Back in the USA...

So I am here in Boston waiting for my 7:40pm flight to Denver.  My 5 hour layover turned into 4 since my flight from Dublin to Boston was delayed.  It is really sinking in now that the adventure is over. I am here in Boston and my bike is still back at the port in Liverpool - a strange feeling.  I guess the consolation prize will be sleeping in my own bed tonight - after 20 hours of traveling today it will undoubtably feel pretty nice.  

The plane ride was pretty uneventful - but the security/customs/pre-clearance process in Dublin was a cluster.  It was taking people 3 hours to get through - hence the delayed flights.  Ken's flight to DC was delayed as well due to the customs problems.  Apparently the U.S. pre-clearance in Dublin was understaffed.  My Global Entry access probably saved me an hour in lines but I still had two hours of lines to wait in.

My seat mate on the flight was Belinda - a professor at Boston University.  It was nice chatting with her off and on throughout the flight.  You don't want to get stuck with a bad seat mate on a 6.5 hour flight and I certainly didn't.  

I will get into Denver (hopefully) at 10:10pm - then a two hour ride up the mountain.  Lots of time to reflect but mostly feeling a bit down that the journey is over.  Time to start prepping for the next adventure in less than two months - 25 days on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

The day it began over three months ago - riding out from the farm...

Dublin...

Dublin is a fun and interesting city.  One day is not enough and I will definitely be back.  Yes, it's true that the Guinness is better in Ireland than what gets exported.  Not just a little bit better - a lot better.  Anyone who says different has not had the real stuff in Ireland.  Even the UK gets the pasteurized stuff.  

The Temple Bar area is a hoot.  Lots of pubs, restaurants and street performers.  I know there are other areas more fun, more local etc. but Temple Bar was close to our guest house.  Also we wanted to have dinner at Carlos' restaurant - Acapulco Mexican Reataurant.  I worked with Carlos years ago in Vail and he is now in Dublin as the Chef at Acapulco. I have to say that this was the best restaurant meal we had during the whole three + month trip - really authentic Mexican food.  Thanks again Carlos - hope to see you again sometime soon!

I am here at the Dublin airport at the gate waiting to board my flight to Boston.  I have a 6 hour layover in Boston befor my Denver flight.  Good thing it is Saturday and I can pass the time watching college football.  I get int Denver after 10 pm - no shuttles run up to Vail that late in the offseason.  Thanks in advance to Jason for driving down to pick me up - I think I see a 10 year bottle of Bushmills in your future...thanks buddy! 

Yummy.

The Temple Bar.

Dublin.

The Foggy Dew.

Temple Bar area.

Liverpool - End of the Line...

We finally got the bike shipping sorted and dropped them off at the port this afternoon.  They will sail out on Friday and arrive in Baltimore in about two weeks.  It is the end of the line for the bikes on this side of the pond.

Yesterday we rode into Liverpool with no idea where to find the company we had targeted to handle the shipping.  They had not responded to email or voice mail and we had no real address - just the name of the company and the Liverpool port as a general location.  We rode to the security entrance and made some inquires then were directed to Lee in the building next door.  Lee could not receive the bikes but made some calls and pointed us in the right direction.  We made contact with Debbie who would expedite the process from Liverpool and she referred to us a broker in Baltimore that can receive the bikes in the US.  Since it is after 4pm we can't get much more done at the port so we head to the Park Hotel which Lee had recommended.

We email the necessary paperwork and less than 24 hours later we are taking the bikes to the port.  We have a few more things to sort remotely from a paperwork standpoint but for the most part are good to go.  The bikes will be on a ship sailing nex Fruday and should arrive in Baltimore on 10/30.

It's a strange feeling - knowing that tomorrow nor the next day or the next day I won't be riding anywhere on the motorcycle.  It's been over three months ago that we left Virginia and began the journey around the world - living out of two boxes and a duffle bag and riding somewhere new almost every day.  Friday morning we get on a plane to Dublin and Saturday from Dublin back to the U.S.  The journey is pretty much over and the finality of it is sinking in - you just want the journey to continue.  There are so many more places out there to see and experience.  

We made some friends here at the Park Hotel near the Liverpool docks.  Adam was nice enough to pick us up from the port after dropping the bikes - and take us out to see some sights in Liverpool.

This is the home of the Beatles after all.

Ken with the bikes while waiting for our port escort.

Port of Liverpool.

The sign says around the world in 80 beers - I think we exceeded 80.

With Adam at the Park Hotel.

UK Weather...

I type this as I sit in a traffic jam on the M5 heading into Birmingham. We have been sitting still with engines odd for at least a half hour now - Apparently due to an accident ahead.

Yesterday we rode to Stonehenge and had decent weather on the way there. It started to rain however when we left and then pretty much all afternoon. To add to the rainy cold weather, I picked up a nasty sore throat and chest crushing cough - the kind that feels like your chest is exploding on each hack. The weather is forecasted to be shit until Friday - we think we are going to skip Scotland. I really wanted to ride up there but between the weather and my current state of health we are planning to get to Liverpool and try to drop off the bikes for shipping. Then find a ferry to Dublin and spend the next couple of days in Ireland - That is if we ever get off the M5 and this traffic mess.

Stonehenge.

Traffic jam.

London...

We took a train from Maidstone to London to do the tourist tour - and find a few pubs.  The weather has been crap and it was cold and raining when we left. The train ticket we bought was also good for the tube so we were able to move about pretty easily.  

We saw the sights and the day was pretty uneventful - fish and chips + a pint for lunch and sucked into a few random pubs along the way.  

The train was pretty packed on the way back to Maidstone.  We stopped at a pub near the station in Maidstone and later found a Thai restaurant for dinner.  Hopefully Tuesday the weather will be better as we make our way north to Scotland.

Classic red phone booth.

London bridge.

Buckingham Palace - the queen is in.

Lunch.

Amsterdam...

We camped about 20 km south of the city - with a short five minute walk to the Metro station. Since we were laying over we had all day Saturday to explore Amsterdam.

This is one quirky city! The buildings all have individual character and kind of all slant in different directions. The city was packed with tourists - and bicycles. I knew Amsterdam was big on bicycles but had no idea the scale. It was pretty amazing to see so many bicycles riding the streets and parked at the bike stands. We walked around getting our bearings throughout the afternoon stopping for the occasional beer at several of the streetwise pubs we happened along. We agreed that we would only stay for one beer at each pub. This strategy allowed for more walking and people watching - for which Amsterdam is brilliant in both regards. The weather was also a perfect 70 degrees with blue skies.

Amsterdam at night looks much different than during the day. The neon lights come on and the freaks come out - more great people watching opportunity. Apparently dressing in crazy costumes is something people do in Amsterdam. We also met some interesting people in the various pubs - mostly tourists like us from all over. Amsterdam is most definitely a hot travel destination.

We were having a great time meeting people, chatting with bartenders, etc. - until we came out of a pub just after having a late dinner and found it was pissing rain. It was one of those steady rains that you just knew would last a while.

We walked around a bit, visited a few more pubs and got really wet - we didn't check the weather and had left camp with no rain gear. Around 11pm we decided to call it a night and head back to camp. We had 12 hours in Amsterdam and that seemed like enough - especially in the rain. It ended up raining most of the night at camp and we got to pack up wet again. I hate having to pack up the gear wet as that is exactly how it will be when setting up at the next camp. We are currently on the ferry from Calais to Dover. The forecast tomorrow morning is 100% chance of rain - with 2+ inches and flooding so we are springing for a hotel room tonight and maybe tomorrow night too. I'm looking forward to a bed as I've been in my tent for 8 of the last 9 and 6 straight nights.

Castle with a restaurant on the first floor.

The canal.

Lots of bikes everywhere.

Lots and lots of bikes!

Bottle lady.

Crowded streets!