July 9, 2024
Day 8: Vastland hiking shelter to Gavle
Lots of Cykelsparet signs
“Hi, I’m from France,” the touring cyclist stops to talk with us. Steven started in Turkey cycled to the Northcape and is now heading home to France. “I cycled 850km in 5 days, in Stockholm I’ll take a rest.” This is refreshing that he stopped to talk as it’s not always a given these days. In the past, cyclists in the opposite direction stopped to talk with each other for information. That has changed over the years.
Today is a shorter day, and a Warmshowers stay in Gavle. The host sent us a video last night of how to get into the apartment as they will not be home until after 5pm. We are on the road at about 0700 after a quick breakfast. We are on a nice forest road at first then to a main road. We keep seeing little signs with a bicycle and cykelsparet. So we must be on some bike route at least part of the time. And a big chunk of the ride today is on bike paths or a road with a wide shoulder.
We stop at a gas station for coffee and pastry. Rachel asks for the key to the toilet. “I do it,” says the man behind the counter. She goes around outside and the toilet is now open…he unlocked it where he was inside. Pretty slick.
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In Gavle we stop for a Thai lunch buffet that is good value for 125 kroner each, about $12,50. After camping at shelters the past two nights, we did not hold back.
Just a bit further we find our WS place, the video being very helpful. We make ourselves at home, showering and doing laundry. There is no dryer, but the sun is out and a drying rack will do nicely. There is Wi-Fi and electricity to get all our devices and powerbank recharged.
Dessert is a bowl of watermelon set in the middle of the tablet for everyone to take a piece at will. Then, only one piece is left leading to a discussion about how no one wants to take the last piece. In Sweden, it's know as the "Swedish Bite", the person to take the last piece would be looked upon as being better than anyone else. Carlos says in Spain it is called the "Shame piece".
Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 300 km (186 miles)
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