June 17- Jecca hikes Mount Brandon; Barbara rides with the luggage

   Today we had another sumptuous breakfast made by Phyl - more salmon with eggs for us both - yum.

   Jecca, Paul and Caroline (couple from Ascot) rode in a van to the trailhead to hike Mount Brandon in the mist. I rested and sat in the solarium and Mike, (husband of Phyl) drove me to Cloghane, a village of under 300 people.

    He dropped me and the luggage at O'Connor's pub in business since 1860. Ohe room was not yet ready, so I found a nice picnic spot on the beach and ate my lunch and read a book peacefully and happily - especially for my feet.

     I met two men from Hawaii - both anesthesiologists. They are doing a "comfort walk" of about 10-12 kilometers a day. They are celebrating one of them retiring. When the pub opened, I had a pot of tea at the next table. 

   To my utter surprise, Jecca walked in at 2:45! She did the predicted 8 hour hike in 5 hours despite the fog and the mist. She is amazing.

    She enjoyed the hike but did say that I would not have enjoyed it. She met up with most of the people we've met in the last few days - the women from N.Mexico, the family of three from Montana and, of course, the people from Ascot with whom she was dropped off. All will be staying here tonight. It is very homey. Our room is at the back and overlooks the harbor.

    Her pictures of the hike of Mount Brandon:

    Everyone ate dinner at the pub which was very good. Jecca had a fish pot pie with colcannon, a mashed potato/cabbage combination. I had fish chowder. Then, we both had desserts - all good. There was good conversations all around. The friends from N.M. are both in health care - one with Doctors Without Border who is working in Amsterdam. Her background is midwifery. The other is also in health care. One of them gave me some toe bandages for my blackened big toes. We found out that the daughter who is with her parents (Montana) is an: English teacher as well as an ultra marathoner.