Myths and magic on the Ring of Gullion

On Saturday 12th May the Pleasure Team were drawn back to this special place for the 5th year in a row. 11 Wheelers met at the Mill at 7.30a.m. Apologies had been received from Damien B, Dmac, Sean J and Martin T who couldn’t make it; but for the 11 who did show up there was a great mix of experience, fitness and enthusiasm.

Sean S and Jim K were the two newest Wheelers in the bunch and both were relishing the prospect of this new challenge. Two of last years’ Pleasure Team, Dermot D and Alan G joined us to lend their support and encouragement to the new recruits; and both were prepared to do more than their fair share of grinding at the front. It is always great to see lads prepared to  return to their roots and lend a hand.

The rest of the team was made up of some longer serving Wheelers, but for several of these it was still their first experience of the Ring of Gullion.

At 7.40a.m. we pulled out from the Mill in bright sun-shine but with a bite of frost still in the air – Perfect. The group quickly adapted a good rhythm and within a few miles we were operating like ‘synchronised swimmers’.

Richill, Hamilstownbawn and Markethill rolled by. We were now staring directly at the beautiful Slieve Gullion; and it would be our constant companion for the next few hours as we worked our way around it in an anti-clockwise direction. In Camlough we took over the ‘Cosy Kitchen’ and took on board large quantities of food ( of the type no serious cyclist would contemplate ).

Forty minutes or so later, feeling a little over-fed and over-rested we remounted and headed on towards Mountnorris. I’m not sure if it was the rolling countryside or were people lost in their thoughts as they bade farewell to Slieve Gullion, but the group went very quiet and there seemed little enthusiasm to get to the front.

By the time we returned to Richill we were back in tune, and the road home through Loughgall flew by , with new recruits Sean and Jim taking extra turns on the front as they were obviously getting a ‘natural high’as they approached the end of what had been a great run out.

The Pleasure Team are now ready for their next big run out which will be a tough 100 mile trip, pencilled in for Saturday 26th May. This will be an early start, so if you are interested, keep in touch.