Start: Lindenow Cutoff Bus Stop
Finish: Bairnsdale
Distance: 12
Total: 179
Today was an easy 12 mile stroll straight down Prince’s Highway into Bairnsdale. The weather was good and I had no issues.
The day got started with motel owner Danielle’s friend Jess picking me up as planned in front of my motel at 7:50. I had gone to the bakery earlier and gotten myself some breakfast and the cappuccino I had promised to get for Jess. We had a nice talk during the 20 minute drive to the drop off point where I stopped walking yesterday.
I made it into Bairnsdale around noon and went straight to my motel, the Colonial Motor Inn. It’s a family-run place that is really nice. After dropping off my pack, I decided to hop on the bus and take a 30 minute ride down the road to tomorrow’s destination, Lake’s Entrance, and drop off my tent, sleeping bag and pad, and a few other things I won’t need tonight. This will make tomorrow’s 23 mile walk a little easier not carrying that weight. I was gone about two hours running that errand.
After returning back to my motel in Bairnsdale, I noticed a couple sitting outside their room reading and talking. That’s when I met nice couple Kevin and Gayle Haberman from Melbourne. They’re traveling around on holiday (vacation) playing golf. We talked about my walk, golf, and politics. If you want to have a conversation on a topic that is almost impossible to explain to people outside the U.S., try talking about American politics with them. If you’re like me, you’ll just throw your hand up and admit you can’t make any sense out of it either.
Tomorrow will be a long day. My pack will be lighter, but I noticed on the bus ride down to Lake’s Entrance that the road is almost exclusively two lane and the shoulder has gotten more narrow. However, my reward is when I get there, I’ll be on the coast for the first time and have a day off the next day.
That’s it for Day 11. Thanks for reading. JB
safe travels!’