A Montrose man battled through rain and illness to complete a charity cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Rob Young is back home after seven days in the saddle, covering around 150 miles a day, often in atrocious conditions.
He expects to raise up to £5000 to help six-year-old Riley Murray, who has cerebral palsy and will never be able to walk unless he undergoes a specialist operation.
Offshore worker Rob is a family friend and was keen to do all he could to help the Murrays head for America for the same life-changing operation that Perth boy Jack McNaughton has undergone. Carnoustie twins Ayley and Chloe Hirsch have also been accepted for the surgery.
Rob said he had a “fantastic welcome” when he made it to the finish.
His wife Morag, son Irvine and daughter Robbie Jane, accompanied by friends and family, were relieved to see him arrive in John O’Groats last Saturday. The 46-year-old had collapsed the previous evening, suffering from a chest infection, and had carried on against medical advice.
Rob said: “It was horrendous weather on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I biked through 10 hours of rain on Tuesday and 10 hours of rain on Wednesday.”
His family met him in Aviemore on Thursday evening and the plan was to cheer him all the way to John O’Groats, finishing on Friday night. In fact, Rob became delirious and by the time he reached Golspie on Friday, he had no idea where he was.
He said: “I was pretty bad, very tired and had reached my limit. I was just a mess and exhausted. I phoned NHS 24 and they wanted me to stop, saying I had a chest infection.”
Rob replied he was “going for it anyway.”
With his strength sapped and fuelled by not much more than determination, Rob took about two hours to travel the last 10 miles.
He says it was all worth it, knowing Riley will soon be on his way to Missouri and that he has played a part in giving the Montrose boy the chance, hopefully, to walk for the first time.
Rob’s friend Gus Smith, also from Montrose, drove the backup truck.
Rob continues to accept donations. To contribute, call 01674 677173 or 07715 764145.