Woke just before dawn to sneak out and let my support crew sleep in.. but they woke and we talked briefly & tweaked our communication protocols. Only after waking did we notice the sign above the story/meeting/rest place.
This is Dave Holley (left - not to be left behind) & Ethan DAVIES (now Davy’s co-support colleague). Two good men who I’m looking forward to hanging out with and getting to know better over the next 14 or 21 days. The sign reads “Gateway to Cape York” with the word “Lakeland”, below & to the right. Fitting place to start this leg eh?
I couldn’t find the stick I left here last year. Probably get another. Behind the sign was an Aboriginal, 3D, walk through, diagramized map of the perinsula. Very reminiscent of Rene’s story behind some songlines up here in Northern Australia (from Broome across to here) see pics (& video?) below.
Pics of areas and logos/ totems/ mascots/ items of significance and memory from various areas up here.
Onto the road, looking backwards at the service station on my left,
and below that the rest area with my car and blue canvas pop-top trailer over to the right of the road.
Quickly got to the LH turn off to Laura, Coen, Weipa, Bamaga (from the Cook Town road)
In the sections, from Laura to Coen, and Coen to Weipa, “Caution” has replaced “Open (only) to vehicles under 5 tonne GVM” (Gross Vehicle Mass) which was on the website before we left Orange a week ago.
That little yellow WARNING sign, below, seems to seen more now, though we seem to be Kilometers from the coast! …?
A bit down that track I see on my left .
Then come to a farm’s road side stall “Steffies” where I decide to buy some dried bananas for us walking, and some handmade ear-rings for my lady at home, that look a bit like walking sandles. But - no cash! I messaged my support crew and they’ll try to pay for and collect them on their way through later. And then I can repay them. Thanks men.
Walking on… waddling… thinking about the day and date and their significance, .. tying my little story in with a bigger human one. Like Rene’s story to us last night .. lovely. (See link above: T’day’s re think king.. Beware you are - in croc country)
We tried using the uhf every 15 minutes to gauge what the signal is like as we went further apart. And I walked on, well ethan and dave filled up the water and fuel, to follow me soon. Thanks men. 9:55am
Had lunch together in the shade and then dave and i took off and peyton road onto his get things ready for tonight.
Before 3 pm two blokes had stopped the check out what we're going and where were going this is the last one car park overseas of banana to the sweetest on our way and smiled when we said we going to the tip.
This is the next level of humans & nature combining to back each other up…
We walked 27.5km this day. How amazing to have people with me again, walking beside me, pointing out amazing things as we go, talking about important (& trivial) things, getting to know another human being, being known by another human being as life and time is shared, the camp site already ready when we got there. We got to the camp site by 4pm, had a cold drink, cooked dinner in the sweat and heat, and got to sleep before 8:30pm. Thanks Ethan and Dave. Thanks to my lady, Katrina, back home making this possible.
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