Author: Garry

World cyclist, middle aged, over weight, drinks too much, eats too much. But can ride a bike for miles.
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Three Years Ago Today 24th-November-2012

Garry McGivern on his touring bike in the rain

It’s Tuesday the 24th-November-2015 and three years ago to the day on the 24th-November-2012 I arrived back in Felpham. After cycling 22,000 miles around the world. Pictures from my surprise welcome home party.

It was a great finish to my world tour with many of my friends who had been at the pub twelve months before to see me set off. There were also a few new people, along with the local media.

You can also find photos on Garry’s Facebook and Instagram pages, which you can view without subscribing. But if you already subscribe to social media, why not follow Garry? There is also a photo album of all photographs from the day on Garry’s Flickr Page.

A Few Photos From Three Years Ago

(click on any photo to view)

The venue all decorated
The cake
The cake with a map of Garry’s route sort of!
Waiting in the rain for Garry
Just about to cross the finish line
And he’s back after 12 months and 22,154 miles
Being presented with the Spirit FM Local Hero award
Garry’s award and a couple of checks
Garry with the award
Cutting the cake
At the end of the night it was all a bit too much for Garry

Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. And, of course, I’m on Flickr, where I publish my monthly photos first. Pictures from all my tours, along with my monthly photos, can also be found on Flickr.

If you want to find out if Garry’s away touring at the moment and check his location, visit the Where’s Garry web page.

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Garry McGivern’s Social Media Links

Touring bike

A simple page with links to all of Garry McGivern’s social media profiles. Although to be honest he doesn’t actually use all of them on a regular basis. He uses Instagram and Facebook to post daily photos and videos when he’s away touring. These are probably his most used. He also publishes his blog to Facebook.

YouTube is the place to go where videos from Garry’s tours are published. Which is usually when he’s back in the comfort of his home. Photographs from Garry’s tours can be found on his Flickr page. Again they get published when he’s home. Although if he’s on a long bicycle tour that involves several countries, he tries to publish each countries photos as he moves on to the next country. Garry also publishes a monthly photo update.

Pinterest, X, Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky are only used to show Garry’s blog posts. And he has only signed up to many of them to stop others using his name. As was the case with TikTok.

But the best way to follow Garry is by Subscribing to his blog and follow Garry as he travels around on his bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours.

If you want to find out if Garry’s away touring at the moment and check his location, visit the Where’s Garry web page.

<strong>Follow Garry on his travels</strong>

Subscribe to Garry's email to receive news and updates on future tours along with his daily blog.

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Brooks B17 Standard

Bicycle Saddle

After nearly 50,000 miles, and eight years of use, Garry’s Brooks B17 standard leather saddle, needed to be replaced. The rivets on the front had started to pull through the leather. Which apparently was due to Garry being a bit heavy-handed and over-tightening the saddle!

Unfortunately, the saddle was still really comfortable, and Garry was reluctant to replace it! But there was always the worry that the rivets would pull through entirely, and the seat would collapse! Garry was also getting through a pair of shorts on every tour! After tearing them on the rivets! There was also the remote chance he could cut himself, and not on his bum!

Brooks B17 saddle after nearly 50,000 miles
Garry’s Brooks saddle after nearly 50,000 miles

Because the saddle was so comfortable, and Garry hadn’t had any problems with it, up until now! There really wasn’t any choice of which saddle to replace it with! It had to be another Brooks B17.

Garry could have ordered a new seat online, but that would have been too simple! So he was going to ride to Birmingham and get one from the Brooks Factory instead. Any excuse to go away! Unfortunately, that would have been a four-day trip, at best, and Garry just didn’t have the time!  Instead, Garry decided to cycle to London, which was only a days ride. Brooks had opened a shop, named B1866 after the year Brooks was established. So one cold November morning in 2015, Garry set off for London to buy his new seat!

The new Brooks B17
The new Brooks B17

After cycling to London and buying his new saddle, Garry fitted it to his bicycle. Garry now has to break it in, which should take around 500 miles. Now if that’s not an excuse to go away touring I don’t know what is!

Here’s to many more years of cycle-touring in a comfortable saddle!

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Flickr Photo Album November 2015

Fishing boat on water

Garry McGivern’s November 2015 Flickr photo album. A few random photographs that Garry took as he played the tourist/tour guide. His cousins from Australia were in the UK visiting. And Garry was keen to show them some of the highlights of southern England.

Zoe and Errol were the cousins who had put Garry up in Australia after he’d cycled around the world to visit them back in 2012. The photographs were taken on trips to the Isle of Wight and the New Forest.

There are more photos on Garry’s Facebook and Instagram pages, which you can view without subscribing. But if you already subscribe to social media, why not follow Garry? You can also subscribe to Garry’s blog and receive news and updates straight to your inbox.

Playing The Tourist November 2015

(click on the photo to view the album on Garry’s Flickr page)

Playing The Tourist With The Cousins - November 2015

If you want to find out if Garry’s away touring at the moment and check his location, visit the Where’s Garry web page. And, of course, you can always follow Garry on social media: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can view photos of Garry’s previous tours on his Flickr page, where you can also follow him.

<strong>Follow Garry on his travels</strong>

Subscribe to my email and follow me on my travels

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