Thanks Volunteers
EdH Week 300 km
by Ben Coli

Now that I've had a couple of days to dry off, eat, sleep and recover my sense of humour, I'd like to thank Graham, Rob, Jenny, Patrick and Martin for putting together the Eau de Hell 300. It's safe to say that I never would have made it without your soup, cookies and encouragement. Martin's
efforts at organizing a whole week of rides have been nothing short of heroic, and I'd like to especially thank Graham for waiting up until after midnight for the last of us drowned rats to crawl in from the deluge.

Between the wind, the rain, the chip-seal and the hills, I feel like I could finish any 300 now, but unlike Shiro, I can't pronounce myself ready for a 400 just yet. I want to finish at least one 300 in a condition better than half-dead before I decide to add another 100 km to the distance.

Shiro, congratulations for your finish at the 400 today. You rode 400 km at a faster average speed than you finished the 300. If you keep this up on the 600 tomorrow, you're going to have Ian looking over his shoulder.

Speaking of Ian, I want a note added to the results of the 300 stating that I was actually ahead of Ian for about three minutes when he flatted around 15 km into the ride. It was my third-proudest moment of the ride.

My second-proudest moment was when I finished. My proudest moment was when I ate a hamburger and fries and then rode back up to the summit without even thinking of vomiting. I have legs of spaghetti, but guts of steel.

Good luck to everyone on the 600 tomorrow.

Ride date: April 10
Go to: Eau de Hell Week Results
Go to: Eau de Hell Week Photos

April 13, 2011