Australia’s longest shortcut, the road
is becoming more travelled and is
quickly losing some of its mystique.
Weather threatened rain the morn-
ing of our departure. Four hundred
millilitres had fallen in the weeks
prior to our arrival. Yes, tropical
strength rain had fallen in the desert,
one of the driest regions on earth.
Mindful that rain out here, the Aus-
tralian desert, the outback, often
means disaster we had to move on.
Tracks become long, thin, red rib-
bons of mud. Roads become impass-
able and the adventurous can often
be stranded for days, weeks.
Four of us; Ian aboard his Moto
Guzzi Stelvio 1200, Ray on a Triumph
Tiger 800xc, Megan (BMW F800GS)
and me on a new F800GSA, rode off
towards the midmorning sun.
TRAVERSE
20