Scandinavian Cycle Tour, July 27 to August 27, 2014
Sunday, 27 July Riniken - Zurich - Riga - Helsinki - Järvenpää (Finland) Photos
We were up at 05:30 to catch the 07:20 Flugzug to the airport. Georg was driven there by his wife, and took most of our bags with him. We just had our bicycles and hand baggage, which made the first leg of the flight to Helsinki very easy. Things got tougher at the airport.
According to AirBaltic's Web page, it should only have been necessary to remove the pedals, and turn the handlebars of the bikes for transport. We had bought big nylon-weave bags to cover them too. But when we got to the bulky baggage counter, they said that they were too big for their X-Ray scanner, and needed to have the front wheels removed. They did, however, have cardboard boxes available at CHF 20 each, and some vey helpful staff. We quickly packed the bikes into boxes, which gave us a much better feeling that they might get transported undamaged. At the moment we're on the descent to Helsinki airport, so we'll soon see if that's the case or not.
The first flight was to Riga in a packed, old Boeing. It was on time, and in Riga it was 30 degrees after leaving a rather rainy Zurich. We had just over an hour there, time enough for a snack. This second flight is in a propeller driven Q400 Bombardier. It's like going back in aviation history. There are about 80 seats (all occupied) with just 4 seats across. It's quite quaint. Time to prepare for landing. It's 17:15 local time ...
It was a short, comfortable flight. The bikes and bags all turned up undamaged, and were quickly assembled. We were off by about 18:00 to do the 25 km or so to the campsite at Järvenpää. It was a bit difficult getting our bearings leaving the airport, not helped by the cover on the iPad inside the handlebar bag having a magnet which upset the compass. Eventually we were on the right road.
It was about 20:30 by the time we reached the campsite, but we had phoned ahead to warn them, and to arrange picking up the key to our reserved hut. The hut was very basic, but also very welcome. We went into the town to find something to eat - a rather rushed, and not very memorable meal in a Chinese takeaway. Then it was straight back to the campsite, shower, and bed.
All in all, it was 3 km to Brugg station, 24 km from Helsinki airport to the campsite, and about 5 more km going into town and back to eat.
Monday, 28 July Järvenpää - Riihimäki - Hämeenlinna Photos
We were up quite late, and ate a meagre breakfast of a couple of muffins with a drink of orange juice. It was too hot, and we had no fridge, to think about buying some milk the previous evening. We set off into town a) to find a bike shop to have Georg's front brake looked at; b) to try to get some Coleman's fuel for the cooker; c) to find a map for the northern part of our route through Finland; and d) to have a coffee.
Once the shops opened at 10:00 (!) we were able to make more progress. The map was easy, as was finding a coffee, but the other items proved not to be possible. So we set off on our way with Hämeenlinna as goal. Progress was good on pleasant cycle tracks until early afternoon, getting out of Riihimäki. We got stuck when trying to find the way over or under an Autobahn, and ended up cycling around a sandy motor-cross course. Eventually we got past the obstacle, ending up on Route 130, just as a thunderstorm hit us.
Fortunately we managed to find shelter under the eaves of an old barn before we got properly wet, and it was only a short, sharp, localised storm. We were soon on dry roads again once we resumed our pedalling. Unfortunately, Route 130 turned out to be busy, dull, and without a cycle track. We plodded on, though, and eventually reached Hämeenlinna after about 82 km. By the time we had reached the campsite, we had done 88 km, and by the time we had gone to a shop and back to buy something to grill, we had done 95 km.
The hut at the campsite was luxurious, with its own shower, fridge, WC, and cooker, and our grill outside, using a charcoal grill borrowed from the next hut, was also very enjoyable. Afterwards, Georg and I went for a dip in the lake. There was a warning notice about snakes on the jetty from which we bathed. If we had seen it before our swim, we might not have gone in!
Tuesday, 29 July Hämeenlinna - Kuurila - Valkeakoski Photos
We had seen a sign for a boat trip to Tampere, and were all keyed up to take it. Unfortunately, on closer inspection, it turned out to only run from Thursday to Saturday, so we had to cycle. We decided to do it in 2 stages, otherwise we would have had another 80+ km day, which we felt was too much, given the high temperatures. We made our goal Valkeakoski, some 50 km away.
We had stocked up with food for a proper breakfast, so got off to a good start. The route finding getting away from the town also went well. But again we had trouble due to bad signposting around a motorway. This added a few km to the journey as we went clockwise around a smallish lake, rather than anticlockwise.
However, it was a very pleasant cycle ride on the whole, reasonably flat, but hot and sticky. We stopped for coffee near the crossing over a big lake, and could see thunderclouds developing as we approached Valkeakoski. We reached the campsite without a second to spare as the heavens opened. It was quite dramatic, but again quite short. The sun came out afterwards helping us to enjoy a bathe in the lake.
We walked into town for supper. The town was rather less interesting than expected, but the Chinese restaurant turned out to be very good. We walked back to the campsite by going around the lake, which was nice, if a bit sweaty. The day was unfortunately spoilt when I damaged Georg's handy trying to help him to remove his SIM card.
Altogether we cycled 56 km today.
Wednesday, 30 July Valkeakoski - Kangasala - Tampere Photos
Today our goal was Tampere, which was supposed to be only 35 km away. However, we decided to go along what we expected to be a coast road to Kangasala, which caused us to go around 2 sides of a triangle making it about 55 km in total. We started the day, though, with a breakfast buffet, including porridge, at the campsite, which got the day off to a good start.
It was a coast road, but we hardly ever saw a sign of the lake, as seems to be usual in Finland. It was a very pleasant windy road to Kangasala, where we stopped for coffee, then a pleasant cycle track all the way to Tampere, which we reached by mid-afternoon. The first goal was to fix or replace Georg's handy, then get a new battery for Georg's watch, and finally to go the few km out of town to the campsite.
We started at the Tourist Info Centre to get directed to a shopping centre with a handy store. There, we simply bought a new handy, the same model as the broken one. The watch battery proved more troublesome. All the jewellers wanted a few days to do it. Eventually, we found one that could do it in an hour, just enough time for a quiet beer!
Of course, they actually did the job in a couple of minutes, after we went back. We then had to find the campsite, which was expected to have 111 huts! It was easy enough to get there, and the 3-person hut was reasonably priced at EUR 56. But then the day went really sour. Kari couldn't find her expensive glasses. What to do? They could have been lost anywhere between Kangasala and the campsite.
We left all our bags and Georg at the campsite, and cycled back into Tampere, where we retraced all our steps, asking in every café, bar and shop, which we had visited - no luck. So we left our bikes at the bus station and caught a bus to the café near Kangasala, which was the other possible place where the glasses might have been left. We were very lucky with the bus connections, but not with the search. We returned empty handed, heading into a thunder storm without rainwear. We cycled back to the campsite at full speed, getting rather damp, but not soaked. By this time, it was about 20:45. We had managed the whole search in about 2.5 hours. It was just a big pity that it was unsuccessful.
We walked up the road from the campsite to a pizzeria - we hadn't eaten much all day since our big breakfast. It was a very bland pizza. It continued to rain off and on for the rest of a very grey evening, which put paid to any ideas of a swim. After the pizza we showered and went to bed.
Thursday, 31 July Tampere - Nokia - Haveri (nr. Viljakkala) Photos
By the morning, the weather had cleared up, and things had cooled off significantly. We had a repeat of our first meagre breakfast - muffins and orange juice. The plan, though, was to get across the lake to Nokia and have coffee and cake there. First, though, we spent some time at the campsite's reception office contacting lost property offices in Tampere. Alas nothing has been handed in yet.
The start of the route from the campsite, heading west to a long bridge over the lake to get north, went well, so that we were soon having the planned coffee and cake in Nokia. I was expecting to find lots of Nokia mobile phone presence in the town, but it turned out to be more of a big village with no mobile phone signs at all. I must find out what the connection is between the village and the trade name.
So we pressed on for a few more km west before the big psychological milestone at Siuro, where we turned due north, following the east coast of the lake after it turns a corner. The next milestone was some 12 km away, where we were able to get around the end of the lake.
We have finally found rural Finland. The road was deserted and interesting, with lots of steep, short, ups and downs. We made good progress, since I was forcing the pace a bit to try to get in 50 km before mid-day. My experience is that the first 50 km of a day seem to pass slowly, but after that they seem to clock up easily. I was expecting an 80 km day to reach Ikaalinen, so wanted 50 km behind us as early as possible.
As it turned out, we didn't make our 50 km before 12:00, nor did we have an 80 km day. After 40 km, we passed a fruit farm serving food in a big old barn, so we stopped for a nice sausage with boiled, new potatoes. Whilst we were enjoying that, the weather started to look more and more thundery. It had already become quite close.
We set off again regardless, but eventually had to shelter under a bridge to put on waterproofs. We then had a short dash to what we thought was going to be a petrol station, but which turned out to be a garden centre cum hardware store. We sheltered there whilst it rained in torrents.
By this time we were on the E12 near Kyröskoski, where we were intending to get information about some holiday huts indicated on the opposite side of the Lake Kyrösjärvi to our original goal, and not quite so far away. As it turned out, the lady in the store was able to confirm their existence, so we headed off there after the storm, thus avoiding the busy E12. As a result it was a 61 km day rather than 80. We had trouble getting a hut though. They seem to be private huts, some of which are rented out when the owners are not there. With the oncoming weekend, they were all apparently full. However, the very helpful owner (or manager) of one of the two groups of cottages squeezed us into a rather palatial hut for the palatial price of EUR 100.
The shopping facilities in this rural area are almost non-existent. We couldn't get anything that we fancied cooking for supper, and we've got porridge and eggs in some form for breakfast. Supper was in the local restaurant and mine (pork in a blue cheese sauce), at least, was rather good. Georg and I also managed a dip in the lake, which has a very nice gentle, sandy beach. Kari sacrificed herself and did a very necessary wash of some very sweaty clothes.
Friday, 1 August Haveri - Parkano Photos
The scrambled eggs and porridge for breakfast were very good. The hut even had a coffee maker and ground coffee for us to enjoy. However, since it was too warm to light the hut's stove, and we're not into saunas, we felt as though we didn't really get our money's worth out of the hut.
We were off for 09:00, stopping first for a photo shoot with the hut manager for his advertising. But after about 4 km and a couple of very, very steep climbs, it occurred to me that Georg, who had volunteered to wash up, had washed up our mugs, and that I had not packed them. So I dumped my bags by the roadside, left Kari and Georg to look after them, and dashed back to retrieve them. Fortunately the manager was there with the key.
On getting back to my colleagues and bags, I decided that my tyres were a bit soft, so pumped them up before continuing. Hopefully it's not a puncture. The going was beautiful but tough. The hills were short but very steep, so progress was slow. We stopped in Luhalathi after about 8 km for a yogurt from a very sparsely supplied shop, and then a little later on at a home for the mentally disabled, where we got a coffee and cake in their restaurant. From there we ground on to Parkano, which we reached soon after 13:00 and 50 km.
Here we had to decide whether to stop for the night at the campsite, or continue to a possible hut some 30 km further on. We wanted to go to the Tourist Info to find out about this hut possibility. We ended up at the library, since there doesn't seem to be a Tourist Info in Parkano, despite what is indicated on our map. The librarian was incredibly helpful, giving us a map of the town with the local campsite on it, and a map of the village where the huts are located with a telephone number on it. We phoned, but when it turned out that they wanted EUR 130 for the night, we went to the local campsite instead, which turned out to be beautiful, with a supermarket next door where we could buy something to grill. It was also cheap, EUR 45, for quite a spacious hut.
We had a dip in the warm, rusty-brown water of the lake, showered, oiled the chains, and grilled. The grill was rather a hassle because we were not au fait with the facilities, but we managed to get some tough steak to eat in the end. There followed a beer in front of the hut, the writing of one's journal, and bed.
Saturday, 2 August Parkano - Jalasjärvi - Kurikka Photos
The weather has been exceptional, so far. In the first few days we had a short thunderstorm each day, and for the last two days it has been simply sunny, and not too close.
We were up at 07:00, and made breakfast in the communal kitchen - the 4 sausages, which we couldn't manage last night, were fried, and followed with muesli, bananas, and strawberries. We were packed and off for 08:45. The natural route from Parkano to Vaasa is to follow the E12. That is not very attractive to cycle due to the fast traffic. Fortunately we were able to find an unclassified road taking us just about all the way to our goal for the day, a hotel in Jalasjärvi, some 70 km away.
The going was good, even on the gravel unclassified road, so that we had done 40 km by 11:00, where we found a delightful bathing place. We followed the bathe with coffee and crisps, but the coffee was a struggle. The fuel which I got for the cooker is clearly not any good for my MSR cooker. It lights OK and gets going, but then peters out after a bit, even though gas is still coming out of the jet. Very strange. I tried the diesel jet in the evening, with the same result. So hopefully we don't want to brew up again in the near future.
After the break, the going continued to be easy, so that we were in Jalasjärvi by about 15:00, having covered some 75 km. Unfortunately the hotel turned out to be full, according to the person on the other end of the phone, whom we called from the lobby of the hotel. It looked to us more as though it was closed. Anyway, we couldn't stay there, and had to go on another 21 km to a campsite at Kurikka. It was really a bit further than we wanted to do.
The campsite is really quite nice, if a little under-equipped. Our hut (EUR 50) is also rather less than what we have become accustomed to. George and I also had to cycle another 5 km to the supermarket to get something for our evening meal, giving 109 km total for the day.
We bought sausages, and grilled them in a quaint little grilling hut. It was a nice evening.
Sunday, 3 August Kurikka - Jurva - Malax - Vaasa (Finland) - Umeå (Sweden) Photos
Who would have thought it ... we're on the ferry from Vaasa to Umeå and it's only Sunday evening, 7 days of cycling. I must admit, though, that the last two days were rather long. Basically, it was due to there being no hotel available for us yesterday in Jalasjärvi, which caused us to get nearer to Vaasa last night than planned. And from there it was easier to tootle all the way through to Vaasa than look for accommodation only 10 or 20 km away.
We had an extra 30 minutes in bed to compensate for the long day yesterday, had a reasonable breakfast of muesli with banana and underripe peach, and set off at about 09:45 in warm sunshine. George and I already knew the first 5 km into Kurikka, where the only thing open was the church, which we visited briefly.
The lack of any accommodation on the map on any direct route to Vaasa made it difficult to know which was the best way to go and at the same time avoid the busy E12. In the end we headed WNW to Jurva intending, then, to turn north towards Laihia. Getting going was difficult as the road climbed steadily through forest, eventually getting into sandy glacier moraine with stunted, pretty rosebay willow herbs along the roadside. Once we got to the top, and our legs had started working again, we started to make good progress. But it was becoming clear that we might go hungry and thirsty today since we couldn't find any open cafés or shops, and a petrol station, which we had seen on the map, and upon which we had pinned some hopes, had shut down.
In the end, we ate our emergency ration of Swiss army biscuits once we had done 50 km. We changed the route to head for Malax and a petrol station marked on the map. This was the one that had closed down. Fortunately, a few km further on in Övermalax, I managed to spot a supermarket down a side-street, which was open. We bought picnic stuff and had a very welcome picnic under trees across from the shop. By this time, it was also clear that we were going to press on through to Vaasa today and get the evening ferry. The remaining km were much less painful with full stomachs, but the saddles were getting rather hard by the time we reached the harbour in Vaasa at about 16:15 after covering about 97 km today.
We booked ourselves onto the 20:00 ferry. We had considered spending the night in Vaasa but, since the next ferry would be at the same time the following evening, arriving in Umeå at the same inconvenient time of 23:00 local time, and the weather had been looking threatening for most of the afternoon, we decided not to. We cycled the 3 km into the very pleasant city, and had a well-earned ice cream and beer, before returning to the harbour to await boarding. We've booked a cabin on the Umeå campsite, and Kari has details of how we shall be able to pick up its key. Now we just have to kill the 4 hours of the crossing.
Monday, 4 August Umeå (Sweden) - Vännäs Photos
Once we were on the ferry, we thought that yesterday was essentially over, apart from an 11 km or so cycle ride from the ferry to the campsite. It turned out to be rather something else.
The ferry arrived on time, despite standing still for a while whilst a passenger was lifted off by helicopter. It was quite dark as we went ashore, and our maps, being rather lacking in detail, made things even more difficult. We had some screenshots from Google Maps, and a map of Umeå centre, which we had picked up on the boat. What none of these really showed was the way from the harbour to the town, and how far it was. Basically, the scale of the maps had escaped me. We cycled, and cycled, and cycled. Eventually we got to the campsite, thinking that a wild camping night was going to be necessary, after 25.5 km rather than 11 km. It was 12:40, i.e. 01:40 body time, by the time we were in our puny hut.
We had already got a negative feeling about the site from Kari's phone call - showers are charged extra by the minute. The SEK 690 for the tiny hut, with no amenities, confirmed this. When we got up in the morning and found a go-cart track next door, it was the last straw. We couldn't leave soon enough.
We had a moderate breakfast of scraps from our bags, paid the bill, and set off into the city to get some Swedish money, a map of Sweden, and a second breakfast. Our negative feelings started to evaporate on the idyllic route into town in lovely warm sunshine. We soon had some money from a bancomat, a map from a good bookshop, and a coffee and piece of apple pie in a nice café, even though it was in the process of being renovated. The town centre is really very lovely, with a nice promenade along the river.
Getting out of town in the direction of Vännäs was, as seems to be standard for getting out of large cities, quite troublesome. But we were soon on the E12 heading west with a mere 30 km or so planned for the rest of the day. It was hot, and the traffic was heavy, but we made good progress in pleasant wooded rolling hills. The climbs were not too bad.
The campsite in Vännäs was easy to find, and although it was associated with a swimming pool and leisure activity centre rather than a lake with bathing beach, it turned out to be very nice. The hut, at SEK 500 with fridge, cooking corner, and clothes dryer, is exceptional. We spent some time relaxing, showering, and washing some clothes before venturing into the town to shop. After shopping, we had covered 47 km today. Supper was salad followed by spaghetti with tomato sauce.
Tuesday, 5 August Vännäs - Bjurholm - Balsjö Photos
This was a very hot day. There was also quite a lot of uphill. The hills wouldn't have been so bad, but for the temperature. Fortunately, we had planned a short day.
We made our muesli breakfast in the communal campsite kitchen, as is becoming our routine, and set off for the campsite just beyond Balsjö, about 40 km away. The first goal and point of interest was Bjurholm, about 30 km away, where we were expecting to find shops to shop for our evening meal. The target campsite was expected to be out in the sticks, so we wanted to arrive fully prepared.
Bjurholm was, indeed, the first shopping opportunity along the way. We were there for about 11:00, so took the chance to have a proper meal (hamburger) at the same time. As mentioned above, the going was relatively slow due to the climbing and heat.
We reached the campsite in due course and opted for the cheaper, more modest, of the 2 cottages, which we were offered. There's a nice lake in front of the hut, very nice for bathing, but one needs to be able to cope with cool water. The total distance for the day was 42 km.
We found a barbecue with some charcoal outside an unoccupied cottage, so we borrowed it to grill our sausages by the lakeside. Together with some bread and blue cream cheese, they were very nice. They were followed by a Danish pastry. Now it is 21:30 and there have been threatening clouds in the west all evening. On checking the weather forecast for Dorotea, the next real milestone on our route, it's looking as though our incredible spell of weather might be coming to an end. Time to cross our fingers, I guess.
Wednesday, 6 August Balsjö - Fredrika - Åsele Photos
It was another sunny day when we got up at 07:00. Breakfast was rather frugal - a bread roll each with plenty of soft blue cheese to put on it, and an orange to follow, all washed down with a cup of coffee. And this had to last us to Fredrika, some 35 km away across the provincial border in Lapland, and more than 64 degrees north.
We thought, from the Google Maps height profile, which we had, that there shouldn't be much hill climbing to be done, and it turned out to be so. We made good progress along Highway 92, with only a few lorries and light traffic, and soon were in Fredrika, wondering where best to get a coffee and cake. We had considered making it a short day, since the next campsite was in Åsele, another 60+ km away, with almost 350 m of elevation gain. And there was no chance of any refreshment or shopping in between. We would have to survive on what we carried with us.
Despite all these negative aspects, we felt that it was too early to stop, and we were feeling in good condition. So we went into the Viska Gården café for a coffee, glass of milk, and a slice of cheese cake. It was fantastic, especially the cheese cake. Then we shopped for some energy bars and high-energy bottle of pop, and set off for Åsele, visiting a Buddhist temple on the way out of town.
The lakes around Fredrika and the scenery in general are very beautiful. We were still on Highway 92, and the traffic was still light, but just a few km out of town was a possibility of taking a minor road to Åsele which, according to Google, should only add about 4 km and 10 minutes to the journey. We didn't have a height profile for it, but decided to try it anyway.
It was a gravel road, and climbed quite steeply, especially at first, but it was superb. In the 3 hours or so that we were on it, just 5 cars passed us, and not a single lorry. We stopped every 10 km for a short rest and bit of refreshment, including some bilberries at one stop, and a skinny dip in a picturesque lake at another. We saw a pair of capercaillies and a falcon on the way.
We eventually reached a tarmac road for the very easy final 15 km into Åsele, where the campsite was easy to find. We have quite a big hut, with its own kitchen, toilet, and living room, but no shower. We had spaghetti again, and have ordered breakfast in the campsite's restaurant.
It was warm and sunny all day, with a nice tail wind, not as hot as it has been, but it is now, at 22:30, decidedly cool. Perhaps we are getting spoilt. In the end, after shopping, we did 103 km today.
Thursday, 7 August Åsele - Dorotea - Hoting Photos
Today we had the possibility of a prepared breakfast, so we took it. I don't know if Georg found it extravagant (SEK 75 each) or not, but Kari and I certainly enjoyed not having to think about buying it in a shop the evening before. There was unfortunately no porridge or muesli, but the bread rolls were nice and fresh.
We set off in due course in the direction of Dorotea, some 50 km away and our furthest point north on this trip. It started raining on the way, so we had to don our full waterproof gear for the first time. It didn't last long, and the roads were soon dry again. Whist it was raining, we passed a river with a classic example of a beaver dam and beaver lodge. The cycling was very easy going, so that we nearly averaged 20 kph.
Dorotea was a very pleasant town, with very helpful Tourist Info Office. Having had the big breakfast, we decided against the set lunch in the hotel, and settled for hamburgers in a pizzeria. They were, believe it or not, very good.
From Dorotea it was an easy 20 km to Hoting in pleasant sunshine, where we have found a very nice campsite with simple, but very nicely situated hut. First, though, we stopped at a very nice café in the town for afternoon coffee and cake. Kari and Georg have now gone shopping back in the town, a couple of km away, for supper and breakfast. In the meantime, I oiled my chain, pumped up my tyres a bit, and had a quick skinny dip in the lake just below our hut.
When they returned, Georg and I went for a proper dip before we had soup and wienerli for supper. Afterwards, we lit the fire in the grill below the hut mainly to help keep away the knotts, but also to grill 3 remaining wienerli. The elderly Swedish couple together with their poodle-like dog from the next hut joined us for a while.
On arriving at the campsite, we had done 77 km.
Friday, 8 August Hoting - Lövberga - Strömsund - Hammersdal Photos
There was mist around on some of the hills when we got up this morning to have our usual too-big breakfast. A pot of tea, plus a litre of milk and a litre of jogourt, a big portion of muesli with banana and apple is really rather extravagant, especially when Georg doesn't eat his share.
For the first time we set off wearing windproofs because it was so cool. After a hill or two, we soon stripped off, and the day warmed up very nicely too, with good visibility, clear blue sky, and puffy clouds. We were expecting a tough 50 km to Strömsund, with a couple of significant climbs towards the end giving a total of about 420 m of elevation gain. I guess that that is also what we experienced, but the climbs were mainly quite gentle, if somewhat long, so that it was rarely necessary to use the bottom range of gears.
We stopped for a coffee at a campsite on the end of a lake at Lövberga, which fortified us for the final climbs. We were in Strömsund soon after 12:00, bought some ham to go with some left-over bread rolls and blue cream cheese, and had a hot, sunny picnic outside the supermarket. Afterwards we had a huge soft-ice in the café attached to the shop to get out of the sun, if nothing else.
The road from Strömsund south, still the E45, goes across the narrows of a lake and has impressive views, especially with the weather we enjoyed today. It was a further, quite easy, 30 km to the campsite at Hammersdal, which I wanted to get to so that Östersund would be in easy reach tomorrow, and that is the next milestone after Dorotea on our route to Røros. As we approached our destination, the clouds started to get heavier, and by the time we reached the campsite, a thunderstorm was in the offing. It started raining quite steadily in due course, putting an end to any thoughts of visiting the nearby lake for a swim.
The campsite is quite small, with no direct bathing lake, but very pleasant for all that, and very green. We spent the evening lighting a fire in their teepee to grill some very good pre-marinated pork steaks, and, as a result, triggered off a very social evening with the Dutch staff and owners, and 3 German cyclists - almost the only cycle-tourists that we have seen since Helsinki. All in all we covered some 85 km today.
Saturday, 9 August Hammersdal - Lit - Östersund Photos
It was cool when we got up - it is starting to feel very much like autumn now in the evenings and mornings. The nights are also getting noticably darker. We again had to don jackets as we set off. In fact, we donned raincoats because it had started to spit. The sky was very dramatic with a well defined shower to our right, which seemed to be moving with us, and about to envelop us at any time. We even covered our handlebar bags due to the threat.
There were very spooky looking layers and folds in the clouds above us, and finally a splendid double rainbow low down to our right over a huge field of rose bay willow herb flowers. Then it all disappeared as though it had never been, and the rest of the day was bright and sunny with good visibility.
The first 10 km sailed by, but we then started having long, quite gentle climbs, which slowed progress a bit. But with the knowledge that Östersund, our goal for the day, was only expected to be 65 km or so away, we were not too bothered. We turned off to a signposted campsite with coffee at Österåsen, but alas it was all locked up. So we were in Lit, after quite a hard climb, before we could get any refreshment.
Given that it was, by now, shortly after 12:00, and we had covered over 50 km, it was time for lunch. We found a shaded picnic table opposite a supermarket, so we bought some ham and drinks to go with our bread rolls and cheese, and had a very pleasant picnic.
On continuing along the E45 to Östersund, we discovered that the traffic had become annoyingly heavy, and the hill climbs had become quite serious. We were very happy when we finally reached Östersund.
The distance from Hammersdal to Östersund was, as expected, about 69 km. However, the campsite, which Kari had set her heart on as a result of all her Internet research prior to the holiday (there were 3 to choose from) based on ease of setting off on the next leg of our journey, added a further 7 km to our day, and included quite a climb. We've decided to have a total rest day tomorrow. Georg and I went shopping - another 4 km. Then we all went into town to eat (a not very exciting Asian meal), coming back via the railway station - another 16 km. So, all in all, we did 96 km today.
Sunday, 10 August Östersund Photos
We had a big storm in the night. It rained in buckets with thunder and lightning. The sun was out again in the morning, but there was a strong, cool wind as well.
Today was a rest day. We pottered around the campsite, and had a walk down to the lakeside - quite a long way down and especially back again - to find the shore down there lined with posh houses with no sign of a public beach area. The wind was too strong and cool to tempt us anyway, but it seems to me to be bad planning by the authorities to let the shore get so closed off to the public.
Eventually, we cycled the 7 km into town for a simple hamburger lunch (McDonalds). The afternoon was spent strolling around the town centre window shopping. Only a few stores were open, including a supermarket, where we bought the essentials for supper and breakfast before retracing the 7 km with its final tough climb to the campsite. I think that supper is going to be bacon and eggs.
Monday, 11 August Östersund - Hoverberggrottan - Åsarna Photos
This was our first really grey day, at least from mid-morning onwards, with rain after about 15:00. It wasn't too cold, though.
We made our earliest start yet (08:25), since I was intending to do quite a long stretch. I'm hoping to get to Røros on Friday in the hope of getting to the car rental agency before it closes at 16:00 (it is closed all day on Saturday). Our first goal was to get down to the south end of Storsjön on its western side to a grotto called Hoverberggrottan. This was expected to be 60 - 70 km, depending on which way one goes. We chose to get onto minor roads away from the E45 as much as possible, so we crossed the long bridge from Frösö island, on which our campsite was situated, to Sandviken, then round the coast to the ferry over to Norderon island and then to the next ferry across to Route 321 running down the west coast of the lake.
This worked out well. We were just in time to get the first ferry at 09:30 after 18 km, and didn't have that long to wait for the second ferry. The first ferry pulled itself backwards and forwards along a cable. The second ferry was more normal. There was a significant head wind for most of the day.
We stopped for a coffee just after Myrviken, where we also stocked up for lunch, and stopped again some 10 km further on at Hovermo in the grounds of a museum of farm machines (closed on Mondays) to eat it. From there, it wasn't far to Hoverberggrottan, where we visited the cave. The cave isn't very long, though it is high. The nicest thing about it, though, was the rough state of the path up to it and inside it. It was definitely not your manicured, concreted sort of path that most caves have, if they are open to the public.
There had been the possibility of staying at the campsite next to the grotto but, a) it was very small with no huts, and b) I wanted to get further. So we set off for Åsarna, some 20 km further, just as it started spitting. Soon we donned raincoats, and covered the handlebar bags. It continued to be rather damp, but the head wind dropped significantly after a while.
By the time that we reached Åsarna, we were getting rather weary after battling the head wind all day, despite the climbs not being too bad, and it started to drizzle quite severely as we reached the Åsarna Skicenter, which has accommodation. Because of the rain and our weariness, we accepted the rather expensive hut (SEK 775) rather than going back a couple of km to another campground. I must admit, though, that the hut is definitely up-market with its own shower, WC, and quite well-equipped kitchen.
We ate supper (ham and eggs and lots of excellent roast potatoes) in the attached restaurant after showering and buying stuff for breakfast at a nearby petrol station. In the meantime, the weather seems to have improved. We covered 84 km in total, today.
Tuesday, 12 August Åsarna - Klövsjö - Vemdalen - Hede Photos
It's definitely looking as though autumn has arrived. The days start off very cool, and it's not till afternoon that things get moderately warm. We're obviously getting cycling fit. We did 70 km and 650 m of elevation gain with varying wind and some rain today without undue discomfort.
We set off from the Åsarna campsite heading for Vemdalen then Hede via Klövsjö. We were expecting a big up and down before Klövsjö, and the same again before Vemdalen with a final easy 20 km to Hede, and that's what we got. The first climb was the hardest with 2 steep sections needing bottom gear, but most of the time it was simply a question of slowly winding our way up aerobically. It was a cold free-wheel down to Klövsjö, where we found a café cum bakery for an overpriced coffee and cake.
The second climb, as mentioned above, was not so severe but, as we were getting to its top, the clouds closed in and it started to rain. But by the time we had put on all our rain gear, it stopped as suddenly as it started. By this time things were warming up a bit, so the ride down to Vemdalen, through an expanding ski resort, was all right. We had quite a good cooked lunch there, in a bowling alley! From there to Hede was, also as expected, an uneventful 20 km. Now we are on Route 84, which takes us to the Norwegian border and on to Røros.
We got to the shop in the village just before its, for these parts, unexpectedly early closing time of 18:00, to get eggs and salad for supper, which was plenty after our big lunch.
The original estimate of 70 km for the day proved to be correct. Doubtless the prognosis for tomorrow will also be accurate - 750 m of uphill and 80 km to Funäsdalen. There is a campsite before that, but it looks as though it's off the route a few km, is up a hill, and could be expensive, so we're hoping to be able to bypass it. Kari and I are also starting to get 'Stalldrang' as we near Fosslia. By the way, we saw our first reindeer of the trip today. First we saw a single young reindeer, and later a pair of adults.
Wednesday, 13 August Hede - Tännäs - Funäsdalen Photos
There's not much to report on today's stretch. We had a somewhat strange breakfast - a boiled egg each, some bread with blue cream cheese, a banana, orange juice and coffee or tea all round. It was again cool, so that Kari and I put on our leg warmers (Beinlings in German) for the first time - they helped a lot.
We were off shortly before 09:00 and made steady progress. The road was more level than expected, but there were no surprises regarding cafés - there weren't any. At Tännäs, after about 50 km, where we could have stopped, there was a sign up a hill into the village indicating a restaurant, but there was no sign of how far away, or how far up it might be, so Kari and I vetoed it, especially since our goal of Funäsdalen was only a mere 15 km away. It turned out to be the most strenuous part of the day, as it turned out.
After 65 km we were in Funäsdalen by about 14:15. I was a bit sour with my colleagues. I had stopped for a leak some 10 km earlier, so was playing catch-up when I saw a sign to a meteorite crater. The others had simply sailed past without thinking, so I had to follow. Pity!
We were obviously getting quite hungry by the time we hit town. Despite that, the first priority was accommodation, so we went straight to the Tourist Office. There, we were able to get a holiday apartment. We paid for it in cash (SEK 450) to reduce the amount of cash in our pockets, since we should be crossing the border tomorrow. We had to go down the road to a filling station to get the key, which was a bit strange, but it worked out all right. Georg was having trouble with a loose back wheel whilst this was going on. I think he's fixed it in the meantime.
This is a ski resort out of season, and quite hilly. It was the steepest climb of the day up to the apartment. It's a really nice well-equipped flat. There was the question of eating out for the evening, or for breakfast, to use up some more cash. It was obvious to me that we should use the flat's facilities to the full by cooking an evening meal. Georg was not very enthusiastic - I think he's tired. It turned out to be a delicious pasta with creamy prawn sauce.
Unfortunately, Georg is sleeping in the living room and wants to go to bed, so we have to too, even though it's only 22:00. Another pity!
Thursday, 14 August Funäsdalen (Sweden) - Brekken (Norway) - Røros Photos
It was foggy over the lake when we got up at 07:00, and very cold. We pottered around packing in our usual style, and Kari gave the flat a quick clean. Then we headed down the steep hill to the village and the Funäsdalen Hotel for breakfast (SEK 90 each), which was very good, although the whole procedure was slower than making our own breakfast and setting off. Admittedly the cold didn't encourage us to get a move on.
Anyway, we were off shortly before 09:00 with Røros as goal some 77 km away and with quite a lot of elevation gain to do getting over the border. I wanted to be in Røros for 15:00 at the latest to give us time to look into a car rental before the agency closes at 16:00.
The first few km out of Funäsdalen were really tough. The road climbed and climbed and climbed. Eventually it was over though, and we were able to make fair progress. The weather was very pleasant, especially once it had warmed up after an hour or so. It got so warm after a stop in Brekken for coffee and lefsa, that we were even able to take off our leg warmers and wind cheaters. We made it to Røros after the expected 77 km and sometime before 15:00. Kari and I, with our 'Stalldrang', set a good steady pace. Georg, on the other hand, found the day to be a bit of a grind. There was a short, sharp shower about 10 km before Røros, but otherwise it was nice all day. Once we got over the initial climb, the countryside was rather plateau-like, with short sharp ups and downs now and again. It was a very beautiful stretch of road, the Norwegian side of the border being rather less well, or modernly, built than the Swedish.
In Røros we first made a beeline for the airport, to see if there were any competing car rental firms there. The place was all shut up. It only opens at certain times of the day when a flight is expected. So we went to the Europcar Agency, Skancke AS. We've arranged a car for our last 2 days to help us shut up the cottage and get to the railway station with all our bags early in the morning. From there, the Idrett Hotel, where we had stayed B&B with Kathryn many years ago, was just around the corner. We've got a small 4-bed room there for NOK 300 each, including breakfast.
After showering and relaxing, we wandered into the town to find an affordable evening meal. It was rather a good pizza followed by apple crumble at a restaurant attached to the big Bergstaden Hotel. It had a lovely antique atmosphere, and we had a 15% discount from the Idrett Hotel!
Friday, 15 August Røros - Ålen - Haltdalen - Fosslia Photos
It was very nice having another breakfast prepared for us, this time in the hotel. It was again cold setting off, but otherwise clear and dry. We made very slow progress against a stiff head wind and up and down terrain, some of the ups being quite steep, if short. It's about 30 km of such conditions before one gets the long, steep downhill run to Ålen. Just before that, we had to put on our raincoats as we were hit by a rain shower.
The car park of the shopping centre of Ålen was in the process of being enlarged when we got to it, and we found that a building next to it, which had been empty since the flood 3 years ago, has been renovated and turned into a pizzeria. It was shut, though. We were, in any case, intending to go to the café in the shopping centre for coffee and cake. Our stomachs were still too busy with the big breakfast to need filling with a proper lunch. Just as we got to the shopping centre entrance, we met 2 German students on their way by bicycle from Berlin to Trondheim for a semester's study. The heavens opened as we chatted to them, so we rushed inside to our coffee and cake.
It's an easy ride from Ålen to Haltdalen, especially once the wind had dropped after the shower. We stopped to look as Eidets Fosset, with very little water in it, and to look at the waterfall just after the tunnel. We saw 3 salmon leap, despite it being so late in the summer.
At Haltdalen Coop, we bought just enough to make spaghetti with tomato sauce for supper, and porridge for breakfast, before setting off up the last big climb to the cottage. I managed to make it bigger by leaving my handlebar bag in the shop, and not noticing it until I had reached the antenna, about halfway up the hill. Fortunately it was still there when I went back for it. We had to push up the gravel road from the bridge to Morten Ivor's. It was a real sting in the tail. We reached the cottage at about 15:30, having left Røros at about 09:15.
We spent the rest of the day opening up the cottage with the usual chores of cleaning up dead flies, installing the water pipe (there's just about enough water in the stream, despite it being very dry everywhere here), setting up the toilet, etc.
It was 57 km from Røros to the cottage for Kari and Georg, and about 5 km more for me due to my handlebar bag fiasco.
Saturday, 16 August Fosslia - Haltdalen - Fosslia Photos
We went for a big shop in the morning, and got a call from Gerd as we were having a coffee in Haltdalen Coop. As a result, we then called on the Bjørgårds and had another coffee, this time with waffles, sitting in their garden with Jon, his son Jowan, Gunnar, Gerd, and their neighbour Maria.
The return to the cottage with all the shopping was not as bad as expected.
In the evening, Gerd loaned us her car so that we could go to a concert in Røros church. It was a chamber music concert with a Russian sextet playing Mozart, Grieg, and Rimsky-Korsakov. It was very good, and extremely kind of Gerd as well.
Sunday, 17 August Fosslia Photos
Georg and I spent some time in the morning putting a tarpaulin over the 'do', whilst Kari baked some bread.
In the afternoon, we walked up Blåstøten and Litl Bukammaren in grey weather. The whole of Aunegrenda seemed to be under a rain shower all the time during our way up, and on the way down, there were still showers everywhere, but it didn't rain on us We found a few overripe molte and saw a ptarmigan, 6 reindeer, and 3 peregrine falcons. We also thought that we heard a golden plover, but we're not sure.
Monday, 18 August Fosslia Photos
It was a rather damp day today. We were low on butter, and Georg volunteered to go. He should have gone in the morning, when it only spat a bit now and again. As expected, he put it off until the afternoon, and paid the price of getting properly wet for the first time on this trip on the way back.
Whilst he was doing this, Kari sickled grass around the cottage, and I rubbed down the shutters ready for painting under the protection of a tarpaulin.
We were hoping to grill some sausages on a fire for supper, but rain stopped play. Georg made Älpler Macaroni instead. Hopefully we'll be able to grill the sausages tomorrow.
Tuesday, 19 August Fosslia Photos
It was a bit too cool and damp this morning to start painting the shutters, so we didn't do much apart from ringing Norwegian Rail (NSB) to get a cycle ticket for Georg for next week. It was all very confusing and unsettling. It seems like it'll be pot luck whether we get his bike on the train or not. We shall be keeping our fingers crossed.
Despite the showery weather we set off after lunch for a walk via Stor Lea to 'The Tree'. Kari turned round at that point whilst Georg and I climbed up Hardlitoppen, then continued along the Tværrafjellet ridge. We called it enough at the middle summit. All in all we were out for about 4 hours, and saw lots of reindeer, ptarmigan, and also a pair of golden plovers with their mournful call. We were again lucky, only getting spat on a little.
For evening meal we lit a fire near the stream and grilled some sausages, which we ate with the leftover Älpler Macaroni from last night.
Wednesday, 20 August Fosslia Photos
After yesterday's outing, we spent today around the cottage. Kari put the first coat of paint on the shutters. Georg and I chopped up some logs, which were in the woodshed. It was a very showery day.
We had fish cakes followed by lefsa for evening meal.
Thursday, 21 August Fosslia - Haltdalen - Fosslia Photos
Despite the moist and misty morning, we had to go shopping. It's not too bad by bicycle once one has become psychologically prepared for it.
It has been very showery all day, putting paid to getting another coat of paint on the shutters. Georg was able to finish off the splitting of some silver birch logs, though. I don't seem to have done much. I had a bathe, of sorts, in a cold stream tonight to make up for it.
Friday, 22 August Fosslia Photos
At last, a more or less rain-free day. Kari finished off painting the shutters in the morning, whilst I cleared away undergrowth from the pool in the east stream.
In the afternoon, we cycled up Aunegrenda as far as we could (9 km!), and then walked up to Råen, another 7 km. It was further than we remembered, but the weather made it very pleasant. We saw a lot of ptarmigans, possibly an eagle, and a small flock or peregrines. But no 4-legged animals, apart from sheep.
We all had showers when we got back, and salmon for supper.
Saturday, 23 August Fosslia Photos
We invited Gerd and Gunnar around for lunch for spaghetti. Unfortunately Gunnar is having a bad time at the moment with his health, so only Gerd was able to come. It was a good meal, all the same.
I cleared out branches, probably left by Gauldal Energi when clearing branches from the electricity lines, from the east stream.
Sunday, 24 August Fosslia Photos
We did a day tour today, taking a picnic with us. We started by trying to follow the marked route down to Kvammen. It went well for a bit, but then we couldn't find the next red and white marker at one point, and ended up bush-whacking, until we finally came out on the track to the Kvammen bridge.
We crossed the bridge, followed the track to the Aunegrenda-Haltdalen road, turned towards Haltdalen, and walked past Lian as far as the car park. By this time, we were all in need of food, but the car park wasn't very congenial for a picnic. So we climbed the track towards Vollfjellet until we reached the first cottage. We had our sandwiches and a cup of coffee there, sheltering from the rain, before continuing to the top of Vollfjellet in fine weather with super visibility.
From there, we made a beeline back to Fosslia. Unfortunately we went too far right, missing Nysetvollen (which has been renamed to Jaktvollen?? I think), and ended up bush-whacking again for the last little bit down to the river. All in all, a super outing.
We had showers followed by left over spaghetti.
Monday, 25 August Fosslia Photos
Georg and I were up early to cycle over to Haltdalen for the 07:29 train to Røros to get Georg's bike to Røros, and to pick up a rental car. We did a bit of shopping for food before returning to the cottage.
We were invited to Gerd and Gunnar's for a visit to Gammelgården at 17:00, so we had our main meal of rømmegrøt for lunch. Afterwards, Georg and I drove to Nordpå and walked up Vektarhaugen in nice sunny weather with good visibility again.
As usual, there were lots of waffles to eat in Haltdalen. Gun and her 2 year old daughter were also there, as was Gru. We had a long look around an exhibition of paintings by Gerd, Gru, and Gerd's father, a good look around Gammelgåren, and a visit to the small Haltdalen stav-church before returning to Fosslia.
Tuesday, 26 August Fosslia - Haltdalen - Røros Photos
It was shutting-up-Fosslia day, today. Georg went off to Røros on the 11:29 train, which enabled Kari and myself to function as a well-oiled team doing the usual shutting-up chores.
We were finished by about 15:00 and drove off to meet Georg at the Idrett Hotel in Røros, stopping for coffee and cake in Ålen on the way. We had pizza again for evening meal.
Tomorrow, we have to return the hire car and get to the station for the 08:18 train to Oslo. Unfortunately, breakfast in the hotel doesn't start until 07:30, so breakfast is going to be a bit rushed.
Wednesday, 27 August Røros - Oslo - Zurich - Riniken Photos
Kari and I had a quick bowl of muesli as soon as the dining room was open, pocketed some slices of bread, butter pats, slices of geitost, and a boiled egg, and headed for the station with our bags. Kari waited there whilst I returned the car. Georg cycled to the station with all his luggage.
There was room on the train for the bicycle (3 bikes could well have been too many!). Then we settled down for a quiet 3 hours or so ride to Hamar, except for the train having to hoot every few seconds as it neared an unguarded level crossing.
By the time we reached Hamar, the train was quite full, and the weather had warmed up significantly. We managed to squeeze in to the train to Gardermoen. Georg escaped without having to buy a ticket for his bicycle. In principle, it should have cost him NOK 190!
Gardermoen was massed with people everywhere. Kari and I could check-in at a machine and drop off our bags (wrapped up in a big bag made of nylon webbing) without any trouble. Georg had trouble with his bicycle. The lady at the SAS counter could find no record of his having paid for the bicycle, even though he had added a bicycle to his reservation on the Internet, so he had to pay for it. At least he was able to check it in without wrapping it up at all.
The plane didn't leave until 17:30, and we had arrived at the airport soon after 13:00, so we had a lot of time to kill. The time eventually passed, of course, and the flight to Zurich, although very full, was comfortable enough. We arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule, the bags and bicycle all arrived undamaged, and Georg's wife was waiting for us.
End of trip!