I’m out in the sticks now. And not, at the same time. There are villages and holiday houses. I’m on the only (main) road. Although it’s not busy, it’s straight, long and boring. I miss those quiet forest paths.
Day 34. 171km. Kalix – Pello
Posted: July 11, 2013 in Cycling, Finland, SwedenTags: Cycling, Finland, Sweden
Today I was caught in a time warp. I passed 4000km since my start in Eindhoven and crossed the Arctic Circle, where I suddenly grew 16 years younger and met Ed (who cycled the first 60km of my 4000km). Ed also looked younger.
Cycling on and on. The next village. The next forest road. Headwind, tailwind. Beach. River.
Today I stopped. And listened. Silence. The background whoosh of the wind. A bird cry. A plop in the lake. And then silence again. Beautiful.
A tail wind makes it all good. It was a grey day but I liked it. Made some kilometres and met some lovely people.
Headwind and roadworks. The conditions make such a difference and today was a slog. Forests, lakes and sea. Harder to enjoy them today.
Boat trip with company to Umeå. The best forest road yet. My first hostel that kind of didn’t exist. Didn’t stay there. Camping ground near the coast. Beautiful day. Sweden.
Day 29. 124km. Kristiinankaupunki – Vasa
Posted: July 6, 2013 in Cycling, FinlandTags: Cycling, Finland, Kristiinankaupunki, Vaasa, Vasa
Wind. Slow. Kilometres crawl by. Irritation.
Wind drops. Side roads – forest road, meteor crater road, sunny entrance into Vasa. My last day in Finland for this part of the trip. A sunny exit.
Day 28. 120km. Yyteri – Kristiinankaupunki
Posted: July 5, 2013 in Cycling, FinlandTags: Cycling, Finland, Kristiinankaupunki, Yyteri
I couldn’t resist to use the Finnish name for this beautiful Swedish speaking city – Kristiinankaupunki. Try pronouncing that!
Forest, forest stampeding cows, Finnish Pavlova, clouds and Swedish language. Yay!
Day 27. 122km. Pyhäranta – Yyteri
Posted: July 4, 2013 in Cycling, FinlandTags: Cycling, Finland, Pyhäranta, Yyteri
My route took me through forest, a sunny market square with strawberries and xylophone music, and the big sand dunes of Yyteri.
Day 26. 116km. Turku – Pyhäranta
Posted: July 3, 2013 in Cycling, FinlandTags: Cycling, Finland, Pyhäranta, sauna, Turku
Sun, forest, flatter bumps. A boat trip through the Turku archipelago and the hottest sauna of my life. Outdone by the bunch of 6 year olds.
arctic-cycler.com 