The Crossing

The Crossing / 16 May 2015 / Day 1

Today Is The Day

Day 1 began in bed with reality landing, then moved through a wet Canning River parkrun send-off and out onto familiar Perth paths that suddenly felt different.

The Crossing / 17 May 2015 / Day 2

The First Navigation Adventure

Day 2 moved from the wet Kep Track into the first real navigation problem, with local runners, screenshots, and the support crew helping turn a long damp day into a Northam arrival.

The Crossing / 18 May 2015 / Day 3

The Road Got Loud

Day 3 saw us leave the relative safety of the parallel tracks for the Great Eastern Highway, with massive skies, the pipeline, flies, Tailwind logistics, and the first real highway-anxiety.

The Crossing / 19 May 2015 / Day 4

Beyond The Dress Rehearsal

Looking back, Day 4 pushed beyond the three-day Bunbury rehearsal into new multi-day territory, with 55.11 km, a calmer highway, crew company, and the three-HAAmigos rhythm taking shape.

The Crossing / 20 May 2015 / Day 5

The Long Push To Merredin

Day 5 carried the rhythm into Merredin: cold Wheatbelt morning light, long trains, blisters, coffee stops, crew stories, GPS frustration, and 56.4 km before a near-rest day.

The Crossing / 21 May 2015 / Day 6

A Fourteen Kilometre Rest Day

Day 6 was officially a rest day: just the small matter of a 13.9km catch-up walk into Merredin, then hot showers, media, laundry, community support, Poppet's Pantry dinners, and feet-up recovery.

The Crossing / 22 May 2015 / Day 7

Rabbit-Proof Fence And A Leaking Van

Day 7 saw a return to the road after Merredin with Rabbit-Proof Fence, Burracoppin, Hoka shoe systems, a leaking campervan, split GPS sessions, and 48.9 more kilometres east.

The Crossing / 23 May 2015 / Day 8

Positive Mental Attitude And Flies

Day 8 pushed east through flies, wheat stacks, big-sky bush tracks, a stubborn campervan problem, and 48.6 km before the team drove into Southern Cross and a replacement van.

The Crossing / 24 May 2015 / Day 9

Southern Cross Was A Rest Day, Sort Of

Day 9 was a rest day in HAA terms: a catch-up walk into Southern Cross, Railway Tavern hospitality, a donated massage, team dinner, and the first real chance to recharge.

The Crossing / 25 May 2015 / Day 10

Rivendell Beyond The Flatlands

Day 10: Leaving Southern Cross, new fly nets, new feet, a Kalgoorlie 226 sign, the original van heading back to Perth, and the first stretch toward our version of Rivendell.

The Crossing / 26 May 2015 / Day 11

No Power Past Yellowdine

Day 11 stretched beyond the plan into 60.3 km, with sparse signal, a no-power night parked up off the road, daily systems taking shape, and the total ticking past 500 km.

The Crossing / 27 May 2015 / Day 12

Less Than A Thousand parkruns To Go

Day 12 began cold after the first night without power, then chipped away another 49.9 km toward Bullabulling through changing outback colours, truck traffic, support-crew shenanigans, and the first offer of a lift.

The Crossing / 28 May 2015 / Day 13

One Day From Rivendell

Day 13 took us through Coolgardie, past the 10% mark, with radio, GPS weirdness, Grant Wholey appearing on the pipeline, and Kalgoorlie suddenly close.

The Crossing / 29 May 2015 / Day 14

A Finish Line At Rivendell

Day 14 was the 31.6 km walk into Kalgoorlie, the first major milestone of HAA: city signs, local parkrun support, media, Rydges hospitality, and a finish line that was not the finish.

The Crossing / 30 May 2015 / Day 15

A Proper parkrunday In Rivendell

Day 15 let Kalgoorlie land properly: parkrun, the mobile heart display, Queen Bees Coffee, Rydges generosity, campervan news, the Super Pit, and an evening with the Kalgoorlie Kangas.

The Crossing / 31 May 2015 / Day 16

One More Night In Kalgoorlie

Day 16 was the last Kalgoorlie rest day: a proper slow Sunday at Rydges, a sports massage, the RFDS visit for Ben and Ols, vehicle problem-solving, sponsor gratitude, and the shift toward Kambalda, Norseman, and the Eyre Highway.

The Crossing / 1 June 2015 / Day 17

Back On Foot To Kambalda

Day 17 left Kalgoorlie for Kambalda with Nigel and Allison on foot, Louise's muffins, Melinda's Poppet's Pantry delivery, Bree's phone call, and a donated room at the Kambalda Hotel.

The Crossing / 2 June 2015 / Day 18

Shattered Beyond Widgiemooltha

Day 18 covered about 54 km from Kambalda to around 14 km beyond Widgiemooltha Roadhouse, with Bree, Ols, Ben, warm midday weather, sore feet, and a long-day spag bol finish.

The Crossing / 3 June 2015 / Day 19

Morning Tracks Toward Norseman

Day 19 pushed on to within about 21 km of Norseman, with early starts, pipeline tracks, a better daily rhythm, and Norseman becoming real.

The Crossing / 4 June 2015 / Day 20

Across Lake Cowan Into Norseman

Day 20 reached Norseman on foot, with a quiet morning track, Lake Cowan, the spine-tingling Adelaide sign, a campervan rescue, and one of the deepest gratitude-and-belonging moments of the whole crossing.

The Crossing / 5 June 2015 / Day 21

Before The Eyre Highway

Day 21 was a Norseman reset before the Eyre Highway: campervan number three, foot care, supplies, Gateway Tourist Park kindness, a phone call with Matt Napier, and the Nullarbor plan becoming real.

The Crossing / 6 June 2015 / Day 22

First Steps On The Eyre Highway

Day 22 began the Eyre Highway and the Nullarbor rhythm: a 5:15am start from Norseman, about 48km east, kinder bitumen for sore feet, the first real taste of the wilderness, and dinner finished while there was still evening left.

The Crossing / 7 June 2015 / Day 23

Power, Heat And A Shower

Day 23 settled into the new Eyre Highway rhythm: 46.1 km through cold, fog, roadside kindness, a familiar Perth Glory face, and the small luxury of sleeping at Fraser Range Station.

The Crossing / 8 June 2015 / Day 24

A Sensible Stopping Point

Day 24 stretched to 51.2 km, from a cold Fraser Range start through hills, kangaroos, downhill run-walking, and the practical win of finishing at Cundeelee rest area itself.

The Crossing / 9 June 2015 / Day 25

A Thousand Kilometres To Balladonia

Day 25 took me 51.9 km into Balladonia Roadhouse, through another cold dawn, the 1000 km milestone, a proper roadhouse reality check, patchy comms, and Skylab oddity.

The Crossing / 10 June 2015 / Day 26

Cheerio Balladonia, Hello 90 Mile Straight

Day 26 took me 44.3 km from Balladonia, past the RFDS airstrip markings, Nullarbor roadside figures, the last Amazeballs, and onto the western end of the 90 Mile Straight.

The Crossing / 11 June 2015 / Day 27

It's All Above The Shoulders

Day 27 added 44.9 km on the 90 Mile Straight, with another sunrise, a major truck accident where nobody was hurt, emergency chocolate and water, and an evening with Glenn Carter and the Ride With No Limits crew.

The Crossing / 12 June 2015 / Day 28

Halfway Along The 90 Mile Straight

Day 28 pushed another 56.6 km along the 90 Mile Straight, with huge skies, shrinking verges, roadside kindness, Strava weirdness, and the mental work of staying with a flat line that seemed to go on forever.

The Crossing / 13 June 2015 / Day 29

The First Bend In Four Days

Day 29 was the final 40.5 km of the 90 Mile Straight: three unpowered nights behind us, Caiguna Roadhouse ahead, a daylight finish, the first bend in four days, and a proper roadhouse feed.

The Crossing / 14 June 2015 / Day 30

Forty-Five Minutes From Cocklebiddy

Day 30 covered 46.2 km from Caiguna toward Cocklebiddy, with a misty start, a quirky time-zone shift, ten kangaroos, a lone-tree joke, evening rain, and a roadhouse meal that properly delivered.

The Crossing / 15 June 2015 / Day 31

Listening To The Body In Cocklebiddy

Day 31 became a 20.9 km morning into Cocklebiddy, with a sunrise meeting with Thomas the German cyclist and a very sensible decision to stop, rest, and stay at Cocklebiddy for a second night.

The Crossing / 16 June 2015 / Day 32

Back Out With A Clearer Head

After the sensible half-day rest at Cocklebiddy, I stepped back onto the Eyre Highway with Madura split over two days, winter in the sky, and the Nullarbor doing its strange mix of beauty, ache, and dead-roo reality.

The Crossing / 17 June 2015 / Day 33

An Unexpected View

I finished the second half of the Cocklebiddy-to-Madura split, got surprised by the huge view after climbing up near Madura Pass, and reached the roadhouse as darkness fell.

The Crossing / 18 June 2015 / Day 34

This Is a Long Road!

After dropping down from Madura Pass, I pushed through a hard, windy 52.5 km day in a lower, fresher version of the Nullarbor, with motorists stopping, cookies arriving, and a rest-area dinner at the end.

The Crossing / 19 June 2015 / Day 35

Only A Marathon Distance

A cold start with a 55 km target became a shorter marathon-distance day, with Christian and Brigette stopping to say hello, Week 5 complete, and Mundrabilla Roadhouse waiting for the night.

The Crossing / 20 June 2015 / Day 36

They Stopped In The Dark

Winter arrived in the dark outside Mundrabilla, where Les and Pat Hood stopped to check I was okay before the day carried on through wind, roadside art, border signs, and another return to Mundrabilla.

The Crossing / 21 June 2015 / Day 37

The Last Night In WA

A windy winter day into Eucla became unexpectedly social, with WA Police, Chris the cyclist, the Mug Tree, Ols's final WA steps, and the climb through Eucla Pass before our last overnight in Western Australia.

The Crossing / 22 June 2015 / Day 38

The Last Cuppa

After 37 days in Western Australia, I stopped for one last cuppa near the border, then crossed into South Australia with Ben and Ols before the Nullarbor changed shape again.

The Crossing / 23 June 2015 / Day 39

Beautifully Bleak South Australia

My first full day in South Australia started before dawn and turned into a wet, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other 50 km across an empty coastal plain, brightened by a chat with Craig from highway maintenance.

The Crossing / 24 June 2015 / Day 40

Edge Of The World Stuff

A friend had told me there was a Nullarbor lookout we had to see. Day 40 still needed nearly 50 km of walking, but the detour to Official Lookout 1 made the edge-of-the-world promise feel completely real.

The Crossing / 25 June 2015 / Day 41

Beautiful In Its Stark Emptiness

I still had not reached the actual treeless plain, but Day 41 already felt like the Nullarbor had become colder, wider, and more austere. It was beautiful in its stark emptiness, with generous people still appearing in the middle of it.

The Crossing / 26 June 2015 / Day 42

The Actual Treeless Plain

After weeks of false alarms, I finally crossed the actual treeless plain: a cold, late-starting, late-finishing 54.4 km day through the real Nullarbor.

The Crossing / 27 June 2015 / Day 43

Pretty And Very Hilly

The morning after the actual treeless plain, South Australia gave me trees, hills, cold air, friendly horns, and a hard 56 km push as the Adelaide maths started getting real.

The Crossing / 28 June 2015 / Day 44

The Daily Routine Near Nundroo

I moved toward Nundroo with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 29 June 2015 / Day 45

Fog, Farms And Fresh Fruit

I moved toward Eyre Hwy 29k short of Penong with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 30 June 2015 / Day 46

Police Lights And Silly Signage

I moved toward Koonibba rest area with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 1 July 2015 / Day 47

Tears Into Ceduna

I moved toward Ceduna with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 2 July 2015 / Day 48

A Rest Day In Ceduna

I used Ceduna for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 3 July 2015 / Day 49

Moonlight Out Of Ceduna

I moved toward Puntabie Rest Area with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 4 July 2015 / Day 50

Day Fifty On The Eyre Highway

I moved toward Rest Area with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 5 July 2015 / Day 51

Pipeline Tracks To Minnipa

I moved toward Minnipa Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 6 July 2015 / Day 52

Feet, Shoes And The Gawler Ranges

I moved toward Gawler Ranges Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 7 July 2015 / Day 53

Ols At Koongawa

I moved toward Rest area just east of Koongawa with weather, light, and winter conditions shaping the way the day felt.

The Crossing / 8 July 2015 / Day 54

Halfway Across Australia

I moved toward Kimba Caravan park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 9 July 2015 / Day 55

Nursing The Foot Near Iron Knob

I moved toward Rest area east of Iron Knob with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 10 July 2015 / Day 56

Into Nuttbush Retreat

I moved toward Nuttbush Retreat Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 11 July 2015 / Day 57

The Turn Toward Adelaide

I moved toward Shoreline Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 12 July 2015 / Day 58

Out Of Port Augusta

I moved toward Baroota rest area with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 13 July 2015 / Day 59

Short Of Crystal Brook

I moved toward Crystal Brook with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 14 July 2015 / Day 60

Rain Pause To Snowtown

I moved toward Snowtown with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 17 July 2015 / Day 63

Day 63: Torrens Weir

The Crossing / 19 July 2015 / Day 65

Adelaide Parcels And Hospitality

I used Adelaide for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 20 July 2015 / Day 66

Back Into The Adelaide Hills

I moved toward Drive back to Mount Barker Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 21 July 2015 / Day 67

Somerset-Like Adelaide Hills

I moved toward Westbrook Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 22 July 2015 / Day 68

Sunrise, Swanport And Kiki

I moved toward Kiki with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 23 July 2015 / Day 69

Frozen Morning To Tintinara

I used Rest area tintinara for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 24 July 2015 / Day 70

Day 70: Keith Means Business

Day 70 began bitterly cold, turned into the full Keith experience, then carried me back onto the Dukes Highway through showers, a rainbow, and a drive-forward night at Bordertown.

The Crossing / 25 July 2015 / Day 71

Bordertown, Bigger Than Keith

I moved toward Kaniva with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 26 July 2015 / Day 72

Wind, Rain And The Nhill Welcome

I moved toward Nhill with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 27 July 2015 / Day 73

Kaniva, Nhill And The Rainbows

I moved toward Horsham with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 28 July 2015 / Day 74

Foggy Horsham To Grampians Edge

I moved toward Grampians Edge with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 29 July 2015 / Day 75

Giant Koalas And Ararat Ahead

I moved toward Ararat with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 30 July 2015 / Day 76

A Bounce Back Past Beaufort

I moved toward Drove back to Beaufort Caravan Park with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 31 July 2015 / Day 77

Ballarat With Company

I moved toward Stop 100km from Melbourne, drive in with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 1 Aug 2015 / Day 78

Day 78: Albert Melbourne parkrun

The Crossing / 2 Aug 2015 / Day 79

A Rest Day In Melbourne

I used rest for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 4 Aug 2015 / Day 81

The Melbourne Edge

I moved toward Big 4 Braybrook with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 5 Aug 2015 / Day 82

Into Albert Park And The Heart Foundation

I moved toward Jo's Friends in Eltham with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 6 Aug 2015 / Day 83

Wet Hills Out Of Melbourne

I moved toward Yea with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 7 Aug 2015 / Day 84

No More Adventures To Yea

I moved toward Kanumbra with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 8 Aug 2015 / Day 85

Great Victorian Rail Trail Company

I moved toward Lima South with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 9 Aug 2015 / Day 86

The Glenrowan Thanks

I moved toward Wangaratta with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 10 Aug 2015 / Day 87

Wangaratta Warmth

Day 87 carried HAA through Wangaratta and toward Wodonga, with cold Victorian weather balanced by local company, donations, HeartKids conversations, David Evans on the bike, and the first clear signs of Deb's Albury-Wodonga support network.

The Crossing / 12 Aug 2015 / Day 89

Into New South Wales

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 13 Aug 2015 / Day 90

Twelve Short Of Tarcutta

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 14 Aug 2015 / Day 91

Wagga Wagga To Gundagai

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 15 Aug 2015 / Day 92

Canberra Parkrun And Mount Ainslie

I used Ibis Styles Eaglehawk Canberra for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 16 Aug 2015 / Day 93

A Rest Day With Canberra Kindness

I used Ibis Styles Eaglehawk Canberra for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 17 Aug 2015 / Day 94

Back Out Of Canberra

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 18 Aug 2015 / Day 95

Coffee Calling Near Yass

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 19 Aug 2015 / Day 96

Nine Kilometres With Matt And Wendy

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 20 Aug 2015 / Day 97

Morning Tea From Canberra

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 21 Aug 2015 / Day 98

Thirty Parkruns From Sydney

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 22 Aug 2015 / Day 99

A Parkrun Fix Without Parkrun

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 23 Aug 2015 / Day 100

Liverpool, Thirty From Sydney

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 24 Aug 2015 / Day 101

The Sydney Emotions Begin

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 25 Aug 2015 / Day 102

Sponsors And Coffee On The Way North

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 26 Aug 2015 / Day 103

Hills And Wet Grey Weather

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 27 Aug 2015 / Day 104

The Final Three Weeks Appear

I moved toward Sydney with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 28 Aug 2015 / Day 105

One Hundred And Fifty Five To Brisbane

I moved toward the next stop as another distant name on the map became a real place under my feet.

The Crossing / 30 Aug 2015 / Day 107

Leaving Sydney Again

I used rest for rest, people, logistics, and the recovery work that kept the crossing possible.

The Crossing / 31 Aug 2015 / Day 108

North From Sydney

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 1 Sept 2015 / Day 109

First Day Of Spring

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 2 Sept 2015 / Day 110

Another Day Closer

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 3 Sept 2015 / Day 111

Thunderstorms And Roadworks

I moved toward Port Macquarie with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 4 Sept 2015 / Day 112

Closer To Brisbane Than Sydney

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 5 Sept 2015 / Day 113

Macksville, Antoine And Coffs Ahead

I moved toward Coffs with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 6 Sept 2015 / Day 114

Coffs Harbour Breathing Space

I moved toward Coffs with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 7 Sept 2015 / Day 115

Missing The Big Banana

I moved toward Coffs Harbour with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 8 Sept 2015 / Day 116

State Forest And Grafton Shoes

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 9 Sept 2015 / Day 117

The Coastal Taper Begins

I moved toward the next stop with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 10 Sept 2015 / Day 118

Into Ballina

I moved toward Ballina with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 12 Sept 2015 / Day 120

Ten Parkruns To The Final Border

I moved toward Pottsville with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 13 Sept 2015 / Day 121

The Final Border

I moved toward Kirra with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 14 Sept 2015 / Day 122

Gold Coast Walking

I moved toward Southport with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 15 Sept 2015 / Day 123

Gold Coast Bulletin Day

I moved toward Oxenford with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 16 Sept 2015 / Day 124

Springwood, One Day To Go

I moved toward Springwood with the day's people, support, and small human moments giving the kilometres their shape.

The Crossing / 17 Sept 2015 / Day 125

Day 125: Brisbane