March 29, 2016
Coffs Harbour: Bananas, bananas, bananas
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On the 29th I began early and cycled up through the forest above Coffs Harbour until I came to a turn for a lookout point that was a couple of kilometres off the road. When we'd come from the opposite direction seven months earlier, we'd slogged up the steep climb from Coffs Harbour and at this junction we'd had no motivation at all to go up to the lookout, but this time I felt relatively fresh as the climb had been nowhere near as steep coming from the north. However, I soon discovered that the side road up to the lookout was very steep. Extremely steep in fact. As steep as any road I could recall. It was a real struggle.
After much huff and puff I eventually made it up to the viewpoint. I saw a couple of cars in the parking area, and beyond that a wooden platform extended out over the side of the cliff. I decided to wait until the few people that were occupying the platform had finished looking, as I thought it might be nice to walk out and have the views to myself. You know, just to really be able to take in the majesty of the scene, to be alone in my own thoughts.
I read some nearby information boards until I saw the people leaving and then went over towards the platform. As I was doing this I noticed another cyclist appeared up the hill, an older guy on a road bike, red-faced and sweating from the intensity of the climb. I continued onto the platform and walked out to take in the views down over the green town of Coffs Harbour and the mighty Pacific. They were very fine views, but my hopes of enjoying the moment to myself were immediately broken by the voice of the other cyclist arriving just behind me.
“You cycle all the way up?” He asked, adding, “You must have stopped a few times?”
“Yes, I cycled up.”
“You must have stopped a few times though?” He was in his fifties I'd say, and had clumped grey hair and bad teeth. It seemed very important to him to clarify that I'd stopped a few times.
“Yes I stopped a few times.”
“I did it without stopping.” He declared proudly.
The man lived in Coffs Harbour and told me he cycled up here quite often. Presumably he usually found people up here to be very impressed that he'd cycled all the way up , and he wasn't quite sure what to make of me. Still, he pursued the conversation, and my hopes of looking at the view in peace had all but vanished.
“Where have you cycled from?” He asked.
“England.”
He laughed. And told me I couldn't have cycled across the water. This is a common response. I find it a bit irritating sometimes. This man was also quite irritating anyway. I was irritated.
“No, but I cycled from England to Singapore, took a boat to Perth, and cycled here from Perth.” I snapped.
“You cycled from Perth?!” This is the reaction almost all Australians have. Australians don't seem to have a particularly close association with the outside world. 5,000 kilometres from Perth will always impress them more than 47,000 kilometres from England. I find it is a bit like the rest of the world doesn't exist to Australians, or at least doesn't matter.
The man walked away but by now the platform was crowded with people, and I soon followed. I got my bike and said goodbye to the man, who was standing nearby next to his own bike.
“See you” I said, “You'll probably catch me up on the way down.”
“Oh I will,” he said, in a way that sounded slightly arrogant, and slightly like a threat, “Don't worry about that.”
The descent down was a joy, especially after the man had overtaken me and sped off into the distance. I glided down through the banana trees and at the bottom remembered to stop and enjoy a frozen chocolate-coated banana. Then I cycled into Coffs Harbour, past the Big Banana, which remained uninspiring. And this time I decided to actually cycle to the harbour in Coffs Harbour, and it was really quite nice. There was a long beach, and a pier that stuck out into the bay, offering views back toward the beach and the green hilly town. It was a nice day and plenty of people out and about enjoying it.
I spent a little too long loitering in Coffs Harbour as it turned out. I was scheduled to stay in a little town called Bellingen with some hosts. I'd earlier contacted the wonderful Stephen and Jacky, who we'd stayed with on our way up, and Stephen had suggested meeting me in Bellingen and cycling with me back to their place the next day. On this night I could stay in Bellingen with him and some relatives of his. Unfortunately I took a wrong turn on some of the nice back roads to Bellingen. By the time I'd realised that I was going the wrong way and backtracked it was getting dark. The final few kilometres were in complete darkness. On top of this I was feeling really tired. There had been a lot of hills as I climbed away from the coast, and my legs were unusually weary. By the time I finally climbed the last hill to my destination I was feeling thoroughly sorry for myself. Fortunately my hosts Danny and Leyla made me feel very welcome in their home, with delicious food and, of course, a warm shower.
28/03/16 – 67km
29/03/16 – 66km
Today's ride: 133 km (83 miles)
Total: 47,933 km (29,766 miles)
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