July 18, 2024
Day 17: Ostersund to Brattland Wind shelter
A waterproof socks type of day
“I’m ok if the rain starts while I’m riding, but it’s always harder to start out when it’s raining,” Bitte and Rachel agree. “We can deal with cold, and deal with rain, but the worst is cold and raining,” Rachel adds. We listened to the rain overnight and knew the forecast for today is more rain. Bitte makes a great breakfast of porridge and hard boiled fresh eggs from the neighbor. Patrick and I sit on the side of the table looking out of the row of windows. Sometimes it seems like it might let up.
We say our good byes to Bitte and Matz and we are on our way. Not only starting out when it’s raining, leaving a setting and now new friends makes it even more difficult. Because of the rain, we didn’t get our traditional picture of the 4 of us, Bitte took a selfie and maybe we can add the picture to the journal in the future.
We reverse our route back to the bridge that will take us to Froson island. We are on a bike path riding in an absolute downpour and man sitting outside on his patio shouts “Hey-a, I hope you find a roof.” Our destination for today is another Windshelter near Jarpen “We hope so too,” Patrick replies.
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We stay on the bike path that takes us past the Hilleberg Office. Bitte had checked to see if they were open. We stop in, Patrick wanted to ask about what treatment to do for the zippers once they get old and dry. “Keep them clean,” is all the advice he got. We are invited into the lobby, but no further. There are all kinds of prototypes nobody gets to see. Sure. Hilleberg makes a very good tent, but if you allow guests in the building you should give them a little tour and maybe a hot cup of coffee. We continued onto the ICA supermarket to pick up fresh bread and a few supplies. Then we are off in the rain to the main road.
We ride across Froson Island, then cross a bridge onto another, then back onto the main land. There is a gas station where we try some Swedish junkfood. Sausages, fries, pretty greasy and not exactly what our stomach’s like during exercise. But we sit in a warm dry place for a bit. We have been texting with another radio reporter who is trying to track us down for a live interview. She passes us on the road, pulls off and has us live on the air as soon as we stop. Louise does a nice job getting our story out. She has prepared herself by reading our journals.
The rain continues off and on, but it’s mostly the strong headwind that slows us down. Entering the edge of Jarpen, we stop at Montoes Grill and Kebabhouse to eat a meal before heading to camp. On the way, we shop at the Coop for fresh bread and pastries. As we cross the railroad tracks into the Tossogarden area, Patrick notices several no-camping sign. We reach the area where the hut is located. It is straight up a hill on a trail. Patrick walks up to check it out, it’s too small to place the tent into so we thought it not worth the effort to get the bikes up the hill.
Patrick explores a bit further, we see nearby a picnic table and fire ring, and a flat spot for the tent. We had passed a lady walking, and find her to ask about the area. “This is a no camping area because of all the houses,” she says. “Do you know of anywhere else in the area to camp?” Patrick asks. “Maybe the church,” she says. We backtrack to the main road and continue on. It’s tough going, we’d already done 83km. Patrick searches GPS and finds there’s another shelter about another 15 km or so. This stretch of the road is more populated with houses everywhere, and the forest is thick. So much for being able to camp anywhere in Sweden.
We keep on pedaling.
“There will be a farmer field on the left and then see the road to turn onto,” Patrick says. The road goes steeply down about 1km to the river. The shelter is there, small so no room for the tent, there’s even an outhouse. “Let’s divide and conquer,” Patrick says. “I’ll pitch the tent while you get into dry clothes, then you can do the inside and then change.” This is pretty much our routine but we want to do it quickly. Today really reinforced how nice it was for Anders to set up accommodations for us.
We crash.
Today's ride: 100 km (62 miles)
Total: 818 km (508 miles)
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