Day 7, Bollnäs-Nianfors, 51km

My dear friends, you have all been looking forward to follow me on my trip all the way to Skellefteå. I don't know how to break this news to you... This morning Karin left by car from Stockholm to our summer house in Skellefteå. As it was she would more or less pass me on her way up, and she made me an offer I could not refuse. I accepted (greatfully)! and have spent the last 450km comfortably seated in the familj Volvo:) Thanks all for following me and postings cheerful comments. Bye bye "Sverigeleden". See you again next summer when I plan to do the remaining 450km from Hudiksvall to Skellefteå.

Day 6, Sundborn-Bollnäs, 136km

Thought I'd please all you number crunchers with some cycling data:
Total distance=784km
Total time on bike=40h25min
Days=6
Average speed=19,35kmh
Average distance/day=130,7km
Average time spent in saddle per day=6h46min
Average ice creams per day=1
Top speed=57kmh
Estimated weight of packing=20kg
Average number of long tour bicyclists that I have met per day=0,83
Number of hours I had to cycle today before I found an open cafe=6h08min
Steepest hill climbed=21% (just north of Håverud in Dalsland) (I thought I was in Val d'Isere!)
Enough of statistics. It's been a good day. I think I start to realize that I can't keep my normal racing bike pace on a long tour... The first photo is from my favorite breakfast place; OKQ8. The second is from a small place called Svartnäs where they used to be busy making iron. Today no one seems to be busy in Svartnäs at all. I came to think of an old ghost town and it gave me the creeps so I hurried of from there.

Day 5, Borlänge-Sundborn, 45km

Be nice to a cyclist! must be the 11th commandment. Amazing how a bike seems to bring out the best of people. Three old ladies shared their coffee and cake with me on a graveyard! Borlänge-"raggare" argued among themselves about the best cycling road to Falun, and otherwise so stiff gentlemen in my own age want to know all about the tech stuff as if the were planning to go for a long bike tour the next day. Or do the simply feel sorry for me? Moron on a bike! By the way, I was tired today. Legs objected violently to the 150 km distances I have done up to now. We'll see if they want to join me tomorrow...

Day 4, Hagfors-Borlänge, 170km

You won't get any weather report today as it has been raining the whole day... I'll just try to neglect the f-n weather.
Not easy to get inspired by the Swedish country side. It's deserted like outer space, and it's green. Much easier then to get inspired by the people I meet. In Tyfors, Dalarna, a small besides-the-road-cafe attracted customers with a simple sign "waffles".
When I entered in my cycling gear, soaking wet, the owner, a young German and his wife, insisted that I dry my clothes in their laundry room and have a nice cup of tea while waiting. Maybe he knew that it required 3 orders of waffles before my clothes were dry...
The photo is from a flooded road in Dalarna. Impossible for cars to cross but we all (this was the main attraction of the day and everybody in the neighborhood was there watching and giving advise) decided it would be safe for a cyclist to cross!

Day 3, Säffle-Hagfors, 147km

Serious cyclist are serious about breaks;) especially coffee breaks. Some are also serious about shaving legs but I have not reached that level - yet. I'm surprised my socks still look white?!
Klarälvsbanan, which used to be a railway between Karlstad and Hagfors is now a 90km bicycle path. Excellent for bikes, guaranteed free from all motor traffic. But, 90km is a long way as there was absolutely nothing to see along the way. Perhaps it is telling that the only other person I met and tried talking to, signaled to me that he was deaf-mute. Crazy!
The weather report: Nice weather most of the day. Sunny, some clouds and light winds. Perfect for cycling.
Now in my tent on a campsite, it has started to rain. I don't know what it is with tents, they attract rain like a magnet.

Day 2, Trollhättan-Säffle, 146 km

Highlights of the day: sunshine, wind in in back and a great B&B in Säffle. Less perfect: Sverigeleden is like a maze across Sweden. It takes forever to get forward.

Day 1, Kungsbacka-Trollhättan 142 km

Could have chosen a better first day for my bicycle trip. Rain most of the day. Everything soaking wet. But... there has been moments of sunshine. My good friend Anette decided to join me on the first day (she probably regrets it deeply but I'm happy she joined). My old man Svenne and wife Kerstin served a great pasta lunch as we passed by their house in Björboholm. And as we came into the city of Trollhättan, wet, hungry, and VERY tired, we stumbled upon Alberts Hotel where we had a great dinner with excellent wine. What a great day:)

My ride

All you bike tech nerds, here she is, my Trek 7.3 FX, 28 wheels, alu frame, disc brakes, Brooks genuine leather saddle, Shimano Deore gear, Tubus racks front and back, Ortlieb panniers, Cateye Velo cycle computer, and SPD pedals.

Dress rehearsal

I loaded the panniers with all the stuff I plan to bring along on the tour and went for a short 45 km test ride. To my surprise all seems to work fine. No loose screws and nothing that fell of the bike. A solid dress rehearsal!

Which camera?

I wrote that this blog will be about biking and only biking. But, as you all know, biking is a material sport so we have to talk about equipment and stuff. Second most important equipment after the bike is the camera. The IPhone with the Hipstamatic app it will be. It's the perfect solution for documenting the trip on the go.

End in mind

They say it's always a good idea to start with the end in mind. Well, this is the end state - the view from our summer cottage overlooking the lake "Bodaträsket", south of Skellefteå in Västerbotten. I picture myself with a beer in hand in the deck chair, after having cycled 1450 km. 

Pine trees

I guess my biggest worry at this stage of the planning is the never-ending woods of pine trees as I get towards the north of Sweden. It will probably be like meditating on the bike, counting the pine trees as I pass them...  

Sverigeleden

The maps shows a rough overview of the tour. I will follow a track called "Sverigeleden" (The tour of Sweden), prepared by the Svenska Cykelsällskapet.    It's supposed to follow cycle paths and smaller roads with little traffic and it should be well signed as well. We will soon see.

The BIKE

My long touring bike is a Trek FX 7.3 WSD year model 2011. This is how it looks from the bicycle store. It's definitely missing some vital parts like mudguards, and front and back rack for long tour panniers. But it's nothing a little time and money can't solve. 

Longtourbikeblog - all about bike touring, and only bike touring!

This blog is all about long tour bicycling. 
I will write about my planning, the preparations, and from the tour itself along "Sverigeleden" in Sweden. Starting in Kungsbacka and finishing in Skellefteå, 1450 km in 10 days - well, that's the plan anyway:)