Tour of Sweden – day 12
The day started mild and sunny. Everyone got kitted up in new red and white Craft uniforms provided by the sponsor while the custom Tour of Sweden kits are delayed in production. We got back onto the highway, but the gale force cross wind was now a kinder, gentler cross tail wind without the dangerous gusts that played havoc with us yesterday. We we’re soon up to speed with Jonas leading the way. Before too long we left the highway for a secondary road which was a constant series of rollers. At one point there was an adult fox struck dead in the road but I’ve got no other exotic animal sightings to report on today, just endless forests and lakes. We’re apparently in bear country from the commune signs. We’re very far north now and human habitation is few and far between. When we pass people now they all wave and shout “hey hey”. A pack of uniformed cyclists doesn’t ride up this road every day.
About 2 hours in, the skies clouded over and it got chillier. At 69 miles we met with the van to refuel. I checked my meter and saw we we’re 2:57:00 into the ride, averaging over 23 mph. It was getting chilly, but luckily I’d placed a long sleeve jersey and fingered gloves in the van. Supplies replenished we headed out again, following Clas and Jan who rode past without stopping. Once underway, Bjorn took off for his intervals and Jonas took over the front which he held until the 100 mile mark. I discovered it’s not a good idea to half fill a bottle with coca cola and stuff it in your jersey pocket, as the pressure blew off the top and soaked my arse with the sticky beverage. At 78.5 miles, we crossed the Polar Circle, but there was no stopping at the marker for a photo op. Jonas apparently was on a mission today and it was all I could do to keep my seat on the train. At 100 miles, it started to drizzle. For the final 31+ miles, Marco, Tobias and I shared the work as we got wetter and wetter, colder and colder. No one had so much as knee warmers on their legs and by the time we arrived in Pajala it was 42 degrees. Teeth we’re chattering as we unloaded the van, but a hot shower and big dinner of reindeer meat and mashed potatoes set things right.
