above 30 degrees Celsius, we were
used to it. Under normal conditions
the corrugations wouldn’t have been a
problem. No! It was the sand.
The corrugations were often in
deep sand that sometimes hid mas-
sive bulldust holes. The corrugations
weren’t uniform; small, large, deep
and long. There was no rhythm, it was
hard to find the best speed, but this
wasn’t the problem. The corrugations
were often across deep sand and with
that came the problem.
I looked in the mirror and saw the
‘big red car’, following like a faithful
dog chasing it’s owner. What must he
think, I asked myself. The bikes rear
suddenly flicked out … again!
“Fuck!” I’d blurted to no one in par-
ticular. “I’ve had enough!”
“STOP!”, came the reply. “What?
Do you want to turn around and head
back? It is a BLOODY DESERT!”
We pulled off the main track and fol-
lowed two overgrown wheel ruts into
the scrub and over a rocky outcrop.
TRAVERSE 70