“I just came out of the desert.”
“Jesus, you’re bloody game. Why are you so happy?”
“I just set a Guinness World Record.”
In January of 2019, I’d just returned from a journey into some of the wildest parts of Australia. Within hours of arriving in Melbourne and back at work, I was being bombarded with questions. But I wasn’t ready to be there, and after all that had happened on that adventure, I knew there was so much more to do.
I’d always wanted to push the limits, but at 36, I hadn’t yet reached my full potential. My mind, however, is an active one, and before too long a new plan was hatched to challenge some of the largest deserts in the world. Friends and family expressed concerns, but I knew in my heart of hearts it could be done.
Crossing Australia’s 10 deserts would require traversing more than 6,000 kilometers of sand dunes, track and corrugations, not to mention the 2,000 kilometers it would take just to get there. I’d be riding a 2008 Yamaha WR250R with handmade panniers and a pair of postie bags lashed on.
The first real challenge came in the Simpson Desert. I awoke early and sat atop the second of the 1,100 sand dunes ahead to watch the sunrise over Big Red. It was an impressive sight gazing at the endless dunes before me. I’d need to dig deep, my bike was loaded for the entire 40 days in the desert. And there would be endless rounds of hauling it up the dunes, unloading and reloading it in the days ahead.
Nights were cold in the Simpson, with ice on the tent every morning. It took three full days to cross the Simpson, and by the morning of the third day, I was spent. The sheer physicality of it had nearly broken me.
Riding through to Oodnadatta the following day, I spoiled myself by downing three T-bone steaks before riding on to Coober Pedy, and the next leg of this crazy expedition. From Coober Pedy, the next challenge was the Great Victorian Desert. There was no fuel or water to resupply for nearly 800 kilometers west of my position. And I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling I had.
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Klim Badlands Pro Jacket and Pant
Many companies offer ADV gear, but when you whittle it down to RTW-expedition-grade quality, only a handful of brands stand up to the test.
YAMAHA TENERE 700
The wait is finally over. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is probably one of the most anticipated bikes to come out of the Yamaha factory in quite some time. Yamaha teased us with what appeared to be a production-ready model three years ago and every model year came and went without show. We were starting to wonder if it would ever show up on the showroom floor. Well folks, the day is finally here, and it was worth the wait. The middle-weight class has been gaining a lot of attention over the last three years and is likely to be the most popular segment for years to come.
HOLIDAY HEROES
Nonprofits in the Moto CommunityWho Deserve Your Support
DESERT ODYSSEY
The security guard at the gate had a particular look on her face, one I’d become accustomed to over the previous month. I met her gaze with a big, cheesy grin. She looked confused. “What the hell are you doing out here mate, and where the hell have you been?”
Trails End Dual-Sport and Adventure Tail Bag
I’ve said it many times, I’ve never been a big fan of tank bags. However, they’re a creature comfort hard to resist once you’ve ridden with one that’s well designed.
Garmin zūmo XT
Garmin has long been the big fish in the pool of GPS, and their zumo line of products has graced motorcycle handlebars for years.
A REACH TOO FAR
This is not the story I thought I’d be writing when I began my motorcycling adventure on Namibia’s gravel roads.
3 KEYS TO HAVING A STUDENT MINDSET
We all do it. We get comfortable riding what and how we ride. Why bother stretching ourselves? Why try something different, more challenging, and unusual? Because having a student mindset focused on learning and growing will make you a safer rider. And, it’s downright fun!
2020 KTM 390 ADVENTURE
BIG BIKE IMPACT IN A SMALL(ER) BIKE’S FRAME
BACKCOUNTRY DISCOVERY ROUTES MARATHON
It was late afternoon, high on a ridge in the Rockie s, and I must have come into signal range, as my phone lit up with a message. Stopped in the middle of the trail, it indicated that my youngest had tried calling. She wanted me to come home, as she was ill. Although concerned, I also felt relief that this would give me a valid reason to jump ship. Fo r several weeks I’d been riding nothing but gnarly trails day in and day out and had begun to question whether taking on one Backcountry Discovery Route after another was a good idea.
Flop Gear
PADDY SUPERCAR GOT ALERT OVER TYRE AS IT FAILED MOT
Paddling pool search is my queue to leave
Conga lines all over and day ends in doghouse
Pancake Day dates back to 1445... and they taste as good as ever
You know you can’t resist a lovely home-made pancake. Pass the lemon juice and the brown sugar and let the fun begin. Pancake Day falls on Ferbruary 25. Here we look at a brief history of the annual feast.