Duckies said they wanted to go back to bed after their wonderful breakfast instead of going out in the pouring rain.  And as much as we agreed, it showed no signs of letting up, so we bundled up and headed out into the cold (55°) rainy morning.  The rain and fog were so thick all we could see was the wet road in front of us.    Occasionally we were afforded a glance of large homes on the hills or stunning shoreline.  But mostly, we kept our head down biking hard against the wind and rain as if we could break through or outrun it.  Almost two hours later, as we dropped from our climbing, the rain lessened and we could actually see a few miles ahead of us.  The small villages along the Carlingford Lough were a refreshing site.  Homes grew larger as did the stone walls that obscured the full view.  We traveled up the Newry River past the Narrow Water Castle dating from the 16th century.  Though the rain had stopped, the clouds still hung heavy on the hills, threatening to rain again.

Unceremoniously, we crossed the border into Ireland, noted only by the many signs for money exchange.  At 1:30 and 38 miles completed, we finally stopped for a rest and a bite to eat.  Our quick stopped was delayed with a flat waiting for us as we left lunch, but within the hour we had completed lunch and the tire fix.  Best of all, the sun had come out for our final ten miles.  Our road into town went right by the magnificent St. Patrick’s Church.  A tour of the inside would be on our list, but only after we showered and took care of some reservations.  In a couple of days, we were crossing the Irish Sea back to England and were having a very difficult time coordinating everything.  Thankfully, Sinéad at the tourist info office was beyond helpful and got us squared away.

Unfortunately by the time we finished, the church had closed it’s doors, so we headed for refreshments, dinner and desert.Long day tomorrow, so time for bed.