Kimsjo's blogg

Forsta jobbet i Australien blir paronplock i Shepparton

2012-01-17T15:56:00.000-08:00

Da har vi fatt tag i varat forsta jobb i Australien. Om en vecka borjar vi plocka paron utanfor staden Shepparton. Det kommer sakert bli en rolig men slitsam historia med tanke pa att temparutererna ligger runt 35 vissa dagar :).

Ta de lungt

Croc Dundee

Shepparton, Victoria state.

2012-01-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

G'day Mates!

Nu har jag varit i Australien i en vecka och vi har precis tillbringat en natt i staden Shepparton 20 mil norr om Melbourne. Vi har fatt vara skattenummer, bankkonton och listat oss pa arbetskontoret och skulle forhoppningsvis kunna borja jobba i slutet av veckan. Massor med Backpackers ror sig hit under Januari manad da plocksasongen drar igang. Vadret ar som ni sakert anar kanon kanon.

Varning for kanguru sitter overallt efter vagarna och det ligger en hel del rackare i dikena

Lunchstopp utefter vagen

En bit inland i New South Wales

Charlotte visar sina grillkunskaper nar vi stannade for att campa vid en liten flod

Nastkommande morgon hade en fagel skitigt ner min stol, inte okey :)

Vi korsar gransen till staten Victoria pa varan vag mot Shepparton

Jagar kangurur i Wodonga, Victoria

2012-01-13T20:56:00.000-08:00

Hej hopp!

Resandet fick ett snabbt avbrott da "Rolf" (Bilen vi kor) havererade i form av en trasig startmotor i Bateman Bay. I vantan pa att mekanikern tim bestallt en ny och skulle montera den nastkommande dag campade vi pa parkeringen till hans verkstad. Nastkommande adg var vi pa rull igen i riktning inland mot staden Shepparton for att forsoka skaffa lite fruktplockarbete.

See ya

2012-01-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Frukost forsta dagen "on the road"

Halloj!

Flyget ner till Australien gick kanon bra. Val nere i Sydney stannade jag i tva dagar, motte upp charlotte och kopte en bil. Nu ar vi pa vag soderut langs med kusten och tankte val hitta lite jobb i staten Victoria nar vi kommer dit. Vadret ar ganska behagligt, igar var det lite molnigt dock, tyvarr :).

Hade gott sa kommer langre inlagg senare:)

Croc Dundee

Då var det dags att lämna landet igen.....

2012-01-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Efter att ha varit hemma i ungefär 3½ månad sedan jag kom hem förra gången så är det åter igen dags att bege sig till arlanda. Den 20 September kom jag hem förra året efter att ha tillbringat 7 månader jobbandes och cyklandes runt Nya Zeeland samt efter det 4 månader trampandes genom berg, granskog och fantastik kustlinje från Alaska ner till Kalifornien i Nordamerika.

Den här gången står det Sydney i biljetten och flyget går imorgon Lördag 11.00. Efter 4 cykelreser på totalt 2000 mil så tänkte jag att det skulle vara dags att prova på ett annat sätt att resa. Planen är att köpa en bil när jag kommer ner till Australien. Riva ut baksätena, slänga in täcke och madrass och kuska landet runt och plocka upp diverse jobb utefter vägen. Vilket håll resan börjar åt är inte bestämt än :). Den kan som vanligt följas här på bloggen

Jag hör av mig från andra sidan

ta det lungt

Hösten 2009 till Hösten 2011 - Och det som hänt däremellan.

2011-10-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Det har gått ungefär två år sedan jag tog mina första tramptag söderut på en fullpackat cykel. Europa har rests igenom, Nordamerika har korsats på både längden och tvären och Nya Zeeland har fått ett långt besök under den kalla vintern på det norra jordklotet. Här kommer en liten resume över de senaste 2 åren.

Jag trampade söderut genom Europa i början av September 2009. En av de första bilderna som togs på kameran utanför Sveriges gränser var på denna fallfärdiga gård i norra Polen.

I Tjeckien började naturen och alperna ta vid på allvar, ölen började smaka gott och folket var trevliga samt mer engelskspråkiga än Polen.

Alperna i Österrike och Dolomiterna i norra Italien blev resans höjdpunkter. Här står jag nära toppen av Grossglockner high Alpine Road som är den högsta passagen i Österrike. Detta efter att lite småsvettig spenderat 4-5 timmar på den krokiga vägen som slingrar sig brant uppför det otroligt vackra landskapet.

Efter ungefär en månad som avslutades med att ta mig ner utmed Italiens östkust kände jag mig rätt nöjd med min första resa och bestämde mig för att flyga hem vilket jag också gjorde från Bari i Södra Italien efter 3100 km.

Efter nästintill ett halvår hemma i Sverige var det åter igen dags för en resa i mitten av april 2010. Jag och Emil flög till New York och började våran cykling tvärs över den Nordamerikanska kontinenten. Vi cyklade över Appalacherna i öst, runt de stora sjörnan och över prärien tills vi kämpde oss igenom klippiga bergen och rullade ner till Stilla havskusten i vast ca 4 månader senare.

En av de absoluta höjdpunkterna på resan var våra två veckor på Wind Song Ranch i Black Hills, South Dakota. Fick vi rida en hel del och hjälpa till med sysslorna runt trail ridningarna.........

Och även fixa staket och stå och snacka skit lutandes mot en gammal blå Ford Pick up :)

Prärien var en riktigt häftig upplevelse med ''The ocean of grass'' och spikraka vägar så långt ögat nådde

State-skyltarna blev ett standigt återkommande av poseringar, närmare 13 stycken under resan. Här rullar vi som ni ser in i Wyoming på USA:s västra sida. När vi kom fram till västkusten hade vi cyklat dryga 6000km.

Efter en höst hemma i Sverige bestämde jag mig for att i början av November 2010 ta en enkel biljett till Auckland och Nya Zeeland på andra sidan klotet, solsidan :). Då min kamera blev stulen långt in i resan så finns inte så mycket bilder från landet. Jag spenderade 7 månader cyklandes runt landet 4000 km och plockade upp diverse jobb efter vägen

Tillsammans med detta gäng fullt av Amerikaner och Kanadensare reste jag utmed Nya Zeelands vackra västkust under en veckas tid.

Central Otago i höglanderna på den Södra ön bjöd på dessa vyer

Mitt andra jobb i landet blev äppelplock i Riwaka Valley i toppen av den södra ön. Hårt men roligt slit under 6 veckor gjorde att jag slutade köpa äpplen i butiker på ett bra tag :)

Sista tiden i landet spenderades på familjen Joblins mjölkgård i Taranaki-området på nordön. Långa arbetsdagar under 4 veckorstid och en vanlig återkommande vy som denna gjorde livet rätt gott.

Ett par veckor spenderades också givetvis på en vineyard, Hitchen Road. Fantastiskt belägen precis söder om Auckland.

När sommaren på de nordligare breddgraderna började närma sig kunde jag inte hålla mig längre. Den 1 Juni 2011 landade jag i Anchorage Alaska och började min cykling längs Alaskan Canadian Hiwhway söderut med sikte på San Diego vid den Mexikanska gränsen. Många av er känner nog igen min resekamrat de första två dagarna, Mt Mckinley.

Efter 5 veckor av langa cykeldagar i Alaska och norra Kanada närmade jag mig ''Lower 48'' Här sitter jag i hjärtat av de Kanadensiska Klippiga Bergen utmed Icefields Parkway mellan Jasper och Banff i västra Kanada.

Rob och Zoe träffade jag och cyklade med utmed västkusten i Nya Zeeland och hälsade på dem på deras arbete på Lake Ohara Lodge precis utanför Lake Louise.

Det är lätt att bli sittandes vid en sjö ett par timmar och inte göra annat än att bara glo rakt fram :)

Efter skog och berg var det dags att göra ett miljöombyte och röra sig ut till den berömda västkusten på kontinenten där cyklingen var enastående. Oregon kom att bli favoriten även om vattnet på högersidan av Highway 101 var kallt som tusan.

Även Highway 1 utmed Kaliforniens kust gick inte av för hackor och jag passerade där i slutet av augusti. Resan avslutades med en roadtrip in till Las Vegas via Death Valley innan ett flyg från San Diego dumpade av mig på Arlanda i Stockholm den 20 September 2011. Det blev ca 6000 cyklade km på kntinenten detta år

A trip to Australia is coming up during 2012

2011-10-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Gday mates!

When I first was thinking about travelling about 2,5 years ago the intention was to start with the continent of Australia. After crossing Europe, 2 big trips in Northamerica and a winter in New Zealand it's time to pay a visit to the continent ''Down Under''. On the 7th of Januari 2012 a one-way ticket will take me to Sydney with a one year working visa in the country. As always there's no specific plan except for cruising around in the country, picking up jobs whenever I feel for it and having a good time. This time I got a small laptop in the travelbag so hopefully the trip will be well updated.

see ya!

Down the coastroad the last couple of weeks

2011-09-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

People were defintely right when they said that once you get to Oregon, the coast will be amazing. With extremely good weather and good company Oregon became some of the best bikespots I've been on. During the week when I had to turn around from Astoria when I dropped my wallet a bicyclist got killed by a big loggingtruck in Norther Oregon. The story was that the 80 year old man got "sucked" in to the truck while it was passing him but as a bicyclist I can tell that's not the case, the pressure from the air is not that strong. The reason is just the simple fact that the truckdriver just don't care and, apparently for him, is more important to maintain his downhill speed for the coming uphill than a human beings life. After being on parts of the coastroad were the sholder is bad and a lot of trucks is passing, you just step of the road as soon as you hear the sound of a big semi.

More than halfway down the Oregoncoast I got to the Oregon dunes which is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes on the northamerican continent. Rolling in on the camp I met my Mexican friend who been biking ahead of my during the day and also Max from St Paul in Minnesota and Erin from Chicago. After dinner we were heading out to hang out on the sanddunes with a bottle of whiskey and a cigar Max bought during the day. The wind was really strong out on the dunes and after several attempts by Max of light up the cigar with me and Erin as shields, we realized it was not gonna happend.

After crashing in the tent I wook up in the night by the sound of rakoons fooling around outside which was gonna be a coming event further south later on during the trip. Sleepy and with my tent full of sand I woke up in the morning and looked out from my tent. Very close to me a new tent was pitched during the night. Erin and Max was gone and were the Mexican guy had been sitting the night before and having dinner, two Canadian girls were now having there breakfast. I felt kind of confused and for a moment I wondered if someone moved my tent during the night. I put on some clothes and went over to the girls for a chat and it turned out they just arrived pretty late during the night. Candace and Vanessa had just started there trip the day before in Eugene and was gonna bike down the coast to San Franscisco.

I went back north the 3 miles into Florence for breakfast before going south and after a couple of hours or so, I catched up the girls in an uphill and started to bike with them. We stopped in Redsport for a coffe and snack break and Candace was gonne fill up air in her tire. On a servostation the guy there fills it up way to hard and after some miles me and Vanessa hear a "Bang" behind us. The tube exploded and left a 3 inch crack in the fairly old tire. I helped her fixing it by putting in a bit of cardboard inside the tire and with a new tube it hold up to North Bend were we could get over a bikeshop for a new tire.

Southern Oregon was filled with nice weather and amazing coastline and while getting closer to the State of California and the famous Redwood forest I also started to get very close to my 23 birthday. I noticed it some week ago while I was in some store in Norther Oregon bying beer. The lady in the store asked me for ID and said "Have a good birthday on saturday". My first thought were "what?" before I realized that it's actually only a week left:). I guess if I wouldn't by beer on many of the nights after biking, I would have forgotten my own birthday.

Coming over to California it was like a border for the good weather. Cold and foggy weather welcomed us and while stopping on a store along the road for a snack I got one of the funniest comments on my trip so far. Me and Vanessa was standing in the store ready to pay our stuff. The guy who works there smiles and ask us about the trip and were we started. Vanessa says she started in Washington and I say Alaska. the guy is looking at me with a confused smile and say "Alaska?, Is there a road from there to here?. I thought it was just wilderness" I laughed and said that "Yes, it's a lot of wilderness but there is actually a road in the middle of it:)". Both of us laughing we went out to the bikes to carry on. Nextcoming day we entered Crescent city were we bought wine and food for my birthdayparty at Mill Creek the same day:). Biking in Northerna California was a lot of passing through smalltown America and when we came to the tiny town of Smith River a fleamarket was going on. People were selling old shit from there garage, homemade stuff and some band were playing on the back of a truck for people who sitting and listening on haybales along the street. We heard some guy yelling across the street "Hey Bill, don't forget the lawnmover race in the weekend". we were in redneckcalifornia:). Vanessa asked me were I thought people in this kind of desolated town work and I answer, I don't think they do work :).

The coming days we were biking through the redwood forest which was an amazing experince. The trees there are just enormous. The weather was kinda foggy and damp in the first couple of days in the very far north in the state. In Californa we met up with Erin again who was biking on her own when Max had to go back home. The route took us further inland and the weather went from cold to really hot and we were consuming sunblock in the same amount as water. I was now biking with Erin from Chicago with Candece and Vanessa plus some biking crew from Texas just half a day behind us.

Coming in to Eureka me and Erin went over to the campground there were the guidebook advices bikers to stay in town. Neither of us liked it with the big RV:s, playgrounds and the genral bad location so we decided to bike in to town and se what we found there. Eureka is kind of a rough industrial town and asking a guy on the street for a cheap motel were we could stay he mentioned one but finished the sentence with "But I wouldn't stay there because someone got shot there last week". We found another place thou and headed of to the brewery in town before we went to have souther food on a soulfood restaurant and later, shanty's pub.

After totally missing out on the free breakfast on the motel we got a late start after noon and we had some good days of biking on our way down south in California. we meeting up with the other crew of Bicyclist on camp in Legget and the day after I decide to do a longer day than the rest of the team that felt done by noon. I carried on in misty weather and in Manchester I stopped for camp in a state park. Biking around looking for a spot I started to talk to Paul from southern CA and his wife Roberta. We had a long chat during the evening. The weather this day and the day after was really foggy and damp which made the biking kind of depressing. Your'e biking along the coast with the ocean maybe 60 feets from you but you can't see it.

Even if I been biking alot by my self up in Alaska, Yukon and BC it felt kinda lonely for the couple of days I was biking for my self on the coast. Rolling in to Bodega Bay the weather was clearing up a little bit and I meet Peter from southern California. We start to chat during the evening. During the days before I actually been wondering if I was gonna meet anyone hauling surfboards behind a pedalbike and here he was. With a remodeled babytrailer Peter had loaded the thing with 2 surfboards and his wetsuits. He started up in Mandacino and making his way home to Ojai. We decided to bike togheter down to San Franscisco.

During the night in Bodega Bay a couple of Canadian gys from Vancouver is rolling in to camp. I meet the guys during the day at lunchtime while they were trying to figure out a damage rim in some town. During the night in Bodega we once again woke up by the sound of rakoons messing around with the bags outside. I went out to scare them away and took in my bags in the tent. In the morning I woke up and the Canadian guys was really concerned. 2 of there panniers that had been on the table outside during the night were now gone with some clothes, food and most important, the passports. First we thought that if it would have been the rakonns we would have heard it so we thought they must have been stolen until we took a look in the bushes were we found them. The plastic bags were they had the passports were halfway but the passport were still intact so I guess they backed of when they realized they were Canadians :).

Me and Peter carried on the last couple of days down towards San Franscisco. Good times with beautiful weather, a lot of beerstops during the days on varius bars and the knowledge of soon being up to crossing the Golden Gate Bridge we were happy cyclists. The day crossing the Golden Gate were really beautiful but a local fog covered the bridge so the view from it could have been better. San Franscisco itself is a really nice town and I spent 3 days there until I started to bike south again towards Santa Cruz Were I was gonna visit Brenna I met in NZ last year. Gonna stay here a couple of more days before I doing my last 2 bikedays for the year up to San Fran again to met up Micke for our roadtrip out to Vegas and Grand Canyon.

The pitures to this text was posted in the last post a couple of days ago, enjoy :)

Take care everybody

Good times on the westcoast

2011-09-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

or something like that :)

Ducktape, the most important tool :)
Nice coastline

Entering California

Me and Vanessa from Vancouver biking in the redwoods northern California

Me and Erin from Chicago is having a good dinner at a burgerplace just before Legget

This is my friend Peter from southern California. We biked togheter for 3 days. He's hauling a babytrailer loaded with 2 surfboards down the coast:)

Alcatraz!

Me and Emily from Vancouver Island spend a day cruising around San franscisco

hanging out on the hostel. Candace and Vanessa from Vancouver I was biking with on some parts of the coast

It's always beer a' clock at the westcoast :)

2011-08-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!

Riding west coasts seems to be a never ending story of good times. I've been biking along the Oregon Coast for a few days now and the weather have been excellent and the scenery stunning. That combined with meeting a lot of other travelers and having good times with food and beers on the afternoons while camping doesn't make it worse.

Started out in Olympia last Friday, for the second time, and so far I managed to keep my wallet in my bags:). The Washington part was kind of uninteresting and for a good reason, brought up bad memories along the road down to Astoria. When I came down to Astoria I found out that they had the 200 year "birthday" of the town that weekend and , apparently, it's the oldest town west of Minneapolis. They were really happy about it while I was thinking that there are few buildings in Europe that are younger than that:).

However, after Astoria the scenery adds up and The way to travel on the westcoast is defenitely to stay on the "Hike and Biker" sites along the road. We are pretty much gangs that are touring down south in different kind of speeds but decides before heading out were to stay for next night. Biking on the day is kind of hard work and so far, harder work than mostly of the days along the Alcan. Really good scenery and after 5pm it's beer a ' clock and time for a swim in the freaking cold pacific ocean:).

A lot of people are warning about you have to be careful when camping because there are apparently plenty of cougars around. I don't know about that thou, the only cougars I've seen are the ones in the bars along the road, but, they can be pretty aggressive also :) .

Okey, time to head out to find a good camping for the night. Take care and hera are some nice pics just a couple of hours old :)

Market in Seattle

Fish market in Seattle

along HW 101

Nice and small town along the coastroad

On the night this gigantic crab showed up:)

Nice farm a little bit inland form the coast.

I don't know:)

Looks pretty warm to go for a swim but it's freaking cold

Me and my Mexican friend, who's name I could possible not spell going in to grab a beer at the Irish pub.

Supper's on the stove :)

Highway 101 Oregon coast!

At the harbor in Florence

On one of the lookout's along the road.

haha, noo, stuff like that does not happen to me.........yeah right!

2011-08-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

It have not been to many negative stories on this blog during it's existens. In fact, I think the last one was from meeting gaylord Chris in Pennsylvania last year. That was something neither me or Emil could do to much about except for, what we also did, leave the place. This one is based on pure stupidity and you better enjoy reading it, it's my most expensive one! It costed me 400 bucks in cash, 2 creditcards, 1 drivinglicens and a very nice photo I got from a girl in southern Yukon Territorys.

On Friday morning I said goodby to Katrin, Dave, Wyatt and Fiona and started to make my way out from the capital of the state they call the evergreen one. HW 8 takes me out from Olympia and the countryside of Washington and closer to the coast I been looking forward to for so long. I made a stop in Elma for lunch that Katrin packed for me and an hour or so later, another stop in Montesano just before the intersection to hw 107. The stop in Montesano turned out to be a big mistake when I pulled up in front of an ATM and did a withdrawal on 400 bucks.I carried on and arrived to hw 101 that goes south along the coast. The weather was kind of boring and just outside South Bend I stopped at a boatlaunch area to camp and eat my dinner consisting of a sandwich and a can of budweiser. A lot of people came buy during the night to pick up and put down there boats.

I woke up the next morning totally unaware it was gonna be a bad, really bad day for me. In gray and a little bit cold weather I set of with Astoria and the state of Oregon as goal for the day. The road wasn't that scenic yet and I passed through endless land of sloughs, forest and private property signs. Finally I arrived to the real coast and the town with the appropriate name, Seaview. I bought lunch and ate it outside the infocenter in town and also went in to pick up some maps there. After that I figured that I was gonna try to call the girls from Spokane that I met the day before Olympia and see how they were holding up. With a cup of coffee I got from the visitor centre in my left hand I was trying to get some quarters from my wallet with the other one. Instead of putting my coffe down I placed my wallet on top of the payphone outside Shell gasstation while I was searching for these god damn quarters in the djungel of coins. Several tunes went by before the answeringmachine kicked in. I hanged up and just when I did I heard a voice behind me

- Where are you going?

I started a conversation with this girl from northern california that went on for about 10 minutes before a through my cup in the rubbish, sorted my bags out and headed south towards Astoria totally unaware of that my second most important item after my passport is lying flashed up on top of the payphone.

Well in Astoria I thought it would be nice spending the night at a hostel and go out to night with all the other people you always met on hostels. Paying time and I just could not find my wallet and I could feel my heart pumping faster and faster. I realized it's not in my gear and running down to the infocenter to get over a phone to call the infocenter at seaview where I thought I forgot it. They haven't seen it thou so I figured I most have dropped it on the road. I starting to make my way back with bad words flying around me looking desperately on the other side the driveway. After a couple of miles I relized I made that phonecall and remember that it must be on the payphone. I started to bike as fast I possible could to arrive to seaview and found out it was gone probably a long time ago. I went into the gasstaion and asked but the haven't seen it. Neither the police have had someona handed it in or the infocenter. I got to borrow a computer at the infocenter to send mail to close the account asnd after that I started my 2 day trip back to olympia with 2 quarters in my pocket.

I was camping at south Bend where I left the same morning after a total 130 miles hard biking that day.Next coming day I creamed out the rest of the 70 miles to Olympia and arrived there on the Sunday afternoon. I went to the infocenter to ask where in town I could get hold of a computer but the library was closed and apparently no internetcafes in town. didn't matter to much anyway thou I didn't got a cent. I biked to Katrins and Daves house to hang out there to they was gonna get back on the evening the next day. I saw the neighbors on the the house a street over and went over there to tell them the story and if the see a guy around it's nothing strange.

when the night came I went to sleep in my tent on there backlawn and later on I woke up when a strong flashlight hit my face and a deep voice said

- Hello, can I have a word with you?

First I thought it was a neighbor but when I got closer to the guy on the other side of the fence I saw it was a policeman. I guess most of you seen the television show "Cops" and if there would have been a cameraman behind that police, I would have end up on TV thats fore sure:). I get out from the tent in just my shorts still a little bit confused over the guy with the flashlight. He ask me if I know the people and I told him It's my cousins place. I laughed and said

- so, some one called the police, haha

The policeman said

- hehe, not someone. several neighbors called in wondering over the guy who was tenting, hanging up clothes and took a shower in the hose in the garden

when I got closer to the fence and was standing and talked to him I, without thinking about it, put both my hands in my pockets. His hands made a quick move down towars his belt by the same time he said

-Take your hand out of your pockets!

I thought he was gonna take me with him to the policestation but he ended up very friendly and after showing him my bike and the gear and told him my story he was laughing about it and said, welcome to amerika:). Before he left he actually, which surprised me, asked if I needen something. I said I was sorted out till they would come back tomorrow. He took of while talking to the radio

- It was only a cousin, over :)

The next day I was just hanging out in the backyard except for a visit to the library. Katrin and her family came back around 5 pm. New cards are on the way to USA and I hopefully get them in a week or so.

Olympia - The Capital of Washington State

2011-08-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Arriving to Port Townsend after a short ferryride from Whidbey Island

Port Townsend

At the Potlatch State Park I met Britta and Annika. They are from Spokane, Washington and started there trip in Seattle to ride down to San Fransisco. We biked togheter half a day before we splitted up when they were heading out for the coast and I down to Olympia to visit Katrin and her family. Hopefully I get the chance to met up with the girls again along the HW 101

Smoko at the Intersection to HW 108:)

Entering Olympia which is the capital of Washington State. In the back you can see the highest peak in the state , Mt Rainer.

The highest building on the picture is the state Capitol

Katrin and her daughter Fiona during our tour through the harbor on the evening. Katrin and I are relatives and I guess it will end up in like second cousin or something like that.

Hey!

A couple of days before take of from Bellingham I was looking at the map over my planned route down south. I could barely see no more than a thick line of Interstate HW and big cities like Everett, Seattle and Tacoma covering the area on the east side of the pacific ocean. For a biker it just looked nasty and some miles west you got the Whidbey Island with beutiful countryside and the really nice couple Rev and Carol to stay with in the town of Oak Harbor.

The choice was kind of easy and after leaving The Drew family in Bellingham I headed out through town and entered the chuckanut drive that would take me along the scenic coast towards whidbey island. Beutiful weather made my day pleasent and the lunch Janet packed down in my bags filled me up more than well, thanks, the cake tasted even better a little bit melted:). Just when my Ipod started to play Zac Brown Band and the song "Highway 20 ride" I entered just hw 20 that goes all the way from eastern Washington and out to my destination, Oak Harbor. After arriving to Oak Harbor for like the 4th time in my life Rev and Carol takes me to dinner in town at one of the chinese restaurants.

In the morning they take me down to the ferry in Coupeville that took me over to Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula. I was expecting a 45 minutes ferryride but I barely had the time to eat one of the sandwiches Carol made me before it was time to step of again. with 100 miles to go to Olympia I decided to do half the distance that day and the rest the days after. It was a beutiful ride along the Hood Canal and after just an hour or so I came out on the HW 101 which is the road I'm gonna follow down the coast in a couple of days. Beutiful countryside, excellent weather and nice view over the mountains made the day very good and the t-shirt went of fairly quick to get some sunlight on my white nordic skin:).

By suppertime I stopped at a gasstation along the raod to buy a bottle opf wine I was gonna have to dinner later on and an hour later I pulled of at Potlatch State Park and decided to call it a day. Dinner was consumed with the company of Britta and Annika from Spokane, Washington. These two pretty girls started in Seattle the day before and were heading down to San Fransisco along the coast. We biked togheter for half next day before the took of west on hw 108 and I carried on south towards Olympia to visit Katrin and her family.

After a sunny day I arrived to Olympia which is a really nice town just on the south tip of the hood Canal and as far as the water from the pacific reach. Only staying here one night because they are going out camping in the morning and I gonna make my way out towards the coast.

Over and out

Edvin

Leaving Bellingham!

2011-08-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!

After about 10 days in Bellingham it's now time to move on and carry on south. Here are some picters from the stay at the Drew family.

I'll keep in touch from HW 101!

Nice evening along the coast outside Bellingham

Working with the concrete at Rogers house (Meshak's and Janets neighbor).

During the airshow out on Oak Harbor. If your'e a pilot, you better show it on your motorbike:)

F18:s on line!

Gabriel and Meshak!

Cool:)!

Kicking back in Bellingham, Washington, USA

2011-07-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!

After been sick for about ten days with a bad throat that didn't got better Janet took me to the Medical Clinic in town to get my throat sorted out. It turned out to be an sinus infection. After 3 minutes with doctor, a jar of pills and 200 dollars later I have had my first experience of healthcare in America. If I put it like this, it's a little more spendy over here:).

I finally start to get good again which feels excellent. I spending the days helping Meshak with some random jobs, playing with there kids Elijah, Brennan and Gabriel and consuming Janets excellent food:). On Saturday we are heading out on Oak Harbor to an airshow out there and the plan is to set of south on Monday again for another 1700 km of biking to San Francisco along HW 101 which I looking forward to.

Meshak's Motorcycle was something different from what I'm use to :)

Meshak with Gabriel, Elijah watching from the side.

Best of friends :)

It's not what it looks like :)

The afternoon in one of the parks in town. The ship on the picture is "Lady Washington" and was used as one of the ships in the movie Pirates of the Carribean. Beautiful sunset.

Backtracking across the mountains.......

2011-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Me and Rob is Bootskiing up at Lake O'hara

Howdy Folks!

Hope all is well with everybody. Sorry for, once again, poor updating on the blog the last weeks but I've been busy fooling around in western Canada:). Yesterday I crossed the border and arrived to Bellingham in the state of Washington. I'm staying with the Drew family that me and Emil met on the trip last year and problably gonna hang around here for a week or so. Here's the full story of traveling from the end of the Alaskan Canadian Highway. Epic times, enjoy:)!

Fort Nelson, Fort st. John and Grand prairie are all of them relatively big towns in Canada. You would think that after traveling for 3 weeks on the Alcan hw, It was nice to enter a decent sized city for a change. That was wrong thou. According to me this towns were not more than dirty industrilazed potholes in the middle of the oil ratrace that are going on up there. After a long day with biking southeast from Dawson Creek across the prarie I ended up in the town of Grande Prairie. As soon as I got into town I just felt for leaving it as I realized that the last couple of days a really missed the small loghousecomunitys I been passing by In Alaska and northern Canada. ahead of me waited hw 40 that would take me 340 km south to Hinton and Jasper NP. I knew that along this road there was one place to get hold of food and water, the township of Grand Cache in the middle. I had two options. the first one was to load a lot of water and spend a day extra on the hw. the other one where to take minimum amount of water and try to cream out the miles in a fairly high speed. I knew the scenery was gonna be really boring for the first half of the hw and the weather weren't to good either so I decided to go light. Right after the Grand prarie the sign shows up that says "No goods or services the next 173 km". I put up camp right after that and decided to carry on the day after and hopefully reach Grand Cache.

When I woke up in the morning it was drizzling and no wind to talk about. during my first miles I realized that there were no creeks along the road and further forward nowhere to refill any kind of drinkable water. I start to think that I probably underestimated the amount of water a little bit and realized that I definitely are gonna run out of it before I reach my goal. The distance itself was not a problem but combined with a serious headwind it made my day rough. Just a week or so before my start on HW 40 I met a Canadian guy from Grande Prarie. I heard before that that there was a lot of mining going on along the hw and I asked this guy about it.

- ooh no no, it's only just outside town and after that you'll be fine.

He just forgot that just 20 clicks north of Grande Prarie they are digging out half the range of the Rockies in a big coalmine which meant that I was sharing the road with big and heavy trucks and the shoulder was bad. With the wind punching me in the face and the level in the waterbottles going down I struggled along. With no speedometer on the bike and no signs of distance along the road I had bad idea how close I was to Grande Cache. In the distance I heard and saw nasty weather coming towards me and with this wind it was over me very fast. A thunderstorm made me park my bike towards a post along the road and the rain became heavier while I was putting on my full raingear. I thought for my self that if this is not over in ten minutes I'm gonna up the tent right here and call it a day. While I was standing there with the cold water from my hair running down my spine towards the pants, my hands and feets freezing cold and the water dripping down the cap just inches from my nose I felt pretty miserable. For a while I was thinking that this sucks but later on I started to think about what I done and experienced the last weeks for not talking about the last 8 months. Meeting the Enslow family in Alaska, seeing Denali, the people I met and the animals I seen. My grumpy face shifted to a smile because I knew the trip ahead down the parks and the coast was gonna be excellent. A wondered what people in the cars passing by thought about me standing there soaking wet in the middle of the thunderstorm with a big smile on my face.

The wind brought the thunderstorm northwest fairly quick and I continued my journey with the thoughts that it shouldn't be longer that 15 km to Grande Cache. By this stage I was all out of water and with no knowledge GC was about 50-60 km away. I carried on for a couple of hours a little bit annoyed over the lack of distance signs along the road. I reached the coalmine north of Grande Cache and thought, finally, end of the day. No sign of anything else than big trucks and a big dusty mudhole thou and right after I met another cyclist and I asked how far it was left. 25 km with a big hill to climb just before town. about 10km before town just in the bottom of the hill I felt really exhausted for biking 180 km in bad wind and short of water. Fortunately the town is the beginning of the mountains and from a small waterfall just along the road I filled up my waterbottles before I stepped of the Hw and put up my tent a little bit into a gravel road. Fall asleep like a baby.

The coming morning I walked up the hill to Grande Cache which is a really nice town on higher altitude and with a view with the mountains in the south. I parked up outside the grocerystore, went in to by 2 cinnamonbuns, a granolabar and a coke that I layed down with in a park outside. The trip later on on Hw 40 was more pleasant and a couple of days later when I arrived to Hinton I could see the mountains of Jasper National Park rising in the west. After leaving Hinton on the afternoon I decided to stay at at a campground just outside town. Leaving Hinton I could feel my rearwheel was starting to come loose again and I been tightening it up 2-3 times from Alaska. I pulled over on the evening at campground 50 km from Jasper. I met a really nice guy called Gary with his family there and he invited me over for BBQ and later on Brekkie the nextcoming day.

The coming days of biking on the Icefields parkway was just amazing. Fantastic weather combined with one of the most beautiful stretches of hw in the world made life pretty easy. The road goes in a valley and on both sides you got big jagged snowcapped mountains rising towards the blue sky. The lakes has an color hard to imagine and every ones in a while an animal you normally only see on a zoo passes the road in front of you. The first night I pulled over to camp at the campground Honeymoon Lake campground. I laughed and thought for myself that that would be the closest I ever get to a honeymoon :). well on sight I started to chat with an older guy on a mc on the campground on the side of mine. we had a long chat and it turned out that he had crosses the US different times with mc and pedalbike. after a long chat we came in to the subject climbing and I told him I used to climb a couple of years ago. He asked me if I knew about the climbingequipment "friends" and I said yes, I guess everybody who ever been in to climbing know about those. He said, well, I invented those, with a smile. It turned out I was camping with Ray Jardine www.rayjardine.com .

After spending 2,5 days on the Icefields I arrived to Lake Louise were I was gonna met up with Rob and Zoe to spend some time at Lake O'hara lodge www.lakeohara.com. I met Rob and Zoe down on the westcoast of New Zealand last year and when I told them I was gonna do this trip they invited me to the lodge. The place is just amazing with great people, Fantastic scenery and if your're into some kind of outdoor activity's, just perfect. I became extremely jealous and thought that it must be the perfect work:).

After a couple of days up there I said goodbye to my friends and headed of west with about 1000 km to the coast. I was planning on 2 days to Revelstoke. 70 km and less than 2 hours later I was in Golden, it was a lot of downhill going on to there. People told me about Rogers pass and that it was suppose to be a BIG climb. when I was thinking about that the step climbing probably gonna start in any minute I came to the Rogers Pass visitor center and the lady there told me that was the top. With downhill and flats pretty much all the way down to revelstoke I knocked of and put up my tent under a hw bridge just beside a river. The wheel started to become very bad and a lot of sound is going on there, ma plan was to take it to a bikeshop in Revelstoke the nextcoming day.

I arrived to Revelstoke in the morning. On the bikeshop they told me that hub, cones and berings is totallly worned out but with some uncommon measurement they had to order the stuff, which turned out after several phonecalls to other bikeshop along the road, was the same deal. deliverytime about a week. I hanged around in town for the day spending time at the library and tried to get hold of bikeshops along the road that might have the things but unseccesfully. I decided to stay in the town for the night at the backpackers and when we went out to the grizzlys which is one of the bars later on during the night I start to have a chat Al from NZ. He Was working on a farm in Saskatchewan and had 6 weeks of before the harvest. He was heading for whistler and later on Vancouver and I asked him if he could fit a bike in his car. Ooh yeah for sure, was the answer and next coming morning we headed of to Kelowna in Okanagan Valley. we spent 2 nights there and during the second one late on the night after way to much to drink we realized that the stampede is still going on in Calgary so the nextcoming morning we took a drive to calgary with a stop for one night in Banff before. Calgary Stampede is a enormous rodeo, country and western festival during 2 weeks every summer. we had shitloads of fun there but was suddenly kind of far away from our goal, Whistler.

A couple of days later we arrived to whistler with another stop in Revelstoke in between. The plan with whistler was to do downhill biking for a couple of days. After biking from alaska down to revelstoke in about 5 weeks and later on spent another week on the piss with an average of 3-4 hours of sleep every night my body told me he doesn't wanna do this anymore. Well in whistler I spent 3 days with a cold and a sore throat. when we left whistler Al dropped me of at the american border and a biked 20 km down to Bellingham on the american westcoast

Calgary Stampede

Halfway between Revelstoke and Whistler. dry and rugged landscape.

The town of Banff

Out on the prairie again making our way to Calgary

Hey there grizzlybear!

At Lake Ohara. Turn the picture upside down and it will still look the same :)

Me and Rob on our hike/climb/bootskiing afternoon

Lake Ohara lodge on the lefthandside of the lake

The very famous Lake Louise on a rainy day.

I know, it's a hard life but someone gotta live it :). the road below me on the picture is the same one I'm following, Icefields parkway!

Icefields parkway!

Columbia Icefields!

Town of Jasper

Gary with Family

A couple of days at Lake O'hara Lodge

2011-07-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

Rob and me is kicking back with a beer after Climbing/Hiking Mt shcaffer 2600m

Hinton, Alberta - Just a couple of clicks from Jasper NP

2011-07-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Here is a short message from Hinton , Alberta. got limited time on the computer on the infocenter and after answering a bunch of mails I aint got to much time to write here. Finished up my business with the alcan HW in Dawson Creek were also I also was on Canada day. Don't remember to much from that thou except for that biking the day after was kind of hard :). Biked down to Grand Prarie and later on I followed the kind of desolated HW 40 down to Hinton for 3 days. A stretch on about 330 km and the only thing along is the town of Grande Cache in the middle of it. Bad headwind all these days made me suffer but as the true swede I am I just pusched on :). I'm just outside Jasper NP and the coming days will be just amazing I guess with hard biking in the heart of the rockies but with views that will be worth die for.

Take Care and if you want me something I'm located somewere along the Icefields parkway ;)

Against the wind.....And Canada day 1 of July!

2011-06-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dead Moose along the road after Buckinghorse River

The Canadian guy who's mission was to remove the moose from the road

Break at the afternoon

My gear start to break down a bit into trip number 4

Beer, cinnamonrolls, peanutbutter and The Alaskan Candian HW start to put me into some kind of shape again. Here during the evening activity, killing mosquitos in the tent

Hey Buddys!

Heres a short Hi from Fort St. John. Just arrived here and been covering close to 400km during the past 3 days. good weather but a fair bit of headwind. Nothing else but forest to bike through and a gasstaion every 50-60 km makes the bike roll during long days. Planning to bike the 75 km to Dawson Creek tomorrow and dont think it could be any better day rolling in there while finish the last stretch of Alaskan HW on Canada day.

Over and out

Edvin

A Wild part of the world...........

2011-06-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

What ever you do mum, for god sake, don't read this :)

Howdy folks!

Close to 35 000 people call Yukon Territory's there home. 26 000 of these lives in the capital, Whitehorse. The second biggest town is Dawson city which was a very important town during the gold rush in the late 1800's. 2000 people lives in Dawson. On third place we got the town of Watson Lake were the last post on this blog came from. 1500 people are located there. My hometown back in sweden, Molnbo, is consider a ridicolously small place and it was fun think about that it would fit in as the third biggest place by population in Yukon :).

Important to mention thou, along the Alaskan highway, Watson Lake is a city. They got a real grocery store, rec center, motel, bank and, belive it or not, even a stoplight :).The town of Watson Lake could problably smell me long before I entered the town and I headed straight away to the visitor center. Except for that Watson is an important town for mining in the Yukon and north B.C, is also very well known in Northamerica for what they call the "Signpost forest". It started out during the beginning of the construction of the highway in 1942. I fella called Carl K Lindley from Danville, Illonois were apperantly homesick and put up a sign with his hometown and the distance to it. Ever since, people from all over the world bringing up signs to Watson Lake from there own places. Last year the impressiv collection reached over 70.000!! signs. It was really fun just cruising around for a couple of hours to se what kind of towns was represented there. I saw a lot of towns I passed through on the last years trip across the continent and it's cool to know it could be the same one I saw a year ago 1000 miles from here

My intention was to stay in Watson for the night and at the infocenter they told me about sauna and showers at the rec center for 3 bucks. I thought that sounded terrific cold as I were but well on sight the suana was turned of. I could have turned it on and taken a 45 min long shower but couldn't bother with that and ofcorse, it didn't feel enviromentally correct :). I skipped the sauna and in my clean and fancy jeans and t-shirt I headed for the library and my next mission, Internet. Today was problably the only time in my life I'm gonna be in Watson Lake and ofcorse they were installing new computers at the library so no internet for the people that day. After a little bit of smiling and to the pretty girl behind the desc she orgonized with a computer I could use for a couple of hours on the afternoon. I was thinking about staying at the campground in town but at 6 pm when I came there it looked very booring and pretty much no people were staying there so I decided for a little bit of biking and then freecamping along the raod instead. After about 10 minutes of biking it started, as so many times before in Canada, to rain. I pulled over at Lucky Lake rec area and put up my tent in one of the empty firepits. During the evening there a pickup pulled up and a couple with a dog came out and started to cook food in the other empty firepit. Sam and Karen invited me for pastadinner and we had a goog chat during the evening. they were from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territory's (Yes Bert, the same town as in "Ice-road Truckers" so if you dont wanna fish crab up in alaska you can start to drive that distance instead, sure they will give you a cup of coffe when you get up there :)). They were on a 2 week holiday down here and later on they drove in to Watson to stay at a motel, I went back to my well set up camp :).

In the morning I took of 8 am to be packed up before some park ranger would see me. It was very foggy but during the day it cleared up to the most beautiful weather and I tell you guys, after Watson Lake, the wildlife is just amazing:). I heard is was suppose to be a lot of Buffalo along the road further south but a lot of other animals was standing just along the road. this is no joke, since Watson to Fort Nelson I've seen about 8 blackbears, 1 brownbear, 1 Grizzly(!), about 40-50 Buffalos, stone sheeps, Caribou, moose's and more. The most amzing thing, they are in close distance, just a couple of meters ofroad. The Buffalos are just enormous animals and the first one I passed were standing on the lefthand side of the road. same with the first Blackbear. No one of them cared to much about me and before lunch I saw several more Buffalos.

After lunch I had two really exciting moments. I was biking along the road and were looking for a granola bar in my handlebar bag so I didn't really pay full attention to the road, even less, the ditch along it. Suddenly on the left hand side of the road in an slight angle forward this big bear steps out from the bush and is standing in the ditch just about 10 meters from me when I go by. I was extremely surprised about he bear and almost shit my pants because of the size of it. The other Black bear was an small one but this brown thing was big. I'm not an bear expert but I based on the size and the long nose I think it was a grizzly. another sign for grizzly is an humb behind they head but I werent' keen at all staying for a closer look. He didn't care to much about me except for just follow me with the look. After passing by I looked back and was reaching for the camera in my bag but the bear was gone long before I even opened the bag. I biked on for a couple of minutes and I could feel my eyes turned wet and my heart were on it's way up through my throut with the fastest heartbeat it ever been. I stopped to try to realized what I just seen and I felt really glad beeing out out here to see this animals but also a little bit scared with the knowledge a flat tire at that moment could be, fairly negative.

For the next 20 minutes of biking my heart was still pumping hard and my thoughts of the bear was interrupted when a man in a pick up coming from the other direction sopped and told me there were an agressiv blackbear just a couple of miles ahead of me. It had chased people into there cars at a restarea and putting his claws towards his door on the pick up. I grabed the bearspray in the bag and unlocked the safetysprint on it. Carefully and slowly I rolled forward and a couple of hundred meters ahead I saw the bear walking around in the ditch further up the road. I stopped and waited to see if it was gonna bugger of into the forest. after a minute or 2 it changed side of the road and I could see him no more. With the spray in my left hand I pushed up some high speed to pass the area as fats as possible, the bear was gone. During the rest of the day I saw another couple of fairly small blackbears along the road. The photos from the animals are pretty bad because on the pedalbike you don't want to stop if your'e not really sure your'e in a safe place. You never know if the animal decides it doens't like you so mostly of the pictures are taken from the bike.

At the end of the day I put up camp at coal river were I met an old fella on a motorbike from Vancouver area. A cool dude who had spent a lot of time in norther part of Canada and northwest territorys with some interesting bearsstories. He had a good little setup with a trailer he pulled after his MC and we had a chat during the evening. I went for a laydown in the tent and around 10.30 I woke up by the sound of and motorcycle. In the morning I deeply regret that I didn't bother about going out to see who it was putting up the tent just next to me. It was this beutiful canadian girl Emily from Ontario. she was heading north on her mc and we had a long chat in the morning. she had come up pretty much the same route me and emil biked over the northern plains last year. I aksed here wereabout in Ontario she were from and she answered Barrie. I thought Barrie.....Barrie, were do I remember Barrie from? I certainly heard about the town and suddenly, cling!. Aha I know :). Me and Emil was traveling through Barrie last year and why do I remember it? ofcorse, we had our first meal on Hooters there :).

We changed contactinfo before she took of north and I south. With beutiful weather I biked through the landscape of B.C and thought for my self, there's a reason they call it the with the slogan "B.C The best place on earth" . It took about 2 hours before I saw the first Buffalos for the day and later on a smaller brownbear along the road. I met Larry, a bicyclist from Vancouver, he was heading north and told me I will see 2 dozen of Buffalos just down the road. He was certainly right about that and just before Liard River Lodge this enormous animals was standing just along the road. I boiled up some pasta outside the lodge and a tourbus came up the driveway. Loaded with older people who later on was pretty much lined up for a chat and a photo of the Swedish guy :). It was pretty fun becuse When I told them I was heading for San Diego, it turned out half of them actually were from there :).

Later on a couple of bicyclist arrived. It was cladia and Cristian from Luxemburg who were going south also. We camped togheter at Liard River Hotsprings were you can take a bath in the 45 celsius warm water and later on we had a decent dinner consisting of Buffaloburger on the lodge, you know, trying to keep the heard of Buffalos down a little bit :). In the morning we set of togheter and bkied togheter mucho lake were the rain started to fall really heavy over us. They was gonna stay at the campground starwberry flats just 6 km after muncho lake but I was in for more biking in the beutiful weather. I was planning on staying at Toad river and ofcorse, about 30 minutes after leaving cristian and cladia, I was stuck in a really bad rain and headwind. In times like that I really appriciate the 10 years I put into Icehockey which mean in these conditions I enough power in the legs to put in the high gear and push on to next gasstation or shelter. This time next thing meant Toad river 60 km ahead and I tell ya, the weather was really windy and rainy all the way there :).I actually came up with a new rule for biking in Canada. - Never take your raingear of, if it's not raing at the moment, you can bu pretty sure it is juuust about to start :) . I arrived to Toad River and with no question at all I payed for the tentsite which meant a war shower and a shelter were I could cook my food. I was in the stage were you eat peunutbutter right from the jar :) and later on I had and excellent american dinner, Mac & cheese:). I met alot of fun people on the campground that I met at Liard River and had an excellent time there. On the evening we watched a moose swim across the lake and was standing to have supper along the shore. Later on Bryan and Rachel from Texas with there dog Hugo came to set up a tent next to me. we shared a bottle of wiskey and a couple of beers before I fell asleep like a baby in my tent.

In the morning I woke up and they had set of long before me. I was extremely slow and it took me a couple of hours to get orgonized. Today I was gonna go through summit pass which is the highest piont on the alaskan highway. after an hour or two of biking my head was pumping harder than my legs and I was seriosly considering settle down with my tent just along the road for a week or two. I collected my power thou and on the way up to summit lake the scenery blowed away the pain in my head and I could for sure feel my legs more now:). Stone sheeps were all over the place on the way up. after a nice downhill I stopped at Tetsa river lodge for lunch. I bought a cinnamon bun and a coke and took a 1,5 hour long laydown on the grass. Today was actually the first day in Cnada it didn't rain on the whole day and on the evening I put up my tent just along the road.

Between Tetsa river and F Nelson there was nothing thou, not evene a creek with decent water. When I woke up Today I had 60 km to go to F Nelson and no water or food. The headwind was fairly strong and later on rain started to fall. With about 30 km to go I felt extremely week and couldn't even bike up the smallest hills. I was actually considering putting out my thump and hitch the last stretch but put my sense togheter and thought for my self that I could suffer a little after that bad planning in the watersupplies. With 20 km to go I was really thirsty and tired. Suddenly I saw a car with the trunk open standing along the road in the distance. When I got closer a couple of ladies smiled and asked me if I needed water. Hehe it's funny how things works out. apparenlty they had a triathlon in nelson thata morning and they were the turn around piont for the bikes :). I lowered down 1,5 liter right away and after 10 km more there were another watersupplie table :). I started to met the athletes coming in the other direction and I realised I had ended up in the lead of the biking :). With alot of new power from the water I started to push on harder on the bike and people were cheering along the road:). When I got down to town I was the first bike in but when the other athletes left there bike for the run I parked up outside Subway :).

Nice Camp outside Watson Lake :)

Beutiful scenery in the north rockies

This buddy was Big! Buffalo

Yepp, brakes are OK!

Buffalo!!

Along the road

Cute little thing, wonder if mama is looking angry on me from the bushes

Home sweet home!

Muncho Lake

My friends Claudia and Cristian from Luxemburg

The agressive Blackbear!

Northern Rockies!

American dinner, Mac & cheese, Beutiful :)

at Toad River we wtched this young fella had supper in the lake

Early morning before the traffic hit the road

Stone sheep at Summit Pass

Caribou close to summit Lake

Yepp, another of the blacks!

Hey Buddy, how is it going up there?

Okey kids, look both right and left before c
rossing the road.

"Sign Post Forest" in Watson Lake. Total of 70.000 signs from all over, mostly northamerica.

Watson Lake, Canada - Part 2 of the last post

2011-06-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

In Dot lake we decided to stop for lunch while it was pissing down above us. When we arrived we saw a single loghouse along the road with the sign "Postoffice". I knocked gently on the sidedoor because we werent sure if it really was a postoffice, it looked like a privite cabin. Tim, a man in his 60, opened the door and he toold us it was his house but he operated a small corner of it as a postoffice. Really nice man who let us having our lunch under the roof outside. He joined us while he smoked his pipe and told us stories about bear and moosehunting in the area. He told us, if you kill a moose up here you need to be able to pull the whole thing out right away. If you need to get back to organize with transport or so someone have to stay back and guard the moose with an fire arm. otherwise you can be sure a grizzly is eating on it when you get back. He told us that the grizzlys makes pretty good neighbors but the blackbears cause some trouble. One day he was out bluyeberrypicking on an area were they get heaps of berries. He was picking on a section with his firearm laying against a tree a couple of meters away. On the other side of the tractorpath a grizzly was eating his part of the berries, welll aware of each other. Suddenly the bear decides that the berries were much better on Tim side and he told us he didn't argue with him, he let him have the berries :). Before we took of he said they have had some trouble with a blackbear in the village the last couple of nights. When we took of we wondered, what village?, because we didn't se a single house :).

On the afternoon we arrived to Tok and headed straight away to the infocenter and later on Fast Eddies for a pizza and a Alaska Amber (beer). The girl wnated to give us a doggybag right away but we told here we aint gonna need that :). Later on we camped at the recreational area Tok River were we also took a restday . We meet Terry and Judie who was from Langley outside Vancouver and had a nice chat with them during the evening about traveling, ishockey and more.

From Tok we took of with the intention to stop in Tetlin for a smoko. As so many times before a dot on the map was nothing except for a couple of old loghouses. We did pretty well during the day with good weather and better winds . Lunch was consumed at a restarea with a great view over the Alaskan landscape. By the Time we arrived to Northway Junction it was time for a smoko. Northway J is an gasstation/giftshop/store runned by a couple of native canadian womens. When I enetered the building the first thing the lady said was

- "sorry, waterpump is broken so the showers dont work"

I looked behind me to se if she was talking to somebody else but there were noone there. apparently I looked like I needed a shower:).

- I aint after a shower, just a coke and a sit down :)

I love the signs they got in small countrystores like this. on the desc a note were saying
"Water is not working so coffemachin is out of business, maybee works another day"

Later on we continued and stopped for dinner at the porch to the closed visitor cenetr in tetlin national refuge. After a feed we realized that we only had 10 km to the canadian border and decided to take a bikeride to Canada during the evening and did so while OOH CANADA ecoing between the trees. The border control must have wonder what a hell is this, are we gonna let them in :). We sleept the firts night in Canada on some random hill along the road,you know, as you do:).

Next coming morning it was pissing down and we weren't extremely tempted for biking. Dressed in raingear we packed up our stuff while we also blessed the rain that kept the mosquitos away. During the night a puncture in Daves tire had let the air out so the first thing we had to do were to deal with that. I did the sanding and patching under my opened rainjacket while Dave handed me the stuff. With bad roads Dave got another couple of flats and by the time we rolled in to Beaver Creek we were, yeah guess what, soaked :). The day came to a sudden change there thou. weather cleared up and on the visitor centre they had they "Public service appriciation week" which meant BBQ and cake for all the visitors :).

The scenery after Beaver Creek start to get really nice with big jagged snowcapped mountaines. We found a spot along the river were we decided to camp for the night. Before dinner Dave had a wash in the river. I decided I couldn't bother with it and its only been 7 days since my last shower so it's not that bad yet :). Today we actually saw our first bear along the road. Since I started biking with Dave I have had a little bit of fun, but also, alittle bit concerned over his, what to say, soft attitude to put away food from the camp. I thought that after the sight of the bear today he was gonna be alittle bit more fuzzy about it. After the dinner I said

- Hey Dave, I'm gonna put up my foodbag in a tree, do you want me to take our?
- No worries mate, I got that sorted. came from a reading Aussie in his tent

I looked around and on an 2 meter hi post 30 meters from the tents, Daves Bag was hanging. If I would have walked under the post I would have hit the bag with my noose :). I laughed for my self and thought that it at leats keept it away from the tents :). Later on we joked that he problably is more use to koala bears.

The day after we continued our journey through beutiful scenery. after a long day with headwind we arrived to Burwash Landing at 5 pm. On the radio at the gasstation we heard that the last game of the stanley cup was just about to start so we headed down to the motel for a meal and to look at the game netween Boston and Vancouver. Guess we couldn't find a betetr place for watching the game than in a bar in Canada. During the game the place fills up with truckdrivers, travelers and locals that want to watch the game.....

The owner of the bar, an old fella called "Burwash Ollie" really hated the Vancouver team and for some reason, the whole BC. The tables around quickly filled up with beerbottles. A guy came in during the game and told Ollie that the dieselpump didn't work. His answer were pretty much. "fill up somewere else, we're wtaching hockey here":). During the game he always made his comments about the "Sedin sisters" as he called them which, according to him, was the biggest wankers the world ever seen. I said to him with a smile that was the swedes the team were built around.

"Bah, bullshit!they are pussys. On time they put a couple of eggs in there pants during a game and after, the eggs were intact"

I couldn'r argue with him anymore when the score was 3 to nothing for Boston. After the game we took of to the bar in Destruction Bay with a couple of native canadian womens.

Hangover and miserable we woke up in the motel in Burwash landing. After close to 2 weeks in the tent with my thin madress my first thought was, were the hell am I, is this a clean bed?. After a while I understood that I actually paid for it in my unsober condition the night before. Well, it's only stanley cup one time a year:).

We took of in the really strong headwind and it took us forever just to reach Destruction Bay 16 km south east. I stopped and waited for Dave

- What do you reckon mate, smoko?

I didnt't have to convince him to a break. After 2 fairly easy weeks from Anchorage we suddenly realized we were on pushbikes. The wind were close to that stage were you just pull over to wait it out and so we did at 4 a clock for a pestopasta a la Dave and a powernap. We continued after a while and put up Camp in a downhill 20 km before Haines Junction. In the morning the downhill showed up to take us pretty much all the way down to Haines J . 50 meters in front of us a doglooking animal crossed the road. we're not sure if it was a wolf or a coyote. felt a little bit to small to be a wolf but at the same time to big be a coyote. On arrival to haines we had breakfast outside the generalstore were I said goodby to my australian friend who was leaving for the ferry to Vancouver Island.

I decided to countinue towwards Whitehorse during the day and with amzing winds and slightly downhill on big stretches I reached Whitehorse the smae day after 180 km of biking. some days you're just able to cream it out:) I met heaps of bicyclists along the road, all of them heading north thou. Jeff from North Carolina, 2 swiss guys and a couple from Vancouver Island. They siad a lot of people are heading south on the alcan by bicycle and apparentley the closest one down the road are a guy from Taiwan whos heading for San Fransisco. So don't be surprised if next post is about how life is holding up for team Sweden/Taiwan along the Alcan :). In Whitehorse I checked in on Robert Service Campground and had a fun night by the campfire with some people from Vancouver.

In the morning I packed up my stuff and headed down to the library along the Yukon River. My plan was to do a long post on the blog but, as you notice, an hour is not enough if you got a lot to write. I criused along the streets of whitehorse for a couple of hours and looked in some stores and more before I took of. The day went fairly quick and not to much happened, could be because I only passed one gasstation in Jakes corner, otherwise, just me and the rolling hills through Yukons forest. I stopped and made camp just by a lake. The thing with the biking up here is to take a lot of short brakes during the day. if you take a longer one you have to put up the tent because the mosquitos will start eat on you pretty quick. I dressed to other clothes and put up my tent while I was doing some kind of dance to wave the small bastards away. I through in my bags in the tent and had a lay down for some music and reading. At midnight I woke up amazed that I couldn't see the time on my wristclock that I attached it the roof in the tent. It's finally getting alittle bit darker :). I had a problem thou. The only thing I could hear was the sound of mosquitos outside and I had to take care of some business that could impossible be done from inside the tent. After setting guiness wolrd record on doing numero dos I was back in the tent and didn't have to leave the sack until morning :).

I woke up by the sound of heavy rain. I didn't know about it then but that rain was gonna be constant for a couple of days. It's only one thing to do, specially when your'e 60 km from closest anything, dress up and try to get the heat up on the bike. I decided that Teslin was gonna be my lunchstop and totally soaked I arrived there and bought 2 slices of pizza and a mt dew on the general store. oh, actually, a cheesecake size a la America went through my throat also :).

I can definetely tell the amount of wildlife is starting to add up. Blackbears are crossing the raod in the same intervals I eat peanutbutter sandwiches, which is, pretty often. After Teslin I met a nice couple on bikes that were heading north. They had seen 25 (!) bears along the Cassier HW. By suppertime I met this dude, Steve from Utah, who was going towards Fairbanks. We had a good chat for half an hour and he told me he seen a , what he called it, gigantic grizzly sneaking in the bushes along the road just before he met me. A RV came and the bear buggered of.

The rain hanged in all evening and night and I crashed in the tent behind a hill somewere along the road. By morning the rain was really strong and a lot of my gear, wet. . I remember what Dave said:

"If my gear is not good enough for the weather, I shouldn't be out there. I should check in on Starbucks"

Well mate, I would love to do that, but, there aint no Starbucks around :)

I biked 3 hours in puring rain till I came to a truckstop and took a break for early lunch to hope the rain was gonna go down a little bit. I talked to the Canadians on the other table and they said the forecast was rain and drizzle to friday. With a smile I said fantastic, whats today?

-"Monday, sir"

F#ck :)

After kind of a long break I actually got a 30 minutes break in the rain until someone up there started to piss on me again. I plugged in some Luke Bryan and the song "Rain is a good thing" on my Ipod and put my head down in the tarmac :). Youtube the song, it's really good, Emil know what I'm talking about:).

On late afternoon it stopped raining and I had beutiful biking on the rolling hills of the Alcan HW. I met Sebastian and Julie who was a young couple from Vancouver Island heading north towards whitehorse. later on I find a good plave to put up my tent at Big Creek. I met a german couple and the old man there splitted up some firewood fore me and later on an estonian couple came by and suddenly I had a smoked salmon sandwich in my left hand, a cider in the right one and a beer in my pocket, people are nice :). In the middle of the night I woke up by the sound of........hehe yeah, rain :).

I started out pretty early to get the 60 km to Watson lake which would be the destionation for the day. Just a slighly bit of drizzly on the way there which wasn't bad at all. I decided I was gonna stay on the campground there to try to get my clothes in some kind of laundry, it's start to get a little bit bad actuallt specially when the are both wet and the smell from campfire :). When I arrived I saw an old fella with a small camper van. on the back of it he had a small sticker with the Swedish flag on an I asked were he was from. It was Hans Larsson who moved here 1957 and we had an intresting conversation in swenglish.

"Hello, my name ar Hans. Jag er from Colorado but are on semester her uppe right now" something like that

I realized that at the moment I putting my sentences togheter way better in english than in Swedish :)

Thats all from Watson Lake. Hopefully you will hear more from Dawson Creek 1000 km southeast from here

Over and out

Grizzlyman

Oh Canada..... - Kicking back in Whitehorse, Yukon Territorys, Canada

2011-06-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

After biking approximately 300 miles from Anchorage, the biggest city in Alaska, or, as they say up here, Alaska’s biggest village, me Rob and Dave arrived to Fairbanks. Fairbanks is the second biggest town and is home for about 35000 residents. It was a funny feeling knowing that except from Juneau in the south there’s pretty much only tiny villages in the state, a lot of them, only access by flight. We decided to check in on Go north hostel in town were we slept in a tepee. After a shower and a cup of coffee we cruised down to town for a visit at the library and the visitor centre. Apparently, Fairbanks have the biggest extremes in the weather up here with warm, well, fairly warm summers and I guess, shitcould winters. Later on me and Dave decided to take a bike ride to Fred Mayers to get some dinner for the night and with no idea about it, Fairbanks was going to be the place for our firsta Alaskan BBQ. Dave was finished whit his shopping and waited outside while I was lost in the endless floors of fred Mayers looking for powder milk. When I finally made my way out swearing over big supermarkets and fat ladies with coupons he had hooked us up for BBQ for the night after a chat with Sarah that lives in town. Dave went in for a bear and meat mission while I recovered outside. Later on we took of to Sarah’s place and had a great time with her and her buddies.

On the following day we decided to start our journey down south and did so around lunchtime. Dave’s plan is to bike down to Haines and catch the ferry there to Bellingham or Vancouver while mine is, as always not in concrete, to follow the alcan down to Dawson Creek and later on Jasper and Banff NP where I’m going to visit Rob and Zoe that I met in NZ last year. After that some road will take me to Bellingham on the American west coast.

When we left Fairbanks rain was in the air and we hit a slightly bit of drizzle heading out of town. We have been kinda lucky with the roads and winds so far up here and covered a lot of distance in a short period of time without to much effort put into it. The first stop on the way south was North Pole and Santa’s house which is a shopping center with x-mas all year around. Dave sended some postcards before we continued on the fairly heavy trafficked road. We passed an American airforce base and I took some photos. 2 minutes later a police pulled up behind us and a deep voice said

“Sir, you can not take pictures here”

- Sorry dude, didn’t know about that

“Can you please come over here and delete theme for me”

- for sure

That was good, I was just going to send them to Usama Bin Ladens brother . We looked at the map and decided Richardson will be our next stop . The miles went by and when we finally run out of both water and energy we were very surprised we hadn’t reached Richardsson yet and start to expect it didn’t exist. A pick up pull up on the truckstop and we asked the guy if he saw the town when he came from the other direction. It was confirmed. There aint no Richardsson. The lady in the passanger seat asked me after my first sentence.

“you are Swedeish aren’t you?”

It showed up she was from Halmstad but moved to Las Vegas 15 years ago. I guess she guessed my Heritage based on the accent and maybe a little bit by the blond hair . We continued down the road for a wee bit and put up our tent by the river and fell asleep to the sound of 2 beavers fooling around in the water.

In the morning we continued and in Big Delta we got our first glimpse of the trans Alaskan pipeline that takes the oil from Prudhoe Bay in the far north to Valdez in the south. We arrived to Delta Junction and the start of the famous Al can HW which is and 1422 mile long stretch down to Dawson Creek in BC. It was constructed 1942 with the purpose to connect Alaska with the lower 48. 12000 men were working from both ends of the road for 6 months and it served first fro military viechles but opened up for crazy bicyclist in 1948.

We stopped in Delta Junction for a visit at the library and later on a beautiful lunch. I introduced Dave for Baked Bean chippie sandwich or as they also called, Swedish hamburgers. The meal was developed in the vast land of Riwaka Valley, NZ and is perfect for hardworking activities were you don’s want to spend more than 3 minutes on cooking . Our first stretch on the alcan was excellent with good weather and sight of moose’s along the road.

The Destination the day after became Tok. I remember talking about Tok with Paul up in Anchorage the day before I set of. He explained that the people in Tok may be alittle bit “funny”. I explained that Tok in Swedish is the same name for maniac. He laughed and said: Well, how appropriate . To Tok we had 70 sonme miles to go with Dot Lake as only spot on the map in between.

Sorry, thats part one, didnt got more internet time

Delta Junction, Alaska - Entering the Alcan HW

2011-06-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Me and Croc Dundee (Dave, The Australian bicyclist I met along the road) are in Delta Junction and gonna enter the Alcan HW very soon that will take us 1422 miles down to Dawson Creek in Canada. Biking holding up very well and with fairly flat roads and tailwind we're covering long distances every day. On the sign it says end of the Alcan HW because were actually starting from the "wrong" way.

Take care guys and you'll hear from me in Canada.

Cheers big ears!

Fairbanks, Alaska - It's all south from here.....

2011-06-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

5 days ago I left the Enslow family in Anchorage and headed north towards the town of Fairbanks which me, the Englishmen Rob and the Aussie guy Dave entered a couple of hours ago. I met them this morning and we have been biking togheter for the day. Rob is heading north towards Prudhoe Bay while me and Dave is gonna go south from here towards the Alcan HW and the Canadian border. We found an nice Backpackers in Fairbanks were we are staying in a tepee with thousands of mosquitoes :). The journey from Anchorage has been really nice and I have passed through some incredible scenery with Denali NP on my left hand side the Parks HW. The mountain Mt.Mckinley it's just an majestic view from the HW and I've been very lucky with the weather. On a viewpoint I met a guy who said "
-" well, I guess we're in the 30 % club"
- I said, what do you mean?
- "You know man, only 30 percent of the people who goes to Alaska actually get to see the mountain"

The biking is holding up well and it's pretty easy so far with a lot of tailwind and pretty flat. Have cover a lot of distance in 5 days. It's not to much else to do than just biking and enjoying the scenery and the people I meet along the road. the distances between the places are pretty long.

Like I said, tomorrow I'm starting to make my way south towards the Canadian border and later on the Lower 48 as they say up here. Haven's seen any bears so far but I expect I will see some along the road sometime. Have seen 4 moose's and the ones on the pictures are just outside the small town of Nenana yesterday. I stopped along the road and we were staniding and looking on each other for about 10 minutes before she buggered of with the young fella.

Well, gonna cruise away and buy some food for tonights dinner with the guys. Take care people!

Edvin

2011-06-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

Here's a really short Hi from Alaska. Left the Enslow family 3 days ago and travelling north on Parks HW towards Fairbanks. Met a trvelbuddy already. His name is Mr Mckinley and we are keeping each other company up north :). LOnger post will come from Fairbanks.

Take care guys

Me and the Enslow guys Nathan, Don and Patrick. Just before I left Anchorage

On my way......

2011-05-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

A picture is worth more than thousand words........

Tuesday morning in Pokeno

2011-05-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning in Pokeno. Putting rings around the tailes on the lambs so they will drop them off after a while

Talking about bears.......

2011-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

G'day
It's good that a lot of people helping me out with information about the places I'm going to. My friends Janet and Meshak who lives in Bellingham on the American westcoast are keeping me updated about the latest news about bears. For those who may not know, scat is the word for animalshit.
Thanks guys =)!

"Alaska Park Rangers are advising hikers to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise wearing little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them, which might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper."

Lambing and pruning in Pokeno

2011-05-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hey There!

I have been up to Pokeno for 3 days now. Been working with Pruning on Ken and Tricias vineyard together with Andrew from NZ and Joy from Ohio. We are also in the middle of the lambing and this mornig we got 2 new young fellas after a bit of struggle to get them out.

Cheers big ears!

Well, life on tha farm is kinda laid back..........

2011-05-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

G'day mates!

Hope all is well with everybody and congratulations to everybody in the northern hemisphere, summer finally kicked in :). Weather in NZ starts to get colder now when winter is coming up and it's been pissing down all over the country pretty much every day since beginning of may. The temperatures are not to bad yet thou, around 15 on the days and down to about 8 on the nights.

About half a year ago, just a week after my arrival in NZ, I met Brenna from California on a campground in Turangi just south of lake Taupo. After a chat on the evening and a day of biking the day after we decided to travel togheter for a while becuse both of us were heading down south to the ferry in Wellington over the ditch to the south island. We started out west from there towards Tamaruni and "The Forgotten World HW" that was leading us through spectacular scenery to the town of Stratford and the Taranaki area. By sunset with an strong headwind we entered Stratford and decided to keep on south to the outskirts of the town before start looking for somewhere to stay for the night. Just before Eltham on HW 3 we pulled up on the driveway to a house along the road and knocked on the door to ask if we could pitch our tent somewhere on the endless green fields around. Russel and Karen Joblin togheter with a big part of there family where gathered in the house that evening and they didn't saw any point in us putting up our tent when we could come in and have a feed and sleep in the livingroom :). We stayed with them on there dairyfarm for a couple of days before we continued our journey south. Just before we left the place in mid-november Russel said "If your'e traveling this way on your way up north again, your'e more than welcome to visit us again". I keept that in mind and half a year later I sent and email to the nice family and asked if I could visit them again and experience more about diaryfarming.

In late april I left the small village of Pokeno 50 km south of Auckland and headed south on my pushbike with the intention to visit the Joblin family for a couple of weeks. I started out on HW 1 which just transportation down to intersection to HW 39. The weather was good and I enjoyed being on the move again after a week of sickness up in Pokeno. I passed Towns like Huntly, Ngaruawahia and Ngahinapuiri before I came to Pirongia were I decided to stay for the night. It was still kind of early but I'd covered a good distance so I bought some food on 4 square and sat down on a bench outside to firestation which was located in the middle of the town. As I had my lunch I was looking around for some place I would be able to put up the tent and there was a small sheltered area behind the town Hall just beside the firestation were I thought would be prefect.

I was just about to finish the coke I bought and go for a lay down on the lawn in the playground when a pick up pulled up at the firestation. I thought that I might as well ask the guy if a could put up the tent on the property of the fire brigade and maybe save me some trouble if some one would question my choice of place to crash. I introduced myself to the guy whos name was Bill. He said, fore sure, but your'e very welcome to stay on my farm togheter with my wife and my three sons. Couldn't say no to that and we through up the bike on the back of the car. They had a spare room, actually, a spare little house were I could crasch. On the night me, Bill and his three sons who also was working on the farm had a good chat and a couple of beers.

The following day I continue my journey down south and after another 2 days of biking I reach the decent sized city of New Plymouth. Liked the town by the time I entered it and after cruising around in the towncenter for a while I found a backpacker in the middle of the town were I decided to stay for the night. I met Maicon, Fabio and Daimon from Brazil at the backpackers and togheter with a bunch of kiwi-girls from Wellington we had some drinks before we headed down on the town.

On late Sunday morning, actually more by lunchtime, I started to bike my approxomately 50 km towards Eltham. The terrain was mostly very flat whit an amazing wiew over Mt. Taranaki that stands up like from nowhere in the middle of otherwise flat grassfields. Arrived to Joblins after a couple of hours of biking and it was really nice to se everybody again after 6 months. Have been here for 3 weeks now and got to experience some of the works on a dairyfarm which been really fun and interesting. Exept from the farm the family also have a stockcar racing team called Joblin Motorsport were the three sons Simon, Scott and Adam are competing and also are some of the best drivers in New Zealand. This weekend I got to follow to a stockcarmeeting to see some races wich was really fun. check out there website at http://www.joblinmotorsport.co.nz/

Early morning, getting ready for milking

Looking for some specific cows that lost there numbertag

Racing during the weekend. Russell in the back, Simon and Scott leaning against his stockcar

Wiew over a part of the big dairyfarm

Simon and Scotts 2 - year old son Boston in the truck that brings the stockcars to the meetings

Russell is getting ready for race.

On wednesday it's time to head of north again up towards Auckland. Russell and another farmer from the area called Keith is gonna drive me up there. This will be the last post on the blog from New Zealand and next time you'll hear from me will be in about 2 weeks when I've arrived in Alaska for next trip down south through Alaska, Yukon, BC and down to the lower 48 were I can look forward to roads like this. Cheers mates!

Alaska - 35 days to go

2011-04-25T00:31:00.000-07:00

You can now get an email when a new post is published on the blog. Put your email in the square to the right and press submit :)

G'day mates!

After 1,5 months with no new post at all on the blog you now get two of them in just a couple of days. Becuse of my bad throat I'm not able to do to much except spending some qualitytime with the computer:).

A lot of people asking what the plans with the next trip are so I thought I might as well write a little bit about the what the actually plans are.

1 of june I'm leaving the country of New Zealand and catching the flight from Auckland to Los Angeles and later on an domestic flight up to Anchorage in Alaska. I'll start pedal my bike in Alaska up north towards Fairbanks and later on follow the AL-CAN HW south through Yukon Territorys, British Columbia in Canada and end up on the American westcoast in Bellingham. Yes, the trip will go through Banff and Jasper NP. From Bellingham the plan is to pretty much follow the American westcoast down to San Diego just before the Mexican border.

Thats pretty much as far as I planned and what I'm up to after San diego will be decided by the time I'm cruising down the highways in the state of California. The map above is roughly the route I'm gonna take.The distance from Anchorage to San Diego with a couple of detours and so will problably end up around 7000 km.

Good on ya mates

Edvin

Greetings from mighty Pokeno

2011-04-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Olive harvesting in Pokeno. Later on we took of to Albany to get the 60kg of olives pressed.

Hey Everybody!

Hope all is well with everybody. Sorry for really poor updating on the blog the last month but been kind of busy just cruising around :). Have been moving on for pretty much the last month and heres short travelstory from life on the kiwi-roads. enjoy!

Left the town of Motueka and Riwaka Valley a
month ago. Felt kind of done with the apples down there and decided to move on after a total time of about 8 weeks there and about 6 of picking. More than a month on the same place and I start to get bored and have to move on again. I packed my stuff and headed of to Nelson and later on Picton to catch the ferry "over the ditch" to Wellington as they say down here. The biking up to Picton was kind of uninteresting becuse I done that stretch like 3 times already.

I arrived to Wellington wich I guess most of you know is the capital of New Zealand. Really nice city located on the southern tip of the north Island. I would refer to it as an tiny Vancouver. I stayed one night in the city with two american ladies I stayed with on the way down south. The next coming day, I continued my journey northeast towards Hastings and Napier. The first day after leaving Wellington was, as always expected after getting out from a big city, really boring. First the problem with finding the right roads through the suburbs when you cant bike on the motorway. A never ending story of jumping down and up on sidewalks, stopping for red lights and looking on the map 75 times during 2 minutes. Just not that good but something you have to deal with.

On my way northeast towards Palmerston North I hit kind of nasty weather. During on of the nights I came to the town of Shannon which is a tiny town about 30km before PN. I had nowere to sleep for the night and I was running out of daylight.There was no backpackers or camping in town either but I found the rugbystadium in the middle of the town and thought it would be perfect to spend the night under the roof there. when I had my dinner it was getting darker and the lights was turned on on the whole arena wich resulted in that it was a bad idea to stay there during the night. I moved on and along the street I met Bryan who invited me in to his and his wifes house for dinner a nice chat and later on good sleep in a decent bed.

My travel continued the following day towards hastings for a couple of days and I had to admit it didnt happend to much. The weather was bad and the scenery uninteresting when I passed through towns like Dannevirke and Norsewood. Slept in kind of funny places thou. Found a playground on a schoolyard outside Dannevirke where i sleept in some kind of small house there when the rain was puring down outside.

I reached Hastings later on and decided to pick some more apples there for a while. It was sunday and I cruised around the town for a while before I found the A1 backpackers were i decided to stay. I told the lady who had the business that I was looking for applepick work and she made a phonecall to some ray and after 2 minutes I got work. Had a great time in Hastings and met a lot of funny people but after the third day of picking I got some trouble with my ankle wich kept me away from the work. Stayed there the rest of the week anyway becuse I payed for it and spended the days drinking piss and did ocasionally visits on the internetcafe.

After Hastings I took of with the intention to travel out on the eastcape wich I did and I had the best of times between Gisborne and Mt Manganui. When I was on the south island my ipod got destroyed in the rain in Invercargill so pretty much what I can do to entertain my self on the bike is singing. It doesn't sound good at all and a lot of times I think for my self, ooh man, you have to stop doing that:). I was getting closer to the town of Tolaga bay northeast of Gisborne. The scenery was amazing and I was sitting on my bike just enjoying my time and of course sang some johnny cash lyrics. From nowhere this Maori guy named Ihi showed up behind me on a roadbike with the biggest smile I ever seen and asked "How's it going there, got a good voice:)". I never felt so stupid but dropped it after few seconds and we cruised togheter in to Tolaga bay where he lived with his family. He and his friend Tanga invited me for surfing at lunchtime and on the night we went spotlighthunting on the back of there pick up on some gravel roads in the froest outside town, great fun and of course, illegal:). We got a venison.

The day after in Tokomaru bay I met great people at the backpackers "Brians Place". The swedish girl Kira who was working there and the swdish guy fredrik who was staying there, well, he was from skane but lets consider him swedish anyway:). I also met this german chic called Andi and a swiss chic called Florina who I basically was traveling with for the next coming week. They were in car of course and I was biking but we enden up on the same backpackers night after night.

Been having kind of a cruisy holiday the last couple of weeks with a lot of staying at backpackers, barnights and meting a lot of fun people wich been great fun. Arrived up to Pokeno some days ago were I stay with Ken and Tricia wich was the couple I met my first day here in NZ. Unfortunately I've been sick the last couple of days but its getting better now.In the coming days I'm gonna make my way south and visit Karen and Russell who has a big dairyfarm in Eltham for a while before I'm heading up to auckland again to catch my flight to Anchorage in Alaska the 1 of june.

Beutiful scenery out on the eastcape, North Island, NZ

Wiew over Ken and Tricias vineyard in Pokeno just south of Auckland. North Island, NZ

Wellington, the capital of the country in the far south of the north island

This is what you'll see biking along the eastcoast of the North island

The travelroute in New Zealand

As some of you know my camera got stolen down in motueka so kind of short of photos. Here are some random ones from Google thou wich is the same scenery I been biking through the last weeks

Take care people

Edvin

Well, life on tha farm is kinda laid back................

2011-03-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

Here is a bunch of photos from New Zealand and Riwaka Valley outside Motueka were I'm picking apples. Everything is great here and we have a lot of fun. The photos are from fooling around at the pickers quarters, trip to kaiteriteri beach, walk up the hills of the valley and cooking up a big meal of mussles:).

see ya mates

Great American trip, Anchorage, Alaska - Down south 2011/2012

2011-02-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

As you may know, I'm still located in Motueka in the northern part of the southern Island, NZ. Applepicking will start on monday and the season will stretch into the end of may. Me, a Kiwiguy called Daz and a whole bunch of German and French people have been set up on an orchard 20 km out of the town out in the forest.

The plan is to work 2,5 months and set of to Auckland the 1 of May. As I wrote in the last post everthing is set up for the next trip and I'll fly out from Auckland the 1 of June. The flight is to Los Angeles and from there, up to Anchorage in Alaska, US. The plan is to start in Anchorage and travel north up to the town of Fairbanks. Later on follow the Alcan HW through Yukon Territory, BC, Alberta and hit the American coast at Bellingham. After that I will not stop biking and I think most of you know whats in my mind :).

More info will be seen later on

Enjoy the day

Edvin

The route so far in NZ

2011-02-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

To Bert about Burt

2011-02-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Everybody!

It took me 45 minutes to get an applepickingwork in Motueka. I'm starting in about a week and at the moment I'm hanging out in Nelson. Tommorow I'm going back up to Mot for the big applepicker meeting at the orchard:).

This are som photos specially for Bert, enjoy my friend:). Apperently Burt had 2 motorcycles he raced with and there was not to much information about it in the hardwearstore except for the certificate och the mc.

See ya mates

Greetings from Motueka - Applepick 2 weeks away

2011-02-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody!

Yesterday I arrived up to Motueka in the northern part of the southern island. I found out that applepick is between 1-2 weeks away so I got plenty of time cruising around on the different orchards to leave my phonenumber. Will do that tomorrow and then I'm heading for Nelson for a while.

Actually, at the moment, I just confirmed my flyingticket out from NZ:). Will leave the country the 1 of June this year and flying into Anchorage up in Alaska so in the coming summer you'll find me cruising down the roads in America:). Only a oneway ticket ofcourse and the plan just going south, very far south :).

Now I'm gonna cruise around the town for a while, maybe go to the beach, never done that in februari before :).

Ducks killed by green Honda - Bon Apetit

2011-02-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

This is for Janet, the Drewcrew and everybody else who dont understand swedish, enjoy the reading:).

On the Thuesday the 25th of Januari I left Ettrick and Melrose Orchard behind and took of on my pushbike. With the sight of dark clouds in the northwest and headwind I slowly moved forward between the different fruitorchards in Teviot Valley, Cantral Otago. Ther're heaps of them here and everywhere you look you'll see apple, apricot or cherrytrees in the otherwis dry and rough landscape that reminds a lot from the scenery in Lord of the rings. Ooh yeah, I almost forgot, it was close to this area they did a lot from the movies so it's not to starnge:).

It's been nice to benn working for a while and got some experience in the orchardwork. I understand a lot more about an appletree now then I did before I came here. How important it is to take care of it whit prooning, thinning and some times spraying to get a god crops. I also got my fingers use to the work and learn how to place the ladder between the some times thick branches wich is very good for my upcoming career as an applepicker in a few weeks. I made a lot of new friends but to be honest, I'm sick of the town Ettrick.

With 12 hrs timedifferent it was the 24th of januari in sweden and ofcourse I pulled of the raod after a couple of hrs to make a phonecall to my mother on her birthday, as always, she had just arrived home from her work:).

At lunchtime I enetered the town of Alexandra where I wrote the last post on my poorly updated blog. Alex is a pretty famous town here in NZ for vineyards an fruitorchards in the area. The landscape between here and queenstown is spectacular. I ate lunch, did som internetthings and bought a new traveladapterso I could charge my camera again becouse the otherone broke down a couple of weeks ago.

The plan for the day was to get to the town of Cromwell were I was gonna meet up with Glenn for som camping. As some of you already know me an glen were working togheter in Ettrick a couple of weeks before X-mas and he is now picking cherries in cromwell and are camping with his wee tent on some random place beside a like outside the town. Glenn is a 28 year old Kiwiguy from Dunedin. Very smiley. Everywhere he goes he drives his Yamaha MC and follow the works around the southern island. We met up at the supermarket and bought supplies. Bread, Ham and a 24 pack of export gold, you now, I have to stay hydorated on the bike:). After we pretty much finished the beer we took the last 4 one to go. We got the brilliant idea to climb a relatively big hill in the area cinsisted of loose rock and sand with a wiew ower the Valley and the town. Up was no problem but the descending was an adventure:). In the morning I heard glenn took of to work on his bike. I ate breakfast and headed north in the stron northwesterly wind.

In the town of Tarras I met my fellow travellers for the coming 3 days. Caroline Macarez, a french girl and her boyfriend Pier-luc Gagnon, a french canadian. Funny people and we decided to bike togheter. After a couple of hrs biking we stopped for a break along the raod. In the far distance we saw some ducks crossing the raod and 2 of them got hit by the nextcoming car. When we passed the ducks later on my new french friends stopped and picked them up to take a look at them. Caroline put her fantastic smile to me and asked "Fell for Duck to Dinner?". The rest of the day I was pedaling with 2 dead ducks on the back of my bike and later on when we camped we had duck, rice and melted butter for dinner:).

I was 2 more days with these guy before we slitted up on the morning in lake Tekapo. I headed out on the road on my own and my next campsite became Rangihita River just outside the town of Geraldine close to christchurch. I tried all day to get hold of Rink, a girl I met up close to Nelson on the way down. She lives in Dunsandel but she was out of town for the weekend wich meant no visit there. From here I decided to follow Inland Scenic route 72 upp to arthurs pass instead of the eastcoast and Lewis pass. When I woke up from my tent the older couple inte the camper beside me offered me breakfast. Except from them there were 3-4 other campers parked on the big field. Only older people thou so I felt a little bit as a memebr at a camptrip with PRO. I mean, sore legs, drinking coffe with creme and sugar with cinnamonrolls while we're listening to some kind of NZ "ring sa spelar vi" :). They were asking me if I wa gonna camp at Mt somers the next coming night but I explained that 30 km was a little bit to short for the day.

The weather was cloudy but the rain kept away and in the perfect time to stop for lunch I enetered the town of Mt Somers. The Inland Scenic rout is problably the best road I been following here in NZ so far. It goes by the bottom of the mountains and just by looking west I can tell a crossing of the country will be hard work. I miss my I-pod that got destroyed in the rain down in Invercargill so I cannot listen to my American countrymusic anymore :(.

My Body starts to feel alittle bit better thou. The inflammation in my left forearm starts to go away and the scrubs from my bikeaccident starts to heal very good. I start to get in applemode again and i'm exited for and applepickingseason up in Motueka, if I find any work ofcourse :).

In the afternoon the wind added up to the stage were it;s practicaly impossible to move forward. I found a nice campsite at Rakaia Gorge thou with a nice weiw over the gorge that goes through the mountains and out a few miles south of christchurch. The wind during the night was as they would say here "Bloody ridiculous".

In the morning the wind was weaker and rain came in instead. I layed in the tent pondering about staying another night. It was raining now and if the wind starts againg biking will bee really hard. The only things I had in food was some oatmeal and rice so I decided to bike anyway. You would thing that NZ in the month of Feb would be hot and tropical with a lot of Kiwigirls running around in bikini, and I'm sure thats the case, nort of Auckland. To lunch it was pretty cold and windy and I was biking in raisnclothes, I even put on my boots to keep some heat up in my feets.I spent most of the time before lunch on a gravel road far out on the countryside with sheeps and cows.

By lunchtime, or no, actually long after lunch becuse I was starving, I arrived to the village of Springfield. Once again I met a couple of French Canadains from Quebec who had pedal their bikes the other direction from Arthurs Pass. They told me I have an hard jorney ahead so I took a 2 hour lunch and by the time, the sun started to shine on my wet clothes. A bus arrived full of chinese people so I became the phototarget and for a while I felt like a moviestar. They are problably going back to china and show their friands and family the wet and lost Swedish guy on his pedalbike:). During the break I also realised that the batteri in my camera was empty. Great, tomorrow I'm entering the most scenic area on the island and no photos will be taken. The afternoon was sunny and I started the journey across the country ower to the westcoast.

During the night on my campsite at lake Lyndon went down and it was problably the coldest night in NZ for me so far. Cold enough to make me freez in my summersleepingbag with a comfortzone on 8+. I woke up several times in the night and it was nice when I felt the sun against the tent in the morning. I put my things togheter and by 9 I was all set for a day in the ridicoulos wind. My plan was to get to the Village of Arthurs Pass and after 2 km of biking I knew thats gonna be a challenge. By the time I passed Castle Hill I was thinking that it should be very good bouldering in the area with a lot of big rocks. Two minutes later I saw a dude with long blond hair throwing out a crashpad from his happy campervan. I pulled over for a chat and it turnes out it's Matt and his girlfriend from the state of New York in USA. They are here climbing and travelling on the sothern island. We talked for a while and later on we changed emails and stuff like that. It's amazing that I almost got more new friends from US and Canada during this trip than from NZ:). I kep pedaling for a while and stopped for lunch at lake Pearson were I got the lunchentertainment for free. It was 2 guy in the age of maybe 5 that was running around on the beach throwing stones in the water and feeding the ducks whit bread. There parents made several attempts to get the boys to the table for som food but that was not interesting at all. Every once in while they came up to me and asked what I thought about the "splasch" from the stones. I did thumb up and smiled and they runned proud away to get more and bigger stones :).

After the lunch I continued in the wind and people I met for shorter conversations on the road tol me about stormwarning at Arthurs Pass for the night. "So get your ass up there as fast as possible:)". If you want to know how it is to bike Arthurs Pass on a day like that, read this:

Imagine pedal your pushbike for 80 km. If you think that sounds hard, then add approxomately 35 kg of gear you also have to push forward. In this concept, you also put in a steedy uphill pretty much all the way and I guess your knees will hurt just to think about it. If you then take one of the most windiest days you ever encountered and I promise you will have a very good sleep in your wet tent:).

Very tired I arrived to Arthurs Pass village just by the time the really bad wheater came in. I saw the "Bunkhouse" on a sig and with stormwarning it felt like a good idea. I met a couple of guys from Isarel, otherwise there were no people around at the cheap and dirty accomodation were you pay by an "honesty box" when the owner are located in christchurch. On the night the weather was really bad and I decided to rest for the day or wait till the bad weather calm down.

Im really glad I didn't even considering biking in that wheater becuse it was really bad. Actually I didn't even want to take the 200 m run to the store. So instead of being out in the rain and biking trying to be a "hard guy" (or stupiud:)) , me and the Israel guys stayed insade and ate our foodsupplies :). Kind of nice actually:).

Like always in NZ the weather can change over 5 minutes and 5 a clock it was sunshine, I decided to descend from the mountains before bad weather came in again so I put my bike togheter and took of. It was approx 3 km to the topp of the pass and then the steepest downhill I ever been to with the bike. It was a dangerous ride down becuse it was wet and with an 16% the speed was fast. I also needed to wave away and Kea that hunted me (a mountain parrot). I came down safely thou and put up my tent outside the village of Jacksons.

This night was the first night on the trip, when i've been biking, that I put the alarm on my cellphone. Otherwise I use to wake up aroun 8-830 am but this night I put up the tent very visible from the road and there was a big sign "overnight camping prohibited". I also felt with the last days of headwind that it would be nice to hit the road early and be able to hear my own thoughts on the bike and not only the wind whistling around my head:). I started biking around 7 am and it was pretty cool, good conditions. Very scenic lanscape. I was looking to the hills in the west and knew that from up there I would be able to sea the Tasman sea and further out from there, the big continent of Aussie will be located. Not to much happend during the day, mostly biking and enjoying the scenery and the resonable wind.

Right now I'm in the town of Reefton approx 2 days from Motueka. Biking is holding up good and next time you'll hear from me I hopefully got som new work at an appleorchard:)

The computer here was really slow so I only got up 3 pics. Burt Indian, Caroline from France and the west coast crew sa couple of months ago

Cheers Mates

Burts Indian

Caroline making duck for dinner

The westcoast crew

Comon sight in NZ

Smiley swede on the bike

NZ version of Cadillac ranch

Beutiful scenery in Central otago

Sheep shering

If you get to drunk, other guys will make fun of you:), Nelson

Great wiew

My work contracts out, so I have to move on.......

2011-01-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

Tjenare!

Idag lamnade jag Ettrick och Melrose orchard efter nastan 1,5 manader av applejobb och har nu borjat cykla norrut. I skrivande stund sa sitter jag i staden Alexandra mitt i det torra och ruggade landskapet i Central Otago. Nu kommer jag att cykla norrut via Cromwell, Twizel, Mt Cook mm tills jag kommer till Motueka uppe i Nelsonomradet dar planen ar att plocka applen ett tag. Jag har fatt lite adresser och telefonnummer mm av Sasha som jag jobbat med i Ettrich da han gjort nagra sasonger dar uppe. Kandes aven bra nar pete sa (agaren till Orcharden jag jobbat pa), Nar du upptacker att traden ar skit uppe i motueka, da ar du valkommen tillbaka hit.

Idag ar planen att ta mig till cromwell dar jag ska mota upp Glenn som jobbade pa Melrose innan jul. Han plockar nu Korsbar dar och campar vid en sjo som enligt honom ska vara kanon sa det tankte jag prova i natt. Har aven skaffat mig ett kastfiskespo sa det kanske blir trout till middag idag:). I ovrigt kanner jag mig lite tillknocklad efter en vurpa pa hojen i lordags da jag skull kopa mjolk. Holl pa att fixa till min pakethallare fram och saknade ett par delar som Earl, Byns "elder" som jag kallar honom, skullle fixa till mig. Pakethallaren akte ner och satte tvarstopp for hjulet och fram for cyklisten over styret och skrapade upp bada armar, hoger armbage och ena stortan. Jag linkade gaende tillbaka till huset och gjorde rent saren och det i arbagen var ett hal rakt igenon. Till raga pa detta hade jag redan dragit pa mig en inflammation i vanster handled. Sahsa gav mig nagra godnattpiller och jag kande inte av smartan mer den dagen:). Allt har borjat laka nu dock, fick bara en torn av otur.

Nu ska jag se om jag hittar nan park har i alexandra dar jag kan kaka lunch och forhoppningsvis hittar jag nagon medresenar under de kommande dagarana uppat i landet.

Hade gott alla glada sa ska jag forsoka skriva lite oftare

Det blir aldrig som man tankt sig

2010-12-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Tjenare pa er!

Det var ett tag senast jag skrev och vid det tillfallet befann jag mig i Queenstown dar jag var pa vag att borja jobba. Under andra dagen i queenstown stotte jag pa lite andra cyklister som skulle ta sig soderut mot Invercargill och tyckte att jag skulle cykla med dem vilket jag inte kunde saga nej till och jag var av en ren slump borta fran queenstown ungefar lika fort som jag kom dit. Det var i och for sig lika bra for nar jag ringde andy (killen jag jobbade for) berattade han att borjan av halva nasta vecka skulle jobbet bli installt eftersom de saknade material som var forsenat i transporten for auckland och vi kom overens om att jag skulle hora av mig om jag kom tillbaka til staden.

Cyklingen gick i grova drag under nagra dagar ner mot Te Anua och Invercargill som ar den sydligaste staden av storre storlek i NZ. Dar gjordes ett stopp for bla kins buffe och ett besok pa en jarnhandel.for de flesta later detta helt ointressant men jag kan tala om for Bert att jag nu sett den riktiga "the world fastest Indian" som finns i en monter dar:). Burt Munros motorcykel som han flog fram med over saltoknen i Bonneville. Aven agarpapprena fanns att beskada :).

Cyklingen gick vi Catlins pa den sodra ostjusten och skars sedan inat i landet mot orten Ettrick. I riverton en halv dag innan Invercargill hade jag stannat och bott hos David och Carol Clapp som ar amerikander. De kande Peter som agde en stior fruktfarm i ettrick och vi ringde honom och kollade om han hade nagot arbete dar. Javisst hade han det och nagra dagar senare Installde jag mig tillsammans med 7 andra 20 till 25-aringar fran Dunedin for Apple-thinning, dvs ransning av appeltrad for den kommande plockningen i borjan av mars.

Ettrick ar en valdigt lite hala och tillgangen till internet ar mycket begransad och for varan del helt obefintlig. Narmsta storre hala ar ruxburg ca 12 km norrut som vi anvander nar vi behover kopa proviant i form av baked beans och 12 pack steinlager. Vi jobbar hart med appeltraden under dagen i den mestadels stekande solen och pa kvallen hanger vi pa verandan till huset dar vi bor och kakar middag, lyssnar pa musik, dricker ol och snackar skit vilket ar en relativt trivsam tillvaro .Internetcafet i roxburg tillater inte att man pluggar in kamera eller liknande vilket gor att jag inte kan lagga upp bilder.

det kommer formodligen finnas jobb pa farmen till mitten av januari sedan sa far jag se vad som hander. Nu maste jag avsluta da internettiden borjar rinna ut.

Hade gott allihopa sa hor jag av mig nar jag ror mig vida och for all del. GOD JUL. (Madde, for ovrigt kommer jag fira julen nere i Dunedin med nagra vanner sa det blir inget taltande da :))

I got a job at the construction

2010-12-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

Tjenare allihopa!

Imorse nar jag vaknade tankte jag att det skulle bli fantastiskt skont med en vilodag och bara strosa runt pa gatorna i Queenstown och drulla in i diverse sportaffarer mm och lamna in ansokan om arbete. Jag drog pa mig shortsen en t-shirt och hoppade i mina illa luktande cykeldojjor och begaw mej ner mot Downtown. Som jag skrev igar sa var jag pa en Job Agency har i staden och pratade med dem och lamnade cv. 5 min in i min promenad ner mot stan ringer min nyskaffade mobiltelefon och efter att varken haft eller pratat i telefon pa en manad tar det ett tag innan jag reagerar pa den.

Den som soker mig heter Andy. Han driver en Landscaping/construction firma har i krokarna och just nu haller de pa med ett jattehotell som byggs 6 km utanfor staden. Han undrar om jag skulle kunna tanka mig att arbeta under dagen och formodligen hela nasta vecka ocksa. Jag tackar givetvis ja och beger mig tillbaka till backpackermotellet for att hamta klader och solskydd och sedan ner mot stan dar skjuts till bygget vantar.

Han overdrev verkligen inte nar han sa ett hotellbygge pa mangmiljonbelopp. Hundratals arbetare irrade runt som myror och man var knappt halvags in i bygget sa det finns massor att gora. Jag , Andy, och ett par irlandare agnade dagen at att lagga och putsa sten i medans den heta solen stekte vara stackars armar som var totalt vita av solskyddsfaktor. Ett antal pauser under dagen hade vi da vi sokte skydd i skyggan bakom spa-delen av hotellet. Arbetet var ratt skoj och jag ska dit pa mandag oxa och formodligen blir det hela nasta vecka.

Det ar fredag kvall nu och planen ar att hanga runt med diverse backpackers uppa pa motellet. Gick ner en svang till internetcafet for att agna en timma till att skriva detta och lagga upp en del av de bilder jag tatt men givetvis glomde jag kameran pa rummet sa det far vanta annu ett par dagar, tyvarr.

hade gott allihopa

Queenstown, New Zealand

2010-12-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

Hey mates!

De senaste 4-5 dagarna har vi varit ett helt gang som ockuperat Higwhay 6 soderut pa den Nya Zeelandska Vastkusten. Utover mig och anita fran Schiew (eller hur det nu stavas) sa ar det Nate och Tracy fran seattle, Rob och Suie fran BC Canada, Elaisa och Katerine fran Chicago och aven under sista dagen en osterikkiska fran lienz och en tysk kille fran munchen.

Vi tramapar pa relativt mycket under dagarna men vid 16-17 tiden klipper vi cyklingen, hittar en bra plats att sova pa, ofta en camping eller ett backpackermotel, lagar mat och dricker massor av den lokala skitolen Bitter Tasman vars enda fordel ar att den ar billig. Ja efter 100 km cykling smakar de mesta i dryck bra. Vi har sagt hej da till varanadra varje morgon i 4 dagar nu men slutat upp pa samma stalle pa kvallen iaf da det i princip bara gar en vag langs vastkusten. Vi har haft ofantligt roligt men igar morse skildes vi at da alla skulle at olika hall.

Jag har cyklat ensam de senaste tva dagarna. Den forsta mellan Haast och Wanaka och idag mellan Wanaka och "The adventure city of the world" som dom kallar det, Queenstown. Igar kvall nar jag kom fram till Wanaka hade jag averkat 15 mil cykling i relativt bra vader. Jag var sketatrott och hittade en billig 5 dollarcamping jag kunde sla upp taltet pa. Det finns amssor av stallen att sla upp taltet pa utover dessa sma campingar som drivs av the department of conservation men pa dessa traffar man alltid massa intressant folk och har man det minsta till social formaga sa ar det svart att inte valje dem. Jag slanger upp taltet och gar till en Tavern och koper en pizza och en 1,5 liter cola som jag inhalerar omgaende medans jag ser en gubbe fanga en trout i an som rinner forbi och roande iaaktar 3 australienska killar som forsoker fa upp sitt talt vilket de har stora problem med medans deras 3 otaliga flickvanner star och fryser i blasten och vantar pa att borja laga middag.

Efter fyra dagar av cykling och sena natter med mycket dricka vill jaga bara vara for mig sjalv och drar mig in i taltet dar jag pluggar in min amerikanska countrymusik, kakar jordnotter sipprar pa de sista dropparna av min cola. Har man en 33 cl racker det. Har man en 1,5 liter tar den slut iaf, fascinerande:). Vaknar upp nara timmar senare da det blitt morkt och gar det avancerade movet att ta av mig byxorna och glider ner i min sovsack och somnar ovaggat.

Efter bra cykling kom jag under dagen in i staden queenstown efter att ha traffat tonvis med andra turister utmed vagen. Rutten jag tog ledde mig upp pa den hogsta asfalterade vagen i NZ, vilket bara ar starx over 1000m, men iaf. 3 mil innan queenstown kunde jag se staden. Gick direkt och kopte en mobiltelefon och sedan till Job agencyn och lamnade lite cv och telenummer. Hon hade en "landscaper'' som behovde en hjalpande han nasta vecka och fram till slutet av Januari som skulle hora av sig nasta vecka. Ska agan morgondagen till at soak jobb sjalv har i staden och Bor for tillfallet pa Pinelodge backpackers hotel dar jag formodligen kommer kunna bo ett tag. ska parat med chefen James imorrn men de hade dealen 15 timmar arbete i tradgarden ger 1 veckas boende vilket jag tyckte lat som en bra borjan.

Hehe for ovrigt sa traffade jag Brenna som Jag cyklade med till Nelson har i Queenstown sa nu sak vi ut och njuta av pulsen i staden :).

Hade gott sa ska jag forsoka halla er uppdaterade om hur jobbsituationen gar har nere

Cheers mates

annu en vecka pa Nya Zeeland

2010-11-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Hej allihopa!

Hoppas allt ar bra med alla dar hemma. Jag maste fraga, hur ar snostatusen?:). Som ni formidligen morkt sa drojer det lite mellan blogginlaggen vilket mestadels beror pa att det campas en hel del och att det inte bor lika mycket folk pa den sodra on. Dessutom ar folket pa den sodra on formodligen ratt trotta pa turister och inte lika entusiastiska att bjuda hem dom men naturen ar fantastisk sa vild-camping ar det basta i vilket fall :). Har kommer min lilla dagbok fran da vi stannade till pa Russel och Karens gard i Eltham utanfor startford. Enjoy.

Efter en brakmiddag med diverse slaktingar till Russel och Karen somnmnar vi trotta i vardagsrummet efter att ha bloggat ett par timmar med det senaste inlagget. Mitt i natten vaknar jag av att jag har ont i min storta och det ar nageltrang som gor sig pa mint. Jag gar upp och ser om jag kan hitta nan form av nagelsax men hittar ingen och bestammer mig for att losa problemet pa morgonen och gar tillbaka till soffan och somnar om. Pa morgonen tar jag min fickkniv och gor ett litet kirurgsikt ingrepp vilket slutar bra.

Efter en stadig frukost med baked beans, egg och mackor sa ger vi oss av for att gora en hajk pa vulkanen MT egmont utanfor staden. Karen kor oss till foten av den och vi vandra upp medan hon sitter kvar i bilen och laser nagar tidningar. Pa eftermiddagen kor hon ner oss till deras Mjolkladugard dar Russel och en av hans anstallda ar mitt uppe i komjolkningen. andra gangen for dagen. de mjolkar en gang pa morgonen och en gang pa eftermiddagen 9 manader om aret. Det var kul och vi fick vara med i "satta sugproppen pa spenen"- processen :). Pa kvallen grillar vi och besoker nagra vanner till dem.

Russel och Karen ar otroligt trevliga manniskor som uppskattade varta besok lika mycket sok vi uppskattade deras. Idag var det dags att ge sig av igen och vi har nu prickat av farklippning och komjolkning pa att gora lista for NZ. Karen ordnar frukost och Russel kommer tillbaka fran morgonmjolkningen vid 9 tiden. Vi tackar for tva roliga dagar och ger oss av soderut efter att ha bytt kontaktuppgifter och overtygat Karen om att skaffa Facebook.

Vi borjar matta och belatna att cykla soderut pa HW 3 mot Whanganui och vadret ar bra. Sitter och smafunderar lite under cyklingen pa ett antal fragor jag fatt de senaste dagarna om ett svenska par som mordades har pa NZ for 20 ar sedan. Folk pratar mycket om det har eftersom deras mordare slapps fri fran fangelset idag och de undrar hur jag kanner for det. de mordades nar de campade :). Tankarna forsvinner dock lika fort som de kom och jag kan koncentrera mig pa naturen och de bra vadret igen. Jag kanner mig lite seg efter gardagens grillning da Russel upptackte att jag gillade ol, mycket :).

Framat kvallen stannar vi pa en gard utanfor Turakina utmed HW 3. Vi fragar Ian som ager garden om vi kan sla upp ett talt nanstans pa hans hundratals acres och vi far sla upp det pa han grasmatta. Efter att ha lagt sina ungar visar han oss dusch och badrum och senare nar hans fru Hayley kommer hem pa kvallen ater vi middag tillsammans och de berattar att de reste runt i Europa for 20 ar sedan och klippte far tillsammans. Ian jobbar nu pa farmen och Hayley jobbar deltid med planering av elen for ladugardar mm. Hayley berattar att hon har en bror som jobbar med bygge nere i Te Anua pa den sodra on och skulle se om hon kunde hitta nat jobb till mig dar.

Nastkommande morgon far vi halla en lite gergrafilektion for de 4 barnen var vi kommer ifran och pekar pa den stora varldskartan de har i koket medans vi ater vara rostade brod till frukost. Vi ger oss senare av i medvind och moln och avverkar ganska fort 60 km innan vi stannar och ater den Lunch som Hayley gjort till oss. Det marks att vi borjar narma oss NZ huvudstad Wellington for trafiken tilltar och det ligger mer och mer skrap eftervagarna vilket ar en ovanlig syn annars pa landsbygden. Pa kvallen stannar vi till pa en blomstergard och far sla upp taltet i deras tradgard. Brenna ringer under kvallen en kontakt hon har i Wellington som vi ska stann hos imorgon.

Cyklingen intill Wellington ar inge kul alls. mycket vagarbeten och trafike och i slutet hektiskt hoppande mellan trottoarer. Till slut kommer vi docj fram och ater kinamat inne i stadeei i vantan pa att Brennas vanner ska komma hem fran jobbet. Vi strosar runt i Wellington nagra timmar och ser oss omkring innan vi drar oss hem till Lynne och Lube som vi ska boa hos. De bada ar amerikander och pa kvallen sitter jag och pratar med 3 amerikanare, ater Kentucky fried chicken och kollar the Simpsons, Flashback a la Amerika :).

Under nast kommande dag aker vi den 3,5 timmar lanag farjan till Picton. Ganska trist farja som kan jamforas med gotlandsfarjan men den tar oss trots allt till den sodra on vilket var malet. Pa farjan traffar vi tva andra amerikanare som ar fran kalifornien och ocka sa cyklar runt har pa oarna. Efter ankomsten till picton cyklar vi ett tag innan vi campar pa en lite campplats for 6 dollar och sitter under kvallen och ater och pratar med ett tyskt par som reser runt i en lite ombyggd folka a la Happy Campers.

Maste korta ner texten lite for tiden med datorn rinner ut tyvarr. Nastkommande dag nar vi fram till Nelson och stannar till pa backpackers Hotel dar vui bestammer oss for att stanna for natten. Vi tar varsin sang i ett 11persons rum och pa kvallen lagar vi mat och dricker ol med tonvis av andra fattiga runtresande pa on. otroligt trevlig kvall och jag traffar aven andreas och Emma fran Goteborg. Kvallen slutar sedan pa nat reagge-hak i stan och jag vaknar upp pa morgonen i blota klader och borstade tander av att det ar full aktivitet i rummet av folk som ska ut pa diverse aktiviteter.

Efter nelsen skiljs jag och Brenna at da vi ska cykla olika vagar. Jag har dock traffat Anita fran Swiech som jag cyklat med de senaste dagarna. I forrgar campade vi pa Cape Foulwind utanfor westport och igar precis utmed starnden mellan Pancake rock och greymouth dar vi nu befinner oss. ska ta en vilodag snart hade vi tankt men annars ror vi oss soderut med jamn takt.

Tyvarr har jag inte tida att lagga upp bilder nu men det kommer sa smaning om

Hade gott

En vecka pa Nya Zeeland

2010-11-14T03:33:00.000-08:00

Tjenare allihopa!

Hoppas allt ar bra hemma I sverige och att ni inte behover pulsa allt for mycket I snon. Jag har varit pa Nya Zeeland I en vecka nu, Har kommer det forsta lite langre inlagget fran resan och jag ska aven forsoka fa fram lite bilder.

Det tog ungefar en 5 timmar innan jag och Ken Graham vandrade over de groan kullarna pa den Nya Zeelandska landsbygden och vallade far tillsammans pa den lila vingarden Hitchen Road nagra mil soder om Auckland. Ken och hans fru Patricia stannade till deras bil utanfor den lilla staden Buckland och fragade om resan och var jag kom ifran. De brattade kortfattat att de cyklat en del genom europa och fragde senare var jag skulle sova under kommande natt. Som vanligt sitter jag pa svaret “inte en aning” och de erbjuder mig att kika in pa deras vingard en times cycling soderut vilket jag givetvis inte kan tacka nej till.

Hitchen Road ligger précis utanfor den lilla staden Pokeno utmed HW1, en av de store vagarna I NZ (vilken jag inte foljer men jag var tvungen att ta av osterut fran HW 22). De producerar vin som saljs lokalt I landet och har aven ca 150 far I sin ago vilka jag och ken med hjalp av deras 2 hundar vallade in sa fort jag kom dit ta de skulle klippas nastkommande morgon. Med hjalp av vara fyrbenta vanner lyckas vi till slut fa in de forvirrade stackarna I ratt hage och gick in till Patricia som hade forberett en god vegetarisk middag bestaende av kikarter, cashewnotter och rotfrukter som ats tillsammans med vitt vin och ol.Vi pratade en hel del om resor och tittade och pekadepa kartor med entusiasm. De berattade en del om resor de gjort med cykel genom europa och fragade om mina tidigare resor, Senare pa kvallen gav sig patricia ivag och jag och Ken tillbringade kvallen med prat om diverse skillnader och likheter mellan sverige och NZ. Amerika kommer aven upp pa tapeten da de bott I Portland I ett ar och jag hor en viss irritation I Kens rost nar vi pratar om Amerika. Det ar tydligt att han inte ar ett dugg imponerad over deras politik som han tycker skulle bedrivas pa ett bedydligt battre satt vilket han inte ar ensam om. Kvallen avslutas sedan med en kopp te innan jag kryper till kojs I en dubbelsang pa nedre plan.

Under tisdagen vaknar jag relativt tidigt, omkring 7. Jag gar upp I koket dar Ken star och forbereder te vilket jag under kommande dagar kom att dricka en hel del av. Han berattar att det skulle vara en handelserik dag med farklippningen och att Patricia skulle forbereda for nagon hoftoperation. Vi ater frukost innen vi gar ut for att titta nar foren for sina bakar klippta for att vara frasha till forsaljning. Ken berattar att antalet far pa on har sjunkit fran ca 70 miljoner till 40 miljoner under kort tid och att andelen kor istallet okat da de har mer kott och ullen I princip inte gar att salja langre. Han berattar att de far ca 70 NZ dollar for ett far vilket motsvarar ca 350 kronor. Jag Tackar for gastfriheten och beger mig soderut pa min resa.

Cyklingen gar pa HW 22 innan jag skar in osterut mot orten Huntly. Landskapet ar otroligt vackert och overallt ar det groan “rolling hills” dar det overallt gar for och kor pa bete. Det ar taggtradstaket utmed vagen som hindrar djuren fran att kliva upp pa den asfalterade vagbanan med da och da star det nan rackare pa vagen som inte ar det minsta berord av varken manniskor eller trafik. Till skillnad fran Amerika ser jag inte en enda skylt med “private property, do not trespass”. An sa lange ar landet précis som jag forestallt mig det naturmassigt.

Under eftermiddagen narmar jag mig staden Hamilton som enligt min kartbok jag inforskaffade I Auckland ska vara kand som en av NZ vanligaste stader. Under dagen har det varit ratt molning men jag har anda blivit ratt solbrand vilket visar att solen har en helt annar styka har nere vilket jag blivit varnad for flera ganger bara under ett par dagar. Det ar inte for inte NZ ar det varst drabbade landet I varlden vad galler hudcancer. Till och med varre an Australien.

I Hamilton skaffar jag mig lite nybakt brod med keso som ats utmed kanalen som rinner genom staden samtidigt som jag tittar pa ett gang kanotister som gor diverse ovningar. Planen for kvallen var att cykla ut fran staden ett par kilometre och knacka pa pa en farm och frga om jag kunde sla upp taltet nanstans pa de hudratals acres som finns. Precis sa blir det oxa och précis innan morkrets inbrott har jag dragit I de sista taltpinnarna och sitter och avnjuter en utsokt fiskmiddag med familjen Ingram och diskuterade lampliga stallen for sasongsarbete I landet.

Efter bara tva dagar I landet ar det tydligt att gastfriheten ar stor for att inte saga enorm. Det jag reser for ar att se naturen, traffa lokalbefolkningen och uppleva kulturen. Naturen ar helt fanatstiskt och da ar jag bara pa den norra on annu(det ryktas att den sodra ar battreJ). Folket ar otroligt trevliga och overallt ar det “goodday mate” pa den dar harliga dialekten som framst kanns igen som australiensk. Hos en del har jag dock fullt upp med att forsta vad de sager och nickar bara glatt med nar jag I sjalva verket inte begriper ett skvatt.

Jag vaknar upp efter en bra natt I taltet dar jag sovit hela natten utan avbritt. Annars brukar jag vakna en del ganger under taltnatter. Jag foredrag att sova pa sidan och med en tunt liggunderlag medfor det att hoften domanr bort efter ett tag och man far byta sida ungefor varannan timma tills man trottnar pa det och till slut lagger sig pa rygg. Nar jag knackar pa pa huset pa morgonen har carol forberett en god frukost och jag fick lana en dator att gora ett litet inlagg och skicka lite mail.

Jag fortsatter soderut pa HW3. Min plan var forst att ta mig sydost och folja landet soderut med ostkusten Men Ken och Patricia rekommenderade att cykla vastra delen vilket jag valde att folja. Anda fran borjan av resan har jag haft problem med min sadelstolpe. Har inte lyckats pa sadel pa plats da skruven skom haller fast den ar helt utnott sa jag stannar till pa en cykelaffar I Te awamutu och far tag I de delar jag behover och lite till J. Darefter cyklar jag mot staden Mangakino dar jag stannar och koper mig en burk baked beans samt en burk pasta I tomatsas och en coca cola. Priserna har I NZ ar ungefar desamma som hemma sa big mac indexet kan ni glomma. Detta har gjort att menyn tills nu mestadels bestatt av baked beans pa burk. Och ja Madde och Helen, direkt ur burk J. Faktiskt battre an burkchilin de har pa stopp J. Nar jag sitter och vilar efter maten kor en bil fram och parkerar nara mig och ut kliver en kille med langt svalligt gratt har, slitna klader, orakad sen nagra dagar tillbaka och en glugg mellan framgaddarna. Jag hade svart att gissa Eriks alder men han var nog runt 40. Shafern Bella satt I skuffen. Han kommer fram till mig och fragar standardfragorna var jag ar ifran och vart jag ska. Han atalr om att han och hans kompis chris ska kaka lite mat under kvallen och erbjuder boende och middag vilket jag tackar ja till. For er som ar bekant med min och Emils Chris-historia fran USA sa maste jag gora er besvikna, dessa killar var normala.

Erik bodde ett relativt slitet litet hus pa ca 40 kvadrat och hade aven en bod pa ca20. Pa tromten stod en lite camper och aven 2 gula kanoter. Han hade aven en lite tradgard som han odlade diverse saker I och trots att han var fran Holland ursprungligen sa var det bara gronsaker. Han flyttade hit for manga ar sedan da han motte en nya zeelandska som reste runt I europa och blev sedan kvar I landet trots att de separerat. Han hade under 12 ar drivit en konstbutik I staden Napier pa ostkusten och hade aven ett hus dar. Han jobbade ingenting nu utan forsorjde sig pa att hyra ut bagge.

Efter att ha hjalpt erik med lite mobelflyttning mm pa morgonen lamnar jag Mangakino och cyklar utmed HW 32 mot lake Taupo som ar NZ storsta sjo. Alla pratarom hur enorma avstander ar I USA men jag finner avstanden har bra mycket langre. Har bara vart har nagra dar men de flesta av dem har jag tillbringat att bara se ett par bensinstationer under dagen fast givetvis en fantastikt vy istallet. I staden Turangi hinner morkret ifatt mig och jag betalr 13 dollar for en dush och taltplats pa nan slags backpackercamping. Dar slar Jag upp taltet intill en anna cyclist. Brenna fran Kalifornien ar oxa ute pa en nz turne och vi pratar nagra timmar under kvallen och bestammer oss for att cykla ihop till vi kommer ner till den sodra on.

Nastkommande dag foljs av relativt jobbig cycling over allt brantar landskap. Dagen avslutas I Taumurini och vi inkvarterar oss hemma hos Allan och Shirley pa en farm ett par kilometre utanfor byn efter att vi mott den senare pa supermarket inne I byn. Trevlig par som har en farm pa 80 acre med far, kor och hastar.

Aven nasta dag foljs av lite tyngre cycling innan vi stannar till och ater chicken nuggets p an bar I whangamomona. Dar traffar vi Dylan som bjuder hem oss till han och hans foraldrars 1100 acre stora farm utanfor byn. Det ar klipptider for faren och vi tillbringar hela formiddagen att hjalpa till med det och jag far aven mojlighet att klippa 2-3 stycken sjalv. Har dock inte riktigt samma speed som de andra J.

Just nu sitter vi pa en annan farm utanfor Stratford. Vi stannade till for att fraga om taltplats och hade lite tur att de som bodde dar hade en liten familjefest som vi blev inbjudna till och vi kunde ata oss proppmatta pa diverse god mat och dricka oss otorstiga pa ol. Imorrn tar vi vilodag har och hjalper till pa garden och tar en tur upp pa vulkanen en bit utanfor staden.

Hade bra

Framme pa NZ

2010-11-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

Tjenare!

5 timmar tog det. 5 timmar innan jag och Ken Graham gick pa han och hans fru Patricias lilla vingard och vallade far over de grona kullarna pa den Nya Zeelandska landsbygden soder om Auckland. Flygresan hit gick fantastiskt bra och jag alskade landet sa fort jag bara sag det genom flygplansfonstret, jaklar vilket landskap, och da ar jaga anda bara pa den platta delen av landet annu.

I gar kvall stannade jag pa en farm nagra kilometer soder om staden Hamilton och fragade var jag kunde sla upp taltet for natten och 2 minuter senare satt jag vid middagsbordet och at nyfangad fisk till middag. Hade tankt mig att ta mig soderut pa vastkusten och siktar pa staden Queenstown. Har fatt reda pa att batsa tiden for sasongsarbete ar Jan-april sa jag siktar pa att hitta nat dar nere.

Nu ska jag ut och battra pa brannan och mota far. Hade gott sa kommer ett mer detaljerat inlagg omm nagra dagar.

The Kiwiguy

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go............

2010-11-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Blåbärsplockning i Bellingham, Washington, USA

Wiskey dricks rågat ur plastglas i ett stall, så är det bara :)

Efter en rätt hektisk sista dag på jobbet så har jag nu fått i mig en rejäl tacomiddag och även varit ute i boden och klappat lite extra på Surly innan jag drog på de sista varven tejp på kartongen som ska skydda honom de närmsta 2 dygnen. Han vet vad som väntar och han ser fram emot det :). För er som inte vet vem Surly är så är det min blåa stålhäst som rullar framåt med hjälp av bara pulverkaffe, havregryn och jordnötssmör. Han tjafsar inte, han klagar inte. Det går inte fort och han är inte ett dugg cool men han är billig i drift och tar sig fram i princip överallt så därför får han följa med på ännu en resa.

Eftersom jag inte planerat särskilt mycket om resan så är det lite svårt att tala om hur "planen" ser ut. Det jag vet är att de kommande 3 dagarna med all sannolikhet kommer att bli rätt sega. Planet lyfter i morgon kl 11.05 och jag flyger med SAS till London vilket tar 2.45 h. Därefter blir det 3 h väntan på Heathrow innan Air New Zealand kommer ta mig över atlanten och Amerika till Los Angeles. Där blit det 2 h väntan på LAX Innan jag återigen kliver på tuben för nästintill 13 h till Auckland och NZ där jag landar 7 på morgonen. Inget hotell är bokat för första natten, planen är att pack upp hojen och försöka ta sig ut ur Auckland innan solen går ner över ön.

Nästa inlägg kommer förhoppningsvis innehålla lite intressantare läsning av de första dagarna på resan :)

Återkommer från andra sidan

Ciao

Gör en kommentar - Instruktioner =)

2010-11-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Howdy

Har fått lite frågor om hur fasen man kommenterar inläggen på denna blogg både under förra resan och även nu inför den nya. Undersökte detta och kom fram till att det kanske inte var helt lätt :). Om du vill kommentera mina inlägg (vilket jag uppskattar mycket, det är fantastiskt kul att läsa kommentarerna) så gör så här:

- Under inlägget visas en symbol med "Kommentarer", klicka där.

- Skriv sedan in din kommentar i rutan.

- Under textfältet där man skriver kommentaren finns det ett fält med namn "kommentera som". Där välje man förslagsvis Anonym eller Namn/webbadress.

- Sedan klickar man på "Skicka kommentar" och man har förhoppningsvis lyckats =).

Lycka till och kommentera mycket :).

Edvin

Do a comment

During the last trip and before this new one a got some questions how to do a comment on the posts on the blog. After some research I figure out it's not that simple at all :). So if you want to make a comment on the blog, wich I would love to read, do like this.

- Click on the line "Kommentarer" Below the post.

- Write your comment about my text in the line for "Kommentarer".

- Click on "Kommentera som" and choose Anonym eller Namn/webbadress

- Click on "Skicka kommentar"

Good luck

Edvin

To the other side of the world

2010-10-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

On August 6 I arrived home after almost 4 months in Northamerica. Many miles and a lot of great experiences has passed by crossing the appalachians, northern plains and Rocky mountains. On November 6 it's finally time again after 3 months in Sweden.

This time I'll take a flight down to New Zealand and Auckland with my bike and a work & Holiday visa that is valid for 12 months. Not to much planned about the trip but I'll problably make my way south as soon as I get there to spend the summer(swedish winter) on the southern Island.

Read about the New Zealand trip on this blog :)

Ändrade planer

2010-09-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

Har ändrat lite i mina resplaner för vintern. Istället för Asien så flyger jag ner till NZ den 6:e November och tänkte lalla runt på syd och nordön där med ett WH-visa.

Oak Harbor, Washington - framme pa vastkusten

2010-07-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Den 15 april lamnade vi Afrim, Danielle och deras 2 soner Jack och James i New Jersey och begav oss vasterut. Hittils har vi tillbringat 102 dagar pa den Nordamerikanska kontinenten varav 60 har varit pa cykeln. 600 mil har avverkats genom 11 Amerikanska stater och 1 Kanadensisk provins (snart 2 da vi kommer upp i British Columbia om nagra dagar). Vi har traffat massor av trevligt folk, sett fantastiskt natur och helt enkelt upplevt Amerika pa ett ypperligt satt. Innan jag skriver en liten story om vad som hant de senaste dagarna tankte jag lista lite vad som ar sant och falsk om de rykten vi har om landet hemma i Sverige.

Falskt:
- Att alla sitter pa verandan i en gungstol med en shotgun och skjuter pa folk
- Att alla springer omkring med revolvrar och drar dem sa fort de blir arga pa nan
- Att alla Interstate (motorvagarna) ar 8-filiga overallt i hela landet
- Att alla ater Donuts till frukost (mestadels ar det faktiskt muffins:))
- Att Indianerna i Indian reservaten fortfarande lever i deras Tipis (talt)
- Att portionerna pa restaurangerna skulle vara enorma
- Att Amerikanarna skulle vara ogastvanliga

Sant:
- Att det finns en bar i exakt varje stad, ort eller hala oavsett invanarantalet
- Att det aven finns ett motel i varje stad, ort eller hala oavsett invanarantalet
- Att manga stader i vast fortfarande har ett "vilda vastern-stuk" och att manga bar Boots, Cowboyhatt och kor en gammal Ford Pick-up
- Ja, att i princip alla i landet har en pick-up
- Att det spelas mycket Countrymusik
- Att frukt och sallad kostar en formogenhet men skrapmat ar hur billigt som helst
- Att campingbilarna ar ENORMA. Skamtet om att folk tar med sig marbodalkoket pa campingturen ar inte langre ironi, det ar rena verkligheten.
- Att Amerikanarna ar otroligt gastvanliga och oppna for att mota nytt folk, sarskilt svenskar pa cykel:)

Pa morgonen den 12 juli lamnade vi den hyggligt stora staden Missoula i USA:s till ytan fjarde storsta stat, men aven den tredje lagst befolkade, Montana. Vi rullade forbi University of Montana och ner mot downtown Missoula for att forsoka hitta en frontage road (mindre vag) vid sidan om Interstate som skulle ta oss till HW 93 norrut. Detta misslyckades och for tredje gangen denna resa var vi tvugna att pallra oss upp pa den tungt trafikerade Interstate de ca 6 km till avfarten till 93:an.

Vinden var kraftig redan i borjan av dagen och som alltid har i Nordamerika sa kom den givetvis ifran vast vilket gjorde att vi hade den rakt i ansiktet samtidigt som vi forsokte parera sidvinden fran de stora lastbilarna som susade forbi oss till vanster. Vi nadde dock till slut avfarten och kunde borja en mer avslappnad resa norrut far att ta oss till HW 200 mot vast.

Under dagen tilltog vinden och under hela dagen hade vi en riktigt kraftig motvind som vi for ett tag trodde skulle blasa oss anda tillbaka till Minneapolis. Det hade ju i och for sig inte gjort nat for Dick hade ju sakert bjudit pa en ol och ett gang enchaladas:). Vi lyckades dock mastra vinden och lagom till eftermiddagsfikat rullade vi in i orten Perma. Har fick vi smakprov pa glesbygdheten i Montana. I Perma fanns en liten antikshop/fiskeshop/souvenirshop/lask och godisshop som var av storleken av toaletten pa Walmart. Vi traffar en aldre man och jag kan inte lata bli att fraga hur manga som bodde i Perma. Han reser ett lortigt pekfinger och ler med sin gula framtand.
- Only one, Oh no, it's actually three, theres two more than me
Perma slar rekord for minsta by vi vart i, forra var Checkerboard med befolkningen 7, aven den i denna enorma stat som i folkmun kallas Big Sky Country eller Treasure State. Ni som bor i Molnbo och Gnesta och tycker ni bor pa landet, skarp er och bete er som de storstadsmanniskor ni faktiskt ar:).

Vi lamnade Perma och cyklade vidare i vinden mot staden Plains som faktiskt ar av acceptabel storlek. Nar vi var i Helena, Montana, sa fick vi nummer till en man vid namn Seth Petitt av familjen Bostrom som vi bodde hos och vi forsokte kontakta honom for att fa tag i boende men han var ju givetvis pa besok i Helena precis da:). Detta gjorde inget. I en park fick jag tag pa Tanya och fragar henne var vi kan hitta taltplats for kvallen. Har ute i vast finns det givetvis massor av taltplats ute i bushen men vi vill ju traffa manniskor och inte ligga och brottas med skallerormar sa vi forsoker alltid att fraga nagon om de vet var vi kan campa vilket ofta leder till en backyard:).

Tanya ringer sin pappa Tom som driver en camping i narheten och vi blir erbjudna att bo hemma hos honom och hans fru Terry pa deras gard vilket vi inte tackar nej till. Vi har en trevlig kvall och far chokladkaka, tvatta klader och sova i en sang vilket var skont. Pa morgonen ger vi oss av ganska tidigt eftersom Tom och Terry skulle aka till Missoula och salja ett par av deras hastar. Aterigen ger vi oss av med en lapp och ett namn och nummer pa. Denna gangen till Jeff och Lori som bor i Trout Creek, Montana ca 50 miles vasterut pa vagen vi foljer. Efter gardagens vindcykling bestammer vi oss for att det ar en bra destination for dagen och ger oss av aterigen med vinden rakt i plytet.

Vid lunch halvags till Trout Creek stannar vi till pa en grocery store dar de har utforsaljning da de formodligen skulle klappa igen butiken. Vi far tag i billigt pulverkaffe och kan aterigen borja lyxa till frukosten:). Nar vi sitter utanfor affaren och ater vara mackor Tanya gav oss kommer Texasjohn fram till oss och borjar prata. Precis som det later, en kille vid namn John fran Texas som ar ute pa nagon form av roadtrip for sig sjalv. Han fragar varfor alla Nordiska flaggor har ett kors pa sig och det ar lite pinsamt att vi inte kan svara pa fragan direkt men Emil och jag kom fram till att det maste ha nagot med kristendomen och gora for att visa nagon sorts samhorighet mellan landerna, Nagon som vet? Han fragade om vi visste vad den amerikanska flaggan symbloliserade och vi sa att vi visste att stjarnorna symboliserade staterna men att vi inte visste vad randerna betydde. Det visste inte han heller och han fick helt plotsligt brattom att aka och ta reda pa det.

Vi packar ihop och borjar cykla vidare. Nar vi kommer till Trout Creek blir vi omkorda av TexasJohn. Han har vart och kollat upp om den Amerikanska flaggan pa biblioteket och talar om att randerna symboliserar de 13 ursprungliga staterna och stjarnorna ar som de flesta sakert vet symbol for de nuvarande 50 staterna. Den amerikanska flaggan har gjorts om hela 26 ggr eftersom det uppkommit nya stater hela tiden men den nuvarande flaggan ar fran 1960 efter att Hawaii blivit USA:s 50:e delstat 1959. Texasjohn aker sedan vidare mot Glacier NP och vi ser inte roken av han eller hans gamla bil mer.

I Trout Creek far vi under eftermiddagen efter mycket om och men tag pa Jeff och Lori som bor i ett fint hus som Jeff byggt for bara nagra ar sedan. Fantastiskt trevliga manniskor som bjuder in oss och vi har kanontrevligt. Vi tillbringar aven en vilodag dar och och paddlar kanot med deras son Isac pa sjon i narheten. Naturen ar otroligt vacker med sjoar, stora kullar och snobekladda berg som syns vasterut. Det ar hos Loris foraldrar Rev och Carol som vi ar just nu i Oak Harbor och om ett par dagar ska vi besoka Loris syster Janet och hennes familj i Bellingham som vi ser fram emot. Loris pappa Rev ar pensionerad stridspilot och har flygit en hel del snabba grejer:). De har bjudit oss pa seafood och china buffet middag har i stan och aven guidat oss runt US Navys kavarter har pa on vilket var intressant, fantastiska manniskor.

Efter en vilodag i Trout Creek ar vi redo att ge oss av mot nya aventyr och Lori ser till att vi an en gang ger oss av med mycket energi. Pankaka med sirap och gradde samt aggrora till frulle, det rackte anda fram till eftermiddagsfikat:). Under denna dag sa akte vi aterigen genom tre av amerikas stater pa en och samma dag. Vi at frukost i Montana, lunch i Sandpiont Idaho och middag i Newport, Washington vilket ar den sista staten vi kommer befinna oss i. I Newport slar vi dock senare upp taltet ute i skogen och somnar ovaggade till ljudet av 200 olika djurarter, ingen bjorn dock:).

Senare nasta dag cyklar vi mellan Newport och Kettle Falls vilket bli en ganska handelselos historia forutom att vi far se en hel del vacker natur. I slutet av dagen slar vi upp taltet mellan 2 bjornburar i nagon slags public area precis innan Sherman Pass som vi skulle fajtas med nastkommande dag. Sherman pass ar pa en hojd av ungefar 5500 feet och det tog oss mellan 2-3 timmar att ta oss upp innan vi far en lang nerforsbacke till orten Republic. Dar tog vi lunch innan vi borjade klattringen till Wauconda Pass som ar nagot lagre man aven det tog ett par timmar och vi kunde senare avsluta en tamligen jobbig dag ner till orten Tonasket. Klimatet forandrades helt och hallet och blev otroligt torrt och varmt i denna sa kallade Evergreen State.

Nar vi kom ner i Tonasket tog vi en lyxmiddag i form av en varsin pizza och fick senare reda pa att glassbaren Shannons later folk sla upp taltet bakom deras hus vilket vi gor under den natten. Under kvallen gar jag till bensinstationen och fragar hur vagen till winthrop ser ut och tjejen bakom disken sager att det ar ganska platt. Hon glomde bara atta namna loup loup pass pa 4500 feet precis innan Winthrop vilket kom som en trevlig averraskning:). I Winthrop stannar vi till hos Loris vanner Lew och Judy som ager och driver Methow Valley Ranch utanfor staden och tar aven dar en vilodag.

De tva kommande dagarna efter staden Winthrop sa cyklade vi genom fantastisk fin natur och nu kunde vi forsta vad som menas med Evergreen State. Vi korsade North Cascades NP som ligger i nordvastra hornet av Washington. Skogen ar jattegron och bergen relativt hoga med jaggade snobekladda toppar vilket ar det basta som finns att beskada med ogat.

Pa aterseende

Howdy!

On April 15 we left Afrim, Danielle and their two sons Jack and James in New Jersey and headed west. So far we have spent 102 days on the North American continent, about 60 have been on the bike. 6000 km has been pedaled in 11 of the U.S. states and one Canadian province (2 soon when we're coming up in British Columbia in a few days). We've met a lot of nice people, seen amazing scenery and experienced America in a great way. Before I write a little story about what happened the last few days I want to do a little list of what is true and false about the rumors we have about America back in Sweden.

False:
- That all the American people sitting on the porch in a rocking chair with a shotgun and shoot people
- That all the Americans running around with guns and use them as soon as they become angry at somone
- That all Interstate (motorway) are 8-laned and huge all over the country
- That everybody actually eat donuts for breakfast (Sometimes it's actually muffins:))
- That the Indians in Indianreserves are still living in their Tipis (tents)
- That the portions on the restaurants would be huge
- The Americans would be rude in any way

True:
- That there is a bar in exactly every city, town or small village regardless of population size
- That there is also a motel in every city, town or small village regardless of population size
- That many cities in the west is built like the old "Wild West" and that many people wear Boots, cowboyhat and drives an old Ford pick-up
- Yes, that almost everyone in the country has a pick-up
- That it's a lot Country Music played
- The fruit and salad costs a fortune but how junk food is cheap at any time
- The RV:s are huge. The joke that people take with the Kitchen with them on the camping trip is no longer ironic, it's pure reality.
- That the Americans are incredibly hospitable and open to meet new people, specially Swedes on a bicycle:)

On the morning of July 12 we left the decent-sized city of Missoula in the U.S. fourth-largest state, but also the one with the third lowest population density, Montana. We rolled by the University of Montana and down to downtown Missoula to try to find a frontage road (less trafic) alongside Interstate that would take us to the HW 93 north. This failed, and for the third time this trip we had to go up on the heavily trafficked Interstate the approximately 6 km to the exit to HW 93.

The wind was strong early on the day and like always in North America it's coming from the west which meant we had it right in the face while we attempting to fend off crosswind from the big trucks that roared past us on the left side. However, we reached the exit and could start a more leisurely journey up north towards HW 200 that would take us west.

During the day the wind picked up and all day we had a really strong headwind and for a while we thought it would blow us all the way back to Minneapolis. It wouldn't been anything bad whit that becuse I think Dick had certainly offered us a beer and a some enchaladas:). We're however able to master the wind and just in time for afternoon break, we rolled into the town of Perma. We got taste of desolated areas in Montana. In Perma was a small antique shop / fish shop / souvenir shop / soda and candy shop that was the size of the restroom in Walmart. We meet an older man and I asked him how many people that lived in the town of Perma. He rised one of his dirty fingers and smiling with his yellow teeth.
- Only one, Oh No, Actually it's three, theres Two More Than Me
Perma holds the record for smallest village we have been in, last was checkerboard with seven people, also in this enormous state by people known as Big Sky Country or Treasure State. To Those who live in Mölnbo and Gnesta and think you live in the countryside, your'e actually living in a fairly big town:)

We left Perma and went further into the wind against the city of Plains, which actually is of adequate size. When we were in Helena, Montana, we got the name to a man called Seth Petitt from the Bostrom family we stayed with and we tried to contact him in to ask if he could help us with housing, but he was obviously on a visit to Helena at that specific time:) . It didn't matter. In a park, I got hold of Tanya and asked her where we can find a campsite for the evening. Here in the West, there are obviously plenty of room for tents out in the bush but we want to meet people instead of wrestling around with rattlesnakes, so we always try to ask someone if they know where we can go camping and that often leads to a backyard:).

Tanya calls her dad Tom who runs a camp nearby and he offered us to stay with him and his wife Terry on their farm which we gladly did. We hade a nice evening and eat chocolate cake, washing clothes and sleeping in a bed which was nice. In the morning we left pretty early because Tom and Terry was going to Missoula and sell a couple of their horses. Once again we set off with a tnote and a name and phone number on. This time to Jeff and Lori, who lives in Trout Creek, Montana about 50 miles west on the road we're following. After yesterdays windcycling, we decided that Truot Creek was a good destination for the day.

At lunch halfway to Trout Creek, we stop at a Grocery store where they had a sale out because they where closing the business. We get hold of cheap instant coffee and were now able to start all days in the real way:). When we were sitting outside the shop and eat our sandwiches Tanya gave us, TexasJohn started to talk to us. Just as it seems, a guy named John from Texas who are on some sort of roadtrip for himself. He asked why all the Scandinavian flags have a cross, and it is a bit embarrassing that we can not answer the question directly but Emil and I figured out that it must have something to do with the Christianity and do to show some sort of connection between the countries in scandinavia, Someone who knows? He asked if we knew what the American flag symbolized and we said we knew that the stars symbolized the States but we did not know what the stripes meant. He didn't know it either and he was quite suddenly in a hurry to go and find out.

We pack up continued. When we come to Trout Creek, we were passed by Texas John. He had been on the public library and done some research of the American flag and said that the stripes symbolized the original 13 States and the stars that most people probably know the symbol of the current 50 states. The American flag has been remade as much as 26 times becuse new states have neen created during the years but the current flag is from 1960 after Hawaii became America's 50th state 1959.

On the afternoon in Trout Creek we finally get hold of Jeff and Lori, who lives in a nice house that Jeff built a few years ago. Fantastic people who invited us into the house and we have great time at their place. We also spend a rest day there, and took the canoes togheter with their son Isaac on the lake nearby. The Nature is incredibly beautiful with the lakes, hills and large snow-capped mountains visible in west. It is with Loris parent Rev and Carol we're spending some time in the city of Oak Harbor and in a few days we will visit Loris sister Janet and her family in Bellingham wich we look forward to. Loris dad ,Rev, is a retired pilot and has flown a lot of fast stuff in the US Air Force:). They have taken us on seafood dinner and china buffe in the town and guided us around the U.S. Navy facilitys on the island and that was interesting, fantastic people.

After a rest day in Trout Creek, we were ready for new adventures and Lori made us a breakfast that was incredable tasteful. Pancake with syrup and cream and scrambled eggs. During this day we once again went through three of America's states on the same day. We ate breakfast in Montana, lunch in Sandpoint, Idaho and dinner in Newport, Washington which is the final state we find ourselves in. In Newport, however, we later pitched the tent in the woods and fall asleep to the sound of 200 different species of animals, however, no bear:).

Later the next day we bike between Newport and Kettle Falls, which become a rather uneventful history, except that we saw see a lot of beautiful scenery. At the end of the day we pitched the tent between two bearcages in some kind of public area just before Sherman Pass that we was going to fight tomorrow. Sherman Pass is at an altitude of about 5500 feet and it took us 2-3 hours to get up on the top and the it was a nice downhill to the town of Republic. In Repiblic we had lunch before we started climbing to Wauconda Pass which is a little bit lower than sherman Pass. Suddenly the Climate changed completely and became incredibly dry and hot in this so-called Evergreen State.

When we came down in Tonasket, we took a nice dinner in the form of an pizza and later discovered that the glass bar Shannon's let people pitching their tents behind the house witch we did. During the evening I went to the gas station and ask how the road to Winthrop was and the girl behind the counter says it's pretty flat. She just forgot loup loup pass 4500 feet just before Winthrop, which came as a pleasant surprize for us:). In Winthrop, we stop to meet Loris friends Lew and Judy, which owns and operates the Methow Valley Ranch outside of town of Winthrop and we took a restingday there as well.

The next two days after the city of Winthrop we cycled through excellent scenery and from here, we could understand why they call it the Evergreen State. We crossed the North Cascades NP, which is in northwest corner of Washington. The forest is totally green and relatively high mountains with snow-capped jagged peaks which is the best that can be seen with the eye.

Take care

Team Sweden

VM-final i Missoula, Montana

2010-07-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ibland har vi flyt alltsa, tillat mig att beratta:

Klockan hade hunnit bli 18:23 nar vi i fredags rullade in i det som vi trodde va staden/byn Ovando. Solen sken an starkt men benen borjade trottna och tanken ekade tomt. Ovando bestod till synes av en restaurang, en liten camping samt ett par sma hus. Vi parkerade utanfor restaurangen och entrade baren.

Vi satte oss och smapratade med lokalbefolkningen och barpersonalen. Det visade sig att det fanns en affar langre ned i byn men den stangde kl 18 forstas. Vi stod nu infor ett svart beslut. Restaurangmat igen eller jordnotssmor och syltmackor...utan sylt forstas...hmm..vi kopte oss en varsinn snickers och en burk Mountain Dew och borjade fundera pa saken och overvagde fordelar och nackdelar med respektive alternativ.

Mitt i allt funderande hande det. En herre ifran Alaska som befann sig i baren vann 500 dollar pa en enarmad bandit och bjod alla andra i baren pa mat och dryck. Faaantastic! som Keith Murphy skulle ha sagt. Det blev salladsbuffet, en stor stek med pommes, nybakat brod samt glass och whisky till efterratt. Vi fick aven testa det lokalbryggda olet "Algdraggel", Moose drool. Som om inte det vore nog. Bartendern visade sig studera pa universitetet i Missoula, morgondagens mal, och hon hade ett litet radhus dar som stod tomt nu under sommaren nar hon jobbade i Ovando och vi va hjartligt valkomna att stanna dar.

Ja ibland har vi flyt alltsa.

Vi har hunnit med lite annat smatt och gott sen senaste inlagget, har kommer en kort rapport fran de senaste dagarnas aventyr:

Nar vi lamnade Billings i tisdags morse kandes det aterigen lite som att lamna en familj vilket alltid ar lite jobbigt men nya aventyr, platser och manniskor vantade runt hornet pa att upptackas och upplevas. Efter ett par dagars vila va formen lite sisadar men efter 76 miles kom vi till en liten, liten stad som hette Shawmut. Vi fragade en traktorsamlande farbror om vi fick sla upp taltet pa hans grasmatta, inga problem. Pa morgonen efter vaknade vi av en fyrhjuling som brummade forbi utanfor taltet och traktorfarbrorn ropade: "Hey guys! Time to wake up now you're burning daylight!" solen hade varit uppe i cirkus 4 minuter.

Efter Shawmut hamnade vi i White sulphur springs dar vi slog upp taltet i stadens park efter en varsinn stor pizza pa Strand.

Nasta stopp blev Helena och har borjade vi verkligen komma in i bergen och de snobekladda bergstopparna syntes allt klarare. Val inne i Helena gick Edvin in i en affar for att handla det ljusbruna guldet (Jordnotssmor) och Emil hann inte ens satta sig forran en trevlig dam kom fram och borjade konversera. Via Bostrom hette hon och hennes make Steve hade svenska rotter och vi va mer an valkomna att spendera natten hemma hos dem. Det va bara tacka och ta emot.

Under kvallen foljde vi med Via och Steve till en konstutstallning, dem kande en av konstnarerna. Det har va varan forsta konstutstallning pa resan. Utstallningen bjod pa fina malningar och foton samt underbart goda ostkex.

Efter utstallningen blev vi bjudna till en restaurang i staden och kvallen avslutades i familjens soffa innan vi gick till sangs. Tack Isac for att du lanade ut sangen till oss!

Nasta morgon cyklade vi vidare och efter ca 10 miles kom till den forsta riktiga uppforsbacken pa resan. Macdonald Pass. Dryga 6 miles uppfor, 1 mil ungefar. Tog lite mer an en timme och va ganska jobbigt faktiskt. Pa andra sidan berget vantade en lang och skon nedforsbacke. Vi trampade pa i rask takt och efter ca 75 miles kom vi fram till Ovando som vi berattade om i borjan pa inlagget.

Vagen fran Ovando till Missoula bjod pa spektakular natur och vagen gick langs Black foot river i stort sett hela vagen till Missoula. Nar vi hittat Jessicas (bartendern i Ovando) radhus sa packade vi av cyklarna och tog oss ner till downtown och borjade fira lordagen. Vi borjade med en pizza pa Biga Pizza och sen kl 21 borjade vi var krogturne. Kl 4 inatt va vi tillbaka i radhuset, lite runda om fotterna. Nar vi klev in i huset upptackte vi en snubbe som lag och sov i soffan. Lite overraskade blev vi men Jessica hade forvarnat oss om att det kunde komma och ga folk lite hur som helst.

Nu sitter vi har och har i stort sett aterhamtat oss fran nattens bravader och kartlagt storre delen av gardagen. Idag har vi inte gjort sa mycket mer an att tittat pa VM-finalen i en av barerna. Grattis Spanien! Imorgon rullar vi vidare mot nordvast och vi borjar sakta men sakert narma oss slutstation.

Pa aterseende!

2010-07-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Fireworks - 4th of July

Tjenare!

Som ni forstar har vi inte tackt sarskilt mycket distans de senaste dagarna. Aterigen har vi traffat en fantastiskt trevlig familj som vi ville tillbringa mer tid med och fick erbjudandet att stanna over 4th of July-firandet pa sondagen vilket vi givetvis inte kunde tacka nej till:).

Nar vi vaknade pa fredagsmorgonen borjade vi gora oss iordning for att ge oss av ut pa vagen igen. Vi hade fatt i oss frukost och satt i taltet och plockade med diverse agodelar nar vi gemensamt kommer fram till att det vore skont med en vilodag da vi tackt ganska mycket distans de senaste dagarna. Jag gar in i koket och fragar Liz om det ar okey att vi stannar och vilar en dag och visst far vi det. Vi far lana Karens bil och ta oss runt i Billings under formiddagen och pa eftermiddagen gar vi pa varan forsta basebollmatch tillsammans med Nick och Allen. Nick erbjuder oss under dagen att stanna och fira 4th of July med dem och det kan vi inte tacka nej till. Vi tyckte det var en fantastiskt bra mojlighet till ett shysst 4th of July - firande. Hade vi lamnat Billings hade vi sakerligen firat nationaldagen i nan liten hala med 20 invanare, eller an varre med ett dussin skallerormar pa Montanas prarie:).

Pa lordagen aker vi pa en liten tur tillsammans med Nick, Liz och deras 2-ariga son Esra. De tar oss vasterut till den lilla staden Red Lodge och senare in i Beartooth Mountains. Dessa berg ar ca 4000m hoga och med fantastiska vyer. Det tillhor egentligen inte bergskedjan Rocky Mountains men fran toppen av Beartooth sa ar The Rockies sa nara att det kanns som man kan ta pa dem. Vi tillbringar nagra timmar dar med lite hiking och att aka pa regnjackorna ner for den sno som ligger kvar. Nar vi kommer till Billings igen sa hade Karen gjort iordning grillade hamburgare till middag.

Precis som i Sverige firar givetvis Amerikanarna ocksa nationaldagen. Till skillnad fran oss sa ar detta dock den nast storsta helgen pa hela aret, bara julen ar ansedd vara storre. Vi har sett Firewoorks-butiker hela vagen fran Pennsylvania och det ar enorma summor pengar som laggs pa fyrverkerier under 4th of July.

Under formiddagen akte vi till Laurel som ligger nan timma sydvast om Billings. En relativt liten ort men massor av manniskor hade samlats for att titta pa paraden som gick genom huvudgatan. Pa 4th of July ar det tva stora event. Paraden pa dagen och fyrverkerierna pa kvallen. Det kommer polisbilar, brandbilar, gamla traktorer, gamla bilar, nya bilar, sma barn pa enhjulingar, norska langskepp och massa mer, fantastiskt kul upplevelse.

Efter paraden aker vi tillbaka till Billings for lite frisbeegolf och middag innan vi aterigen aker tillbaka till laurel pa kvallen for att titta pa fyrverkerierna. Massor av folk har samlats. Vi strosar runt och ater popcorn och tro det eller ej men friterade snickers):. Emil och jag vinner faktiskt en tavling ocksa. De har en liten utnamnesle till de som kommit mest langvaga for att fira i Laurel och vi blev givetvis snabbt bra kandidater till den tavlingen:). Senare sitter alla och vantar pa att det ska bli morkt innan de massiva fyrverkeriena borjar.

Imorrn kommer vi aterigen ge oss ut pa vagen och ni kommer att kunna hitta oss pa highway 12 vasterut mot Helena och senare Missoula:).

Hade gott allihopa

Hey!

As you can imagine, we have not covered much distance in the recent days. Once again, we met a fantastic family that we wanted to spend more time with and got the offer to spend the 4th of July celebration whit them, which we couldn't refuse:).

When we wake up on Friday morning we began making us prepared to get out on the road again. We had eaten breakfast and sat in the tent and picked with various possessions when we together come to the conclusion that it would be nice to have a rest day because we had covered quite a distance in recent days. I go into the kitchen and asks Liz if it is okay that we stop and rest for a day and ofcourse it was ok. We borrowed Karen's car and drove around in Billings during morning and in the afternoon, we went to see our first baseball game together with Nick and Allen.During the day Nick offered us to stop and celebrate the 4th of July with them and we were happy to do that. We thought it was a fantastic opportunity for a nice 4th of July - Celebrations. If we had left Billings, we certainly celebrated the national day in som e small town with 20 inhabitants, or even worse with a dozen rattlesnakes at Montana Prairie:).

On the saturday we went on a little tour with Nick, Liz and their 2-year-old son, Ezra. They took us west to the small town of Red Lodge and later into the Bear tooth Mountains. These mountains are about 4000m high and with fantastic views. It does not really belong to the Rocky Mountains mountain range, but from the top of Bear tooth seems the Rockies so close that it feels like you can touch them. We spend a few hours there with a little hiking and going on a rain jacket down to the snow that remains. When we arrived to Billings again, Karen had prepared grilled hamburgers for dinner.

As in Sweden, of course, the Americans also celebrate the National Day. Unlike us, however, this is the second biggest weekend in the whole year, only Christmas is considered to be greater. We have seen Firewoorks stores all the way from Pennsylvania and there are huge sums of money spent on fireworks during the 4th of July.

During the morning we went to Laurel that is located southwest of Billings. A relatively small town but lots of people had gathered to watch the parade that went through the main street. Pa 4th of July there's two big events. The parade on the day and fireworks on the night.On the parade there was police cars, fire engines, old tractors, old cars, new cars, small children on unicycles, Norwegian long ships and more, fantastic experience.

After the parade we headed back to Billings for some disc golf and dinner before we went back to Laurel in the evening to watch the fireworks. Lots of people have gathered. We stroll around and eat popcorn and believe it or not, but deep fried snickers). Emil and I actually won a competition too. They had a small contest to those who come mostly long way to celebrate in Laurel and we quickly became obviously good candidates for the contest:). After all everybody sat and wait for it to be dark before the massive fireworks begun.

Tomorrow we will once again get out on the road and you will be able to find us on Highway 12 west towards the city of Helena and later on Missoula:).

Still in Billings, Montana - Happy 4th of July

2010-07-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Billings, MT - Wild Montana Skies

2010-07-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Vi borjar bli kandisar i omradena kring Minnesota och South Dakota:)
We start to be famous in the areas around Minnesota and South Dakota

http://www.bhpioneer.com/articles/2010/06/24/breaking_news/doc4c237b26b3bcf762571247.txt

For er som undrar hur det ar att cykla genom Badlands sa kommer har ett litet klipp fran den resan:)

From now, the blog will be in both Swedish and English because we want all our American friends to be able to read it, enjoy:)

Tjenare allihopa

Resan de senaste dagarna har gatt ganska fort. Inte bara for att vadret varit stralande och motvinden inte allt for stark utan ocksa for att det inte finns sa mycket annat att gora an att cykla har ute. Vi startade fran Nemo i mandags och cyklade via deadwood upp till Belle Fourche. Darifran foljde vi HW 212. Under mandagen befann vi oss i tre av amerikas stater pa en och samma dag, faktiskt wyoming 2 ggr den dagen. Vi borjade i South Dakota, skar nordostra hornet pa wyoming och slutatde cykla i Alzada precis i borjan av Montana. I Alzada traffade vi Chance som ager en ranch i wyoming och blev inbjudna att tillbringa natten dar tillsammans med hans familj. Vi fick skjuts de 1,5 milen tillbaka in i Wyoming.

Landskapet i Montana ar fantastiskt vackert. grasbekladda kullar sa langt man ser och nu borjar aven konturer av mindre berg trada fram, igar sag vi faktiskt en snobekladd topp soder om oss dar bighorn Mountains ar. Efter Alzada tillbringade vi natten i Broadus och den kvallen var ganska handelselos, vi taltade pa en grasmatta hos en tant som verkade tamligen deprimerad, dock snall.

Vi cyklade aterigen in i Indianland och den har gangen Chyenne och Crow Indian reservation. Vi stannade till vid en kyrka i Busby dar vi tillbringade natten och fick delta i en slags gudstjanst under kvallen. De sista 4 km in till Busby blev jobbiga. Har kan man se ett ovader timmar innan man kommer in i det. Vi sag sotsvarta moln och blixtar 2 timmar innan busby. Nar vi hade 4 km kvar borjade det regan och starx efter det var vinden sa stark att vi var tvugna att hoppa av och putta fram cyklarna sista biten. Cyklingen senare till Billings blev lang och vadret de senaste dagarna har vart VARMT. Hade jag haft en stekpanna hade jag kunnat haft den pa styret och stekt agg medans jag cyklade. Vi belv aven attackerade av hastflugor under ca 20 miles. Det gich at tva trojor trots varmen, en langtroja pa kroppen och en till att vifta bort alla bitande satar med. Maste sett otroligt komiskt ut nar vi kom cyklande:) Vi hivar liter med vatten varje dag och vi maste bara mycket av det med oss for det kan vara ca 6 mil mellan varje lite hala dar det inte finns nat, och jag alskar de:). Det langsta avstandet hittils dar vi inte stotte pa nat var mellan Alzada och Broudus, 10 mil med bara nagra enstaka rancher, eller jo forresten, det lag ett postkontor mitt uti i ingentng ungefar halvgs daremmellan men det var allt.

Nu ar vi i Billings bara ett par dagar innan vi kommer in i omraden med berg och det kommer bli fantastiskt. Har langtat en hel del efter det. Jobbiga backar men fantastiska vyer. For er som vill ha en hum om vart vi ska cykla sa blir det mot Helena, MT, senare Missuola, MT dar vi ska natta hos cowboy Mikes syster (Mike i Nemo) och senare in genom Idaho och Washington State. Vi har bestamt oss for att skippa nationalparkerna, eller i alla fall inte strava efter att hamna i dem. Det blir svart me camping eftersom det ar mycket folk i dem och vi kan omojligt gora reservationer innan for campingplats. Sen har vi ju insett att det ar dumt att hanga med turister nar man kan tillbringa tid me lokalbefolkningen. Att spara nationalparkerna gor bara att vi har en annu starkare anledning att komma tillbaka hit.

Nu ska vi ata lite frull innan vi drar ut i stralande sol och pa Montanas countryroads:)

Hade gott

Edvin & Emil

Hey everybody
The journey the last few days have gone pretty fast. Not only because the weather has been good and headwind not too strong but also because there is not to much to do but to ride the bike out here. We started from Nemo on Monday and rode through Deadwood up to Belle Fourche. From there we followed HW 212th And during the day we visited three states on the same day, actually Wyoming 2 times on that day. We started in South Dakota, cut the northeast corner of Wyoming and ended up cycling in Alzada at the very beginning of Montana. In Alzada we met Chance who owns a ranch in Wyoming and was invited to spend the night there with his family. We got ride in his pick up the 1.5 miles back into Wyoming.

The landscape of Montana is incredibly beautiful. green rolling hills as far as you can see, and now even the contours of the smaller mountains emerge, warrant, we saw a snow-capped peak south of us there Bighorn Mountains is, known as the bear tooth pass. After Alzada We spent the night in Broadus and the evening was pretty uneventful, we camp on a lawn of an old lady who seemed quite depressed, but nice.

We cycled further west and once again we entered Indian Country and this time Chyenne and Crow Indian reservation. We stopped at a church in Busby where we spent the night and got involved in a kind of worship during the evening. The last 4 km to the Busby became annoying. Here you can see a storm hours before coming into it. We saw clouds and lightnings two hours before Busby. When we had 4 km to go it started to rain and not long after the wind was so strong that we had to get off and push the bikes up the last bit. Cycling later to Billings was long and the weather the last few days every WARM. If I had a frying pan, I could have had it on the handlebars and fried egg while I pedaled.

We been attacked by horse flies for about 20 miles. We needed two sweaters despite the heat, a long sweater on the body and another one to dismiss all the devils biting. Must have looked incredibly funny when we biked along the road:) We drinks liters of water every day and we just have a lot of it with us becuse very often it will be about 60 km between each small town were there is nothing, and I love those:) . So far the longest distance where we did not encounter anything was between Alzada and Broudus, 100 km with only a few ranches, or yes by the way, the law, a post office in the middle of nowhere approximately showed up but that was all.

Now we are in Billings just a few days before we get into areas with mountains and it will be fantastic. Have been longing a lot after that. Hard hills but great views. For those of you who want a hint about where we're riding, it will be to Helena, MT, later Missuola, MT where we will spend the night at cowboy Mike's sisters place. (Mike in Nemo) and later through Idaho and Washington State. We have decided to skip national parks, or at least not seek to get into them. It turns black me camping because there are many people in them and we may not be able to make reservations for camping before. Then we have realized that it is stupid to keep up with tourists when you can spend time whit the locals. To save the national parks just do that we have an even stronger reason to come back here.
Now we're gonna eat some breakfast before we pull out of the sun and at Montana Country Road:)

Have a nice day

1 vecka pa Wind Song Ranch, Nemo, South Dakota

2010-06-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

For en vecka sedan lamnade vi Mary och Rapid City bakom oss. Varan plan var att borja rora oss i nordvastlig riktning mot orten Belle Fourche och highway 212 som skulle ta oss genom staten Montana. Vi trodde vi skulle na Montana efter ett par dagar men vi fastnade i Nemo, SD, bara nagra timmar utanfor Rapid City dar vi fortfarande inte lyckats slita oss ifran:).

Nar vi lamnade Rapid City tog det inte lang tid innan vi kom in i Black Hills National Forest. Backarna blev genast brantare och naturen har ar otroligt vacker. Det ar gamla berg som under manga ar slitits ner och idag har formen av storre tradbekladda kullar, Hills. Valdigt likt Appalcherna pa staternas ostra sida. Solen sken och vi allmant njot av cyklingen.

Framat mitt pa dagen kom vi fram till den lilla orten Nemo som har ungefar 40 invanare som bor har aret om men det strommar mycket turister till orten under sommaren. Mycket pa grund av det stora rallyt halls i staden Sturgis ett par mil nordost om byn. Nar vi rullar in genom ser vi manga rancher och pa Twin Peaks Ranch ser vi folk som ar ute och rider. Vi ser skyltar om Trail rides och bestammer oss for att se efter vad det skulle kosta, sag fantastiskt trevligt ut. Vid stallet moter vi Mike och Sam som haller i turridningen. De fanns inga lediga turer just da men Sam och hans kompis skulle ut senare under kvallen och vi fick erbjudandet att folja med da vilket vi tyckte lat bra. Vi fick aven sla upp varat talt bakom stallet.

Senare pa kvallen ger vi oss ut pa tur och efter det blir vi bjudna till Mikes Ranch nagra kilometer utanfor byn dar vi nu har spenderat nastan en vecka. Vi har hjalpt till pa ranchen med lite grasklippning, staketlagning och kofosning., vart pa ytterligar 2 lite langre ridturer och tagit det relativt lungt. I lordags kvall besokte vi den lokala baren, Big Mamas beer Garden:).

Planen ar att forsoka ge oss av harifran under morgondagen och forsoka paddla pa lite sa vi kommer framat ocksa:) Blir nordvast upp mot klippiga bergen.

Tour De Kata - Badlands, Mt. Rushmore och Crazy Horse

2010-06-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Halloj!

Sist vi skrev satt vi hemma hos Bill och Koreen i den lilla staden Tracy. De drev en kareokefirma och vi traffade dem kvallen innan pa en bar i Lumberton ca 18 miles oster om Tracy. Vi blev som vi tidigare skrev bjudna till Breezy point tawern pa kareoke och lite logdans. Detta ar en bar och en stor lada mitt ute i ingenting. Dar spenderade vi hela kvallen och hade fantastiskt kul och traffade en hel del intressanta manniskor. Det har hant en hel del den senaste tiden och vi skulle kunna sitta hela natta och skriva men vi later bilderna saga det mesta om vad vi haller pa med, det far bli en bok nar vi kommer hem istallet:)

Sondagen efter kareokekvallen i Tracy bestammer vi oss for att stanna en dag till for umgas lite med folket i byn och vi blev bl.a guidade ut pa en stor sjo i bat. Pa kvallen umgicks vi med Koreens soner Luke och Jonas och deras polare.

Sedan senaste inlagget har vi nu lamnat Minnesota och kommit in i South Dakota. Naturen har ar helt fantastisk. Vi har kommit ut rejalt pa prarien och man ser grasbekladda kullar overallt. Avstanden mellan byarna borjar nu aven att bli allt storre. Vi har sovit pa tva gardar, en husvagn pa en ranch, framfor altaret i en kyrka och i tva city parks mm.

I forrgar sa cyklade vi igenom Badlands NP vilket var en otroligt haftig upplevelse, ca 5 mil genom en helt unik terrang. Senare under dagen cyklade i dyngsura in i den lilla staden Wall som ar kand over hela nordamerika for sitt Walldrug. Staden ar uppbyggd utefter ett vilda vastern tema och var haftig att besoka med alla butiker osv

Nu sitter vi hemma hos Mary i Rapid City dit vi anlande igar. Mary traffade vi nar vi bodde hos Philip i Gaylord MN. Idag har hon guidat oss genom Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse och omradena omkring Rapid city. Vi tog en vilodag har och imorrn fortsatter vi nordvast genom sista delen av south Dakota och senare in i Montana. Langre fram vantar Glacier NP, Banff NP och Jasper NP.

Nu kommer bilder. Inte helt i resans ordning men men:)

Tracy, MN, USA - A Night in the barn

2010-06-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

Howdy partners
Har kommer ett litet inlagg, bara sa att vara modrar och "fans" vet att vi lever ;)....

...avfarden fran Minneapolis blev lite forsenad pga av lite strul med en cykel. Edvin upptackte en spricka i falgen pa bakhjulet, vilket inte badade gott for framtidens bergcykling. Att byta ut bakhjulet eller forsoka laga det skulle bli ganska dyrt och Edvin hade anda tankt kopa en ny cykel i Sverige sa han kopte en ny har istallet, betydligt billigare har an i Sverige.

Forsta stoppet pa Del 2 i resan blev i staden Gaylord, "Egg capital of the World". Vi traffade en trevlig herre vid namn Philip utanfor den lokala affaren och vi blev hembjudna till hans familjs hus, dar satt vi och pratade med hans mor som va pa besok. Hon bor i Rapid city i South Dakota som vi kommer passera om ca 1,5 vecka sa vi var valkomna att spendera natten i hennes hus nar vi kommer dit.

Vi vaknade upp i Gaylord 3 juni, Emils fodelsedag :). Efter en god frukost i form av fattiga riddare fick vi en liten guidad biltur genom Gaylord med omnejd.
Vid lunchtid befann vi oss i New Ulm, har skulle vi fa hjalp av en prast att hitta boende. Det slutade med att vi bodde hemma hos Prasten och hans fru och blev utbjudna pa middag av stadens doktor, Charles. Resten Emils fodelsedag firades med en "barrunda" i New Ulm (En torsdag). Det va lite daligt med folk men dem vi traffade va riktigt trevliga.

Efter New Ulm stannade vi i Lamberton. Den staden verkade ratt dod och trist men vi hamnade pa en bar dar det va karaeokekvall. Det blev succee forstas. Vi hade en sjukt rolig kvall och alla va valdigt generosa och trevliga. Emil sjong forstas ett par latar, Emils version av Sixteen tons fick taket att lyfta ;).
Vi hade planerat att talta i stadens park men efter ett par timmar i baren blev vi inbjudna till baragarnas hus. Vi blev aven inbjudna till en "Logdans" i Tracy, en stad 18 miles bort, nastkommande kvall.

Sa har sitter vi nu i Tracy i ett hus tillhorande de som anordnar Karaeokekvallarna och laddar infor kvallens Karaeoke/Logdans :). Det blev lite mycket av det goda igarkvall, folk va som sagt valdigt generosa vilket ibland kan medfora diverse nackdelar, sa ikvall tar vi det lite lugnare...tror vi...:P. Bilder fran Emils fodelsedag, gardagens karaeoke och kvallens logdans kommer senare.

P.S For de som inte prenumererar pa "The Journal", New Ulms lokala tidning, sa kan den har lanken vara av intresse. Check it out! D.S

http://www.nujournal.com/page/content.detail/id/513821.html?nav=5009

Ha det gott!

On the road again - Minneapolis till Vancouver

2010-05-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

For er som undrar sa ar det 270 mil. 270 mil fran NY-Minneapolis, om man tar vagen forbi Ontario och Kanada da forstas. Som ni redan vet sa befinner vi oss nu i Minneapolis dar vi har tillbringat ca 1 och en halv vecka och blivit extrem val omhandertagna av Dick och senare Kerstin nar hon kom hem fran sin Sverigevistelse. Dick har sett till att vi atit annat an jordnotssmorsmackor sa nu ar vi laddade att ta itu med den resterande delen av resan.

Nar vi kom in i Minneapolis sa akte vi over Mississipi som man sager delar amerikas vastliga och ostliga sida. Det ligger val inte riktigt i mitten av landet men vi kan val saga att vi nu borjar del 2 pa resan, del vast. Har i Minnepolis har vi tagit det lungt och vadret har varit kanon. Idag ska vi handla lite saker som vi kommer att behova under resten av resan och imorrn ger vio oss av vasterut igen. Dick kommer att visa oss vagen ut genom Minneapolis och vi kommer folja vag 14 genom hela Minnesota och senare aven South Dakota.

For ovrigt sa har vadret kommit ikapp oss. I borjan av resan var natterna och vindarna var kalla. Nu ar vi helt klart inne i sommaren och det ar runt 30 grader varmt, aven om solen inte skiner. Vi misstanker att det kommer bli riktigt varm under resten av resan tills vi kommer upp pa lite hogre hojd i bergen. Vi befinner oss precis i Borjan av Minnesota och har i princip hela staten kvar att ta oss igenom. Alla stater har en slags slogan och Minnesota kallas 10.000 Lakes sa vi kommer formodlen kunna doppa oss i nagra sjoar pa vagen. Senare under resan blir det South Dakota The Mount Rushmore State dar vi kommer passera bla Badlands och Black Hills. Efter det Wyoming The Cowboy State Som ar den mest glesbebyggda staten i hela USA. Vi ar lite osakra fortfarande pa hur vi ska cykal nar vi kommer fram till Rocky Mountains. Antingen blir det att folja bergskedjan upp till kanada och nationalparkerna Banff och Jasper. Vi har fatt hora att det kommer vara en hel del turister i dessa parker under mitten av sommaren vilket kan gora det svart att fa tag i en taltplats. Man kan ju givetvis vildcampa men det kan bli dryga boter i NP. Vi har kikat pa en alternativ rutt som skulla vara att cykla vasterut tills vi kommer vran till vastkusten och senare cykla norrut utmed HW 101 upp mot Vancouver. Som sagt vat vi inte annu och vi kommer inte bestamma oss forren vi kommer fram till bergen.

Over and out

Edvin & Emil