Day 8: Forster to Hawks Nest
I get the feeling Willie is running out of puff a bit as each day passes his reports are getting shorter and shorter. Let’s see if today is different. Willie – what have you got?
OK, so the lack of sleep is affecting my reporting brilliance a little. Give me a break!
This mornings breakfast was served along the Forster foreshore. I feel like I’m fast running out of adjectives to describe the sunrises we’ve been blessed with all tour… stunning, picturesque, breathtaking…they barely seem adequate.
Trent Miller and the Channel 7 documentary team looked a little frazzled. The oil painting waterfront, the Dolphins cruising under the bride, the Pelicans perched on the rocks, the fishermen welcoming the sunrise… there were almost too many ‘perfect shots’.
With only 105km on the run sheet and a route snaking its way through the Myall Lakes National Park, the team was looking forward to starting. Not only would we be riding along some of the most rugged, untouched coastline of the mid-north coast, but we’d be finished early enough to fully appreciate it.
The only hurdle between us and Hawks Nest was an 8km section of lumpy, corrugated dirt road. At times it felt like my bike had transformed into a washing machine and was stuck on spin cycle.
At the end of the dirt road was something out of Alice in Wonderland. The trees formed a complete canopy over the road. Sunshine streamed through the gaps, speckling the roads surface. Beyond the trees, on the left of the road, the white sand dunes parted to reveal pristine, empty beaches. To the right, a glassy lake, complete with water birds sunning themselves on overhanging branches.
It was like being stuck in a tourism commercial, all the best bits of Australia crammed into a smooth, quiet 20 km section of road. I could’ve done laps of it all afternoon, but Hawks Nest beckoned.
It was a terrific sight to see the entire TdC team at our finish location this afternoon. Everyone arrived in the daylight for once, and the team was able to celebrate the moment and relax a little with a cold beer and a dip in the ocean.
Looking around I’m reminded of a Margaret Mead quote, one that is often used to describe tour. ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’
Until tomorrow,
I’m Willie Maykit.
Go get some sleep Willie. You need it. I won’t make a big point of the fact you’ve forgotten about our jersey winners for the past couple of days but I’ll let that slide.
Arrival at Hawks Nest was indeed spectacular. What a holiday destination this is. Simply stunning, and I didn’t even know it existed.
The team eventually split up and went to their respective accommodation. As soon as we got to ours we found there was a fish n chip shop just around the corner. We couldn’t resist to pig out on some of the best tasting battered whiting and chicken salted chips by the pool…(lots of chicken salt!!!). So good. That was entrée before we headed off to the local golf club for our nightly community dinner.
2 days to go…bring it on!
Stats update for today…
Donation tally update:
Sitting at approx $17,250, another jump up of a couple of hundred today!!!
Stats update:
Distance ridden: 109km (1,296km in total)
Elevation climbed: 670m (10,435m in total)
Time ridden: 3 hrs 53 min (48 hrs 42 min in total)
(No punctures for me today… ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 🙂 )
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