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Ireland 2025 – Days 6 and 7 – 3rd and 4th legs of Hike
After a great evening at the South Pole Inn Pub, the next morning we started out on the third day of our hike. As we left Annascaul for our 14-mile hike to Dingle, we headed west, along meandering country roads with views of the Iveragh Peninsula, the fourth of the five peninsulas in Southwest Ireland. By the time we reached Minard Castle, we were drenched, but very much enjoying the hike. Minard Castle, located in a small sandy cove, was built in the 16th century. The castle was partly destroyed by Cromwell’s men in 1650. We then walked some scenic and quiet roads that took us inland through farmland. This…
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Ireland 2025 – September 8&9 – Days 4&5
Today is Tuesday, Day 5 of our trip and Day 2 of our hike. We started Day 1 of our hike yesterday in Tralee, the official start of The Dingle Way. As the capital of County Kerry in Ireland, Tralee is known for its International Rose Festival, which occurs every August. Years ago, our son Davis spent quite a bit of time in this town for a class he was taking in College. The Dingle Way is one of over 30 Irish long-distance walking trails located throughout Ireland. Situated in the south-west of Ireland, the walk completes a circuit of the Dingle Peninsula, starting and finishing in Tralee. The trail…
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Ireland 2025 – Days 2 & 3 – Saturday September 6th and 7th –Dublin Days
I write this on our bus ride to Tralee. We were originally scheduled to take the 1pm Train from Dublin Heuston train station to Mallow (then connect to Tralee), arriving at 5 pm. However, Irish Rail in its infinite wisdom decided on short notice to do rail work for the next couple weeks. So trains for this day had partially been cancelled and were replaced by a bus service and all seat reservations were voided. Luckily our fearless leaders the Hoffmanns, after consulting with some of our fellow travellers, decided not to take this chance but to scramble and find different means of transportation from Dublin to Tralee and on the return…
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Ireland 2025 – Day 1 – Friday September 5th – Travel Day
Today, before leaving for Ireland I spent much of the afternoon outdoors at our Lake house swimming in the lake and soaking up the late summer sun. I sometimes forget how wonderful this time of year can be in Virginia. I soaked it in because this will be the last day I will see this much sun until I return to Virginia. You do not go to Ireland for sunshine. The weather in Ireland is all over the place. As one of our backroad leaders on my last trip to Ireland said, “Ireland has one season all year, but you can get all four seasons in one day.” He should know…
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Ireland 2025 – Pre-trip Reflections – Thursday, September 4th
Elizabeth and I leave tomorrow, September 5th for a 112-mile hiking trip in Ireland. This will be my third trip to “The Emerald Isle”. The first trip occurred 15 years ago when our youngest son Carter wanted to go to Ireland for his senior year spring break. The second trip occurred 6 years ago when my friend Pete wanted to celebrate his 60th birthday with a cycling trip in Ireland. On the first trip we drove throughout central and southwest Ireland. We started in Dublin, and then spent time in County Clare, before hugging the Irish Coast known as the “Wild Atlantic Way” all the way from the Cliffs of Moher to the “Ring…
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A Tribute to Rooney 8.30.25
A tribute to a family member who recently passed away
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How did we get here? August 2, 2025
A post about Celebrations and Marriage
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The Correspondent – A letter to the Author 7.10.25
Dear Ms. Evans, I am writing to you after reading your book The Correspondent. As background, I know your father, Tim, and your brother, Kyle, through work. Your father and I shared some clients in the senior living industry and spoke together at several conferences. And through my relationship with your dad, I hired Kyle as one of my associates in our investment banking practice serving non-profits. I have the utmost respect for your father and brother and I am grateful that our paths crossed. I learned much about leadership from your dad. And your brother is the salt of the earth. When his current employer called me for a…
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Italy/Greece Trip, 2nd Day in Rome – May 22nd
During our 2nd Day in Rome we focused more on ancient Rome, visiting the Appian Way, the Forum, the Coliseum and the Mamertine Prisons, where the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul were imprisoned before their executions. It is believed that Peter’s martyrdom took place 64 A.D. in Nero’s Hippodrome where he was crucified with his head down. But because Paul was a Roman citizen, he had the choice of being beheaded instead of being crucified. It is believed that Paul was beheaded four years after Peter was crucified. After visiting the ancient Roman Forum and the Coliseum, we stopped at another street cafe for more Pizza and beer. One…
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Italy/Greece Trip, Day 11 – First Day in Rome
On our first day in Rome, we would visit another country – The Vatican! We spent three and a half hours in The Vatican Museum with a visit to the Sistine Chapel at the end. What a visit! The Sistine Chapel was built over 500 years ago. And the future artist who would make a major contribution to the Sistine Chapel was only two years old when the Sistine Chapel was started by Pope Sixtus IV in 1477. When it was finished in 1480, this future artist was only five years old. The walls, painted in fresco, were painted by such renowned artists as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Pietro Perugino. The walls were…