Bilateral Swiss/Talbot´s Inch Virtual Wellie Event

So if you don´t already know the Castlecomer New Year´s Day Wellie Race which would have been it´s 41st Wellie Race morphed into the Castlecomer and Global Virtual Wellie event.  https://www.wellierace.com/index.php/virtual-event

Yes, due to Covid restrictions, the boys in Powley Vale allowed a special dispensation for the Covid year that´s in it.   And even more dispensations were dispensed:  Participants were allowed to do their wellie-ing any time we wanted to, day or night between December 26th 2020 - January 7th 2021. 

 Wo hooo is life good for wellie aficiandos or what these days!.

 And so it came to be that: 

The Bilateral  Moos, St. Gallen, Switzerland/ Talbot´s Inch, Kilkenny Virtual Wellie Event 

Took place on the 30th of December 2020.

First the Swiss side. 

Well the Swiss Wellie Race up the Alps morphed into the Kretz-Broggy Bubble Virtual Wellie Event.

The day started out  better than good in the Kretz-Broggy bubble on their dairy farm in Moos, St. Gallen.  - Yes a dairy farm in Moos.

 

As Ann, from Clare and her daughters set up the Virtual Wellie Event route, the view was, as you can see, spectacular.

Indeed so good was the weather that Hildegard, Waltraud and Uli came out to have a look at the goings on..

But do you know what, as is wont to happen in those parts, after Fear an Tí Guido, got Hidegard and her bovine sisters milked and sorted, the weather had turned....

 

 

....Three hours later they had this!

 

At first the members of the Kretz-Broggy Bubble decided to wait it out and hope the weather would ease up.  It didn´t.   It turned woeful!

So hardy folks that they were, the just went out and well ´wellie-evented´ if you will.

 

 

In this case daughters Mary and Martina ran ...

 

                                                                                                                                                                                            Guido and Ann walked the route

After their virtual wellie event, they retired to enjoy a nice warm drink of what ever you are having yourself - in their spanking new kitchen.  The same kitchen was part of the big house renovations that was  Guido and Ann´s Covid lock down project.   As Ireland was baking bread the Kretz-Broggy bubble members were renovating their farmhouse!

Well done Ann, Guido, Mary and Martina for keeping the flag flying and the wellies wobbling! 

And the Talbot´s Inch side of this Bilateral Swiss/Kilkenny Virtual Event....

 Well lads how do you beat that for drama!  But I did have a view.

My virtual wellie event was from Talbot´s Inch Village along the Nore Linear Walk to the Lady Desart Bridge near the library in Kilkenny.  There and back is a full 5k.

 

 

There I am  with the best boot forward at the starting point in Talbot´s Inch.

 

 

 

 Let the views begin!

Half way!

 

No rush can take my time and enjoy the view.

After a bit of fraternizing with non-wellie event people who are in my bubble, I set of for the remainder of the virtual wellie 5k.

 

 

 

That there on the right is the remains of the bridge that Lady Desart had built in the early 20th century.  It was swept away sadly in the floods of 1947.

 And if you are one of those people in Kilkenny who is saying in the name of God where is that...

Well I am sorry to tell you - you are missing out.  All credit to the powers that be in the Tholsal who had the Nore Linear Walk designed  and built.  It opened in 2009. The Linear Walk goes from the Weir down almost to Green´s Bridge and then you can go over Green´s Bridge and walk on the other side of the river right down to John´s Bridge and beyond all the way down the canal.  A GREAT amenity.  And again all credit to the City Fathers and Mothers who got this sorted. 

 

So get yourself down there and enjoy.  If you chose to bring your dog... PLEASE bring your ´doggy do´ bag too.  And more importantly: If your dog does ´do´.  Do use the bag to clean it up .   But I digress a bit from virtual wellie event-ing.  

Almost home from my virtual wellie event.......

 

 

Back to the starting point some time later... and how much later is my own business!  Virtual Wellie Event done and dusted.... Almost...

 

 

Go home and get a nice warm what ever you are having yourself. 

 

 

Gloat.   

 

 

And then be sure you have completed your donation of some real €€€ to the virtual donation bucket at https://www.wellierace.com/index.php/donate

 

 

For the last 41 years the Castlecomer Wellie Race committee have been giving us the chance to have great fun in our wellies, and with our donations,  they can donate €€€ every year to good causes.  

Don´t let this year be any different! 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year and stay safe from the Bilateral Swiss/Kilkenny Virtual Wellie Race Team.