What a mixed day cycling through sugarcane, a massive motorway bypass, a surfing completion then the counterculture of Byron.  We started the day with a quick dash down the highway from Broadwater to the next town of Wardell.  There wasn’t much of a verge but the traffic was good.  We then turned off the highway onto the extremely quiet Pimlico Road.  We then cycled past more sugarcane and rural houses.  The day had started sunny but as we approached Ballina the clouds got dark and humid.  Surprisingly we saw more people mowing their lawns today than we’ve seen on the whole trip.  After the quiet country road we joined the highway and entered the newly opened mega Ballina Bypass.  It certainly was grand and there was lots of room for us on the wide verge.  We turned into Ballina and cycled to the supermarket.  After buying some lunch we cycled on a good cycle path through town and out the other side of Ballina.

The weather looked better and after another 8km we arrived in Lennox Head where we cycled down the flashest bike path we’ve seen.  Yesterday we saw on the news that the Skullcandy Gromfest Surf Competition was on at Lennox Head.  We arrived just in time to see the final where we saw some great surfing while having lunch.  We chatted to a lady who had cycled in the past and was interested in our trip.  After lunch it was a quick cycle with a screaming tail wind to Byron Bay.  All the drivers were really good as the relaxed culture of Byron must also pervade their driving.  It was surreal arriving in Byron as it seemed like only yesterday we were here.  Last July we visited Byron Bay with Dave, Paula, kids, Simon, Gill and HRH Paddy the dog so we feel we know the place well.

We checked in a caravan park which was full of backpackers and unusually not many Grey Nomads.  We walked around town and sat in a beach hotel drinking a beer and people watching before going for a curry.  Byron has a really bustle of backpacker energy and we think there are more tourists here than all other towns put together on the entire trip.  Byron seems to have a permanent traffic jam, people walking the footpaths, sitting in cafes, busking on the street, eating and drinking.  It’s like the counter culture of Takaka mixed with the wealth of Queenstown.

Highlight of Today:  Watching Gromfest and having a beer in Byron.

View from Lennox Head

The great cycle path!

Surfing is important here.

Gromfest

Enjoying the sunny vibe in Byron Bay