“Let Me Speak with Your Manager”: An American Rides Ireland’s EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route

I’d decided to bike in Ireland and found EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route. I only needed to fill in the logistics including where to find cheap places to sleep (other than with gracious Warmshowers hosts who’d already replied) and, oh yeah, figure out how to ride in the rain.

My hunt for advice began on a Facebook page for those cycling in Ireland and I quickly received one response to my ignorant questions that became pure gold. It was from some guy named Doug Corrie who claimed to be the manager of EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route in Ireland (whatever that meant). I asked if he and I could meet via FaceTime because I had tons of questions. Doug and I met virtually and he was great about answering my endless questions. That was nice. I guessed that was what EuroVelo managers were paid to do, right? Then, he started responding to my emailed queries (e.g., what road surfaces to expect). His responses were detailed and included information I didn’t even know I needed such as names of major grocery stores in Ireland and explaining the differences between “L,” “R,” “N,” and “M” roads. That guy had been so nice; what a great service those EuroVelo managers provided. I thought he was done.

I had just arrived in Dublin, started putting together my trusted Sapphire and tried to figure out how to get some last-minute items before catching my train, and Doug magically appeared. He’d called the cycle shop to ask if I’d arrived and told them he was on his way. What!?! Could this be real? Doug arrived, walked me to a bank and the stores I needed, and then escorted me by bike to the train station and even helped place my bike in that weird bike rack before wishing me well on my way. This was not what I had been expecting and it was such a relief to have someone hold my hand through every step of the process so I could finally get my real tour party started. Doug left me on the train and asked me to keep him informed of my progress.

I’d been on lots of distance hiking adventures and I had a group of friends and family at home that regularly served on my “crew.” They were there for me when I needed good vibes, help, and advice. Doug asked if he could join that team.

As my nightly reports rolled in, my team encouraged me; Doug jumped right in on the Messenger action. His encouragement, though, was different. He knew the trail. He knew the culture. He knew Ireland. He understood that when I complained about climbing that I meant I was dying on climbs littered with potholes. He knew I was on a road bike with a small cassette. And, he knew when I should follow EuroVelo 1 absolutely and when it might be okay for me to veer a little off-trail. He even knew what I should stop to see along my way.

Over a week into the tour, I admitted I wasn’t committed to every turn of the official EuroVelo 1 route. There were sections of the country that really interested me including some that were off-route and some sections just weren’t calling my name. It was time for me to get creative with Google Maps and Garmin Connect. I would come up with a perfect route and shoot it over to Doug for a looksie. He would give me a go-code or maybe one of those virtual smirks meaning “You don’t have any idea what you’re getting yourself into, do you?” But, much to my surprise, those smirks came in the form of replacement GPX files. As I reached the north, I decided to replace the official EuroVelo 1 route with the Causeway Coastal Route and loved it. That brought me to Belfast several days before my return flight to Vegas. With a few days to spare, I could make a run from Belfast back to Rosslare Harbour allowing a lifetime of pontification about how incredible I was to have circumnavigated the entire Emerald Isle. This meant I had to ride through Dublin and, surprise of all surprises, I received a message from Doug that morning saying he would ride with me into the city. We met, rode, and chatted over snacks and caffeine. He escorted me to where he knew I would be safe and sent me back on my way with his blessing.

And what did Ireland’s manager request in return? Feedback. He wanted to know what he could do to improve the route and website. I mentioned a terrible section of road one day and he rode it himself a few days later to see how to improve the map for future cyclists. I mentioned that a ferry didn’t arrive when it was supposed to, so he updated the website for future travellers. He asked me to share my pictures and videos for the website and welcomed feedback when I found typos or could recommend changes on the stage description pages.

Who was this guy? Out of nowhere, Doug responded to a Facebook post and became my route planner, safety manager, tour guide, and friend. This EuroVelo route business was pretty awesome. So, I’m all in for my next tour. My only request: "Let me speak to your manager."

Caveat from Christy and the EuroVelo team: Ireland’s Atlantic Coast Route is not the well-travelled route of, say, the EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route or EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route. Doug Corrie is the only appointed EuroVelo country manager in the whole network, and he is an extraordinarily passionate person who aims to get a deep understanding and feedback about EuroVelo 1 in his country. This article is, of course, a shoutout to him. You should not expect such a personalised experience and tips as Christy had, but you can always rely on the GPX tracks and resources on the EuroVelo website, national and local websites dedicated to EuroVelo, tourism and cycling, the EuroVelo Discussion Group, the Warmshowers community, National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and pro-cycling associations to plan your trip in the best possible manner and make friends along the way.

About the author: Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D., is an endurance athlete and travel writer who recently completed her first long-distance cycling tour—a 1,500-mile solo ride through Ireland and Northern Ireland following most of EuroVelo 1. A ten-time Ironman finisher with a doctorate in educational technology, Dr. Keeler shares humorous, practical reflections from the trail at christykeeler.com. She is especially grateful to Doug Corrie, the EuroVelo 1 Ireland route manager, for his generous and tireless support throughout the journey.