MX5Ireland

So I had about 2 hours sleep the night before hand and then hit the road to meet the lads in Mallow. The weather today turned out to be TOTALLY AWESOME !!!

I'll kick this off with a few pics from my mobile (sorry for the dirty windshield, I ran out of water).



Leaving Killarney...







Heading for the mountains...




Ladys View...














Time to have some FUN in the mountains !!!


























Unfortunately, one went to hospital.





And of course, the LEGENDARY 'Healy Pass'...

looks like you all had a great day on roads made for the 5. so much for accurate weather forecasting, fine day up here in west donegal. hope you all have a good night

Oh and guys, that 'burning rubber' smell wasn't my tyres scrubbing after all....as I found out on the road back from Killarney in the pitch dark

It was my alternator belt
Yeah... the lights in my dash started fading, then the headlights, temp gauge needle started going down which I knew wasn't correct and the oil pressure needle did the same. Any time I tried boosting it got worse.

I got as far as Macroom, the battery charge light just came on so pulled in on the side of the road and it DIED on me right there in the pitch dark I couldn't even put on the hazard lights.

I knew it was the belt though as I could open the boot via the switch no probs.
Have you ever tightened an alternator belt in the pitch dark using your mobile for light ? It's bad enough doing it in the day light.
But I got it done.... with knuckles and hands slashed, after all I was 2 feet from the road and the cars passing were shaking it

Sat back into the car - would not start. Waited a while (muttering curses at all alternator belts in the world) and tried it again - dead, wouldn't even click over once.

Waited another 10 minutes while having a cig and watching the cars flying past wondering when one of them was going to hit the back of the car.

Tried it again - clicked over once....then twice.... AND FIRED UP !!!
Total power back again, perfect lights on the dash, perfect headlights and ..... I BOOSTED ALL THE WAY HOME

barney wrote:looks like you all had a great day on roads made for the 5. so much for accurate weather forecasting, fine day up here in west donegal. hope you all have a good night

Yeah, the Irish Met office use the UK Met Office to make their forecasts. They should be all on the dole.

I actually think I've a small bit of sunburn after today !!
It was a great day out and we all have a good laugh.

Thanks guys and Fla for setting this one up
The Kerry runs ALWAYS rock

(we'll have to get one last Kerry run in before Christmas, on a Sunday, with Fla on point !!!).

Nice shooting Fergus. Thank for doing sat nav for me today. My apologies to all for my late arival plus early departure. I promise I will be more punctual/sociable next time (I can guarantee it as my much better half will be along....she somehow asumed it was a boys only thing. She will be coming but don't be too surprised if that results in photo shoots outside a few shops rather than waterfalls & the like

Tony

voomvoom wrote:Nice shooting Fergus. Thank for doing sat nav for me today. My apologies to all for my late arival plus early departure. I promise I will be more punctual/sociable next time (I can guarantee it as my much better half will be along....she somehow asumed it was a boys only thing. She will be coming but don't be too surprised if that results in photo shoots outside a few shops rather than waterfalls & the like

Tony

Any time Tony, you turned up and that's what matters, it's always good to see a new face in the group

No probs with your other half and the photos, we actually had a sort of 'International Photo Shoot' done today with the cars just after having lunch (and is still wondering why they went for just the 2 Turbo'd cars ).

WHAT A DAY.
Wonderful people :lol:
Lot's of SUNSHINE
Scenery to put some faith back into this little island of our's , in spite of what the blackguards in government have done to it .
Adrenalin HIGHS, especially on The Healy Pass Eight hours later and I'm still buzzing.

Thanks to all for your company on a spectacular day's driving - it has to have been one of the BEST. Plenty of tyre left on some of the bends and, almost, some brown stuff left on car seats by co-pilots. Commiserations to Fla who had to abandon ship before the end of the Kilgarvan to Glengarrif leg of the journey, I blame Healy-Rea, - let's hope you have her back on the road very shortly. Well done Fergus for being quick off the mark with the photo's in spite of your experience on your way home. Loads more to follow and I expect we'll see some video footage as well.

Roll on the next get-together in Kerry - one NOT to be missed.

Tom

it looked fab raging i missed it

WOW!!! Soooooooooooooo sorry I missed it now, damn Looks like a great day was had.

Sorry to hear about ur nightmare Fergus, great shots though!

DaStig wrote:WOW WOW WOW - what I missed ehhhhhhhh!
I got texts from J.Leamy and S.Rigley saying it was fantastic whilst I was in my shed doing some work on my 5projectcar and was mightely pissed off!

Sideways, nice roll bar you fitted there Hope Aimee never needs it.
Where did Cloggy take his traditional "mark his teritory" piss in the Kingdom?

Ladies View!!

'Tis true I yell ya!!

Well, just sitting back down at PC after the rugby game..WHAT a weekend!!
Kerry Run...Molls Gap, Healy Pass..unbelievable scenery. Lunch in Glengarrif,Ireland soccer game, Pub, Chinese Meal, night club, pole dancing ladies (You Know who you Are....)Breakfast for those of us able to make it before they stopped serving (Eh Cloggy??) The run Back home..met up with Sean and Aimee on the motorway and while stuck in a traffic jam in Abbeyleix , we decided to high-tail it cross-country via Stradbally back to Newbridge, I even managed to get the tail out on one junction!!
Quick pit-stop for Sean & Aimee in my place before they headed back to the wee county!! Settle down then to watch the rugby.
Just as well I started my Winter week on Friday, gonna need a day or two to recover.
By the way, respect to Fla for putting it all together...that guy is indestructible. Word is he left the nightclub at 3, was due on the train for 7 to go to the match in Dublin...Did he make it?? Dunno, but I'm sure he'll let us know here soon. Passed the garage where his car was transported to when leaving Killarney this morning. I'm sure it's something simple that caused the car to malfunction.
Great to meet all the regulars and the new faces. Couples are becoming the norm on these runs..great to see it!! Share the passion, that's what I say!!!!!!

John

will post pics later

Some sedate youtube footage of the pass, you get the idea!!

What a weekend,
rotten miserable drive down on Friday and it pissed down all night. Went out fora few???? beers and told cloggy we were in Mc Siorleys(0230) which came across as McFlurries.........to totally confuse the taxi driver, we went out the front door, they went in the back door!!!
Anyways, seriously sore head saturday morning but gorgeous day. Top down meet the gang.Molls Gap, Boleen?? and the infamous Healy Pass. Got some lovely tail out action in the dry and almost left the brakes medium to well done. Boleen was fab behind Fla, the man can handle that machine, before she cried enough.
Almost got hypothermia driving back(pictures to follow) , then out for a few too many more with the added addition of the MX5 Ireland Ladies Pole Dancing Team......."somebody stop me,.....down Shep".
Lovely meeting some more of the gang, great bunch of people and a huge thanks to Fla for organising a brilliant series of roads and being a great host last night.
Topped off today with a lovely run thro the Curragh and a most welcome pitstop at Johns.......

Thanks to all.
Sean.