Day 5 - crossing the border into Sweden

Early morning and not a puff of breeze

We're on our way - those 2 big bluffs remain visible almost throughout the whole journey

boat shed with the traditional slate roof

holiday cabins

Elga - a very small lakeside community

Elga kirke and the things you see inside

Farewell MS Fermund

How good is this place for a lunch break

some serious climbing to get this high

modern shingle church in Sweden

very popular swimming place for the locals and visitors alike

time for another snack before the thunderstorm arrives

Well - what a day!  it was suggested that I take a ferry ride down Lake Femunden, so I ate a hasty breakfast, paid up and hit the road to the bus station.  I could have left at 7am to pedal the 36km to the beginning of the ferry ride, but so glad I didn't.  15mins out of Roros, the road became a gravel road, undulating and the sort that any downs would be retarded by the brakes, so glad that there was room for Maggie in the bus - well, there was only two other guys with a coupla bags, so plenty of room for Maggie.

it was a pleasant drive out to the lake and quickly we were loaded onto the ferry with a pile of hikers and a few other families.  there was a couple all dressed in matching lycra, already boarded with their bikes, but they weren't so friendly - not a smile...

and away they chugged.  it was fun to be on a lake, instead of skirting around it.  and very relaxing too.  It zigged its way down the lake, first stopping at one landing to collect some hikers and then across to the other side, to drop some others off.  this lake is surrounded by Nature Reserves and obviously a popular spot for hiking.

There were army looking guys - or just in camo gear and young peeps in their modern "active" clothing.  It was interesting to see the families disembarking, all with back packs and camping gear - the little ones with their own small back pack and sleeping roll.  there was one group of 12-14 yr girls that came into to the cabin for awhile and played real card games - I thought that was a tad unusual for today's kids.

but eventually we arrived in Elga - the end of the trip for all so we disembarked and Maggie was handed down and after checking out the church - what is it about church buildings in a different country????  Maggie and me were on the road again.

Before we left town a reindeer strolled across the road and snuck into a back yard where the grass was greener next to the shed.  Wow!  well, I guess it could be a pet one or something.  Soon I was riding out into the wilderness.  the countryside was quite different now, more rocky and small shrubs under the pine and birch trees.  after about 10km I stopped for lunch as I knew there was going to be a climb ahead.  There on the side of the road was a beautiful lake, huge bluff of mountain on the other side and a picnic table to sit at... Screech, this will do me...  so a quick snack of bread, cheese and banana - top up the water bottle and we were on our way again.  We had 60 km to ride and it was already 1:30.

so pedalling away, I glanced into the open pine forest and There Was a Alg (or moose)!!!!  just standing there!!!  either a female or a young one!  well wobble wobble!  I nearly fell over.  It was looking in my direction, but didn't move so I had a good look and pedalled on!  Next there was a reindeer, standing in the middle of the road...  Ok - what do I do now.  it spied me and spun around to look at me and started tapping its front foot on the ground.  hmmm....  brakes applied and I stand to have a staring match...  thankfully, along came 3 cars and the reindeer decided it had better move!  I haven't check gopro yet, but I think it was switched on at that point.  (btw - I have checked gopro and although I thought I was close enough to these encounters, gopro doesn't do distance very well.  I have to have a good long look at all the footage before I can find some evidence to back these great stories I tell!!)

So Wow!!  some wild life at last...  I had better keep my eyes peeled!  and then there were more - 2 reindeer this time - a black one with huge antlers and its companion, trotting away through the forest.  Now this became a regular thing - just when I was thinking I won't see anymore, then there would be another one or two together.  There was one big stag with huge antlers, drinking from the drain along the edge of the road, but it got scared by a car and dang!  I had trouble switching on the gopro.  its gets the sulks sometimes and you have to remove the battery - count to 10 - then start again.  ain't that the way!

around about this stage I came to a rather quiet sign - advising me that I was now in Sweden....  no  Velkommen or anything - just Sverige....  so goodbye Norway - hello Sweden!

so this is what its like riding near a nature reserve.  I lost count of how many reindeers I saw - especially as there was one group that probably had at least 20 - trotting away into the forest.  I tried not to think of bears, but failed!  But if there were any around, I thankfully didn't see any.  no more alg either, but I did see a wild mountain goat - peering down at me from a rocky ledge....  and there was something reddish that slinked off the road as i came around the corner - maybe a fox...

not far from Idre at the airport there (and there was no one insight, so no planes today) I got slightly bailed up by a bluddy large stag reindeer.  he was strolling along the road in the same direction I was going so I pulled up as I didn't really feel like overtaking a stag with such pointy spikes on his head.  He swung around to see who was coming along His Road.  hmmm....  this is not so good.  he sort of shook his head and braced himself - ie. spreading his back legs and glaring in my general direction (I was probably 50-80m away).  OK.  I thought I would just reverse slowly back to the airport - at least there were buildings there, I might be able to hide behind.  Where is all the bluddy traffic when you need it?  he seemed happy that I was reversing, so he relaxed a little and thought about crossing the road again.  Thankfully, at last a car came along and they slowed down when they saw the stag.  I jumped into the saddle and rode along in their wake and the stag decided that he had better give away and slowly trotted off into the forest.  by then Maggie had got a fair bit of speed up and we swooshed past and rode on into Idre.

now that is what I call an exciting day.  I will now go and have a look at the gopro clips and see if I have any proof of these adventures!!

Idre is a pretty little town - lots of summer greenery - rushing river and although I am now a day ahead of my schedule the camping ground have given me a room in a small building (it looks like its lived in!) but they obviously let it out regularly!  they had reserved a cabin for me tomorrow, but I had emailed ahead to say that I was ahead of schedule.  so I really appreciate this room.  I have use of the lovely kitchen and am cleaned up nice and proper after a shower also.

a happy end to an exciting day's riding.  Will there be more encounters with reindeer tomorrow?  I am thinking this might be so and its still natural reserve along the way.  better make sure both the go pro batteries are charged me thinks!