Back to Reality

Almost a week now since returning from Yorkshire and nearly two weeks after finishing the ride. It really is now the job of getting back into a normal life. Having spent 23 days living on the road, returning to a mundane 9 to 5 office job is proving a challenge in itself. Having put heart and soul into this ride for so long, and with it being for something so important such as Cancer charities, suddenly huge problems at work don't seem so huge afterall. I sometimes wonder what is reality? The reality is what is out there, on the streets. People.. Not whats going off behind a computer screen. Perhaps I should title this blog post, Back From Reality!

Anyway enough of the philosophical stuff. The great news is, that its looking like I've raised about £2500 overall for cancer charities. £1000 in Gibraltar, and £1500 in Yorkshire. I want to say a big thank you to all those who donated. Even £1 buys a cup of tea for a cancer patient, and we all know how nice a cup of tea can be! Every little bit really can make a difference.

I would like to stay an extended thanks to a number of people who donated significant amounts of money that have really contributed to this final figure. They are (in no particular order):

Geoff Harding
Susan and Patrick Fitzgerald
Alec and Michelle Turner
Mark Fitzgerald
Mary Evans
Mr and Mrs P Fourdrinier

I cannot thank you guys enough for your generosity, it means everything to me that you were inspired so much by what I was doing, and that your money will help cancer patients in Yorkshire and Gibraltar. It is such a great feeling for me, to know that by going through what I did with this bike ride, that other people will benefit from that.

Thank you again to everyone who has donated.

I also want to thank a number of people who really did help make Gibraltar to Yorkshire the amazing success that it was.

Jonathan Fitzgerald - For Publicty and PR in Yorkshire
Vanessa Palmero Haywood - For Publicry and PR in Gibraltar
Mike Tomlinson - For support and being there on arrival.
Jane Tomlinson - We never met, but you inspired me to do this.
Carl Punton - Advice and Bike Servicing
Sue Fitzgerald, Katherine Bell, Mark Fitzgerald - For after party preperations.
Mr and Mrs - For making me an amazing celebration cake.
Geoff Harding - For sponsorship.
BetFred Poker - For sponsorship
Emma Withers and Franz - For advice in France and meeting me in Rochefort
cyclechat.net Forums - For Advice, inspiration
Mark Beaumont - For Inspiration.
Andrea Norris - For supplying Kendal Mint Cake!

I also want to thank everyone else who actively showed me huge support throughout the ride. Thank you to everyone for reading the blogs, and watching my tracker. Knowing you were with me on this long journey really helped.

The £2500 raised is not a final figure, there is still time to sponsor me.

Watch this space for further upcoming events. I've got the bug now. Im interested in doing something else. If you are a cyclist, or part of a group and are arranging a cycle tour for charity, please contact me. I would be very interested in hearing about it and getting involved.

If you have enjoyed following my progress and feeling inspired to go out there and do something. All I can say is.. DO IT! Seriously, I sit here now and cannot believe I achieved what I did myself. But with determination and a solid belief, you can do anything. There is no such thing as cannot. Its all about want. The reward of achieveing something against what you feel you could normally is phenominal. Go against the grain of life, focus on doing good, focus on being brilliant!

Thank you again to everyone reading this blog. For Gibraltar to Yorkshire has come to an end, but there is a lot more world out there just waiting to be cycled on!

Home

After so much time on the road, and effort spending 23 days of getting all the way from Gibraltar to Yorkshire by bicycle, todays first job was to look at booking the flight back to Gibraltar. Which I did. I will have a week in Yorkshire and fly back to Gibraltar on Saturday, dismantling the bike and packing it up to come back with me on the plane.

So many people have asked me if I am cycling back as well! Big no! I dont think I could stomach the thought! It would feel like im unwinding everything I've just done, and seeing the same places again, knowing what lays ahead would be four times the challenge mentally than what I have just done!

Being back at home is lovely. Being able to spend some good time with my one year old nephew, my brothers and other family. Tomorrow Im taking a trip to Lancashire to see the Grandparents and to show them the videos of the arrival, as well as newspapers which have covered it.

Everyone has been inviting me out for dinner. People have been turning up at the house with donations for the Jane Tomlinson appeal. I've been getting phone calls from regional papers - another radio interview to do tomorrow as well. It really is just crazy. Just on the arrival over 160 pounds was thrown into the buckets. Thank you to everyone who did that, and thank you to everyone for sending me cards. They will be kept forever.

I've been trying to get the video off DVDs and stuff, but its been a slow process due to a number of problems and just general disturbances and being so busy with other people. But I will get it on the site soon for those to see in Gibraltar and for those who couldnt be there for the arrival, because it was absolutely spectacular. I will be on a high for a long time!

Its really hard for me to believe that I successfully cycled all the way from Gibraltar to Yorkshire. Being back home, just feels like a normal visit. Sometimes its easy to forget that my method of getting here this time wasnt by airplane! It was a bicycle! My own muscles and strength took me home!

The achievement and success is something that is mine. This is with me for the rest of my life and no one can take it away from me. The whole project was a solo effort, researching, taking advice off people, planning the route and just figuring out everything from beginning to end.

The media recognition is due to an absolute fantastic effort from Jonathan Fitzgerald for publicity in Yorkshire and Vanessa Palmero Haywood for publicity in Gibraltar. This event was featured on so many outlets, TV, Newspapers, Radio including GBC Television, The Chronicle, Gib Live, Radio Gibraltar, Talk Radio Europe, ITVs Calendar News, Radio Sheffield, Newark Advertiser, Rotherham Advertiser, Sheffield Star, The Yorkshire Post, Hallam FM, Boundary Sound and more. Thank you to all for giving me the opportunity to reach out, and finally get some good news in the news.

With so many people knowing abuot it, and the huge amount of traffic this website has generated. I really hope that by what I have done may inspire other people to do something too. It doesnt matter how big or small. But to do something that pushes personal boundaries, takes you out of the normal comfort zone, something different and special. Something that would be an amazing achievement for yourself is just so rewarding. It feels like society dictates that that to win the game of life, is to find a partner, get married, buy a house, have kids, have a good career. But I personally question that. Thats just living. Winning is when you exceed on what you think you're capable of doing. But do not compare against others people. I cycled from Gibraltar to Yorkshire, which was amazing for me! But I know of people who have cycled around the whole world including through third world countries and dangerous territories. But what is important is the personal achievement, and for me Gibraltar to Yorkshire was just that! It was recognised by all my friends and family, which is what is important.

People have asked me, what have I learned on this trip? I've learnt a lot! I know so much more about cycling, health, fitness, best foods to eat etc. I learnt the difference between a Hostel and a Hostal! But most importantly, I learnt that with the right frame of mind, determination and an utter solid belief of success, that I really can achieve anything I want! There is no such thing as can't. I am just an average guy, so the same applies to everyone who is reading this. You can do anything you want. You just have to want to do it enough and believe that you can. There was never a doubt in my mind from beginning to end that I wouldnt be able to do this. Thats why it was never an "attempt". An "attempt" means room for failure. Never try to do anything - just do it.

Please keep checking back on the site for any further updates, reflections etc that has come out of Gibraltar to Yorkshire. I will post some more statistics and the video, more pictures up very soon.

Finally, I want to thank everybody who followed me on my journey through this site. You kept me company by doing that, and it was amazing to be reading all your messages. You gave me the motivation and kept my spirits up through the lonely times, thank you for that. I also hope you enjoyed following the GPS, the Twitter updates and the blog. Thank you to everyone for all your support. I couldn't have done it with out you!

Andrew Fitzgerald

Final stats
Start	Gibraltar Casemates. Sep 4th 10:10
End	Rotherham, Yorkshire. Sep 26th 15:10
Total Journey Time	22 Days 6 Hours
Saddle Time	125 hr 20 min 26 sec.
Distance travelled	2434.73km
Average Speed	19.2kph
Max speed	70.7km on Day 2

Day 23 - West of Upper Broughton to Maltby, Rotherham, YORKSHIRE.

So, the last day of Gibraltar to Yorkshire. An early start due to commiting to a 3pm arrival in Maltby. I finally got my English fry up breakfast, and have to say thats the best breakfast in the whole trip I ever had! I set off with awesome power, and of course excitement due to this being the last day. Everything I dreamed off would happen today.

Had the fun of cycling down more busy dual carriageways for the first part of the journey. I just really wanted to ge tthe first 40km out of the way, and then very familiar homeland territory and roads were appearing. Signs for Rotherham, Doncaster, Sheffield. My home turf! Absolutely amazing!

Had a stop to do a live interview with Radio Sheffield, and also Hallam FM had me in their news bulletens today. When I was in range of their transmission it was really surreal to hear myself on the radio as I was cycling along.

I got to Worksop, the last town in Nottinghamshire before heading out and across the border. It presented one last little hurdle. The railway crossing was closed, and I had to take a diversion around it.

I was then ahead of time so plodded along slowly for the rendezvou with my brother who was to film me crossing the border over into Yorkshire. Fantastic to meet up with him, and then was followed the rest of the way in car, filmed and pictures at the border.

And there it was, the sign for Rotherham! Absolutely amazing to have crossed into it! Just didnt feel real, the whole thing doesnt feel real! We had a stop for some photos, and then was just a matter of cycling, the last 10km - to home.

That road heading into my home town of Maltby just seemed to go on forever. I was running about ten minutes late. Cycled through into Maltby, down the high street, up past my old school. Down some residential streets - and then the moment that I have been dreaming about since the start of the whole of Gibraltar to Yorkshire. - Coming round that corner onto the street, to greet my family and friends here.

What I saw just absolutely and utterly was beyond belief. The whole street had been completely and utterly overtaken, there were people everywhere! A huge cheer went up and streamers and champagne being thrown all over me. Absolutely stunning! Will have the video up as soon as possible!

I just could not believe the reception. I want to thank everyone who came. The whole street came out and was totally taken over by this. Photographers from a number of local papers were there. It was just such an immense occasion. Just about everyone I know, and people I dont know so well had come out to see my arrival. I just cannot believe how surreal it was, and I just could not have asked or expected anything better. Gave my mum a huge hug who burst into tears. I was feeling emotional myself.

A huge suprise was Mike Tomlinson himself was there, and finally got to meet him and had a fantastic chat with him. Really appreciated him being there. Went inside and my family had prepared a party. Banners, just everything all in my honour.

Wow! Is all I can say! Didnt actually manage to sit down till gone 11pm with trying to get round everyone. I never realised I was so popular!

I want to thank everybody who turned out today, it made the whole thing worth it. Im still in a feeling of disbelief that I've actually done this. I just cycled from Gibraltar to my home town in Yorkshire, solo, and totally unaided. Done in less time than expected and also done without too many major problems.

I am absolutely elated, its just all wow! So much for the brain to process.

Keep an eye on the site, I'll be writing up more about the aftermath and feelings and posting arrival videos very shortly.

In tribute to a huge inspiration to me - Mark Beaumont - JOB DONE!

Todays stats
Start	West of Upper Broughton.09:00
End	Maltby, YORKSHIRE.15:10
Saddle Time	4 hr 20 min 21 sec.
Distance travelled	82.66km
Average Speed	19.0kph
Max speed	48.1kph