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.
