EDITORIAL
TRAVERSE:
Why The Iconic Status?
B
ack to Birdsville and again on
the track of the same name,
this time for the Frontline
Safari. The Birdsville Track is
one of those iconic Australian
outback tracks, along with
the Oodnadatta, Strzelecki and
perhaps Gibb River Road, that strike
fear into travellers. Why?
These tracks are now merely
nothing more than well-maintained
country dirt roads. Sure, they get
rough at times but are nothing
compared to what they used to be. It
got me thinking, are these tracks still
worthy of the ‘iconic’ status? They are
no longer a challenge for any rider
who can slightly handle a dirt road.
It’s not uncommon to see dozens of
bikes on any of these roads at any
time.
No, they are no longer a challenge,
and here’s the beauty of all of them.
Take your time on them and explore,
there’s things on all of them that will
astound you.
Aside from the Gibb all
aforementioned tracks pass through
deserts and this issue has more than
its fair share of desert stories from
Australia. Three different stories,
TRAVERSE 5
all tied together by environment,
locations and experiences. There’s
certainly something beautiful about
Australia’s deserts and the challenges
they offer … one thing always shines
through … human spirit.
Leigh