A Mystic Morning, a Sweet Ending

Daily miles: 40.45 | Total miles: 7,565.52

My alarm rang at 5:20am. A quick coffee, a small bite to eat, packing up my things, and out I went into the cool, misty, almost mystical morning. With my headtorch on backwards, I set off ready for a relaxed 40 miles on the highway. It felt magical from the start—tiny rabbits darted across the fields and hopped along the edges of the road while I found a steady, good rhythm.

Halfway through, I reached a small town called Tintinara. They had a little food store, so I stopped to stock up for the evening since my destination didn’t have a shop—just a bakery and a waffle house. I treated myself right there to a yoghurt and a muffin before heading back out for the last 18 miles.

The sun soon broke through, the temperature rose, and I switched to running in just my shirt. With every honk, wave, and smile from passing traffic, I felt lifted and light. At 2:45pm I finally arrived in Coonalpyn. The hotel wasn’t open yet, so I made my way directly to the waffle house just a few doors down.

That’s where the day turned from beautiful to extraordinary. Dave, a guest visiting with his son Edy, asked about my journey and kindly offered to buy me a waffle. At the very same moment, Claudia—the owner of the waffle house, originally from Holland and speaking some German—placed a waffle in front of me as a gift. Double kindness, double waffle, and double joy. After 40 miles, it felt like heaven. I even asked for another one with whipped cream—pure bliss.

When I finally checked into the hotel, Holly at the reception surprised me by giving me the room for free. Another act of generosity. On my way in, I met Mick, who greeted me warmly. People here have been nothing but kind.

Now I’m in a warm and comfortable room, tired but grateful. Dinner will be simple—just rice with beans—but perfect. After that, I’ll rest, recharge, and be ready for another day on the road tomorrow.

What a day—magical, light, and full of kindness.

Take care, Andrea