420km completed, 750km to go.
After skipping from bus to train to bus, I finally made it to the novel part of my journey at around 1pm, standing by the road in Gympie with my slightly too small sign, Working up the courage to actually stick out my thumb.
I waited almost 40 minutes before I got my first lift with Rachel*, just finished working her second job, and setting out on her 100km commute home. First mistake – not knowing the area well enough to recognize the town she was going to, was the wrong direction!
But, it was at least 15 minutes in the right direction and far enough out of town to minimize local traffic. She offered to take me further out of her way, but I explained my goals and she respectfully dropped me off just before her turn.
After just 10 minutes, Eric* pulled up in a cloud of dust, his sudden change of pace unsettling the tailgater behind him. Nothing more than blast on the horn this time, but lesson 2 – leave far more distance to the stopping zone at 100km/h. Eric was nicely set up with a mattress in his wagon, on his way to Nanango for a Rock’n’roll festival. Sadly regular dance events at Gympie and Cooroy have faded out over the last few years and the options in Maryborough are also dwindling. He also wanted to take me out of his way, but i convinced him to drop my at his turn-off.
Again in under 10 minutes I was underway with Tom*, on his way back from Brisbane towing a camper trailer he picked up at bargain price, on his way home to Harvey Bay where he expected to sell it at twice the price. With deals like that, I could see how he managed to retire at 40. we connected over the value of helping others and only taking what you need, but I had to bite my tongue once he started down anti global warming rant, for risk of being discharged from the vehicle in the middle of nowhere. Lovely guy, and I’m curious how his views were formed, but thought better of prying too hard. No offer of a detour for my benefit this time, I found myself at a service station on a stretch of highway with no safe stopping space.
Fortunately my legs work quite well and my pack is not too heavy so I walked 20 minutes to a better spot and soon after landed my fourth and final ride for the day. Young Jack, Jill and Sally* had just driven from Bundaberg to the Sunshine Coast that morning and were on their way home. Jack’s baby daughter has been in the hospital there for the first 6 months of her life, with mysterious seizures. Two year old Sally in the back seat, meanwhile, was excellent company. Her eyes sparkling while she offered playful banter. Her parents in the front made and received serious phone calls from experts and family following up their visit.
They dropped me off with some urgency at Gin Gin where they were heading to visit Jack’s mum, whose property was in imminent danger of being enveloped by currently burning bushfires that have already prompted mandatory evacuation of the surrounding properties. I thanked them sincerely for their generosity, leaving them with ample fuel money to visit their daughter again a few times.
A final 2km walk took me out of Gin Gin to a free rest area where I’m now sprawled under the stars, grateful the mosquitoes are mostly vespertine rather than nocturnal feeders, since I forgot to pack repellent.
*Names changed