Sweden & Norway Biking Trip, June 2003

Biking in the Land of the Midnight Sun

Relevant Links:

Riding Through the Lofoten Islands

Doug, Andy, Cecilia and I left Paris for Stockholm Sweden on Saturday May 31st to begin a two-week biking trip through the land of the midnight sun. Kirby

joined us for the second week of the trip and the grand finale. We biked 1115 kilometers over 13 days - 600 km in seven days to reach the coast of Norway, then 500km in six days to reach Tromso Norway. We crossed the endless pine forests of eastern Sweden, the lakes and marshlands of western Sweden, the craggy and mountainous islands of Lofoten Norway, and the fjords of northwestern Norway. We then finished the trip by running the Tromso Midnight Marathon, the highest latitude marathon in the world. And, because of the continuous daylight, it finished at midnight!

The following was our trip schedule and itinerary, including some interesting facts and links:

Flew from Paris to Stockholm on Saturday morning May 31st on SAS (Wideroe) Airlines. Cecilia's father, who lives just north of Stockholm, met us at the airport and spent the afternoon with us in Stockholm.
Took an overnight train from Stockholm up to Umea, leaving Stockholm on Saturday night May 31st, and arriving in Umea early Sunday morning, June 1st. Umea is further north along the east coast of Sweden, and was the starting point of our biking.
Began the first leg of our bike trip, which was 600km long. For a detailed illustration of the maps along our route, see Andy's great map page.
Biked northwest across Sweden, passing through Vindeln, Rusksele, Mala, Slagnas, and Arjeplog. According to the common man's rights, we were able to camp anywhere in Sweden or Norway, even on private property, as long as we were 100 meters from anyone's front door! We took advantage of this right, and we also stayed in some of Sweden's official campgrounds.
Passed by Pieljekaise National Park, between Arjeplog and the Norway border.
Crossed into Norway, and reached the Norway coast at Bodo.
Met Kirby in Bodo on Saturday night, June 7th.
Began the second leg of our bike trip, which was 500km long.
Took a ferry on Sunday morning June 8th from Bodo out to Moskenes, at the southwestern tip of the Lofoten Islands. See the wonderful images on the Lofoten Islands Tourist Website.
Followed the Lofoten Islands northeast, back to the Norway mainland, including a ferry from Fiskebol to Melbu, and a ferry from Harstad to Finnsnes.
Reached Tromso on Thursday afternoon, June 12th.
Spend Friday and Saturday in Tromso, resting and registering for the Tromso Midnight Marathon.
At 8pm on Saturday night June 14th, ran the Tromso Marathon, finishing in daylight just after midnight!
Flew from Tromso to Oslo on Sunday morning June 15th on Norwegian Air Shuttle (owned by SAS), then from Oslo to Paris on Sunday afternoon on SAS (Wideroe) Airlines.

We spent months preparing in advance of the trip, including both physical training and preparation of gear and equipment. Bike touring was a new sport for most of us, and required a whole new set of skills, know-how, and toys! It was a whole new learning curve for me. Our new gear purchases ranged from single-wheel BOB trailers, to handlebar bags, to map holders, seat covers, and rain booties. In the end we did a good job of preparation, and were very seldom disappointed on the trip. The most valuable items that we brought along the way were:

Our BOB trailers, which freed our bikes from the usual heavy panniers and sluggish handling. We exceeded the BOB speed limitations without incident, and only had one flat BOB tire the entire trip.
Our night eye shades, which proved essential in the continuous sunlight, even at 2am!
My handlebar map holder, borrowed from my buddy Rich in Paris, which allowed me to have continuous route navigation and tracking.
Andy's handlebar bag, the home of all cameras and important minuite-to-minute gear.
Vanilla-flavored vaseline, which proved essential to handle the long days in the saddle.
The vanilla scented christmas tree that Andy found on the ground and attached to his handlebar bag. It stayed with him until the finish.

The only items that I did not have that I would have liked were foot booties, to keep my biking shoes dry, and more importantly to keep my toes warm in the near-freezing riding winds. Otherwise we were well-prepared for the cold temperatures that greeted us for the final week above the arctic circle.

Some highlight images from the trip:

Lunch at the Stockholm train station with Cecilia's Dad
On the Train to Umea, in the Bar Car

Endless Sweden Forest
Andy & the Hospital Booties

At the Arctic Circle
Camping at the Arctic Circle

BOB Parking Technique
On the Ferry

A log of our route and trip highlights is as follows:

Day Distance & Speed Destination Highlights (Excuse the Shorthand)

0 Fly to Stockholm, overnight train to Umea Train to Umea No overweight bike charges by the airlines, and the battle won to get our bikes accepted on the train to Umea. Cecilia's Swedish was more than sufficient to win the argument over whether or not our bikes should be allowed in our private sleeping cars.

1 Bike 106.0 km, 4:53 riding time, 21.2 km/hr average Campground in Amsele, Sweden Discovery of caviar & cheese tubes perfectly suited for biking transport. A technically problem-free first day. Our first of many stops at the local grocery chain "Konsum" in Vindeln. Doug's excellent tuna-pasta dinner.

2 Bike 109.5 km, 5:11 riding time, 20.8 km/hr average Cabin in Mala, Sweden Our first taste of rain, and using the surgical booties that Cecilia's father gave us to protect our shoes. Heavy tailwind to start the day. Andy's decision to shower in the campground after only two days on the road. Rest stop at some raging rapids. Discovery Swedish Ribena, but with a bit of apple. Use of hospital booties for the first time. Stayed in a cabin and made fajitas!

3 Bike 123.5 km, 5:41 riding time, 21.2 km/hr average Campground in Arjeplog, Sweden Had Swedish longfil (milk) for breakfast. Doug feeling better after a bad cold the first few days. Saw first snow after 47km - an iced over river, just after setting a new speed record. Made fire at lunch. Rained during the morning, sun in the afternoon. Saw more dogs than cars. Doug went to the bathroom for the first time in the woods. Swedish meatballs for dinner. Water, water, and more water, and.....mosquitos! Luckily the tailwind was strong enough to push us faster than the bugs. Cecilia discovered Bilar, a not-very-sweet Scandinavian candy.

4 Bike 109.5 km, 6:04 riding time, 17.7 km/hr average Campground at the Arctic Circle, Sweden Started with sun in the morning. Loaded up with food in case we did not cross any towns for next two days. Cecilia continues with French lessons and Swedish radio on her MP3 player. First 50km in a stiff headwind. Speed slowed dramatically. Used diamond-D drafting formation to survive last 30km in even worse headwind. Cecilia discovers the Co-Co candy bar.   Crossing the arctic circle with a tough headwind. Set another new speed record (32mph). Saw a huge waterfall pouring into a lake. Camped at fishing trailer campground - deserted.   Last night in Sweden, since only 35km from Norway border. Had trouble making a fire.

5 Bike 101.5 km, 4:44 riding time, 20.9 km/hr average Campground in Rognan, Norway Started with a steep climb up and over our highest point on the trip. Saw reindeer herds on the way up. Also had already seen a moose the day before. Also had a huge tailwind - enough that we were cold when stopped, but warm while riding. Cold on top. Then, a 750 meter descent from our highest point in Sweden down into Norway, and to the coast. Stopped for coffee to warm up just after customs.   Sun came out in Norway...highway was a bit congested, so followed the feeder road alongside. Had first and only flat tire on Andy's BOB tire. Doug bought beer in Rognan, but struggled to find a 4.7% beer - grocery store was only 2.2%. Mosquitoes were relentless at campsite. Doug carried a can of battery. Easiest 100km ever done! Saw our first fjord.

6 Bike 92.5 km, 4:40 riding time, 19.3 km/hr average Cabin in Bodo, Norway No rain to start, but a little misty. Doug crafted new bootie-bags, while Andy soaked his shoes. Went through first tunnels (3 total - 1km, 170 meter, and 2km). Biking in rain and traffic into Bodo. The century club in a Bodo cabin. Andy dropped out at 70 after more than an "hour of power" - 60 shots, and Doug and I made it to the finish at 100 shots. Doug would not stop singing "One Shining Moment". Doug's first words after completion - "I can't believe that I am alive", before breaking into the chorus.

7 Rest day in Bodo (biked 10km) Cabin in Bodo, Norway Rest day in Bodo. Rained continuously for 36 hours. Did laundry, showered, bought groceries, browsed the downtown Bodo area. Kirby arrived later in the day, and lost several critical screws during the mere 5km ride between the Bodo airport and the campground.

8 Bike 104.5 km, 5:26 riding time, 18.8 km/hr average Misc road camp before Svolvaer 6am ferry from Bodo to Reine in the Lofoten Islands via the Coastal Steamer, the car ferry out to Moskenes. 4 hour boat ride featured cribbage for Kirby and Andy, and snoozing and coffee for the rest of the group. The islands featured 1000's of racks of hanging drying whitefish, spectacular peaks, and wide valley vistas. No rain, but cloudy skies and cold temperatures. We had our first technical difficulties of the trip - for both Doug (warped rim) and Andy (loose bottom bracket). Camped just off the road before the town of Svolvaer. Cecilia's desire for Bilar has reached obsessive proportions.

9 Bike 86.0 km, 4:36 riding time, 18.0 km/hr average Campground in Stokmarknes, Norway Rainy during the night, but clearing skies in the morning. Started the day by making pancakes, with nutella coating. Clear skies but windy - both for and against us, depending on the orientation of the fjord. A bit warmer today. Ferry #2 between Fiskebol and Melbu (only about a 35 minute ferry) allowed us to warm up briefly. Stopped early at a town - our only day under 100km, mainly due to cold headwinds.

10 Bike 102.5 km, 6:01 riding time, 17.1 km/hr average Guest House in Harstad, Norway Doug, Andy, and Kirby were awake the whole night due to aggressive birds that were attacking our food bags that had been hung in the tree next to their tent. Longest tunnel yet - downhill and warmer than the outside temperature. Strong headwind to start the day. Took an unplanned third ferry, which we did not first see on the map. Stopped in Harstad, ate pizza in town, checked into a guest house in town. The average high temperature for the week was about 8C, while the normal high for this time of year is about 12C. Kirby mastered biking with no hands on the handlebars to keep his hands warm in his pockets. Everyone fell today except for Doug.

11 Bike 93.5 km, 5:03 riding time, 17.9 km/hr average Misc road camp before Tromso High speed ferry to Finnsenes. Flat and windless start to the morning, with a bit of rain, and temps in the high 40's. Heavy rain started just before lunch, as we were stopped at a gas station. Kirby's pannier fractured, in addition to missing screws. Reached the 1000km mark! Stopped near the top of the last pass before descending to Tromso, on the soft tundra/marsh. Made a pitless fire on the soft tundra at camp. Kirby had pulled left quad, and had pain behind the right knee.   400mg of Advil over 3 hours took care of the knee but not the quad pain.

12 Bike 76.0 km, 4:02 riding time, 16.9 km/hr average Campground in Tromsdalen, Norway Sun to start the morning, and warm temps. Steep downhill on the opposite side of the pass. Stopped to take many pictures under the warm sun and windless conditions. Doug stopped top communicate with a herd of cows. Tromso was in site as we followed the Tromso fjord. Final (fourth) ferry just before town. The tall bridge onto Tromso Island, and then the final climb up and over Tromso island - one of steepest climbs of the trip. Checked into a cabin in Tromsdalen, just off the east side of the island. $100 case of beer. 1115km finished!

13 Rest day in Tromso (ran a few miles) Guest House in Tromso, Norway Tiger balm, coffee, and our acquisition of bike boxes from Tromso InterSport.

14 Run Tromso Midnight Sun Marathon Guest House in Tromso, Norway Doug, Andy, and I running the marathon together in the cold rain, and finishing after midnight in the center of Tromso. Cecilia running the half-marathon, and finishing just after us. Kirby running the 10K, despite all injuries. We actually finished the run after all those hard biking days!

15 Fly to Oslo, then fly home to Paris Home in Paris The stiffness from sitting on the plane after all the biking & running over the past 15 days.

More great images from the trip:

Crossing the the Norway Border
The Century Club on our Bodo Rest Day

Camping Along the Coastal Fjords
Our only Flat Tire of the Trip

Reindeer
Riding through the Fjords

Dried Cod Anyone?
Beer-on-the-Bike

Just before Entering the Tromso Island
Pre-Run Photo

Overall, it was a great trip for me, and my first real bike touring trip of my life. Will I do it again? I suspect so. For me, the best thing about bike touring is that it is fast enough to travel long distances and see more than you would backpacking, but slow enough to really see everything, unlike you would in a car. And, it can be physically hard, and therefore rewarding. Funny enough, I think that I enjoyed the months of preparation rides that we did all over France almost as much as the trip itself. It certainly included some of my most enjoyable moments during my time spent in France.

Thanks to everyone for such a great trip, and I hope that we can continue to pull of such great journeys in the future.

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Lunch at the Stockholm train station with Cecilia's Dad	On the Train to Umea, in the Bar Car
Endless Sweden Forest	Andy & the Hospital Booties
At the Arctic Circle	Camping at the Arctic Circle
BOB Parking Technique	On the Ferry

Day	Distance & Speed	Destination	Highlights (Excuse the Shorthand)
0	Fly to Stockholm, overnight train to Umea	Train to Umea	No overweight bike charges by the airlines, and the battle won to get our bikes accepted on the train to Umea. Cecilia's Swedish was more than sufficient to win the argument over whether or not our bikes should be allowed in our private sleeping cars.
1	Bike 106.0 km, 4:53 riding time, 21.2 km/hr average	Campground in Amsele, Sweden	Discovery of caviar & cheese tubes perfectly suited for biking transport. A technically problem-free first day. Our first of many stops at the local grocery chain "Konsum" in Vindeln. Doug's excellent tuna-pasta dinner.
2	Bike 109.5 km, 5:11 riding time, 20.8 km/hr average	Cabin in Mala, Sweden	Our first taste of rain, and using the surgical booties that Cecilia's father gave us to protect our shoes. Heavy tailwind to start the day. Andy's decision to shower in the campground after only two days on the road. Rest stop at some raging rapids. Discovery Swedish Ribena, but with a bit of apple. Use of hospital booties for the first time. Stayed in a cabin and made fajitas!
3	Bike 123.5 km, 5:41 riding time, 21.2 km/hr average	Campground in Arjeplog, Sweden	Had Swedish longfil (milk) for breakfast. Doug feeling better after a bad cold the first few days. Saw first snow after 47km - an iced over river, just after setting a new speed record. Made fire at lunch. Rained during the morning, sun in the afternoon. Saw more dogs than cars. Doug went to the bathroom for the first time in the woods. Swedish meatballs for dinner. Water, water, and more water, and.....mosquitos! Luckily the tailwind was strong enough to push us faster than the bugs. Cecilia discovered Bilar, a not-very-sweet Scandinavian candy.
4	Bike 109.5 km, 6:04 riding time, 17.7 km/hr average	Campground at the Arctic Circle, Sweden	Started with sun in the morning. Loaded up with food in case we did not cross any towns for next two days. Cecilia continues with French lessons and Swedish radio on her MP3 player. First 50km in a stiff headwind. Speed slowed dramatically. Used diamond-D drafting formation to survive last 30km in even worse headwind. Cecilia discovers the Co-Co candy bar. Crossing the arctic circle with a tough headwind. Set another new speed record (32mph). Saw a huge waterfall pouring into a lake. Camped at fishing trailer campground - deserted. Last night in Sweden, since only 35km from Norway border. Had trouble making a fire.
5	Bike 101.5 km, 4:44 riding time, 20.9 km/hr average	Campground in Rognan, Norway	Started with a steep climb up and over our highest point on the trip. Saw reindeer herds on the way up. Also had already seen a moose the day before. Also had a huge tailwind - enough that we were cold when stopped, but warm while riding. Cold on top. Then, a 750 meter descent from our highest point in Sweden down into Norway, and to the coast. Stopped for coffee to warm up just after customs. Sun came out in Norway...highway was a bit congested, so followed the feeder road alongside. Had first and only flat tire on Andy's BOB tire. Doug bought beer in Rognan, but struggled to find a 4.7% beer - grocery store was only 2.2%. Mosquitoes were relentless at campsite. Doug carried a can of battery. Easiest 100km ever done! Saw our first fjord.
6	Bike 92.5 km, 4:40 riding time, 19.3 km/hr average	Cabin in Bodo, Norway	No rain to start, but a little misty. Doug crafted new bootie-bags, while Andy soaked his shoes. Went through first tunnels (3 total - 1km, 170 meter, and 2km). Biking in rain and traffic into Bodo. The century club in a Bodo cabin. Andy dropped out at 70 after more than an "hour of power" - 60 shots, and Doug and I made it to the finish at 100 shots. Doug would not stop singing "One Shining Moment". Doug's first words after completion - "I can't believe that I am alive", before breaking into the chorus.
7	Rest day in Bodo (biked 10km)	Cabin in Bodo, Norway	Rest day in Bodo. Rained continuously for 36 hours. Did laundry, showered, bought groceries, browsed the downtown Bodo area. Kirby arrived later in the day, and lost several critical screws during the mere 5km ride between the Bodo airport and the campground.
8	Bike 104.5 km, 5:26 riding time, 18.8 km/hr average	Misc road camp before Svolvaer	6am ferry from Bodo to Reine in the Lofoten Islands via the Coastal Steamer, the car ferry out to Moskenes. 4 hour boat ride featured cribbage for Kirby and Andy, and snoozing and coffee for the rest of the group. The islands featured 1000's of racks of hanging drying whitefish, spectacular peaks, and wide valley vistas. No rain, but cloudy skies and cold temperatures. We had our first technical difficulties of the trip - for both Doug (warped rim) and Andy (loose bottom bracket). Camped just off the road before the town of Svolvaer. Cecilia's desire for Bilar has reached obsessive proportions.
9	Bike 86.0 km, 4:36 riding time, 18.0 km/hr average	Campground in Stokmarknes, Norway	Rainy during the night, but clearing skies in the morning. Started the day by making pancakes, with nutella coating. Clear skies but windy - both for and against us, depending on the orientation of the fjord. A bit warmer today. Ferry #2 between Fiskebol and Melbu (only about a 35 minute ferry) allowed us to warm up briefly. Stopped early at a town - our only day under 100km, mainly due to cold headwinds.
10	Bike 102.5 km, 6:01 riding time, 17.1 km/hr average	Guest House in Harstad, Norway	Doug, Andy, and Kirby were awake the whole night due to aggressive birds that were attacking our food bags that had been hung in the tree next to their tent. Longest tunnel yet - downhill and warmer than the outside temperature. Strong headwind to start the day. Took an unplanned third ferry, which we did not first see on the map. Stopped in Harstad, ate pizza in town, checked into a guest house in town. The average high temperature for the week was about 8C, while the normal high for this time of year is about 12C. Kirby mastered biking with no hands on the handlebars to keep his hands warm in his pockets. Everyone fell today except for Doug.
11	Bike 93.5 km, 5:03 riding time, 17.9 km/hr average	Misc road camp before Tromso	High speed ferry to Finnsenes. Flat and windless start to the morning, with a bit of rain, and temps in the high 40's. Heavy rain started just before lunch, as we were stopped at a gas station. Kirby's pannier fractured, in addition to missing screws. Reached the 1000km mark! Stopped near the top of the last pass before descending to Tromso, on the soft tundra/marsh. Made a pitless fire on the soft tundra at camp. Kirby had pulled left quad, and had pain behind the right knee. 400mg of Advil over 3 hours took care of the knee but not the quad pain.
12	Bike 76.0 km, 4:02 riding time, 16.9 km/hr average	Campground in Tromsdalen, Norway	Sun to start the morning, and warm temps. Steep downhill on the opposite side of the pass. Stopped to take many pictures under the warm sun and windless conditions. Doug stopped top communicate with a herd of cows. Tromso was in site as we followed the Tromso fjord. Final (fourth) ferry just before town. The tall bridge onto Tromso Island, and then the final climb up and over Tromso island - one of steepest climbs of the trip. Checked into a cabin in Tromsdalen, just off the east side of the island. $100 case of beer. 1115km finished!
13	Rest day in Tromso (ran a few miles)	Guest House in Tromso, Norway	Tiger balm, coffee, and our acquisition of bike boxes from Tromso InterSport.
14	Run Tromso Midnight Sun Marathon	Guest House in Tromso, Norway	Doug, Andy, and I running the marathon together in the cold rain, and finishing after midnight in the center of Tromso. Cecilia running the half-marathon, and finishing just after us. Kirby running the 10K, despite all injuries. We actually finished the run after all those hard biking days!
15	Fly to Oslo, then fly home to Paris	Home in Paris	The stiffness from sitting on the plane after all the biking & running over the past 15 days.

Crossing the the Norway Border	The Century Club on our Bodo Rest Day
Camping Along the Coastal Fjords	Our only Flat Tire of the Trip
Reindeer	Riding through the Fjords
Dried Cod Anyone?	Beer-on-the-Bike
Just before Entering the Tromso Island	Pre-Run Photo