A voyage through the wintry tints of white in mid Sweden
The dark half of the year is anything but encouraging for getting outside to ride. Dressing up takes ages, a bike wash is mandatory after almost every ride and conditions are mostly unpleasant if not worse.
But let’s not dwell on negativity–winter has it’s good side too! The side that sprinkles everything in white and suddenly transforms the dull grey days into something admirable. The side that is so seldom and short-lived that it actually becomes one of the nicest seasons. This is the winter that makes it so easy to overcome all of the above obstacles. In celebration of this special time of the year, a small group of dedicated riders gathered to face the elements over the course of a whole weekend.
We set out on a Friday in extreme -11°C conditions, almost desperate to get moving and start the inner furnace. It did not take long until the bitter cold had pierced through our layers of clothes, so after just 33 km of cycling the first fika (the traditional Swedish coffee break) was eagerly awaited by the shivering riders. Masses of whipped cream and marzipan, filling the seasonal sweet buns called semlor, charged our empty batteries. Dusk had already set in by the time we got back on the snow-covered roads and continued our journey through the crisp winter night.
Accommodated in the annex of an old castle, the group got to know each other as we made dinner together and then went to bed early with high expectations for the next day. With only -5°C predicted for the next morning, I overheard that Saturday’s ride “was going to be warm”–needless to say this was a Swede’s comment.
Just as the perception of warmth varies from person to person, so did the level of strength within our group. While some were pushing harder, others had difficulties getting warm enough. Splitting up into small squads let everyone stay within their comfort zones. A real group spirit was created in the evenings when we shared our impressions from the ride, drinks, a sauna and food, which all adds up to the mutual memories of the weekend.
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