WELL, it was launch day of Cycling Back to Happiness today and it just felt a bit numb and weird to be honest.

It's exciting to know you're book has finally been published and all that, but this has been going on for weeks, months and years now.

It seems a lifetime ago that I first stumbled across the North Sea Cycle Route on the internet and decided I was going to use it as the basis for a book, inspired by losing my dear, not so old, mum.

Months of e-mailing people followed, begging for free campsite accomodation (and the missus for a two month pass), a lift on a ferry or a bowl of grub and some grease for Erika at the end of the night.

All of course done on company time when I was supposed to be working.

Then setting off and actually doing it. The freedom of those first few kilometres after getting off the boat in the Netherlands, nearly getting run over by a scooter on a cycle path and heading into the green house metropolis outside the Hoek, with stork's, lambs and ducks all forming a welcoming party.

Then after it was finished, almost choking to death, after cycling into the London smog to surprise the other half. It all seems such a long time ago.

Then there was writing the bloody thing. No income, a dark back room, peanut butter sarnies and a little spell of depression, as just what I had done and previously gone through finally started to settle.

Thank God for Red Tube and Championship Manager!

After writing the last sentence, there was proof reading, more e-mailing, home and abroad, for press and it is still continuing now.

It's all very energy sapping and won't be over for a long time yet (I hope) with a second book in the pipeline and signing events underway this week. But don't get me wrong, it is all very exciting!

People tell me I did a great thing cycling all that way for Cancer Research to raise money. And I suppose it was, but I never think of things like that - I just get on with it.

Other people say I am an inspiration, for battling my fears and doing the charity gig, but I find that a bit too over the top. I'm no hero!

But I had a great message from an American member of the Cycling Back to Happiness Facebook group, Nick, who wanted to parachute in and try the NSCR himself this summer.

He can't make it, but said he had rounded up a gang of pals to pedal across the States to raise money for their cancer charity, with a copy of my book in his saddle bags!

Now that's what I call inspirational and I raise a tumbler of claret to you tonight Nick, on the other side of the pond, as I reflect on my first official day as a published author - that really has made it all worth while!