Hey guys (B1/M, Flash, Dopey, WBA, Ivan),

I just wanted to say a huge thank you again for making sure I got to Mount Beauty in once piece.

I wholeheartedly believe that I wouldn’t be currently enjoying wearing a finishers jersey if it wasn’t for each one of you. You guys are all heroes and are a true testament to the ER ethos that is one of the main reasons that I love riding with the group so much.

I’ve CC’d the rest of the ER in as all of your efforts to keep me on the bike whilst very dehydrated during 3Ps deserve wide-spread public recognition (possibly even a parade yet I’m still nowhere near influential enough to get this under way – ill speak to the Captain).

Hopefully I can repay the favour in a future 3Ps and be the one to help out another fellow ER rider to get across the 3P’s finish line. However in the meantime I want to at least shout you boys a coffee the next time that I’m at the B&T. I would say I’d buy you breakfast but combined with the lack of memory of the event and my fatigue hangover the next day, that would feel too similar to past ‘morning after’ university experiences.. Hmm enough said about that (apologies Captain for TMI).

Just to fill you in on what happened after you guys left Mount Beauty – I downed around 2 litres of hydrolyte. After around 45mins, three paramedics did another assessment of my level of dehydration and blood pressure and suggested that I should still pull out. I was feeling much better however so I threw the leg over the bike and ended up posting 2hrs11mins for the final climb and 12hrs17mins overall. Felt great up the climb and again couldn’t have been in that physical and mental mindset if it wasn’t for you guys dragging me all the way to the final drinks stop.

You guys are all heroes and are a true testament to the wonderful ER ethos that is one of the many reasons that I love riding with the group.

Cheers again guys and have an awesome day!

(A very proud and triumphant Simba)