“Kein Australier bereist das Outback im australischen Sommer von November bis Februar – viel zu heiß. Dass es unter Europäern dennoch beliebt ist, in dieser Zeit zu reisen, liegt wohl daran, dass man nichts lieber tut, als dem nasskalten Sauwetter in Mitteleuropa zu entfliehen, um es endlich warm zu haben!”

http://www.australien-panorama.de/fakten/ausklima_reisezeit.html

English:
“No Australian would travel the Outback in the Australian summer from November to December – far too hot. The reason why it is still popular for Europeans to travel just in this time is obviously that they have nothing better to do  than to flee from the wet and cold Middle European weather in search for some  warmth.”

Question: Is Canada a European outpost or why do Canadians organize a ride in exact this timeframe? Probably they share the same desire for a bit of warmth around Xmas.