Weather: 15
°C (59 F), RAIN!!! Distance: 97
km (61 miles) Time: 4:34 h
(9:05 - 15:15) Av. speed:
21.2 kph (13.3 mph) Accomodation:
$ 17 (hostel)
377 km (236 miles)
Our first night in a tent was a rainy
one. Despite my cheap ($ 32) tent, we managed to stay
dry during the night. Well, in the morning it was quite
humid, not to say wet, but let's say it was OK at least.
Remembering the rainy day that lay in front of us, according
to yesterday's weather forecast, we decided in the morning
that Adam would book a room for the night in a hostel
in Oskarshamn, where he will go by bus, that lucky bastard.
As for me, I suffered one of the heaviest days of the
whole bike tour. The weatherman had promised 30-40 mm
(1.2-1.6 Inch) rain, and I can promise that every single
millimeter of that fell! Sometimes as ”normal”
rain, sometimes as cats and dogs. The breaks were approximately
three, and lasted for about five minutes each.
As if this wasn't enough, I stubbornly followed the Bike
Track along bumpy gravel roads. So bumpy that my lowrider
almost bumped off – fortunately I saw it in time
and tightened the screws. The reason I didn't choose a
better – and shorter – road was that the Bike
Track was supposed to be extremely beautiful along this
stretch. Yeah, maybe in sun, or at least without the heavy
showers that forced me to focus all my attention on the
winding road, just in order to stay on it.
The only positive thing about today's biking was that
the areas where the bad road went were totally deserted
– there were no humans and no cars. I think I even
saw more animals than cars: Roe deers, storks, and the
rest I've forgot...
When I reached Oskarshamn at 3 pm, my bike was more brown
than blue. Someone let me in to the house where the hostel
was, but its reception would open only after two more
hours, and Adam was still on the bus.
And then a miracle happened. I went down in the basement
of the big building and found a lockable showerroom, complete
with soap and schampoo! So what could I do, but carry
down my panniers, lock the door and enjoy a wooonderful
shower, hot and long.
After I had changed to dry clothes, the next miracle happened.
On the first floor I found the hostels unlocked tv room,
with sofas and fresh newspapers. While I relaxed and waited
for Adam, I ate canned mackerel, which has become something
of a habit since I need proteins immediately after a stage.
Adam soon turned up and made dinner for me, tuna pasta,
while I changed brakes on the frontwheel (I hadn't done
that before I left Stockholm). I totally didn't care to
go sightseeing in Oskarshamn.
It was me
and the desserted wilderness. Beautiful at times,
but I had to focus mainly on the road, in order
to stay on it.
Wilderness,
then wilderness, then even more wilderness... and
then a café! A cup of hot coffee would have
suited me perfectly, so I wish I had passed it two
hours later, when it would open...
In this weather
everything becomes boring. Picture this Slakmöre
coffeebreak in just a little bit of sun.
At the end
of today's stage I thought I began to hallucinate,
despite this sight wasn't exactly what I longed
for.
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