For my first adventure in the New Year, I took an easy bike ride out to the coast. Welcome to 2026, dear readers!
It was simple, it was fun, it was relaxing. I went with a vague map in mind, really generalized as “I’m gonna go East ’till there’s water in the way”, and enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I cycled out onto the sandbar, got mud all over my everything, and appreciated the beauty of the reflecting sunlight and the smell of the sea.
Wednesday, 03-Sept-2025, through Saturday, 06-Sept-2025
Up the coast we drove, from the Southern part of Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast up toward the Northern side.
We were heading toward a spot on the Northern shore for another few days, getting to visit with Andrea’s family for a bit. The goals were basically the same, though – relax, enjoy, and take a good breather from the chaos of Dublin city life.
Along the way we got to see Cape Kaliakra, an ancient fortress on a small peninsula jutting into the sea, above sheer cliffs with crashing waves… absolutely beautiful, and a really cool opportunity for the English-speaker to see a bit more of Bulgaria’s history.
But overall? We relaxed by the pool, ate amazing food, and just… were.
It was a hot August day, and I was going to get some adventure in whether the Universe wanted me to or not.
The plan had originally been to hike Ben Bulben – rent a car, traipse out to the West Coast of Ireland, and leverage the long summer days to get me all the sunlight that I’d need to summit, then return home.
Unfortunately, that plan got waylaid – My car rental app thing required a re-registration, and had cancelled itself on me. I submitted it, of course, but it’d be a 7-day+ waiting period to get it approved… and in the mean time, no cars for Ben.
Instead, I packed a lunch, some water and some coffee, and hopped on the bike to explore Phoenix Park. It wasn’t ideal, to be sure, since I couldn’t listen to music while cycling, and I couldn’t watch the Midlands flash by as I made my way to the West, but… you know what?
Sometimes, we iterate.
Sometimes, we do the best we can, regardless of what happens.
And sometimes, we get to photograph semi-domesticated deer populations in a massive in-city walled park.
