Why this Scottish cyclist rode for a year to reach Canberra Avenue
As soon as Scottish teacher Connor McElwaine completed his more than 20,000-kilometre odyssey, cycling from Canberra Avenue in Scotland to Canberra Avenue in the ACT, he tasted a little bit of home.
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On Wednesday afternoon as Connor reach his destination in Canberra's inner-south, he swigged a can of Irn-Bru, an orange soft drink widely known as Scotland's other national drink, after whisky.
The drink was hand-delivered to Connor by good friend, Londoner Joseph Gardner, who brought some cans from Britain. (No sponsorship deal here, just pure joy and happiness.)
"It definitely feels emotional," Connor said.
"For so long, I've been looking at Canberra on the map and thinking, 'When will I get there?', 'Will I get there?' but to be here is just amazing."
Connor, 34, cycled from his grandparents' house in Canberra Avenue in Clydebank, north-west of Glasgow, to Canberra Avenue in Canberra, the journey taking one day short of a year.
The last stint of his epic journey was from Yass to Canberra on Wednesday, with Canberra cyclists Luke Wensing, Graham Smith and Ian de Plater riding with him from Hall into the national capital.
"It's just incredible," Connor said.
"It was 364 days ago that I set out from Canberra Avenue in Clydebank and it's been a journey of 21,000 kilometres now, 23 countries through jungles, deserts, rainforest, mountains, cities.
"But to be here, is just really, really special for me."
Connor set off in September 2025 on his self-supported journey across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, China, Southeast Asia and Australia to challenge........
