Falkoping, Sweden

Day Fourteen 108 miles 2877ft

Today was another day of extras most of them unwelcome and some just scary. 

The rain had not stopped all night and stepping outside it showed no signs of relenting, which probably had something to do with the fact I did not start until 9.15 fully togged up in fluorescent yellow waterproofs. 

The rain then caused the first detour  , a misroute running out of town, always difficult with cycle paths etc. It only added 6 miles to the route and took me through the town of Bjorneborg, but did then give me 25 rather then 5 miles on a trunk route. It was horrible with a couple of trucks coming by, spraying muck and filth,  every few minutes, and then forcing you to hang onto the bars to keep the bike straight in their wake. 

The interesting part though is not the fear of getting hit but the noise, because after turning off the road the silence of just me pedalling calmed everything down and it was then time for the prearranged coffee stop, breathing a big sigh of relief that was over. 

  
Just as I stopped the sun came out and once again I changed out of my cold wet kit into a dry set. 

Detour number two was within an mile of this stop as we had planned to use a nice small road by a canal. On arriving at the road a smiley man with a red flag explained that they were relaying the road and it was closed to us. When Nigel explained who we were he smiled some more, so I asked why – his reply ” I have never stopped an international cyclist before!”

This detour was down a busy secondary road with the wind on the nose most of the way. Although flat it did not allow for much relaxation  

 Feeling sorry for me Nigel stopped a bit early and we had pizza for lunch opposite this church. 
With only around 40 odd miles to go  I told Nigel & Monica to press onto the site and I would see them there 

The next 20 miles were some of the most frightening I have had on a bike as going round the town , Svode, where Volvo make their powertrains the road turned from a busy trunk road to a pseudo 4 lane motorway with a hard shoulder 3 feet wide. Whilst thinking I had to get off, I simply could not and to make matters worse then had to go through a 200m long tunnel, the noise was quite deafening. 

Just after this and to my great relief there was a turning off which I was only too happy to take. Phew. There was a sign here that said no cycles  which we had not seen before. 

I then had to work out how to get to camp and after a chat with a local and then a choice of 2 miles gravel ( I had yet to do any today) or 9 miles road. I took the gravel road for the best bit of today’s ride, being buzzed by a buzzard. Seeing some storks and horses. 

 
My last mini detour occurred after I had a chat with a nice Swede and his daughter on their mountain bikes to confirm that the campsite was on top of the hill up that 12% gradient. I took his mountain bike route briefly, but he saw and turned round to let me know

  
As he said the campsite is on the top of the hill overlooking Falkoping 

Not a great days cycling, the best being 2 miles near the end, but at least it was dry after a very wet start   

I Saw some more good roadside plants today including corn cockle and knapweed which I will put together in a Scandanavian catch up later   

I did however see this below and am still looking for its close relative the money tree!