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.
