the road to check-out if we could make it all the way to Frigiliana.

*Ate Paella and enormous salads at a restaurant up the street. Not that great but the clams Jamie got were delicious!

*Today was the sunniest day yet. We spent most of it lying on the beach.

*We can’t remember where we went after dinner…? I bet it was fun though!

10.26.06

Thursday 10/26
*We ran early, ending up at Burriana Beach at Ayo’s for a breakfast of toasted bread with tomatoes, olive oil and salt.

*Back to room. Showered. Jamie napped while Katie and Gary checked email.

*Back at Burriana we layed in the sun and drank beer.

*Ate Paella at Ayo’s – excellent! But Katie didn’t like it as well as Bev’s.

*Later on we ate again at a great Italian place. Yummy!

Wednesday 10/25
*We ran up the road to check-out if we could make it all the way to Frigiliana.

*Ate Paella and enormous salads at a restaurant up the street. Not that great but the clams Jamie got were delicious!

*Today was the sunniest day yet. We spent most of it lying on the beach.

10.27.06

Friday 10/27
*We ran to Frigiliana and ate a sandwich and Dad had eggs. After checking out the tourist office we randomly decided to hike home through the riverbed. Great rock formations and bamboo shoots led the way.

*Once we got home Dad tried to lay in the sun but it was to windy so we ate cheeseburgers and Jamie had lasagne.

*Jamie and Katie napped while Dad did some last minute shopping.

*At 9:15 we headed to New Orleans. Dad and Jamie had ribs and Katie had chimichangas. We split a bottle of wine reccomeneded by Steve. Dinner was followed up by some of Brandon’s amazing cheesecake. Steve and Brandon remembered us from the other night and poured us an extra glass of free wine at the end of our meal.

*Cochran’s followed. The bar was packed. Couple a pints of Guinness, some shlocky music and plenty of PPP’s waddling about on the dance floor. When the singer went into Hotel California for the second time we decided to leave. Fun though, he was a very talented guitarist.

10.28.06

Saturday 10/28
Today is a sad day because Dad is leaving. We went for a 30 min. run up the river. Dad tired to lay in the sun but there was too much wind. We ate a picnic lunch in the room. Dad and Jamie took naps. Katie took their picture. After that we headed down to the Balcony of Europe for one last photo. Which brings us to now. Dad has to catch the bus.