Day 3

Earliest start so far this morning.  Arrived in the car park just after 8 am.  Beautiful morning and the summit was bright and clear and the church was clearly visible.  Something told me that things would change before I got there!  Past experiences have thought me that weather is ever changing in Murrisk.  Still it was nice to be setting out with dry and bright weather.

  I had a quick chat with Pat and headed off up on my 5th climb in 3 days.  Solo climb but that was ok.  I had to be back in Castlebar by mid day so at least I could dictate the pace today.  I remained a solo climber for all but a brief period on today's ascent.  The brief period of company came in the form of a jolly old man who was suddenly right behind me on the ridge.  He was flying up!!  I had set a good pace and had passed a lot of climbers that had set off well before me so when I heard footsteps at my shoulder I expected to see a mountain runner!  Instead I find this jolly old chap with a great smile.  I turned to him and said "Jesus your flying".  He smiled and asked me if i was doing the 7 days to which I said "if I'm able for it".  He down played his speed up the mountain by saying he only climbs a couple of times a week and he only goes as far as the first toilet since his two knee replacements!!!!!  With that he shot off up the mountain and I had not hope of keeping pace with him!!  To make it worse he didn't turn at the toilet, he went to the top!!  I shook his hand when I finally got there.  That was impressive climbing for a man 20/30 years his junior!  He went in to the church said a quick prayer and off down he went again!

The only stop I had on the way up was when I met Cyril.  I met Cyril about 14 years ago when we both did a course over a few months.  Our paths crossed after that through work a few time and he fitted out kitchen 9 years ago.  I hadn't seen Cyril much in the past few years until the 7 Day Challenge last year when I met him on the mountain every day of my 4 days and I was delighted to meet him so far this year on 3 out of 3 days.  He is a good bloke and great for the few words of encouragement.  Looking forward to meeting again tomorrow. 

There was more snow overnight so although not as far down the mountain as yesterday there was significant snow on the cone.  I decided to stay close to the track today.  Went slightly to the left of the main track today mainly because of congestion but also because it is easier in snow than on snowy icy rocks.  There was a bit of tiny hail stones on the way up that felt like pins being stuck in your face!  On the summit there was no view what so ever.  The cloud had come down and it was bitterly cold.  No hanging around for photos today.  Just took one to mark the climb.

I ran down today once I got past the tricky first segment of the cone.  Started on the right on the stone then into the deeper snow and crossed at the corner of the cone and went down on the left.  Met Dermot (newest blog follower!!) on the point compared opinions of today's climb and back to snow running!!  I have a small bit of video footage but have been having difficulty getting it from phone to computer.  I'll post it tomorrow if I can.

Great fun again running down in snow!  After snow and back on the track I look up to see Eoin giving me a round of applauds!!! Met him on Friday and am meeting every day now.  Another of life's naturally happy friendly people.  Next to meet was the one and only Johnny Oosten sporting a pair of shorts and feeling the effects of that!  He was red raw from being pelted by hailstones!!  What I knew and didn't wanted to tell him was that conditions were much further on and the wind had picked up to knocking of balance strength!  Any off with me again!  Passed Cyril next.  "Here comes the rocket" was all I heard as I passed!!!  Back down to the carpark in 38 minutes.  10.18am.  Great!  Loads of time to shower , change, refuel and soak up some of the base camp atmosphere.  I had another €5 shower and although I still think its pricey it was a little piece of heaven!!!  I was so glad to have climbed when I did cos the weather turned very nasty when I was having the post climb soup and sambos!  I since discovered that they had to call a halt to the climbing later in the day due to the weather.  Still no confirmation of tomorrows climb.  I must admit no matter how fast you are moving down the mountain sometimes you have to stop to admire natures beauty and the ever changing light around the mountain and Clew Bay

Home by 5pm and a chill out evening for the Barrys.  The feet have been up for most of the evening and there is a cold beer beside me.  Bliss!  Legs are sore for the first time this week and funny as it may sound I think it was the golf that did it! 

Change of plan for tomorrow.  Dairin (wife) is going to climb later in the week instead of tomorrow as the weather really in not suitable to first time climbers.  Its not an easy climb at the moment and if that wind hold up tomorrow is going to be a rotten couple of climbs!  Reward for efforts tomorrow?  See Here

I'd like to say thank you to Matt Loughrey for giving my humble blog a recommendation on his 365 page!  It has been great getting all the positive feedback on achievements so far and to hear that people are enjoying reading the ramblings of wannabe adventurer!!!

See you all back here tomorrow!

Greg

Day 2

Earlier start today.  I arrived in the carpark before 9am.  there had been snow in the fields on the way over so I expected there to be more snow on the mountain today and I wasn't disappointed.  The mountain looked amazing but I knew it would be a tougher climb than yesterday.  Loads of people about the carpark and a good vibe in the air. Met Eamon as he finished at 9.05!!!  Early start!!  He confirmed my thoughts of a tough climb ahead.  I was to climb with Matt Loughrey today.  Matt is on his 281st consecutive climb of his targeted 365!   He arrived just before I met Eamon.  Matt had arranged to meet a group of school kids from Dublin!  34 kids on a snow covered mountain!!  First climb was a slow one.  Slowest for a long time.  A good mixture of chat, meetings, waiting and fresh snow lower down the mountain than yesterday lead to the slower ascent.  I decided to pull away from Matt and Megan just before the shoulder as I was getting cold at a slower pace.  I went off track half way along the shoulder and had great craic in the fresh snow that was 4ft drifts in places.  Made the climb more interesting, fun but tiring!  Fairly deep!

Got to the top eventually and it was bitterly cold up there.  Loads of people milling about up there.  Church was full of some of the school kids from Dublin so I took a wander about outside.  Someone had scrawled 365 in the snow on the church door in Matts honor.  I wasn't sure how far behind Matt was so I took a shot of it.  I thought it would have been great to get it with Matt in it!  Just as I was about to leave he arrived over the brow so I got the shot!

Headed back down with Matt and Megan as they didn't wait around up there today.  Great fun coming down!  Most people were creeping and crawling their way down.  We on the other hand took a line down by the banked snow on the left of the track!  It was good fun cos if you slipped or fell you just fell sideways into a soft 5ft bank of snow!!  Once we got to the end of the first section of the cone we went off track again!  We were able to run/jog in that snow and there were quite a few slips and falls but always landing in lovely soft deep snow.  Good auld laugh.  Managed to loose Matt somehow for a while along the way!!  He stops to talk to everyone and everyone wants to talk to the 365 guy.  That must be a great feeling and it definitely keeps him going and will get him through his challenge.  I pushed on ahead on my own again as I was mindful of the second climb and it felt like we were on the mountain for ages.  Towards the bottom I met a guy from Donegal.  We had a good chat as we walked and he told me he was down for the week to do the seven days.  He also told me about his 4 year old daughter who has autism and this was his reason for climbing.  His daughter is fortunate enough in that she is getting all the support she needs for the stage she is at but he knows not all parent of children with autism are as fortunate.

Got down from climb one and head straight for the soup and sandwich's that the good folk from the 7 Day Challenge provide all day every day for the climbers.  3 hours for climb one but a very enjoyable climb so what about!  Twenty minutes later I was heading back up.  Major change in the weather!  Sun was out, sky was blue and you could see the church on the top clearly from the car park.  Maybe I might get the view of the bay this time.  I need this climb to be quicker as I wanted to be home before 5.  Just as I was leaving I met Matt and Megan again.  The had opted for a roast dinner over a second climb!  Off I went solo for climb two.  The views were better at the start of climb 2 and judging by the extra swell of water in the stream I was guessing the snow was melting further up.

One of the things I love about the climbing is the people.  I make a point of saying hello to as many of the people I pass as I possibly can.  In general people response and sometimes conversations spark up.  I love when I am on the second ascent or decent and I pass some one I have passed on climb one and they look in surprise and say things like "are you going up again?" or "did I not just meet you going down?"  always followed by "fair play to go" and "good luck with it" and ofter "you must be mad".  Ascent two was a good one.  Made good time even though I stopped to take a few shots.  Went off track again but not as far off as first climb.  Snow had thinned out at the start but got the good stuff the further up I went up.  I'm not sure if I made it harder on myself by taking that route.  with no snow it is quicker but in snow?  Who cares!  It gives a great sense of adventure!

The visitor centre was open today so I was able to have a much needed hot shower after the two climbs.  A welcome change to yesterdays awful experience of having to dry off and change in the public toilets in the carpark!  The shower was welcome but costly!!  €5 for a shower!  Smacks a little of rip off Ireland or as someone said rip off reek!!!  Got a call from D on the way home to say she was in Eamons house so I headed there and was treated to lunch.  Watched the rugby there too and that is a subject I am not willing to talk about!!  Gutted.  Then home for a lovely stir fry cooked by my wonderful wife who is really getting behind me with this challenge.  Even though she is worried about all this snow she is still willing to give climbing a go on Monday.  Looking forward to that climb.

Tomorrow is a rest day of sorts as I am only doing one climb as I have to play golf at 12.10.  We are in the final of a league we have been playing in all winter so it is important enough.  It will mean an early start though.  I would like to see more of my bed!  I wonder what St Patrick would have made of his bed this morning?

Not sure how many people are following this blog but those that are I hope you are enjoying it and are able to put up with text that is not proof read and all the spelling mistakes!!!  tune in tomorrow for the next installment!

Greg

ps -  Special thanks to my brother David for coming down from Galway to give me the loan of his camera for the rest of the challenge!

Day 1

Wow what a day!!!  Dropped Aimee to school this morning and headed back to Westport to start out on the 7 Day challenge.  As I was leaving town my brother in law, eamon, rang  to tell me he had his climb done and that to take care it was slippy coming down!  Wet miserable grey morning but no wind so that was a plus.  I was dressed for the weather so the rain didn't bother me too much but on the way into Westport the cloud parted slightly and I saw that there was snow on the summit.

Registered for the climb pulled on the rain gear and headed off on a solo climb.  Lot of people about and stopped for 5 chats along the way.  Strangest day I have ever climbed so far.  Wet and miserable all the way up to the ridge and then the rain got a bit sleety.  as I pressed forward it turned to proper snow.  It was then I bumped into a local that I have climbed with before and he told me there was a lot of snow on the summit and to be careful on the way down!  Eamon had said it was slippy but I assumed it was wet.  he never mentioned snow!!  This was to be a first for me.  Never climbed in snow before!  Undaunted I carried on.  The summit is fab in the snow!  Hung around for a while up top on the first climb.  Chatted to a few people did a few bits and bobs for a couple of people and headed back down.  I decided the the snow at this stage was deep enough to attack the decent and that is just what I did.  I took a route to the right of the main track and walked/jogged down off the cone.  It was great fun!!  climb one in under the two hours.

Sat in with a few fellow climbers and had a vary welcomed hot cup of soup and a few hang sangwichs!  I was fairly wet and starting to feel the cold so I headed back up with in a half an hour or so.  (time are approx as I kind of lost track of time!)  Headed back up with two lads one of who was on his second climb of the day.  i stayed with them for a while but pace was a bit slow for me so I said goodbye and headed of alone.  Still wet and shitty for the first half of the climb but the snow was a welcome sight on the ridge.  Met another second time climber (Eoin) on the ridge and climbed with him to the cone.  The snow was falling harder than the first climb and it was a real winter wonder land.  Left Eoin at the start of the cone and stuck at my own pace which I was surprised I was able to keep up on climb 2.  Got to the top and didn't hang around too long.  A snowman had been built behind the church since I was up last!  I took a photo for a guy with him standing beside it and he returned the favour!  Headed straight back down and took a similar approach to the last time!  People that had met me on decent one that I met again on assent one were great for the words of encouragement.  That kind of banter keep motivation up and spirits high.  All of descent 2 on my own but that was fine apart from the fact that the iPod battery had died on the way up!

So that was another first for me today!  Never climbed twice in the one day before.  Didn't know how it would go but am delighted that i was not only able for it but was able to keep similar pace on both climbs.  A really enjoyable day.  Worst part of the day is easily the lack of shower facility at the Reek.  I had to resort to using a cubicle in the public toilets to dry off and change!  Disgusting!!!!

Rounded off a great day with a chinese takeaway with D, Aimee, Mum and Dad!

I'm pooped so off to bed!  Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back real soon!! 

Greg

One more sleep......

So tis the eve of the big challenge!  thank you to all of you that have popped in for a look at the blog.  I hope you are enjoying your breakfast John!!

The plan for the morning is to head over to Westport at 9.15 or so and get climb one done by mid day at the latest, grab a spot of lunch and head back up at about one for a slower climb or vice versa depending on who I bump into over there!  It is always a slower climb with company but that ok as the climbs are easier with a good chat on the way!

Weather wise it looks like its going to be a real shit of a day!  Invested in some new waterproof gear today so I should be ok.  I had hoped to get a loan of a digital camera for the week but so far it hasn't worked out.  I will have the film camera with me and the phone will have to do for the moment so quaity of shots will be an issue!

I guess I better hit the hay so I'll post day one progress at some point tomorrow evening.

Later!

Its not a hill its a Mountain

Let me start by saying a big thank you to all of you that have taken the time out to donate to my part in the fund-raising efforts of the Croagh Patrick 7 in a row Challenge and to give me the much needed encouragement, support and good wishes to keep me motivated to complete the challenge.

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/greg_barrys_event/
I have decided that since so many of you from all corners of the globe have been in touch since the facebook and e mail bombardment with words of support that I would set up a blog so you can all chart my progress and make sure you all get value for your money!!!  I will try to include photos of each climb and let you know how the old bones and joints are holding up.

So just to fill you in a bit on what this is all about.  Two guys came up with the idea of doing something to raise money for Autism services in Mayo as one of their sons had been diagnosed with the condition and it became apparent to them that the early intervention schooling needed was not available in the county.  In fact they were to discover that there was very few of these specialised schools in the country. This is the fifth year of the 7 Day Challenge and to date the lads have orchestrated climbers to raise over €400,000!  The money raised so far is the main source of funding for Athas a specialised ABA school in Kiltimagh.  This year the hope is to bring that total up to €500,000.

My part in all this is to raise as much as I possibily can as it is the only fund raising event I am involved in this year.  To encourage you all to keep donating I have committed to do one extra climb for every €200 over €1000 I raise capped at 14 climbs!! (well I am only human!!!)

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/greg_barrys_event/

If anyone would like to join me on any of the climbs I would be more than happy with the company!!  My darling wife has agreed to join me on one climb which I am delighted about and admire her for it as is not an easy undertaking and as Bono would say "its not a hill its a mountain...."

Just to show those of you not fortunate enough to have climbed this wonderful mountain what is involved and the rewards of the climb..........

Thanks for stopping by!!