bikes packed we were on the road by
7:30am and soon ‘enjoying’ the sandy
conditions. A good night’s sleep, a
fresh start, seemed to make the chal-
lenge enjoyable. Yes! I was enjoying
riding a heavy bike on sand.
The changing landscape was glori-
ously highlighted by the bright warm
sun. The challenging track mattered
little, we’d all been riding well, living
the moment. Life had felt good, it felt
relaxed, it felt like we were the first to
explore this great red land.
Cresting a rise, the largest we’d
seen for a while, they’d appeared.
Heads, many heads, looming large
on the horizon. The surrounding
land a mix of reds and greens, the
heads on the horizon a muted mix of
browns and blues. I’d felt the excite-
ment grow, confirmed by an equally
excited voice over the intercom. “Is
that the Olgas?”
"Yep,"I sighed. "We’re at the end”.
TRAVERSE
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