TransAtanticWay Race Journal
Day 2 - "Disaster Strikes"
Distance: 137.2km
Moving Time: 9:53:48
Elevation Gain: 2,435m
We were up early and packed up quickly, ready to hit the road by 6 am. Our first stop was Glenveagh National Park, where we cycled down a gravel track that led along Lough Veagh and through Glenveagh Castle. It was a stunning ride, but unfortunately, I encountered my first puncture here. We quickly fixed it and continued on our way.
A little later, we were hit by a torrential downpour and strong winds. We pushed through the challenging conditions until I had another mechanical issue with my bike. My right shifter wouldn't shift up or down on the cassette at the back, leaving me with only 4 usable gears out of 22. It was not a great start to day 2, but we continued on, battling against 50km/h headwinds and climbing the Glengeish Mountain Pass.
After Glengeish, we continued along brutal hills and stopped at a hostel in Killybegs, feeling totally broken and wiped out. Every muscle in our bodies hurt, and we were exhausted from the challenging ride. We had only covered 137.2km in 9:53:48, with 2,435m of elevation gain.