W e D id I t F or
T
here’s a theme that runs through the first ever all-fe-
male crossing of what is regarded as one of Austra-
lia’s toughest motorcycle rides; the Simpson Desert.
It’s not the bikes or the endless horizon of red sand
hills. No, it’s not even the dangers of such a ride … it’s
about a young girl that these twelve ladies never had the
pleasure to meet …
Standing out from the crowd, being slightly different
has always been a target for negativity, these ladies know
that, many have experienced it firsthand or through
children and friends. And so, they set about doing
something special, doing something for Dolly, to honour
Dolly’s Dream.
“I have personally felt the far-reaching effects of bul-
lying,” explains Chantal Simons, one of the organisers
of the first female crossing of the Simpson Desert. “It
makes you feel alone, like you don’t matter, it destroys
your confidence and kills dreams.”
Chris Knight agrees, explaining that it formed a part of
her childhood, “I was bullied at school and had a pretty
lonely childhood.”
There’d long been plans for the first all-female cross-
ing of the Simpson Desert, now came a very real reason,
the motivation to prove that anyone can do anything with
the right support. Word went out that a ride was being
planned and it would honour a special young lady who’d
found herself in an unthinkable situation. Fourteen-
year-old Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett had faced a prolonged peri-
od of torment and bullying to the point where it became
too much, she left us early in 2018.
“Dolly’s Dream was the perfect charity for this event,”
explains Rikki Dryden. “As a female in a male dominat-
TRAVERSE
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