Start:  Kempsey

Finish:  Eungai 

Distance:  21

Total:  906

I really never know what to expect from the weather when I go to bed at night. Last night it was forecast to clear off and be partly cloudy today.  That’s not what happened. I’ll explain. 

Today I had a very specific schedule to keep.  I needed to walk 21 miles to a train depot in the bush, in the middle of nowhere, that doesn’t even have a gas station nearby that’s open, and I needed to be there by 2:50 to catch a train to my next motel town. If I miss the train, there is no place to stay and it’s 12 miles on to the next town. The 21 mile walk takes me seven hours with no stops. So in the middle of the night last night I thought I heard it raining but I was too lazy to look outside until 6:00 this morning when I discovered that in fact it was raining right down. Faced with a seven hour walk, and a deadline of 2:50 to meet, I needed to leave no later than 7:50. And I always pad that a little so I figured not later than 7:30 to be safe. So I got packed up, ran across the street in the pouring rain covered with my backpack rain cover to McDonalds to buy breakfast and bring it back to my room to eat, and sat waiting for it to quit raining. It did not. At 7:30 I had no choice but to cover up with my poncho and start walking. It rained until I’d walked about five miles, then quit for the rest of the day. 

I walked on an awesome road today. Before the freeway was built, there was a road called the Pacific Coast Highway that was very nice with wide shoulders. It went through many small towns. Now that the freeway has been built, it bypasses many of these small town, like the one I’m staying in tonight. But the old highway still exists, much like Route 66 in our country, and I spent my day walking along it. 

Near the end of my 21 mile day I got off my nice road and literally followed a backroad into the bush to a somewhat hidden train platform called Eungai. I made it with about 30 minutes to spare.  The train was right on time and it took me one stop down the line to Macksville where I’m staying tonight and after I ride the train back to Eungai tomorrow morning, I’ll walk the 12 miles into Macksville and stay here again tomorrow night. I don’t want to jinks myself, but the weather forecast shows no rain for the next 3-4 days. 

That’s all for my Sunday of fun. I hope your Sunday is fun too!  JB. 

Start:  Telegraph Point

Finish:  Kempsey

Distance:  18

Total:  885

Last night I was fretting over how today would play out because I didn’t know how I was getting 18 miles back down the road to where I stopped walking yesterday. But never worry about things you have no control over.  I’ve learned by now it will all work out. 

Yesterday afternoon I talked to the nice receptionist here at my motel in Kempsey to see if she might know of someone going in the direction of Telegraph Point this morning that might give me a ride. Unfortunately that didn’t work out. This morning I was in no big rush, even though the forecast called for rain and thunderstorms most of the day and it was already raining on the radar at Telegraph Point when I got up. I had breakfast in my room, having bought it last night at the grocery store next door. By 8:30 I was ready to go with the only real option I had; try to hitch a ride to Telegraph Point since the bus doesn’t go there on weekends. So I walked through downtown Kempsey, over the bridge that spans the river running through town, and stationed myself on the shoulder of the road leading south out of town. It didn’t take 10 minutes until a nice guy named Tom offered to give me a lift. 

It’s always sort of a bummer that what takes less than 20 minutes to drive in an automobile takes me six hours to walk. But I get to see the scenery up close in real time so there are benefits. When I got to my starting point it was showering so I put my poncho on and it stayed on for the next five hours. My first four miles were on backroads, then I was back on the shoulder of the freeway. Of course there was the usual road spray from trucks but I’m through complaining about that. I finally got off the freeway with four miles to go to my motel and the rain had stopped so I could uncover. The rain held off until I was actually unlocking my motel door, then it started again. It’s been raining a lot here. Even Taylor Swift’s concert last night in Sydney had rain issues. 

Just as i was walking into the south side of Kempsey, I passed by the Slim Dusty Centre. That probably doesn’t mean anything to most of you, but Slim Dusty made an old Australian folk song famous called Waltzing Matilda, which most consider the unofficial national anthem of Australia. Slim Dusty, who died in 2003, was considered Australia’s King of Country Music. If you get a chance, go to YouTube and watch Slim Dusty sing Waltzing Matilda at the closing ceremonies of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. 80,000+ singing along; good stuff.

That’s it for my Saturday. I hope your weekend is a good one. JB. 

Start:  Wauchope

Finish:  Telegraph Point

Distance:  13

Total:  867

HOT!!!  It is hot in Eastern Australia today. It’s currently 98 with a heat index of 106. Luckily for me it’s 1:30 in the afternoon and I’m already nice and cool in my motel room in Kempsey. 

I knew the heat and humidity would be an issue today so I had a plan to deal with it. With only 13 miles to walk, I set my alarm for 5:30 and got off early. I packed up and walked a few blocks into town in Wauchope for breakfast, then got on the road to walk right as the sun came up at 6:45. I was immediately on backroads so the traffic was light. After about 5 miles my road turned to gravel. That’s no big deal except when cars and truck came by, I was getting a heavy dose of dust. The gravel road lasted for about 3 miles, then became paved again. 

By 11:00 I had made it to my destination, a gas station and bus stop at a crossroads called Telegraph Point. Telegraph Point is about 20 miles south of tomorrow’s destination, the city of Kempsey. My plan was to try to catch a ride from someone at the gas station, or catch the bus from the bus stop at 2:45 to Kempsey. Obviously I didn’t want to wait 3 hours and 45 minutes to ride the bus, so I was trying hard to get a ride. This particular spot, Telegraph Point, is an intersection where vehicles could be going to one of several popular destinations, not just Kempsey. Therefore, I was not having much luck with getting a ride from the numerous customers who were stopping at the gas station where I was standing in the shade enjoying a cool drink while soliciting everyone who came by. I must say, no one was being rude or giving me the cold shoulder; they just weren’t going my way. Finally, father and son Rick and Ryan Kralic, who were traveling in the area visiting relatives, offered to take me to Kempsey, even though it was 20 miles in the opposite direction from where they were going. 

As far as tomorrow goes, I’m working hard on a plan for how to get back out to Telegraph Point so I can finish walking to Kempsey. The bus doesn’t run to that bus stop on weekends. I asked the nice lady who checked me into the motel if she knew someone who traveled that direction tomorrow, but she did not. Kempsey doesn’t have Uber, but they do have a taxi service, but that would cost an arm and a leg. I may have to go park myself on the side of the road and see it someone might be heading in that direction tomorrow morning who will give me a lift. 

That’s all for this hot Friday on the East Coast of Australia. Thanks for following along. JB. 

Start:  Kew

Finish:  Wauchope

Distance:  14

Total:  854

After a good stay at the Kew Motel, and an equally good meal at the Royal Hotel Pub last night, it was back on the road today for my first of two consecutive days on backroads. 

The day got started with a stop at the Corner General Store in Kew for some breakfast. Then I walked out of town on a backroad that paralleled the freeway. There was much less traffic to deal with but without the wind that the cars and trucks kick up on the freeway it got hot pretty fast. Speaking of hot, here’s an interesting observation. The high temperature for the day where I’m walking normally occurs at around 12:00-1:00 PM. That’s much earlier in the day than back in Texas where our high in the summer normally comes at around 4:00-5:00 PM. 

The road I walked today was very hilly and crooked through dense forest. I kept an eye out for kangaroos because this looked just like where I’ve had my two previous encounters, but no luck today. And still no kuala sightings. After talking to locals about the kualas, they say it’s highly unlikely I’m going to spot one.  

Tonight I’m in Wauchope (Wau-hope). It’s a nice size town of 7500 but only has two motels.  I picked the one closest to the center of town so I can walk to restaurants, etc. 

Tomorrow is another short day; only 13 miles to a bus stop. Then I’ll catch the bus to the city of Kempsey where I’ll stay two nights. It’s a good thing tomorrow is a short day. The forecasted high is 96 degrees. 

That’s all for today from Wauchope. Thanks for following along. JB. 

Start:  Coopernook

Finish:  Kew

Distance:  18

Total:  850

Another good, productive day of walking but not much “action” to report. I survived the three consecutive meal regiment at the Coopernook gas station with minimal damage to the digestive system so I count that as a win. 

When I got up this morning around 7:00, I checked the weather forecast and it looked good all day. Partly cloudy, low 80s, no chance of rain. I walked down to the gas station to pick up some breakfast, took it back to the motel to eat and walked out the door at 8:30. I literally was still able to see my motel’s sign from the shoulder of the road when it started raining. SERIOUSLY?  I could not believe it. Should I turn around and go back and wait out the rain in my motel room?  Should I cover up with my poncho and press on?  Neither actually. I stood under a tree and minimized the damage until the shower stopped. But that was only a temporary fix. Thirty minutes later when I got on the freeway the real rain started and lasted about an hour so I ended up wearing the poncho anyway. 

About halfway through my day there was a small town, John’s River, that had a gas station where I could take a break and get a snack. Unfortunately, I decided not to take the freeway exit ramp as if I were a car or truck, but wait another half mile until I was actually even with the gas station and just hop off the shoulder of the road right into the gas station parking lot. But when I got there, some wise guy had built a fence between the gas station and the freeway so I watched my lunch break slip right on by. 

Without a midday break, I got to my destination, Kew, at about 2:00. Kew, pop. 1,029, is a nice little town with a pub, general store, motel, and gas station. Also, Kew has The Big Axe. The Big Axe is a tribute to this regions logging heritage from the past. But there’s more to this “big” thing. It seems big things have come to be seen as a uniquely Australian phenomenon and are affectionately known landmarks scattered throughout the country.  Things like big fish, big birds, all kinds of big fruit, giant mushrooms, big coffee pot and cup, the big beer can, and of course Kew’s Big Axe. You get the picture.  There’s an estimated 600 “big things” in Australia. 

Tomorrow I have a fairly short, yet hilly, 14 mile day to Wauchope. I’m off the freeway for the next couple of days walking back roads. I’m looking forward to that. JB. 

Start:  Taree

Finish:  Coopernook

Distance: 14

Total:  832

Today was an easy day, even though I had a two hour period of rain where I had to get all covered up with my poncho. But when you’re walking through unfamiliar territory, there’s always a hidden surprise waiting just around the corner. Today’s unexpected surprise was waiting in my destination, Coopernook. 

Last night the weather forecast said there was a 90-100% chance of rain all day today. So when I got up this morning I was expecting the worst. However, much to my surprise, it was not raining, but it looked like it could start at any time. So I jumped up and hurried out the door at 7:30 trying to get as far into my 14 miles as I could before the rain came. The first few miles were in town and right before getting on the freeway there was a McDonalds where I stopped for breakfast. Just down the road from the McDonalds I needed to start walking on the shoulder of the freeway.  But before I got to the on ramp, it started raining. That’s OK because if I was going to need to cover up, it was easier before getting on the freeway rather than after. 

The rain lasted about two hours and I had my usual challenges of truck and car blasts and road spray, but at least it was not a thunderstorm and the rain was not heavy. 

By 12:30 I had gotten to the turnoff for my destination, Coopernook, which is my surprise for the day. Let’s call Coopernook a village. It has a few houses, one very old motel, and one very small gas station. And that’s it. So the only source of food in this village is the small gas station, from which I will be purchasing three consecutive meals. I stopped in the gas station as I walked into Coopernook to checkout the situation. There were a few assorted snacks, like candy and chips, ice cream bars, drinks, etc., but they also had a small grill with a limited menu. Unfortunately there is no place to sit; everything is takeout. I bought a toasty (grilled cheese sandwich) and took it down the road with me to check in to my motel, The Palms Oasis Motel. Once again, it meets the minimum standard: shower (check), Wifi (check), a bed that’s at least softer than the floor (check).  However, with all that said about Coopernook, I really should have done my homework a little better and I probably would not be here eating takeout from a two-pump gas station tonight. 

Tomorrow it’s back to a more normal 18-miler, once again along the freeway. And the weather is forecast to be good for at least two days. JB. 

Start:  Nabiac

Finish:  Taree

Distance:  18

Total:  818

Today was a challenge with the weather. I continue to be frustrated with the inaccuracy of the forecast, though it really doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things if the forecast is right or wrong; I’m going to get out on the road and walk regardless.  But if I had a more accurate idea of what time of the day to expect the bad weather it would help.  

Today my new friend Harry Wright, the motel manager, dropped me off for the last time.  This time he hauled me up the freeway about 28 miles to Nabiac where I stopped walking yesterday. He had suggested I wait to eat breakfast until I got a couple of miles out of Nabiac to a place called The Artisan Farmer. His suggestion was spot on. This very modern eatery had a coffee bar, bakery, and a full breakfast menu. Though it wasn’t that crowded on a Monday morning, there was a parking lot big enough for 500 cars and busses. And the restaurant was big enough to hold that size crowd too. The food was excellent and I’m glad I stopped. 

Then it was out onto the freeway for my usual fun. The traffic was much lighter than it had been on the weekend. The skies were overcast and it was very humid. I knocked out the first 8-10 miles in short order, then it started to lightly sprinkle. I tried to ignore it but noticed some cars began to have their intermittent wipers on as they went by. That’s never a good sign because if it’s not raining very hard where I’m currently walking, but cars coming from the direction I’m going are using their wipers, that means it’s heavier up ahead. Luckily I saw an overpass coming up, so I hurried along and stopped there to cover my pack with its rain cover. I do that when it’s sprinkling hard enough to get my pack wet, but not hard enough for me to cover everything, including myself, with my rain poncho. While standing there under the overpass covering my pack, I heard loud thunder. So I got on the weather app on my phone and saw a huge thunderstorm forming ahead. BUMMER!  Now it’s time for the poncho. I hardly got five minutes down the road after getting covered up before it started pouring. Traffic was slowing down, I was slowing down, and it rained off and on for the next 2 1/2 hours. I made it to my motel in Taree about 20 minutes later than I otherwise would have. 

Taree is a nice little city of about 26,000 population. It has several motels and all your standard eateries. Speaking of that, I think I’ll end this and go get some dinner myself. Good day. JB. 

Start:  Coolongolook

Finish:  Nabiac

Distance:  11

Total:  800

I had an easy walking day up the freeway today. Only 11 miles to cover on a Sunday morning with almost no trucks to deal with.  

Harry Wright, the motel manager here in Bulahdelah, drove me 18 miles north to the town of Coolongolook, dropping me off at 9:30. I immediately went into a Mobil station and got some breakfast, then started walking. It was nice and shady most of the morning and I made it to my destination of Nabiac by 1:00. Nabiac is a very small town, but it did have several places to get lunch. I chose the Greenhouse Cafe. That’s where I met Pam, Kathy, Marion, and Robin; four nice ladies sitting at the adjacent table who were passing through Nabiac on a golf vacation. We talked for the better part of an hour while we ate our lunch. It’s always nice to have a conversation with locals. I learn a lot from these interactions. 

After lunch, I called Harry and he drove up from Bulahdelah and hauled me back to the motel. Tomorrow I had planned to catch the bus at 7:00 AM to Nabiac and pick up walking where I stopped today. However, Harry said he is going to Coolongolook tomorrow morning at 7:45 and will drive a little farther up the freeway to Nabiac and drop me off so I don’t have to take the bus. That is very nice of him. He has been a big help for the last few days. 

So that’s 50 days down, 26 to go. But who’s counting?  JB. 

Start:  Bulahdelah 

Finish:  Coolongolook

Distance:  18

Total:  789

I had a good, uneventful 18 mile stroll up the freeway today followed by motel manager Harry picking me up and bringing me back to Bulahdelah for another night. 

The day got started once again with breakfast purchased from the gas station across the road. Give me a little credit; I bought a banana last night at the local grocery store so all was not lost.  I walked out the door at 8:00 and after about a mile I was on the freeway. The shoulder was wide and shaded by the trees. With it being Saturday here, there were not as many trucks on the road either. 

Unfortunately there were no towns or gas stations for the duration of my 18 miles today so I walked straight through in less than six hours without a break. I reached my destination, the little town of Coolongolook, in about 5.5 hours and went into a small kibob restaurant and had some lunch. Then as planned, I gave my motel manager, Harry, a call and he arrived about 20 minutes later to take me back to Bulahdelah. 

There’s a small change to tomorrows plan. Since the bus doesn’t run to Coolongolook where I stopped today, Harry volunteered to drive me back up there tomorrow at 9:00 and drop me off. I only need to walk 10 miles tomorrow and there’s no place to stay at tomorrow’s destination so he’ll pick me back up at 1:00 in the afternoon and give me a ride back here to his motel for one more night. 

That wraps up today. I hope everyone has a great 3-day weekend. JB. 

Start:  Bulahdelah 

Finish:  Bulahdelah 

Distance:  0

Total:  771

What a restful day I had today. I just hung out around the motel most of the day with my feet propped up and relaxed. 

My day started with a 50 yard walk across the road to the gas station for breakfast. You can use your imagination on what a nutritious meal I got there. Then I walked 50 yards back to my room to do some serious route review and planning for my next two weeks of walking. 

Tomorrow I had planned to walk east from here towards the coast for about 25 miles to a bus stop and catch the bus from there to the town where my next motel is located, which was another 25 miles away. Then Sunday I would catch the bus back to the bus stop and walk the rest of the way to the motel. This plan was put together months ago when I first planned out this trip. However, there was a better, and significantly shorter route available that also involved a bus ride to my next motel at the end of the day, but that bus route does not run on weekends. So I had decided I was stuck with walking the longer route, which adds 17 miles to my walking distance over the next two days. But then the nice gentleman, Harry, who owns this motel where I’m staying now, said if I wanted to walk the shorter route he’d drive out and pick me up and bring me back to his motel since there is no bus service. So I called tomorrow nights motel and cancelled, Harry will pick me up tomorrow afternoon on my new, shorter route, and I can stay here another night. Then he’ll drop me back off Sunday morning and I’ll press on from there. I love it when a plan comes together. 

Finally, I’ve had the TV on most of the day just to provide background noise, and all they’ve been talking about is Taylor Swift’s concerts in Melbourne this weekend.  Then, she moves her tour to Sydney, just down the road from where I’m walking, next weekend. If the hype gets any bigger as she gets closer to where I’m currently located, there may not be enough oxygen left to breathe in eastern Australia after all the Swifties get through hyperventilating.  JB.