The CrossingCoffs Harbour To Halfway Creek
Missing The Big Banana
I left Coffs Harbour before dawn, missed the Big Banana, met a very relaxed kangaroo and rescued Keith the minion on a beautiful 51.6 km day towards Halfway Creek.
I left Coffs Harbour at 4:52 am, which meant I walked past one of its most famous landmarks in the dark.
The Big Banana was down below the road, beside a bike path I had no reason to be looking at. By the time I realised, it was more than a kilometre behind me. I briefly considered the half-hour round trip, decided it clearly wasn’t that big, and left it for another visit.
The morning had plenty else to offer.
As the sky lightened north of Coffs Harbour, the sun appeared between the palms and across the water. You don’t have to cross an entire country to see something like that. Sometimes you just have to open the front door, head outside and soak it up. Good for the body, good for the mind, good for the soul. That glimpse gave me one of those moments of bliss.
There were mixed feelings creeping in as the finish drew closer. I wanted the satisfaction of reaching Brisbane, but I was also beginning to dread the end. For almost four months we had been out there doing something completely removed from normal life, meeting people, seeing places and living with a sense of freedom I could never have imagined. Part of me was starting to dread all of that coming to an end.
For now, there was still plenty of walking to do.
A sign put Brisbane at 386 kilometres, or 77.2 parkruns. After my first break, a kangaroo stood beside the route and stared at me. It didn’t bound away or seem especially concerned. It just stayed there while I took photos and a few short videos, turning the roadside into something that felt more like a wildlife park.
Better than the banana.
Further on, I passed a sign warning that compression brake noise was being monitored by camera. I wondered what you would be charged with if you set it off.
Braking and entering?
Near Mullaway I found a small minion that had been dumped beside the road. He needed rescuing and, naturally, he needed a name. I asked for suggestions on Facebook and the names started coming in. Later in the day I had a moment of inspiration: he would be Keith, named after the South Australian town that had made such an impact a few weeks earlier.
The Land Rover on a pole in Keith had become one of the great HAA roadside memories, and this Keith looked like exactly the sort of minion who would appreciate it. He was clearly going to fit in.
The road north offered magnificent scenery and glorious weather, although some stretches left very little room between my feet and the traffic. The jacket came off, the HAA shirt came out, and I kept moving towards Halfway Creek.
I had reduced the target from the 55 km days of the previous week. Fifty kilometres was still a big day, but those five fewer kilometres meant an earlier finish and a little less impact on my feet and body.
Five sessions eventually added 51.6 km. The next day should take me to Tyndale, with Ben and Ols making a lunchtime side trip into Grafton to collect fresh shoes. Wednesday still had to be worked out, but Thursday’s end point was Ballina.
After that, the plan was for more sleep, an easier overall pace and a chance to enjoy the final stretch up the coast before reaching Brisbane the following Thursday. I still wasn’t taking anything for granted, but there was now a lot more than just light at the end of the tunnel. I was even thinking about registering for the Twilight Bay Run half marathon two days after the finish.
The Big Banana could wait for another visit. Keith was coming with us.
Videos From The Day
Big Roo Just Chilling North of Coffs
A big kangaroo standing quietly beside the route north of Coffs Harbour on Day 115.
Open on YouTubeImages From The Day
