We really enjoyed our three days camping, way more than we thought we would. Maybe it was all the Belgians that made us feel a bit at home, but also the vibe the camp owners created. They made us feel welcome, and the way they organise the offering bread in the morning or the fod truck in the evening really added to that camp feel.
First, we took down the tent and put our stuff back in our bags. For some unclear reason, the tent was already dry this morning, although I didn’t do anything special to get it that way. Still a lot to learn in this field 😁.
There was also a little pressure to have everything in their respective bags before 9 or so as the weather forecast apps predicted some light rain that morning.
But, no rain at 9, so we’re off to the food truck for coffee and a light breakfast that we assembled from what we still had in our food bags!
By 9:50, all our bags were tied to the bikes, tires checked and pumped up if needed. We were good to go.
But first, we had to say goodbye to all the cool people we met during our three days in Camp Grisby.
Then we biked to the checkout, paid for our spot and everything we used. Just for your information, if you’re not a camper yourself, it costs 300 Sek (27.18 EUR) a day if you come by bike with max two persons.
At 10 past 10 we’re finally ready to start biking. And of course Komoot sends us on the tourist route. A gravel road with a steep climb through the forest of Camp Grinsby to start with.
Our next route was on the E18, which is usually not a quiet road since cars can go 100 km/h on some parts. But it was pretty calm today, and we needed to make some progress since we had 62 km to cover.
First, we hit up a shop in Långersud to buy some stuff for lunch. Mostly drinks and some fish to go with the bread we still had.
Then, we wanted to go further to Nysäter. A few years ago we were there in a small open Viking museum, and we had the idea that there would be some benches to sit and eat our lunch.
When we got there, we couldn’t find a direct way to the old viking houses. A new museum was built in front of the houses, and Leen was way past her lunch time. So, hangryness alarm! Instead of looking for the perfect lunch spot, we just stopped where we were and ate in the middle of the road.
With renewed energy, we continued our journey! It had a lot of steep climbs, and Leen’s legs weren’t in their best shape today.
Besides the steep climbs, there were also a lot of long descents. We had the longest descent of our whole tour today with speeds from 35 to 40 km/h downhill. A most relaxing experience. 😌.
We also passed through the city of Borgvik. If you’re in the area, we totally recommend this place. It’s got so much history and tons of beautiful houses and museums.
We still had 26 kilometers to go to reach our destination. And Leen was tired. Climbs weren’t going as fast as on some other days. But we kept encouraging each other. And finally, there it was. The hotel where we’d spend the night. Rasta Grums is a roadside hotel on the E45 for passing travellers. Not the most romantic hotel, but it has great reviews and a decent price, and we are travellers, no?
All we needed for the night was a soft bed, a warm shower, and a safe place to store our bikes.
So shower first, then find some clean clothes to go eat in the restaurant. It has some Swedish classical dishes like Köttbullar, Pannbiff and Ragmunk and plenty of other plates to choose from. We went for the Pannbiff and the Ragmunk
Pannbiff is a dish made of minced meat, usually beef or pork, seasoned with onion, salt, and pepper. It’s served with potatoes, baked onions, sauce, and lingonberries.
Raggmunk, on the other hand, is a traditional Swedish potato pancake. It’s served with thick slices of baked bacon and also with lingonberries.
Our dinner concluded with coffee and a selection of traditional Swedish pastries.
Then it was time to go back to our room and get ready for the night.
Tomorrow we will drive through Karlstad and go to a Warm Shower location near Väse Kyrka. 50 kilometers and 290 meters to climb, so it should be an easy day. We’ll see…
Epilogue
Nah, we didn’t leave Bålar and Målin behind at Camp Grinsby, but they totally wanted to stay longer.
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