Bike Odyssey
Alaska 2006
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| Europe 2006 Alaska 2006 Around Australia 2003 Sydney to Darwin 01 Around Australia 99 | Great North Walk 98 Snowy Mountains 97 Tasmania 96 | |
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| David Linda Bike Odyssey E-Mail: djf01@bikeodyssey.com.au | |
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| Journal for 1-Sep : Cassier Hwy 95km post |
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Once they stopped serving food, the ferry's front lounge with the best view became deserted. I found a quite corner, unrolled my sleeping bag and wasn't woken till the breakfast service started. Stripped off and changed into cycling clothes on the car deck, with lots of bemused people looking on. Busting for a toilet in Turku, but the only one I could find was a pay per use job, and that was out of order. Had to wait for the tourist info to open. Bright and sunny morning, 11c. Turku quite a pretty town, as cities go. Bought what looked like a sweet French pastry, but turned out to be a sausage roll. Actually a lot nicer than that. Bought a detailed map, a phrase book, a cheap set of backup pedals and a bit of other shopping. It was 10:30 by the time I left Turku. Bike path spat me out of town with no navigation problems. Nice riding to Aura, but with my old friend the headwind. Had a Rhine Veloroute moment when I reached the town of Poytya. According to my new you-beaut map, it wasn't even on my road! It looked like I'd manage to miss a turn and ride back the way I came again. After consulting the overview map I'd brought from Australia, it turned to be my Finish map was just plain wrong. I had to re-work my route to pass through towns only on both maps. Didn't take an unsigned turn I was supposed to (my wonderful map said go straight on, so no wonder) at Alastaro and managed an extra 15km as a result. And climbing up a hill on the wrong road I heard a disturbing "k-twang" from the back of my bike. Worst fears confirmed: I'd busted a cluster side spoke. Found a sign which confirmed I was indeed on the wrong road. What else could go wrong? The road leading back to my route turned to dirt, exactly what my suspect rear wheel didn't need. After unsuccessfully trying to borrow a longer spanner to remove my cluster with (they went and got someone who spoke English: the word "yes") at the Punkalaidum service station, I bought a longer spanner. Still too short for me, but a Finish trucky took up the challenge and successfully cracked my cluster. The spoke in question had corroded into the nipple, so I had to remove the tyre to get it out. Took the opportunity to rotate the front and rear tyres. Cycled really strongly over undulating roads to reach Tampere with barely a break. Checked into the campground and ordered a pizza because it was so late I didn't have time to cook. Had my pronunciation of "Bollenaise Pizza" corrected into it's original Finish. But after taking my order and my money they told me "it will be a long while", and I'm still waiting. Buffet breakfast at lodge resteraunt. More f'ing headwinds. Hard riding. Warned of 2 grizzlies ahead, but saw nothing. Put my bear bell back on my foot though. Tough hills to Meziadin Jtn (where I cracked again), a very non descript place. Had lunch & dozed in local café. Tried to call home but the line was so poor I only got 2 minutes. Road flatterned out by the Nass river, cycling through forestry industry here, no more snow dusted peaks, just plantation timber. But it was enjoyable because the sun came out! Camped by a lake at a spot recommended to me by another cyclist (hi Ruth), but camped too close to the road for comfort. Rats trying to get at my food. They can really sound like a bear! << Prev - Next >> |