After surviving his first Tatts Finke Desert Race, Mick Andrews has officially retired from racing.
Sources close to Mick say this is the first retirement announcement made before he'd even finished unpacking the ute.
The rookie Finke finisher admitted the event had him mentally cooked before the flag even dropped, with anxiety levels reportedly higher than his tyre pressures.
"I had to get the monkey off my back," Mick explained after making it to Alice Springs and back in one piece.
The monkey has since been spotted looking for someone else to torment.
Family members are said to be thrilled by Mick's decision to hang up the helmet, although bookmakers have already opened markets on how long it takes before he says, "Well... maybe just one more."
Friends weren't surprised by the emotional post, pointing out that anyone who's wrestled a dirt bike across hundreds of kilometres of whoops, dust and rocks has earned the right to get a little reflective afterwards.
Mick also admitted that becoming a husband and father has changed the way he rides, proving that nothing slows down a dirt bike rider quite like kids who expect you to come home in one piece.