Day 1 - Thursday 29.6 2023
Trip started at 13:15 from Palokka, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Just before the start there was a heavy thunderstorm. Fortunately the sky got clearer when we left.
First pee- and pitstop at Oritupa, Orivesi. Kahvi and korvapuusti (cinnamon roll).
Turku Port. First in mc line, and so far the only ones.
Bikes tied down inside Silja Princess. Should now stay between walls at least.
Day 2 - Friday 30.6.2023
At 06:00 bikes out of ropes and 06:10 out from ferry. Took a while (of driving) before we found a decent breakfast place that was open. Just finished the warm, quite ok but certainly not healthy warm breakfast at Rasta in Nyköpingsbro, about 130 km from Värtahamnen, Stockholm.
It started raining so it was time to put the rain suits on. Just to find out that raining mostly stopped soon after. We took the MC Paddington two piece suits off and moved on. And like it could have been guessed it started raining again. We drove in the rain quite a leg until it was time to have a coffee break. We stopped at Tindered Trädgård in Edsbruk. It is a nice and personal place serving snacks and food. There is also a henhouse with at least three cocks each of them trying to be THE guy.
After Oskarshamn we took a bit different routes by selecting "avoid highways" from navi. This took us to some curly gravel roads, which was fun.
We arrived to Scandic Kalmar Väst a bit after 18. The hotel doesn't look very pretty from outside but it is standard good Scandic level inside. No complaints. And Ceasar salad in hotel restaurant was actually good. After late dinner we took a 30 minute walk to local supermarket.
Day 3 - Saturday 1.7.2023
Breakfast at hotel was just great and gave us the good start for the day. Plan is to drive around Öland and finally go to Scandic Karlskrona to stay over night.
The first stop was at Borgholm Castle (Borgholms Slott). We only had a quick view from outside.
There is also a second castle Sollidens Slott nearby, but we skipped it.
We drove up to Byxelkrok and back to south direction on east side of Öland.
In Böda there is a painting on the wall.
Next stop was at a nice Böda Fisk och Rökeri, where we had coffee and soft ice.
The weather was getting worse so we had to move on.
The rest of the day's journey to Scandic Karlskrona was rainy and windy. We had to put more clothes on and wear our yellow "MC Paddington" rain suits. Take out pizzas and Extraction 2 on Netflix made our day after all. Actually both pizza and movie were just ok.
Day 4 - Sunday 2.7.2013
It was raining almost right from the start, but every now and then the sun was shining. The wind was hard trying to push us out from the road. It was really an adventure, but this is what it is. You can't choose the weather. So it was MC Paddington day for us. When leaving from hotel the weather was nice but it changed soon after this.
On our way to Ales Stenar in Kåseberga we stopped at Ekströms Café & Bageri in Degeberga. Excellent cheese cake!
Ales Stenar is located in Kåseberga. We parked our rides at port. There was a lot of surfers trying to ride on waves.
Ales stenar:
It was over 19:00 when we arrived at Good Morning Lund. We had stayed at the same hotel several years ago when the name of the hotel was Ibis Lund. The room was small but clean, modern and quiet. The restaurant at the hotel was still good and not expensive. At least burger and fish& chips tasted good.
Tomorrow to Trollhättan. It will be rainy day again.
Day 5 - Monday 3.7.2023
Leaving from Lund. The hotel was just like I remembered.
It was supposed to be raining, but it did not. Dark clouds were wandering around the sky every now and then but no rain - so far by 14:30). But the wind was damn bad especially near the coast.
We drove smaller roads and thru Ängelholm. It is indeed beautiful in Skåne.
We stopped shortly at Margretetorp where we stayed years ago when this younger rider was in gymnastics camp in Lingvallen.
Riding along the small paved roads until it was time to have a break. Once again Rasta so we did know what to expect. Kahvia and kanelipullaa.
The sky is blue so we will take our chances and don't wear the MC Paddington suits for now. It probably will rain now that we did that. We'll see.
And it did, but only shortly and after a while. Short pee stop in the middle of nowhere.
It was getting late so we had to change some parameters in navigator. We took the fastest way to Trollhättan where we arrived at about 19:30. There were just two free slots for bikes almost right in the front of entrance.
Now we need some food. Tomorrow we are heading to Eskilstuna riding east side of Vänern.
Day 6 - Tuesday 4.7.2023
If you have or even have not owned a Saab and you are in Trollhättan you must visit Saab Car Museum. The entrance fee for adult is 120 SEK. There are obviously all Saab models been in production and also all concept models.
The ride started of course in rain. First leg towards Eskilstuna on road 44 was quite boring. We stopped for a short coffee break at Rasta Götene. Three big HDs from Norway looked nice. Remote controlled locking also for top case. Wow!
We bought sandwiches from Coop in Laxå and avoided the shower as well. Two German gents riding KTM 1290 and Tiger 900 were on their way from Nordkapp back home. Their tour was about to last for two and a half weeks and it was going to be 8500 km long thru Finland, Norway and Sweden.
After Laxå we found nice curvy roads all the way to Eskilstuna. One deer ran over the road in front of us, but fortunately not too close.
We arrived to hotel Clarion Collection Hotel Bolinder Munktell in Eskilstuna at about 18:15.
Bolinder Munktell has a long history of building tractors and other machinery before Volvo bought it.
The hotel garage was already full, but luckily we found the free mc parking area close to the hotel in front of the Munktell Museet.
The hotel serves bread, salad and soup in the evening until 20:00 without additional costs. That and free parking saved us quite a lot of euros.
The sky was clear so we took a little promenade after dinner. Eskilstuna seems to be very pretty town with river and beautiful old and new buildings.
Tomorrow to Stockholm.
Day 7 - Wednesday 5.7.2023
Shorter leg today so we had no hurry to get on the bikes. Blue sky and sunshine felt good.
Today's route went around Mälaren via Köping, Västerås and Enköping. In Enköping it was time to find a cafe. Just next to the market place there is a bakery called Tammerfors konditori which had excellent coffee and Söndags kringlor. Good choice!
We cannot even complain about the weather!
We arrived to Scandic Park Hotel right after 18:00. After settled down we headed to pizzeria Esplanad nearby. The pizzas were huge like almost half the table and absolutely delicious.
Day 8 - Thursday 6.7.2023
Bikes got to rest today, but we did not. We walked around Stockholm City all day, totally 13 km. It was very hot (for a Finn at least) so we could and should have had shorts, but we survived.
King's Castle and parade on our way in Old Town.
We walked first to Fotografiska. One of the exhibitions was Peter Lindbergh's Lightness of Being with black and white photographs mostly of supermodels, actors and artists. Beautiful in every way. Fotografiska is worth of visiting every time.
After seeing the exhibition we had coffee and cinnamon roll (kanelbulle) in museum cafe (Fika buffet). Couldn't have been better.
After Fotografiska we just wandered around the city.
After 19:00 we moved our bikes away from pretty expensive P-Hus Humlegården on to the side of the street in front of the hotel entrance where parking is free between 19:00 and 07:00. Hopefully we will find our bikes early tomorrow in good shape. We must be at Värtahamnen port latest at 06:10. We should arrive to Turku at 19:10 and in Palokka we should be by midnight.
Day 9 - Friday 7.7.2023
Last day on ferry from Stockholm to Turku. Due to early wake up we took a "short" three hours nap on boat. After a couple of movies already downloaded from Netflix and late lunch (fish and chips) we were getting closer to Turku Port. Out from ferry and onto to road. A little more rain of course on the way. We arrived to Palokka just before midnight.
Nine days of which eight days on bikes, totally 2685 km.
Thanks to everyone who followed our trip all the way down here.
Safe rides!
