TRAVERSE 101
slowed the convoy, but spirits were high. This was just the beginning.
Day 2 was Oodnadatta to Mount Dare, a key staging point before entering the desert proper. But as we pulled in, so did the rain.
The Desert Fights Back
Twelve hours of solid rain turned everything to sludge. Tracks became rivers. Flat pans turned to bogs. This wasn ' t the plan.
There was tension in the air at the dawn of Day 3. Caution mixed with a touch of excitement. Riders were up early, quietly prepping in the rain and cold. The desert had changed overnight, greener, yes, but slick and unpredictable. Some riders second guessed. Others pushed forward.
The route was adapted: Dalhousie Springs, Purni Bore, then down the French Line to a makeshift base camp at the intersection with the Colson Track. The ride became less about covering ground and more about man and machine surviving it.
The Simpson isn’ t a place you conquer. It’ s a place you respect, and if you ' re lucky, it lets you pass. But even that wasn’ t guaranteed. Mud flats tested both the bikes and the riders. Injuries, breakdowns, and illness crept in. The group leaned on each other. And that’ s what
TRAVERSE 101