Lennox Head

Hi there!! Yes, I am still alive - just been really busy with work and attending to my daughters so haven't really had the time to sit down and in front of the screen.

Nothing too spectacular been happening, although last Sunday Kat and myself thought we would do a short breakfast ride to Byron. As usual, we started from Kingscliff and headed south along the coast. We only travelled about 20 minutes and, as we rode through Cabarita Beach, we caught the smell of bacon wafting out from one of the cafes along the side of the road. I pulled into one of the side streets and we headed in and got hold of a couple of bacon and egg rolls and some juice. We ventured a further 30 seconds along the road and pulled in to the headland car park to enjoy our feed. We sat looking north along the coast back to Kingscliff on a bench with the sun warming us and watched a group of long boarders in the water just below riding the break in to shore. This is a fantastic spot to stop and a popular surfing beach that is always busy - I don't think I have ever seen the car park less than half full.

Cabarita Beach from the headland

After finishing our feed we decided to give Byron a miss and head a little further south to Lennox Head - somewhere that I had never been. We got back on the bike and followed the coast road down through Pottsville and Wooyung then back inland to the highway. I know I keep saying it but I love this ride - just after leaving Pottsville the road crosses a wide creek which then runs parallel with the beach for about 5 kms. As you follow the road you see groups of cars parked at set distances on your left - evidence that the surf must be good just over the dunes - and on your right is the creek where you may see someone fishing or paddling a kayak but more often just birds feeding in the shallows. As I ride this road I often think that this must have been what it was like before white man settled here just over 200 years ago - unspoilt and so tranquil. Once the road turns inland, the scenery changes drastically as you wind through the ready-to-harvest cane fields, past the farms with large sheds sheltering cane cutting equipment and back onto the highway.

The town of Lennox Head from the lookout

View north to the Byron lighthouse

We followed the highway down to the Lennox turn off and then followed it until we reached the t-intersection just out of town. For some reason, as we slowed, I thought the road was clear, and crossed the main road to head into Lennox Head. This was the first time that I realised I had made a major error in my decision making - we only just managed to make the turn in front of a car travelling toward Lennox Head. I immediately pulled off the road before the car managed to pass us - I was shaking - how lucky we were! I had totally missed spotting this car and it was all my fault. Thankfully, he realised I had made a mistake and passed us without making a fuss. I was so shaken by the fact that I did not even see a car.Slow down and wake up, bud!!

After recovering from our near miss, we finally made it into Lennox Head - we headed toward the lookout and proceeded to take in the view, looking towards Byron.I could still not get the near miss out of my head. I felt soo stupid. Anyway, we realised it was time to head towards home and so decided to follow the coast road to Byron and then re-joined the highway.

If I learned nothing else, I realised it is so easy to loose concentration and assume there is nothing in your path. On a motorcycle that can be fatal - both Kat and I are extremely lucky that it wasn't our time. I will remember this.