Day 5: Grafton to Macksville

Approximate Distance: 150 KM

I awoke to calm skies: the storm from last night, although brief, was extremely powerful. My retired friend was up at dawn to see me off. Last night we had discussed my route for the next day, a rural road called Orara Way, he figured that the journey would be fairly flat, as it ran parallel to the railroad.

Just beyond the Grafton city limits the bushes to my left began to bustle with movement.
I slowed down, almost to a standstill and began to look into the brush with some intensity. All of a sudden I spotted a brown object bouncing amongst the foliage, it was a kangaroo. I cycled a little further before I spotted another kangaroo, this time with a young Joey, standing alongside the road. I once again slowed, this time I wanted to take a picture and attempted to get as close a possible, unfortunately as I slowly rode towards the animals my front brakes produced a sharp screech and the both animals disappeared into the dense brush. For the next few hours I would cycle shoulder to shoulder alongside kangaroos, it was spectacular. At one point, as I cycled, a family of kangaroos bounced along the road. This was by far the most memorable part of the journey thus far. It would be hours before I saw another person (passing vehicle).

My friend was correct in his assumption that the road would start out fairly flat, however, the railway eventually tapered off and the road began to fluctuate. For the next 80 kms I would resort to the following: walk up the hill, ride down the other side (momentum would carry me halfway up next), immediately walk up the next. I reached the small town of Glenreagh, exhausted, where I stopped for some much deserved fruit and orange juice. While in the store, of which the town had only 3, I started a conversation with a local man and he informed me that the road from Glenreagh to Coffs Harbour would not be as hilly. The problem with asking locals their opinion regarding terrain or distance is that they base it on driving, not cycling. The road was slightly less hilly but the difference was minute.

I eventually reached Coffs Harbour and decided to rest for an hour. Having reenergized I setoff for Macksville via the PCH. I arrived in Macksville around 3PM and rented a room above a shady pub, known as a “pub stay”. I spent the night gorging on sandwiches, beans, rice pudding, fruit, muesli bars and water.

Tomorrow I head towards Port Macquarie.