The boardwalk of Djouce Mountain lies on a segment of the longer Wicklow Way. The plan, spontaneously formed after waking up at 2am the first night in Ireland from jet lag, was to hike the 51 kilometer stretch from Marlay Park to Glendalough by nightfall and bus back the next morning. Fortunately, when checking the weather for rain, I glossed over a minor detail, that there were 40-60mph winds blowing in the opposite direction of where I was heading. The walk became a pretty onerous one about a third of the way in. After a particularly excruciating two-hour, two-mile climb in buffeting winds, an endless stretch of raised boards came into view, with large pools of rainwater on either sides. Wind blew from the side in sporadic gusts, making the boardwalk stroll a test of reflexes, leaning into the wind when it presents itself and straightening up when it leaves to avoid falling into the waters below. The situation together with the alien landscape made for a memory I will never forget.