Land's End? It was just the beginning for stath's fiery fundraisers!
Talk about moving the goalposts! The firefighters of Badenoch and Strathspey excelled at the art over their incredible 24-hour non-stop cycle and run to raise cash for Christmas presents for needy kids in the strath.
To begin with, there was such phenomenal support for their effort that the modest totals first set had to be re-set a number of times before the athletes had started on Friday.
The four-figure target was moved up a notch at least three times before the first pedals were pushed.
As if that wasn't exciting enough, the amazing crew members – each one in full kit (OK minus the breathing apparatus!) – were almost embarrassed to find out that their 'JogLe', notching up enough miles on local circuits to have 'gone from John O'Groats to Land's End', had already been achieved on the Friday!
"We simply had to notch-up the miles as well as the money!" laughed Julian Orsi.
"As we kept changing the destination too we gradually realised that the most we could go in the time was Milan, so we aimed for that."
By six o'clock this evening the team – which eventually itself rose to more than 20 members and friends – had covered almost 1500 miles!
"We are so, so grateful to all those who backed us and funded us," said Jules.
"We're absolutely knackered but it's been a joy to do. All the children we wanted to get presents for will get a visit from Santa – whose reindeer told us so this morning as they looked in on their way north at breakfast time."
And there were very appropriate pizzas from the Balavoulin awaiting the last cyclists to reach 'Milan'.
Earlier, the Cairngorm Hotel had kept everyone warm with soup and sarnies along the way.
At the same time, Jules and his remarkable fellow athletes have gone a long way to raising awareness of mental health issues as well in the area.
By tonight the pot contained more than £6000 and Thursday's Strathy will have the full result, which leaves a few more days few more donations here
