Switzerland to Sweden by Bike (~2500km)
5 June - 4 July 2006
The following text is paraphrased from the journal I kept on my four week bike tour from St. Gallen, Switzerland to just outside of Stockholm, Sweden. The trip was planned for months in advance and lived up to the experience I wished and dreamed for. The weather was nearly perfect with only one day ruined by a thundershower. I slept most nights in a tent with the occasional stay at a hostel, hotel, or with friends and family whom I visited en route.
Some photos are online and I've made available a Google bike map and Google Earth KMZ file where you can view the exact route. Enjoy!
St. Gallen - Jestetten (105.86km)
June 5 / Day 1
This morning I shook with fear. The wait was over and I was minutes away from departing on my first multi-week bike tour. What was I getting myself into? Could I handle the physical challenge of biking so far and the mental challenge of being alone for so long? I'm going cycling for four weeks! This moment was the focal point of months of preparation and anticipation. Everything was packed and double-checked. It was time to go.
It was an odd feeling as I closed my apartment door, mounted my bike, and cycled those first few meters away from home. I was alone but excited about the adventure that lay before me. The fear subsided as I rode along the familiar Konzil Radweg that extends from St. Gallen to Kreuzlingen. There were a few drops of rain, I came close to causing only one accident, and the Bob Yak trailer and Canadian flag attracted many curious looks. I was happy with the distance and thought to myself, 'Just 18 more times to reach my goal.' In all, a good start!
Jestetten - Moehlin (187.7km)
June 6 / Day 2
Today was the return to work after the long weekend so it was no surprise that the bike trails were quieter than yesterday. The route between Kreuzlingen and Basel crossed many times over the German and Swiss border. The German border control always waved me through, but I was surprised that the Swiss border control was almost non-existent. The area is industrial and this meant heavy truck traffic. Although bikes usually have their own lane, it's still unnerving whenever a large truck passes by.
I had my first mechanical problem with the bike. The front derailleur cable fraid and limited me to the bottom two rungs. This isn't a problem in these flat areas, but I'll need to get it fixed soon before it snaps.
Near the campsite is a swimming pool that I wanted to check out. Outside the pool was a sign with a little pointer that could be moved back and forth to indicate the water temperature. I should have realized that when the pointer is as far left as it could go -at 18 degrees- that it's probably cold. I put my foot in the water and decided on a hot shower instead.
At the campsite I met a Dutch couple who arrived shortly after me. I was inspired to learn that they've been on cycling tours together for over 10 years. I could quickly tell by their efficiency and coordination that they weren't new to this. It's amazing what they were able to pack on their matching bikes: Their tent was larger than my apartment, they had two full-sized folding lawn chairs, two gas stoves, and a homemade portable kitchen with little compartments for butter, spices, and other stuff. I asked the man if he knew where a grocery store was and his response was a short lecture on being better prepared. I had to laugh, but he was very kind to provide travel assistance and milk for breakfast.
Moehlin - Briesach am Rhein (294.85km)
June 7 / Day 3
It was a perfect morning that required lots of sunscreen. I got the derailleur cable fixed, bought lots of food, and made my way to Basel. Navigating through the city was stressful and the police almost busted me for riding where I should have been walking. It was an easy mistake to make since the signs looked so similar.
I said goodbye to Switzerland and continued north along the Rhein. It was a boring dirt road and I somehow expected to see more towns or human activity in these parts. About 30km before the campsite I started to feel sharp pains in my right knee. I bore the pain, continued, but worried as it got worse. About 20km later I came across a couple who were trying to take a photo of themselves. I offered to take the photo for them saying that I needed to break anyway due to the pain in my knee. To this the guy replied, 'That happens when your seat is too high.' I then had a flashback to the morning and recalled raising the seat 1cm higher than usual. I took the photo, thanked them, lowered the seat, thanked them again, and rode off noticing an immediate improvement.
Tonight I stayed at a campsite in France where they didn't provide toilet paper. Apparently that's normal here. Ewh!
Briesach am Rhein - Strasbourg/Kehl (370.28km)
June 8 / Day 4
It was another perfect and sunny morning. I crossed back into Germany, did some shopping, and continued north along the Rhein. This section of the route is in much better condition than what I rode yesterday.
The route was extremely repetitive and the wind was merciless. I rode an 8km stretch where I didn't see a change in the scenery or a single bend in the road. Shortly before Rhinau I crossed into France and continued along the Rhein-Rhône-Kanal to Strasbourg. I can't get over how few towns there are around here.
My knee felt better this morning, but started hurting again about 20km before Strasbourg. It had me worried and I hope this little mistake of raising my seat hasn't sabotaged the rest of the trip.
In Strasbourg I fought crowds to get to the main square. There I sat and had a coffee while gawking at the massive size of the Strasbourg Cathedral. Apparently the cathedral was the tallest building in the world from 1625 to 1847. I walked with my bike for 30 minutes and this seemed to calm the pain in my knee.
I met a few English tourists while checking in at the Kehl campsite. They were traveling with their motor home and came to Kehl with 15 other couples to visit the factory where their motor home was manufactured. The 'Mecca' of motor homes, I joked.
At the campsite I met an interesting German who is also on a multi-week bike tour. His attitude about touring is right: He's simply riding towards Switzerland and seeing where it takes him. He has no daily goal except to enjoy himself. This is quite different than to how I'm doing things: I'm in the mindset that I must ride so many kilometers per day if I wish to reach Stockholm. Is this realistic? Am I stressing myself and missing a vital part of the trip? Shouldn't the goal be to just enjoy myself? Should I do like my German friend?
Kehl
June 9 / Day 5
My German friend is an interesting fellow. This morning he meticulously filled three thermoses with three different types of tea, adding mint oil to the green tea and paying special attention to how long each steeped. He then told me that he doesn't pack books because he likes to travel light. I had to chuckle. With my knee still in flux, he convinced me that it was a good idea to take the day off to give it time to rest. Let's see how it is tomorrow.
I had an accident with the gas stove while cooking supper. The pot slipped off the wire elements and spilled hot water on my foot and leg. The pain is bearable, but I'm upset about the stupid design of the stove. From now on the stove will be five meters away and on the ground!
In the evening I was in the campsite bar chatting with other cyclists, sharing stories, looking at maps, and watching the World Cup. I'm primed for a big day tomorrow.
Kehl - Mechtersheim (506.86km)
June 10 / Day 6
I woke at 5:45am and was the first cyclist to leave the campsite. I'll miss my stay here and will definitely think back to it when I remember this trip.
I wanted to make good distance to make up for the day off yesterday. The weather was again perfect and fortunately the winds weren't too bad. One of my goals was to visit the village of "Kleinkanada" (Small Canada) just off the cycling route. Well, Kleinkanada was a klein disappointment. It was just a bunch of apartments and the only thing I saw for sale were cigarettes from a vending machine. Noted streets were Alberta Street, Ontario Street, Toronto Street, and Victoria Street. That's it. There wasn't even a sign anywhere indicating that I was in Kleinkanada.
Shortly before arriving in Kleinkanada I came across an old fighter jet from the Canadian Air Force. It was mounted as a monument with a plaque detailing the Canadian military presence during the Cold War. This must certainly be related to Kleinkanada.
This evening I stayed at a campsite near Mechtersheim where I watched a World Cup game over a litre of Weissbier. Tomorrow I go to Darmstadt.
There are permanent residents in many of the campsites that I have visited. These 'dauercampers' live on a tiny plot of land in their caravan and are often surrounded by other dauercampers. The dead grass under the trailer, the fence, and the inlaid stone steps are all giveaways of a dauercamper. The residents of the Mechtersheim campsite have even named the paths between the caravans and put up street signs. It's kind of cute in some way. There is some appeal to their minimalistic lifestyle, but I'd definitely go nuts if I had to live like this. What's appealing is that you can simply drive away if you don't like your neighbours.
Mechtersheim - Darmstadt (625.58km)
June 11 / Day 7
It was another perfect day. The weather has been very cooperative and I hope bringing my rain gear was unnecessary. This morning I slept longer due to the late evening and beer. I had breakfast at the campsite restaurant and was packed and underway by 9:30am.
Today's ride was uneventful except for the last 20km that brought me from the Rhein cycling route to Darmstadt. I rode on a major road and the winds were merciless. My knees are fortunately better and I'm being more conscience of my peddling rate. I read somewhere on a bike forum that it takes five days to find your cycling 'groove'. I think I hit it.
Today I will stop making blog postings from the road. I was trying to make regular posts with my phone, but there were too many technical problems and unknown costs that were being compounded from having repeat everything two or three times.
Darmstadt
June 12 / Day 8
It was a relaxing day in Darmstadt. We walked into town, shopped, ate lunch, and chatted. I found a great deal on bike maps: For EUR 10.- I had cycling maps (1:150'000) for all of northern Germany. In the evening we watched Italy beat Ghana 2-0 in the World Cup.
My laundry is washed and my batteries are charged. I'm ready to get back on the road tomorrow.
Darmstadt - Rüdesheim - Koblenz (705.28km)
June 13 / Day 9
I woke early this morning, had breakfast, said goodbye to my hosts, and headed west towards the Rhein. The weather was again perfect and the 80km ride to Rüdesheim was quick. I had a close call when a car pulled into an intersection and almost hit me. It would have been his fault, but I would have blamed myself for not being more aware of his carelessness. No harm done, but the expression on his face when he hit the brakes was priceless.
I arrived in Ruedersheim at 16:00 and boarded the 'Goethe' steamboat to Koblenz. The four-hour boat ride gave me a chance to gaze at the amazing castles that line the Rhein. It also gave me time to unwind and escape the heat with a beer and newspaper.
At 20:00 I arrived in Koblenz and stayed at a campsite that borders the Mosel and Rhein rivers. From there I had a fantastic view of the Deutsche Eck where the World Cup was being shown on a large outdoor screen. The campsite was less than mediocre. When I registered the host bragged about the free showers, but neglected to tell me that they didn't have hot water.
A good friend wrote to me in an e-mail today, "Der Weg ist das Ziel!" which means, "The way is the goal!" Good advice!
Koblenz - Neuwied (730.08km)
June 14 / Day 10
I woke to a lovely sunrise that lit the Deutsche Eck just over the Mosel River. It was to be a short ride today, so I went into Koblenz and loitered for a few hours. Koblenz is a pretty town with many shops, sidewalk cafes, and restaurants. By mistake I walked through a seedy area of town and was solicited by a horribly ugly women (if it was a woman?). I forgot that prostitution is legal in Germany.
It was a short ride to Neuwied and it took a few minutes to find my aunt's address. We last saw each other when she and my mom visited St. Gallen a few months ago. It was a pleasant afternoon chatting, walking, and shopping in town. In the evening we joined other family members for dinner in a local beergarden.
The celebrations after Germany's defeat of Poland in the World Cup went into the early morning. I still slept well considering all the noise.
Neuwied - Rodenkirchen (809.29km)
June 15 / Day 11
I woke to thunder and during breakfast it started to pour rain. To help pass the time, my aunt and I played a game that could best be described as 3D Connect Four. The rain stopped after two games and so I packed my things and continued up the Rhein.
Today was a national holiday in Germany, which may explain why there were so many other cyclists. This area of the Rhein is very pretty and has many small villages and towns. This is a strong contrast to the vast nothing I saw north of Basel.
A man approached while I was eating my potato salad and sausage lunch. He was looking for a tire patch kit since his girlfriend had a flat, and they were around 10km from Bonn where they needed to be in a few hours for an Alice Cooper and Deep Purple concert. I didn't have a patch kit, but was able to provide them with my spare tube. They were extremely appreciative and invited me to contact them if I made it through Muenster after Monday. Unfortunately the timing of my trip wouldn't allow that. I wonder how the concert was.
En route a man saw the flag on the trailer and stopped to ask if I was from Canada. He then told of his first trip to Canada and how he landed in Toronto, rented a car, and drove north to... Sudbury! Small world! He was quick to say that Sudbury isn't much of a tourist destination, to which I half agreed. I also had to tell him that Sudbury is much nicer now than it was 20 years ago when he visited.
Germans are flying their flag proudly in support of their national football team. They're on cars, window, hanging from balconies, painted on people's hair, and on t-shirts and bandannas. It's great to see and I hope the attitude doesn't change after the World Cup.
I found the GCTY5D geocache, which was sitting in a tree directly along the cycling route. Unfortunately, it was too small for the 'Kaefer-Beetle' Travel Bug, which I've had in my possession for far too long.
The Rodenkirchen campsite near Cologne was full of World Cup fans. Fortunately, I have a small tent and was able to squeeze between a camper and another tent. I enjoyed the evening on the campground terrace eating BBQ, drinking beer, and watching the evening matches. At the neighbouring table were a group of Swedish fans cheering on their team and next to them a group of Czechs who were there to provoke them. It was hilarious listening to them curse at each other in broken English with their Swedish and Czech accents.
Roenkirchen - Duisburg (920.32km)
June 16 / Day 12
Duisburg must be the ugliest city I've ever seen. It's industrial and this seems to be common in these areas. Mainz, Cologne, and Bonn also have their neighbouring industrial areas just a few kilometers from the town center. You probably won't read about these in the travel guides. They're horrible!
I managed to bike through Dusseldorf without even knowing that I was in Dusseldorf. I took a wrong turn -thanks the wonderful bike signs- and thought I was biking through a neighbouring town. I only realized where I was after I got closer to Duisburg. How embarrassing! I probably didn't miss much.
My knee started hurting again and on two occasions it felt as if someone had shot it with a gun. I need to force myself to take more frequent breaks.
There are no campsites in the area and so I had to travel through Duisburg to get to a Youth Hostel. I had a hell of a time finding it after one guy got so confused with the map and told me three different and incorrect ways of getting there.
The hostel was a nice change to camping, where I was able to drink beer and watch the World Cup. Well, perhaps it wasn't that much different.
Duisburg - Ternsche (1013.02km)
June 17 / Day 13
I was happy to find a quick way out of Duisburg. I decided to head directly northeast towards Muenster and Bremen instead of continuing up the Rhein to Wesel. The route twisted, turned, and I made good progress, but I'm still 32km short of Muenster.
Germany needs to standardize their bike signs. It's common that different bike routes will overlap, but it gets confusing trying to figure out how these routes -each with their own unique signs- interrelate. For example, if a sign for one route indicates a turn, does it also indicate a turn for another route? The sign design is also confusing. One route had a multi-coloured wavy arrow-like symbol and it wasn't immediately clear that it indicated a direction. Some signs are too small to read until you're very close and I've also become lost due to splits in the road where there clearly should have been a sign. Germany could learn from Switzerland where the signs are simple, clear, and consistent.
Ternsche - Tecklenburg (1115.26km)
June 18 / Day 14
The campsite in Ternsche sucked. The staff -if you could find them- were rude, didn't tell me that I needed tokens for the shower, and didn't provide toilet paper in the stalls. I thought I was staying in a German campsite!
In Telgte I stopped for water when a man approached and asked if I was from Canada. He seemed very happy to see me and wanted to know what I was doing there and if he could provide assistance. I told him my tentative route and he suggested an alternative, which I am now following. When I asked where I could buy groceries on a Sunday night, he told me that nothing was open but that we could get food from his home. I'm glad I declined because his persistence really creeped me out.
The disappearing bike signs led me into the driveway of a private home. Getting lost usually means wasted time and energy, but today it meant getting charged by a dog who was clearly ready to attack. Fortunately, I had already turned my bike around and was able to speed away. I ended up lost on a dirt road and had to cut through a wheat field to get back to the main road. Some of these routes are useless!
The Muenster area is known for its active cycling culture, so it was no surprise that I saw more cyclists today than on any other day.
Tecklenburg - Bremen (1281.55km)
June 19 / Day 15
Tomorrow is my birthday and I was determined to get to Bremen to celebrate with a friend. This meant riding a personal day record of 166km. The winds were strongly in my favour and gave me a helpful push. The weather was variable and I got soaked in a brief flash storm. I listened to music such as 'Beer' by Reel Big Fish, which set a good tempo for the last 20km. What a great song.
I arrived at my friend's place at 21:00 and had a refreshing shower before heading out for a late supper and beer. Midnight came and I officially turned 32. Yay!
Happy Birthday!
June 20 / Day 16
Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! We just came back from a beergarden where we watched Germany beat Ecuador in the World Cup. It was fun being among so many lively football fans. Tonight we go to a barbecue.
Bremen - Harsefeld (1367.36km)
June 21 / Day 17
The morning was cool and grey and the weather forecast said something about thunder. As long as it wasn't raining I was ready to go. The strong winds were in my favour and I managed to cycle 86km to Harsefeld without a break. It rained over the last hour.
Harsefeld is the hometown of my grandparents and I have fond memories of visiting them in the early and late 80s. They have meanwhile passed away, but I still have relatives here who own and operate the Hotel Meyers Gasthof in the middle of town. My grandfather was a regular at the bar where he'd attend his weekly Stammtisch. I used to tag along and get ice cream. Now I was here to drink beer.
I had my butterflies in my stomach as I got closer to the village. I never imagined in my life that I would cycle here. It was a nostalgic site as I rounded the curve in the road that put me before of the Gasthof. It was completely surreal.
I came unannounced and fortunately there was room at the hotel. The family has been extremely warm and accommodating with their hospitality. My aunt floored me when she brought down a glass vase containing the Manitoulin Island braided sweetgrass that my parents had prepared and I had given them 10 years ago. Attached was still the card from my parents and myself dated 30 August 1996. The big surprise was that the grass still had its original sweet aroma!
In the evening I watched the World Cup and drank Bitburger Krombacher Pils beer with one of the hotel guests. It's great being in Harsefeld again.
Harsefeld
June 22 / Day 18
This morning I felt groggy but happy that it wasn't a full hangover. I showered, got dressed, and headed towards the dining room for breakfast. At the Gasthof you must walk through the pub to get to the restaurant, and there I was handed a glass of champagne to toast my great-aunt's birthday. I picked a good time to visit.
In the late morning I followed the footsteps of my Oma and Opa. They both passed away in 1992 and are buried in the city cemetery. I visited Am Weisenborn (the street where they lived) and confirmed what I suspected would happen: Their house had been torn down and rebuilt. This will be my last visit to the address. I walked through the park where my Opa used to take me to feed the ducks, visited their graveside, and wandered back to the Gasthof.
That afternoon was a small birthday party for my great-aunt. This was a wonderful opportunity to meet family members whom I never met before, or whom I last met when I was too small to remember. Some spoke emotionally of my grandfather and gave me more insight to the type of person he was. I always wish I had known him better.
Harsefeld - Itzstedt (1466.74km)
June 23 / Day 19
This morning I left Harsefeld after a wonderful two days with my extended family. They were wonderful to me and I hope it isn't too long before I return.
A few kilometers outside of Harsefeld I met up with a relative whom I met yesterday at the birthday party. I was warmly welcomed to their home for breakfast before being accompanied on the bike to Luhe where I crossed the Elbe with the ferry. From there on it was direct to Hamburg.
I don't like cycling in big and unfamiliar cities and it's worse when you're pulling a heavy trailer behind you. Needless to say, Hamburg stressed me out. I finally got out of the city and onto a gorgeous river path that went north. The path was under a tree cover and the river was shallow, calm, and perfect for the couples who were drifting along in their canoes.
Itzstedt - Travemuende (1535.43km)
June 24 / Day 20
It was an uneventful ride today, except for the hard time navigating through Luebeck. The cycling signs and my map simply did not match! Outside of Luebeck is a canal that used to be crossable by a bridge, but it has meanwhile been replaced with a tunnel. The brilliant engineer who designed the tunnel forgot or neglected to add a cycling lane, leaving cyclists to use a shuttle bus driven by a grumpy driver. I'm sorry that my bike trailer slows me down, but I also understand that it must suck the life out of you driving the same 1km dark tunnel over and over again! Argh!
I made it to Travemuende and found the ferry line that would take me to Trelleborg, Sweden. The bike cost a mere EUR 5.00, but when I asked about the trailer I was told it would cost an additional EUR 50.00! I had to explain that it was a bike trailer and not a car trailer! I paid nothing for it.
The Nils Holgersson ferry from TT-Line is more elaborate than I had expected. The ship has a casino, movie theatre, bar (with cheesy live music), restaurant, sauna, and fitness room. My personal cabin even had its own washroom and shower! The shower was a welcomed surprise since I had been biking in the heat all day. I watched the Argentina vs Mexico World Cup game in the theater and bar, but started dozing off in the last minutes. I went to bed and slept like a rock.
Travemuende - Trelleborg - Nybro (1614.53km)
June 25 / Day 21
This morning I woke somewhere in the Baltic Sea and it took a moment to orient myself. The breakfast buffet had a good selection, but I knew I'd be hungry again in a few hours. It was an uneasy feeling arriving on a Sunday morning; if this place is anything like Switzerland, I'll have no chance to find anything open to get information or food.
The ferry arrived in Trelleborg at 7am. I had a few hours to kill since I needed to get maps and camping information from the tourist office that only opened at 10am. I visited the reconstructed Trelleborg Viking Fortress and thought it was neat. The town didn't have much else, and so I waited.
The tourist office had limited information on cycling in Sweden. This surprised me somewhat, but they did have an expensive bike map for the Skane region. I rode east along the coast and was initially impressed with the bike signs. This quickly changed as bike signs started disappearing and led me astray. Often the bike 'path' was no more than a 20cm shoulder on a main road shared with heavy trucks. It's very frustrating when maps and bike signs don't agree!
There was an aggressive headwind that made cycling very difficult. At one point the wind blew a large bug directly into my lower lip. I thought it had stung me, but it was just the high impact that gave the lip a tender feeling. I was annoyed but thankful that I didn't swallow it.
Tonight's campsite is one of the worst. I was told to camp on a section of uneven ground that had rocks, sand, and a few patches of grass. It took almost 15 minutes just to find a suitable spot. I can't wait to get out of here.
Nybro - Degeberga (1675.52km)
June 26 / Day 22
I was up before 6am and had little motivation to cycle. I decided to take a shortcut north instead of continuing east along the coast. This alternate route had many more hills than any other part of the tour. It was also very quiet and the long stretches were very lonely.
Over the last 10km of the ride it started to sprinkle rain and it soon turned into a thundershower. I rode into Degeberga, ate meatballs with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce at a Swedish fast-food restaurant, and waited for the weather to pass. I dozed off while waiting but the weather only got worse. I checked into the Degeberga Stugby for the afternoon and night.
I was the only person in the building that evening; even the staff went home. I enjoyed the solitude by doing some laundry, cooking, and watching two World Cup games.
Degeberga - Karlshamn (1777.84km)
June 27 / Day 23
Today I realized how poor the cycling in Sweden is. The tourist office in Ahus also didn't have much information except for their local region. One of the guys working there was kind enough to photocopy a section of another map that would at least guide me to the region of Blekinge where I'd have to find another tourist office. It seems that the regional offices have autonomy and little interest in cooperating with the adjacent regions. In fact, one map I saw showed parts of the national route but did not indicate how the route continued to the adjacent region!
The bike routes in Sweden are also terrible. The signs are poor and the routes often go along busy roads -including highways- and on lonely dirt roads. It's hard to relax when 18-wheel trucks are passing at 110 km/h!
Karlshamn - Kristianopel (1883.57km)
June 28 / Day 24
This morning while changing I noticed a yellow stain on my sock. I looked into my shoe and saw that a slimy slug thing had made its way inside overnight. Yuck! Thankfully it wasn't mushed and only the sock got smeared. Close call! From now on my shoes stay inside the tent!
The tourist office in Ronneby was unable to give me cycling information north of Kristianopel. Getting cycling information in Sweden has become the most frustrating part of this trip. It seems that I must go from tourist office to tourist office to gather local cycling information. I have no overview on the overall route to Stockholm and therefore little idea of how much farther I have to go. How can the tourist offices here be so poorly organized?!
I find myself passing time by trying to pronounce the names of cities and the words on signs. I get the feeling that some of these names are used by English-speaking science fiction writers. Doesn't 'Degeberga' sound like a planet in Star Wars? I even passed through a town called 'Borg'! The language has a definite overlap with German and I can sometimes get the gist of what something says.
In the camping guide it was written that the Kristianopel campsite was the 'hippest' around. I had to check it out and so I cycled hard to get there. I was impressed. The campsite is located directly on the east coast with a gorgeous view of the Baltic Sea. The owner was extremely welcoming and when he asked if I'd be leaving before 9am he said something to the effect, 'Well, probably not. You'll be coming out tonight to join us for a few beer.' I liked his attitude and that evening he was performing with his band. It was a fun, expensive, and enjoyable evening.
The Swedish flag, as I know it, is a yellow cross on a blue background. I didn't see many of these in Sweden, but I saw many yellow and blue pennants that could easily be mistaken for the Ukrainian flag. I'd like to know what the significance of this flag is.
The Swedes have a lovely way of saying hello. They say 'hey' but exaggerate the 'eh' part. You'd think this would be easy for a Canadian to pronounce, and it was. One lady was convinced that I was Swedish because of my 'very Swedish' pronunciation. I feel weird saying it because it sounds too much like the informal, 'Hey!' in English.
Kristianopel - Timmernabben (2007.66km)
June 29 / Day 25
I woke at 4am with the hopes of watching the sunrise over the Baltic Sea. The sky was clear except on the horizon where the sun was to rise. I went back to my tent and slept for another few hours. Later that morning I saw the guitar player from last night cleaning the washrooms.
At check-out I tried paying with my credit card. The card was rejected and so I tried paying with my Maestro (debit) card. It worked, but I was shocked that I didn't have to enter my PIN code. What?! I later phoned my bank and learned that some countries treat the Maestro card just like a credit card, or much like the CASH card here in Switzerland. This scares me: It means that somebody could steal the card and empty the account without knowing the PIN number! I have to talk to my bank about this again.
I cycled to the tourist office in Bergkvara and finally found what I was looking for since I arrived in Sweden, 270km and 4 days ago: A national cycling map! It was a poor 1:250'000 map but at least gave me idea of where the national route went. I asked the tourist office lady why it took this long to find the map and she sang, "Because we're the best tourist office!" This competition thing between the offices must stop. I drank a complimentary coffee and left glad knowing that I finally had an idea of where I was going.
It's great biking north in a direct line towards Stockholm. I hit the 2000km mark on my GPS (odometer) and estimate another three or four days until the end.
The host at the Timmernabben campsite spoke no English, but a girl at the neighbouring kiosk was able to translate for us. I told her about my trip and she asked if I was lonely traveling alone. 'Only in Sweden,' I replied. These last four days have been very lonely in comparison to what I experienced in Switzerland, Germany, and France. I've seen very few other cyclists and only spoke to one of them. He seemed crazy or his English was just really bad. The roads are void of people and the villages I pass through have no life: No shops, no restaurants, no bank machines, and no people. I'm looking forward to getting out of here.
Timmernabben - Vastervik (2143.63km)
June 30 / Day 26
Today was hell. This wonderful bike path that goes along highways brought me to a desolate area with hilly dirt roads. My back wheel formed a warp and a bike shop said it would need to be replaced. The rear derailleur is messed and I spent about 1.5hrs in a school playground trying to calibrate it. I had a flat tire and was surprise to find that Vastrum had no campsites. While looking at my map and trying to figure out what to do next, two young kids aged around 8 and 10 biked by and asked if I had something to smoke. I decided to do something stupid and bike on the major E22 highway to get me quickly and directly to Vastervik.
Today was a definite test of will. I keep telling myself to stop, get on a train, and go home. But what's another two or three days after four weeks? I'm starting to think that cycling to Stockholm was a stupid goal and that I should have listened to what I wrote on June 8.
Vastervik - Soderkoping (2269.97km)
July 1 / Day 27
Happy Canada Day! I didn't realize it was today until I started writing in my journal. I'm slightly spaced from the day and unfortunately have no beer.
It was a long and grueling ride. The sun was very hot and the constant up and down felt analogous to repeatedly digging a hole to fill the dirt into another hole. At least the roads were paved, which was a huge improvement over yesterday. Nonetheless, these long stretches are very lonely and I'm questioning if the Swedes like to bike.
A friend is helping me find a way of getting home. In nearby Norrkoping is a train station that should easily connect me to Hamburg where there is an overnight train to Zürich. The problem is that Swedish trains do not allow bikes. I figure I may as well fly if I need to go through the trouble of disassembling and packing it. Apparently there is a discount airline that flies from Norrkoping to Copenhagen. I'll go to the airport tomorrow and see what's available.
I found a beer at a nearby Shell station. Mmmm....
Soderkoping - Norrkoping - Nykoping (2364.92km)
July 2 / Day 28
This morning I met a young Swedish girl who is also touring on her bike. Her bike was a simple 3-speed, had a single pannier over the back tire, and a basket on her handlebars to hold a tent and sleeping bag. Her cycling uniform was a sundress and she wore no helmet. We spoke briefly and I learned that she was doing the same route as me but in the opposite direction. I felt concern for her considering the rough time I had over the last few days. I gave her my old maps and advised her to be careful.
I cycled a short distance to the Norrkoping airport where I wanted to inquire about connecting flights to Switzerland. The airport was closed and I had to wait an hour before it opened. Cimder Air is the SAS partner airline that operates flights between Norrkoping and Copenhagen. When the airport finally opened I was told by the ticket agent that Cimber Air's new fleet of Canadair jets are, of course, too small for bikes. Scrap that idea.
I biked into Norrkoping and found the train station. There I was served by a young woman -who clearly hates her job and life- who condescending told me that bikes are not permitted on any Swedish trains. 'The trains are too small for bikes,' she explained, 'and would have to be boxed.' She was useless.
I considered renting a car but when I called Hertz I got an answering machine that spoke gibberish in Swedish.
I became desperate and lost and thought I'd give the tourist office a try. There I received the assistance of a young lady who took pity on my situation. She phoned places, offered suggestions, and even stayed after closing hours to help me find a way out of Sweden. Even the buses and coaches in Sweden do not allow bikes! We finally found a Ryan Air flight from Nykoping to Frankfurt where I'd have to continue by train. It also meant cycling another 50km to Nykoping. Fine.
This entire circus of getting home has been ridiculous. Sweden has no infrastructure to accommodate cyclists. How is it possible in Sweden to go on an extended tour that isn't circular? It's no wonder that I've seen so few cyclists. It's unfortunate but I'm beginning to wish that I never came here!
I cycled to Nykoping and spontaneously decided to check into the Ibis hotel for two nights. I think I earned it after these four weeks. This marked the end of my tour. I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment but I was also sad and elated. It's time to go home.
Nykoping
July 3 / Day 29
I woke before 6am and it was already full daylight outside. I ate breakfast and got ready to take care of a few packing errands. I was planning to bike into town but again had a flat tire. Argh! Better now than on the road, I suppose, since I had already used my spare tire. I walked into town and left the bike at a shop to get fixed and packed. The bike shop mechanic later told me that the flat was caused by a piece of glass stuck in tire.
I bought a book and watched the movie 'Mystery Alaska' in my hotel room. It was a quiet and relaxing day and my sore legs appreciated it.
Going Home!
July 4 / Day 30
My alarm went off at 3:55am, five minutes after I was supposed to receive a hotel wake-up call. Even at this time it was full daylight outside! I ate breakfast, checked-out, and crammed into a taxi with two others for the ride to the Nykoping airport. The airport was very busy due to Ryan Air flights to London, Rome, Barcelona, and Frankfurt. Check-in with the bike was painless and I was surprised that my Bob Yak bag weighed less than the allowed 20kg!
This was my first time flying with the discount airline Ryan Air. Their cost cutting measures were quite obvious: They fly into obscure airports, offer no complimentary food or drink, have no preassigned seats, and pack the plane by jamming the seats tightly together. A passenger joked with me that Ryan Air is a, 'bus with wings'. A fitting description. The flight was extremely dull.
We landed in Frankfurt Hahn airport where I boarded a bus to Mainz. In Mainz I jumped on a train to Zürich where I transferred and continued to St. Gallen. The trip home was literally Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
It's good to be home.
It was a fun week in the New York City area. The weather has been extremely mild for December, which has allowed me to enjoy the city and cool air on foot. Yesterday I did a walking tour from Penn Station through Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, and down to the Brooklyn Bridge. I found Little Italy and Chinatown fascinating. I saw many Italian and American flags sharing a flag post, but nothing similar in Chinatown. I walked along the market on Mott Street and was overwhelmed by the smell of fish. I couldn't believe how many people there were. At the Seaport Historic District I made a nice panorama photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge and then later crossed it by foot. The view back on Manhattan was gorgeous. I never realized by how much the Empire State Building dwarfed its neighbouring buildings.
