Friday, July 30, 2010

Road Bike Tripping...

Here's an mega-post from a trip from last weekend (24:th of July) to the cabin in Kopparberg, with a few stops here aad there and a short detour. =)

My brother and his girlfriend was visiting and Saturday was the only day that looked like a decent day to ride a bike so I decided to make the best of it by taking the bike to Grängesberg and while I was at it (almost) all the way to Kopparberg.

Did a quick check on Google maps and counted it should be around 90km all in all.

The weather forecast wasn't looking too bright but there were no rain, even some sunshine managed to penetrate the overcast in the noon.


It was busy on the small bridge over the railways.


The usual sun lovers seem to be at home, almost empty at the harbor.


I had a short time with tailwind, now I was about to turn and face the wind after rounding lake Väsman.


The trees clearly shows the wind.


Not that bad waves on the lake though.


This frog liked to live dangerously, it rested where a boom concentrated the traffic on the bike lane, lost count how many bike riders passed while I took the photo. Then it slowly continued it's journey, and so did I. :)


Almost managed to catch up a fellow biker but suddenly he turned right while I continued straight on.


Some strange marks on the bike lane, didn't have to stop and investigate...


Old railroad tracks are flat and straight.


Passing between the rocks.


First stop, Björkås. Had some lunch and short rest.


First part:


Started ahead of the rest of the people that were going to the cabin, but they were going to take the car. Still a few kilometers of old railroad track left to the center of Grängesberg.


Passing under the first bridge.


Here the bike lane ended and I had to ride in traffic, passing under second bridge.


Spendrups brewery in all it's glory! One can smell the hops cooking from time to time.


Next stop Kopparberg, 26km.


Now closed railroad station and Police station.


Past the main street in Grängesberg, once voted to be the ugliest town in Sweden. ;)


No town without a statue.


Passing the third bridge.


More left overs from the glorydays of the mining era. There is talks now to restart the mining business, I won't believe it before I see it.


"Dalaporten", the port to Dalarna, fourth tunnel/bridge.


On the other side.


Passing Silverhöjden, one a large sawmill, now a camping and what not?


Time to leave the busy road and take some back roads.


Riding through Hörken.


Almost in Ställberg.


Ställbergs pride, the old mining tower. ;)


Passing over the railroad for once.


Ställdalen next. One major industry, a papermill, specialised on non woven fabric paper, Ahlstrom and of course Armatic, bill exchange machine manufacturer.


Bridges over water this time.


Old customs building supposedly, now occupied by Germans? ;)


Björkberg, really close now! Here the car with the others passed me, just a few kilometers from the goal! :)


Got a craving for BBQ suddenly...


A few kilometers of gravel road to get to the goal.


Better than I thought it would be.


A tractor ambush!


What a sight for sore butts, finally here!


Felt good to get rid of the Camelback, I don't notice it on the mountainbike but I suppose I'm not used to have when I go for a road ride so it was a slight burdon.


Went doen to check the sauna area.


Some of the water Lilly were blooming.


Ripe raspberry on the sauna roof! :)


Had one beer with me in the Camelback, that was a easy burdon to carry, even if it was of the less strong ones! Filled a bucket with cold spring water to keep it cool until after the sauna...


Filled up with more wood.


Now it's just a matter of time. Cutting the lawn was way better this time than last time, then it was almost+30 degrees Celsius!


Time for some coffee! Mum (not in the frame, that's Marit's mum) had forgot to bring granulated sugar so the donuts was eaten as they were. Still yummy. :)


Marit managed to find a tiny weeny frog.


Found some heavy metallic boule (bocce) balls and made a attempt, a bad one, to juggle (240frame/sec):


And while we were having coffee a young hare leaped right towards us on the newly cut lawn, suddenly it noticed us and froze abruptly, for a long time it didn't seem to know what to make of the situation and by the time I had managed to get my camera working it decided to take the same way back where it came from! :)


Second part:


It was a bit awkward to put on the bike cloth after the absolutely amazing sauna and quick swim in the dam/pond and start biking back home. But after a few kilometers I was back in the rhythm.


Passing the "customs" again.


Armatic "factory", wonder how they are doing these days, they had a patent for recognizing different bills but reading the color spectrum they emit, or something like that, apparently they have sold banknote readers to casinos in Las Vegas...


Past Ställberg...


Hörken from the other side.


In Silverghöjen I took a gravel road to avoid a steep hill, it was worth the puncture risk!


Here I was a bit worried I would hit some nails or glass...


Dalporten the second time.


This time I turned up to Västra Grängesberg, no way to get away passing under yet two viaducts.


Didn't bother to stop to get a shot of Cassels, a donation from Sir Ernest Cassel to the mine workers in Grängesberg. The look is supposed to mirror Bank of Englands main buildning in London.


Managed to time a shot of one of the mine building between the trees.


Another tower, this one serves as mast for the cellphone companies, the antennas is not visible from this angle. Had to climb the rusty iron stairs a few times at work, nice view from the top though!


A looong slope down for a change!


Decided to take the road past Sunnansjö and see if Tobbe and Anki's visitors had made it there, they were on a longer bike ride, all the way from Göteborg!


Passing Saxdalen.


In Sunnansjö! After that I would only have 21km left to get home...


Past the mansion.


One last bridge!


Looked like I had managed to time my visit well, the other visitors had just arrived, by car! They had cheated the last part to Sunnansjö, I don't blame them! =)


Suddenly there were glasses on the table and they got filled with bubbly substance! Stayed a while but by the time they were about to start the barbecue I had to leave or I would get stuck in Sunnansjö! Nothing bad about that but I had no wish to ride home the next day in the rain!


Ankis brother and girlfriend showed up too, said goodbye and thanked before it was time to ride the last part home to Ludvika.


Third part:


There was a slight rain in the air but only for a short while, but it started to get late.


Some fine views on the way back.


Only 4.4km left!


Now I could see ABB and parts of Ludvika.


Was crazy hungry by now, didn't feel to start cooking so Torino Pizzeria got my trust to deliver the dinner.


Nothing of this was left over when I was done with the iskender kebab!


Last part:


Not so bad, I took it fairly easy since it took it's time and it was one of my longer rides I've done on my road bike, although split over four parts... =)

1 comment:

  1. Some 9½ hour from door to door, not to shabby!

    The stench from Spendrups ain't from hops but from mash. Hops are to expensive so they just put in an hop essence in the final blend. Cheap bastards!

    ReplyDelete