30 June: Karlshamn to Jamjo, Sweden (63 miles; 340)

John noted that many reading this blog might appreciate a map, so this shows our Northern Europe location and the route for the first week. We are averaging approximately 50 miles per day. Kalmar is where we determine how to reach Stockholm by July 4, before boarding the ferry to Aland Island July 6. Then we'll cycle from Tallinn, Estonia, to Riga, Latvia, before catching our flights home. Hopefully, we will have time to cycle Oland Island, just east of Kalmar.

Northern Europe

Route for the 1st week—Copenhagen, Denmark, to Kalmar, Sweden

Some observations on food. Nearly every town in Sweden has multiple restaurants featuring kabob and pizza. While the pizza is consistent, the kabob varies from a pita pocket to shaved, roasted meat over french fries covered by a sauce resembling yogurt-thousand island dressing. Still tasty. While Denmark had expresso machines, most of the Swedish restaurants feature high-quality drip coffee, still much superior to the Folger-type in similar, small, USA towns. Micro brews are fairly limited—the USA still leads in micro brewing. Most restaurants offer fresh fish or seafood at prices similar to the meat dishes. Hamburger seems to cost as much or more than steak. So far, every breakfast in Sweden has offered herring packed in 2- to 5-kinds of sauces.

Brown Slug. Mentioned earlier, more of these pests were out today. Local gardeners hate them. They consume everything above ground and often below ground as well.

Southern Sweden Field. Much of our route today was along the south coast, mixed fields, forest, and occasional views of the sea to the south.

Route Finding. John, Dan, and Stuart—Lots of stops today, trying to follow an occasionally-marked bike trail. We encountered 4.5 miles of new chip seal with a loose pea gravel surface and another stretch of packed dirt intended for mountain bikes. 

Rural School Mural

One body, no one to explain. I noted earlier that every church we encountered was locked unless it was under renovation. However, John and Dan found on that was open. Seems that they were preparing for a funeral or viewing and had gone to lunch. 

High School Friends Reunite for a Hike. Two years post high school graduation, this group opted for a hike and the opportunity to feed the bugs and mosquitoes. They had camped seaside and were covered in bites.

Traditional homes are mostly red or gold with tile or metal roofs. I suspect many are holiday homes. Most cottages have a ladder or ladder rungs on the roof for ready access to the chimney. Perhaps it's to extinguish chimney fires or simplify cleaning. Numerous, large, wood piles are common, so creosote build-up is likely.

Red Cottage

Gold Cottage

Red Cottage #2

Gold Cottage #2

Leaning Shed

Town Sign. Every town sign has the same silhouette. (Betsy, any link to your daughter?)

Trail riding. Our final path through the forest and open fields. Rough, gravel and dirt surfaces are not ideal for touring bikes, especially with a trailer. 

Summer cottages with water access

Ancient Stone Bridge

Downtown. Nearly every town offers pedestrian-only and bike-only access. Very civilized.

Dog of the Day

29 June: Hassleholm to Karlshamn, Sweden (60 miles; 277)

Our Hassleholm hotel included breakfast, supporting a low stress start to the day. Dan assembled his new Surly Long haul Trucker upon arrival, made a few early adjustments, and we left about 8:30 am. The day was overcast with 30-50 percent rain forecast, but we again managed to avoid anything beyond a few drops.

Dan's New Surly Long Haul Trucker

Our route options to Stockholm were either direct, up the spine of Sweden, or east to Kalmar, then take a train from Kalmar to Stockholm. The direct route was shorter, to eliminate the train, as Swedish trains are iffy about accepting bicycles. Swedish train operators post: Bikes must be bundled and carried aboard as luggage, not as complete bicycles. 

However, southern Sweden is the most historic and scenic portion of Sweden, and where Swedes tend to vacation. We opted for the southern route. Stuart advises: The bad angel drops you in; the good angel pulls you out. We opted to trust the good angel.

Typical Southern Sweden. Extensive fields, with forests on the ridges. Potatoes on the right. We are still puzzled by several crops, but we see lots of barley, wheat, sugar beets, and peas.

Typical Village Church Architecture. None yet seen in use; all are locked.

Little Pink Pills for Cows. Progressive Swedish farmers offer little pink pills for cows with low sexual desire. White pills seem to be drug free, and gray, perhaps for older cows.

An advisory panel to the FDA has recommended approval of flibanserin, a drug touted by Sprout Pharmaceuticals to treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in women--a persistent lack of desire for sex. The 18-6 vote came with stipulations from those in favor that measures be taken to reduce the drug's side effects that can include low blood pressure, fainting, sleepiness and nausea.

http://news.yahoo.com/katie-couric-little-pink-pill-and-the-drugs-resubmission-for-fda-approval-031600521.html

Make Applesauce? Lots of apple orchards. Each grower seems to have a different approach to pruning.

Directions. Our advisor was a great fan of the USA, had lived in multiple US cities, and deplored our involvement in foreign wars. Very interesting character who offered great directions.

Gave us directions in town and then saw us stopped on the way out looking lost. He then stopped, parked his car in an intersection, and offered further corrections. Most welcome and interesting. 

We are in Karlshamn, pronounced Karls ham, a seaside community. We found a hotel via Tourist Information, and an excellent Italian restaurant by walk about. This restaurant has been in business for 32 years and everyone's meal was excellent.

Car Gustaf's Church in central Karlshamn.

Karlshamn Town Hall

Karlshamn Condos. Seaside apartments or condos face the sea. Swedish schools finished the term last week, and family vacation season has begun. Perhaps due to the overcast weather, traffic is light and we have been able to find lodging. We should be in Kalmar in 2 days.

Horse of the Day. I approached several dogs, but they were so agitated that none deserved being named Dog of the Day. Perhaps tomorrow.

Strawberry Fields Forever. We encountered people selling strawberries with Pick Your Own options. Perhaps tomorrow.

28 June: Fleninge, Sweden, to Hassleholm, Sweden (53 miles; 217)

It rained overnight, the best time for rain when cycle touring, and then remained overcast all day with no rain. While threatening, the sun broke through just as we arrived in Hassleholm about 3 p.m. Perfect cycling conditions along with a slight tail wind most of the day. The road surface stays wet unless exposed to a breeze, so a lot of sand and grit flick up and stick to the bike.

Ready to Depart. The Fleninge Classic Motel, built in 1957, is truly a classic built, around a classic car theme. Note the classic-car photo outside our room. For those unfamiliar with the Bike Friday, my bike travels in the case, seen here converted to trailer mode.

With no direct roads but an extensive road network to choose from, we chose the road that went over the highest point in Skane, 188 meters above sea level or about 600 feet. We gained it all in one steep, undulating climb into Soderasens National Park. Soddenness was a beautiful park with few cars and people. While we passed many churches on Sunday morning, none were in use. All churches were locked.

First Swedish Windmill, near our hotel in Fleninge.

 
Opposing wooden sculptures outside a rural school.

Stenestad Church at the highest point in Skane.

While the Swedish bike lanes are not up to Denmark standards, they are excellent, something cyclists in the USA can only dream about. The greatest menaces were the black slugs crawling on the bike path. Run over one and you have been slimed. Tossed about like mud, slug sticks to anything—bike frame, water bottle, trailer, etc. I suspect the others have slug-lined fenders.

Rural Home. Built the year America declared independence.

Our Hotel in Hassleholm. On the town square, 2 blocks from the rail station. Dan, our 4th rider, arrived by train from Copenhagen at 4:40 p.m. Nearly empty this Sunday, they had been packed the prior weekend with people attending a nearby Earth, Wind, and Fire concert.

Perhaps the most popular portion of this blog has been the Dog of the Day. So an extended treat today. . . 

Dog of the Day. Very friendly.

Bunny of the Day. Very fat, hungry, and uninterested in us.

Cow of the Day. Interested, but perhaps not friendly.

27 June: Copenhagen to Fleninge, Sweden (43 miles; 164)

We met at 8:30 am and left our hotel shortly before 9 am. The day was overcast with the occasional drop of rain. We often avoid riding into or out of large cities, but departing Copenhagen was safe, direct, and flawless via their excellent bike lane system. Our route was mostly north, sea side, with a slight tail wind and overcast skies.

Tuborg sells 92 percent of the beer in Denmark, and this was near one of their breweries.

Helsinggor or Helsingbor? Whatever, the site of Hamlet's castle. 

Dog of the Day. Could have been Frankie's long lost relative, before Frankie is holed-up in his LA high rise.

Ferry Cross to Sweden. No Herman's Hermits Ferry Cross the Mercy, but the ferry from Denmark to Sweden was easy-on, first-off for bikes and only took 20 minutes. Denmark in our wake.

Helsingbor Castle

The Way to Tour by Bike. My Bike Friday with travel trailer. Everything is working flawlessly, except I forgot to pack my fenders. For the unfamiliar, the bike folds and flies in the trailer suitcase. I purchased it in 1994, have 50,000 to 70,000 miles on it, and it will have traveled in 21 countries upon my return.

Fleninge Classic Motel. Our lodging, is the first American-style motel built in Sweden in the early 1950s. The owner emigrated from Hungary 20+ years ago. Every room has a photo of the room with a classic car parked under the overhang outside that room.

The ride north alone the sea was uneventful except for the racing cyclists flying by without warning. Exiting Helsingborg, Sweden, was unclear, so we just aimed in the correct direction and it worked out. Then we relied on John's Garmin, until we encountered a road sign (in Swedish) that we could not read. Seems the road was closed, the Italian truck driver we asked for directions was equally unfamiliar with the area and advised us to return 1/2 mile for directions. After doing so, we opted to ignore the sign, hearing the closed portion was only 1 km. All was new paving except for the intersection of packed gravel. The road was rideable—no worries.

After checking in, the motel owners permitted a load of wash and even loaned us a Vanagon to travel to dinner due to a light rain. As usual, everything worked out.