All packed up and raring to go!

T'was the night before Christmas... Well not quite, but its the night before Gibraltar to Yorkshire starts. It feels pretty much the same, except I don't remember having any nerves about Christmas!

I think when beginning something like this. Especially for a first long solo tour, and with everyone watching you its probably normal to go through quite a number of emotions and feelings about it.

This last week has certainly been no exception. Excitement, nerves, stress, worry and even a sadness about being away for such a long time. I'll miss it down here!

I do think. Have I trained enough? Am I ready? Can I do this? Well the answer to all that is... It no longer matters! There is no more time!

I want to thank everyone who has wished me well today. Said a goodbye to everyone at work. Thank you to everyone who manages to get themselves to Casemates Square tomorrow morning to see me off. Pretty difficult when theres a beer festival in town tonight!! (Which of course I cant attend!)

Also a huge thanks to the people who have supported me throughout the build up of this event. To those that have sponsored me by donating money to charity. Those that have helped me, such as Betfred. Massive gratitude to Carl Punton who not managed to get my bike all serviced, and fix a buckled front wheel and break cable failure at the last minute. But has also been instrumental in advice and support! Thank you to my brothers back in Yorkshire. Jonathan has been pulling his contacts to get some fantastic PR and Media attention to welcome me when I arrive. Mark is organising the welcome home party and apparently has brewed his own extra strength beer which I'm sure will go down a treat upon arrival! Thank you so much to Vanessa Palmero Haywood and Helen White at the Gibraltar Society for Cancer Relief for organising the Cyclathon and for PR and Media attention here in Gibraltar. Finally a big thank you to those few people who have made a significant financial donation to the charities. It really is heart warming to know that what I'm doing is having an impact on others. I could not forget to thank Andrea Norris who has supplied copious amounts of Kendal Mint Cake for my journey. That stuff should rocket fuel me all the way north!

Ahead of me now, I have 2500km of lonely road. Guys, please email me! Stay in touch! Send a message from the front of the site. Or email onlineamiga@gmail.com I can reply! Thanks to modern technology! Keep a track of my progress via the GPS and the Facebook page.

For those in Gibraltar: I'll be back soon. For those in Yorkshire: I am on my way!