I bought my Trice Explorer for touring. To be true, I have only made two tours yet in my life, one three day one in the mid 1980s, and one longer two-week tour in 1990. I have also done full-day biking around where I live now and then. Of course, I have some non-cycling experience of fulltime outdoor living, since I have been a scout and scout leader, doing lots of weekend hikes, summer camps and some mountain walking.
Since I got my Trice Explorer in August, 2000, and the summer holiday season was over for my part, I have to wait until 2001. In the meanwhile, I will present my earlier (upright) touring experiences.
In the late spring of 1990, I found that I hadn't organised any vacation for myself, and it was too late for apply for any of the activities for Scout leaders I used to spend my holidays at. I then decided to make a long-held vision come true Ð to make a bicycle tour. I bought a touring bike, four pannier bags, a new one-man tent and a new mini-stove.
The tour was a great experience, some 1100 km through Sweden, mostly on small but hard roads. I spent most nights in my tent, but I visited relatives a couple of times. I usually spent the night where I was when I was fed up with cycling for the day.
The freedom was great, and I would like to do it again, but the opportunity seems not to have showed up. Instead of touring, I have been using my touring bike for exercise in spring and summer.
Pictures:Map of Sweden - camping site pic 1 - camping site pic 2 - camping site pic 3 (with me) - fresh blueberries.
My plan for the tour was very simple: I had two events which I wanted to participate in, placed one week and about 300 km apart. The first one in time was farthest from home, about 650 km. I decided to travel there by train, make the trip home a bicycle tour.
In 1990, it was still possible in Sweden to have luggage transported separately, while travelling with the Swedish Railways (SJ, Statens Järnvägar). Such luggage should be delivered at the railway station a few days before the trip, and could be fetched at the destination. Accordingly, I got myself a cardboard box from my bike retailer, packaged my bike in it, and sent it away to Borlänge, the starting point of my tour.
A couple of days later, I arrived in Borlänge with the rest of my belongings. Unfortunately, I hadn't considered timing too well; the luggage offices at the railway station was closed when I arrived. I had to wait until the next day to fetch my bike, and have to take a taxi to the nearest coming ground instead of going on my bike.
Well, the next morning I was at the luggage office at opening time. I got my bike, re-assembled it, and discarded the cardboard box in a conveniently placed waste container placed at the station. The distance to go the first day between Borlänge and the scouting event was just 28 km. The rest of the days, I made between 68 and 145 km each day, when on the road.
After having attended the first event, I had one week to make about 300 km, a too long time for such a distance, I thought. Instead I got the idea to visit my cousin, who lived in Uppsala.
I carried full camping equipment, i.e. tent, sleeping bag, stove and other gear, since I intended to visit two scouting events with no indoor sleeping facilities. Having the gear, I spent most of the nights in some nice place in the forest, and only two nights on camping grounds. I also stayed a few nights at the homes of relatives I visited passing by.
A typical day on the road, I rose early, made breakfast, packed my belongings and took to the road. I usually pedalled for 1.5 - 2 hours, after which I had a rest. Then I continued for another hour and a half until noon, when I made a longer lunch break. The afternoon was similarly parted in two, with a break halfway. At late afternoon, I started to watch for nice places to spend the night. Usually I looked for a small forest track, which would take me a kilometre from the main road. A lake for washing off the sweat and dust was a plus.
My intention was not to push hard, but to be free. Thus, I stopped whenever I saw anything interesting along the road. This kind of life can be recommended to anyone feeling too stressed by the daily life. Find yourself two or three weeks without appointments, and get away! Don't plan the tour (more that the start and end days and places), and do not make it longer than you will easily cover in the given time, with lots of resting time allowed.
When having reached Uppsala after three days on the road and a visit to Sala silver mine, I sought a public telephone to ask my causing the exact address of her place. Unfortunately, she was not at her home in Uppsala, but in her summer house some 800 km to the south. Well, since I had still several days left to the next planned event, I decided to visit my sister in Stockholm.
From Stockholm, the route to scouting event 2 passed by my cousin's summer house, so I managed to see her after all.
After the second event in Vingåker, I had one week to go home to Lund. I took the opportunity to visit my brother, who lived in Vadstena at the time, and my parents in Kristianstad, before finishing the tour at my home in Lund.
Conclusively, I had a great and relaxing time these two weeks, and I intend to do it again. Going to bed each night being physically tired and without worries makes for a good sleep. If you feel your life is too tight, make a bicycle tour and get your freedom back!
