Chasing Trails: A Two-Day Roadbook Rally in Småland!
This weekend, I took part in a roadbook rally through the forests of Småland. It was my second time using a roadbook and the first since 2007, so I was a bit rusty and nervous before the race – but I knew it would be fun.
A few weeks before the rally, I helped scout part of the route and tried using a digital roadbook. That turned out to be a total disaster. The app didn’t work at all the way I wanted, so I decided to go old-school and built a manual holder.
The day before the rally, my friend Patric stopped by with his motorcycle loaded on his trailer. We got ready for the rally with some surströmming and discussed our plans. Our friend Philip also came over for a while – partly to test loading Patric’s bike into his van, but also to eat some surströmming and join the planning since he was going to ride too.
The next day was finally here. We got up early and had breakfast before I dropped my son off at school. Then, we started packing all the gear and loaded my bike onto Patric’s trailer, next to his. Just as we were ready to head toward Ödevata Gårdshotell, where the rally would start, our friend Jonas showed up on his bike. He was going to ride all the way to Ödevata, so we took some of his gear in the car to make things easier for him.
Ödevata Gårdshotell is only about 40 km from my home, so it took us about half an hour to get there. When we arrived, we pulled into the parking lot, where several vans were already parked. People were busy checking their bikes and making final preparations. We parked, took a stroll to greet the other riders, and then unloaded our bikes and brought our gear into the hotel room.
“Bam! I went straight through it!”
Ödevata Gårdshotell
The Ödevata institution was once an open prison located in Ödevata, east of Emmaboda. It opened as a labor home in 1923 and operated until its closure in 1997. Originally run by the southern county of Kalmar, it was later taken over by the Prison Board and became a prison colony from 1955 to 1965. The institution also served as a refugee camp during World War II and as an annex to the Kalmar Institution. The inmates worked primarily in forestry. After its closure, the property was sold and became a hostel in 2005.
Today, the property is home to Ödevata Gårdshotell, offering a unique experience for nature and sustainability enthusiasts. Surrounded by lakes and forests, it's a perfect spot for outdoor activities like fishing, paddling, and hiking. With a strong focus on sustainability and eco-tourism, the owners also run a circular economy house showcasing eco-friendly solutions and how to live in harmony with nature. They actually have Swedish bananas growing! Ödevata Gårdshotell has become a popular destination for those seeking relaxation and wanting to experience Småland’s natural beauty in a sustainable way.
Rally - Day 1
We’d received our roadbooks in advance, so it was just a matter of getting ready and setting off. Jonas and I were quick to prepare and were among the first to head out. Patric and Philip started a little later because Philip hadn’t arrived yet, so Patric waited for him. The rally started well, and the navigation went pretty smoothly at first. But it didn’t take long before I started losing track of where we were, and it was hard to keep up with the notes. I let Jonas take the lead and just tried to follow. He’s a much better rider than me and has more experience with roadbooks, so it felt reassuring to have him in front of me.
I had put on brand-new Michelin Tracker tires for the rally, and when we set off, it felt really uncomfortable. I hadn’t even had time to test them before, so everything felt unstable, and I had no confidence in the grip. Later in the day, things started feeling better, and we could pick up the pace a bit. In hindsight, I realized I had pumped the tires way too hard, which explained the bad feeling at the start.
The weather was fantastic, and we had a great day on beautiful roads. The route was about 200 km long and took us down through Blekinge County before we turned back up into Kalmar County.
After about three-quarters of the route, I lost track of Jonas, who was riding a bit ahead of me. He had turned off towards Påryd to refuel, but I somehow missed that exit and continued on my own. By this time, the tires were feeling better, so I could pick up speed and even caught up with two riders who had passed us earlier in the day. I filmed a bit with my Insta360 camera, but suddenly the mount broke, and the camera flew off. I stopped to pick it up, but I didn’t get as much footage as I had hoped. Eventually, I rolled into the parking lot at Ödevata Gårdshotell, marking the end of Day 1.
The hotel had two floating saunas, and some of us took the opportunity to sauna and dip in the nearby lake. Around 6 pm, when most of the riders had returned, the grill was fired up, and we were served burgers and beer. It was the perfect end to an amazing day – with beer, snacks, and long discussions about the day’s adventures.
Rally - Day 2
Day 2 was planned to be a long one, with a total distance of about 400 km, so everyone got up early, and breakfast was served in the dining room at 7:00 AM. Freshly baked bread with various toppings, eggs, coffee, and apple juice were on the menu. After a solid breakfast, everyone was quick to get ready for the day.
Jonas was ready first and took a short ride while the rest of us got ready. However, he came back quickly as fuel started leaking from his engine. We had to strip down his bike to find the problem, which we managed to fix relatively quickly. Despite that, we were the last to head out, so we had a lot of ground to make up. Patric and Philip had set off a bit earlier, so the rest of us – me, Jonas, and Joakim – rode together.
We hadn’t gotten far before the first incident of the day occurred. Jonas was ahead of us when the road split. Joakim and I stood there for a moment, wondering which way to go, and decided to go left. I started my bike, gunned it up a small rise, with the sun in my eyes, and suddenly, about 30–40 meters down the road, a gate popped up out of nowhere. Bam! I went straight through it! Luckily, the gate wasn’t locked, so it swung open and split in two. I got away without a scratch, but my bike’s headlight was broken. I was mostly just annoyed by the whole incident, so we fixed the gate and continued on.
Joakim and I kept navigating, but it was slow going at times. We got lost several times and had to stop to figure out what had gone wrong. At one point, we took a wrong turn and ended up on a larger road. Checking the map, we saw we could cut through the forest and rejoin the route just 700 meters ahead, so we decided to skip that section, head to the next note, and continue from there. We eventually made it to Påryd, where we stopped for fuel. We got a message from Jonas saying he’d gotten lost – apparently, we had passed him without realizing it!
The ride continued on fantastic roads, through gravel pits and beautiful forest sections, and we eventually reached Trekanten, where we refueled. Just as we finished, Jonas arrived at the gas station and told us he had crashed and hurt his hand.
Despite Jonas’ injured hand, we carried on with the route, but we soon lost track of him again. Joakim and I navigated on and made it to the lunch stop, marking the halfway point. Just as we arrived, we saw Jonas, who had already eaten and was on his way out. During lunch, Jonas called for help – his wrist had worsened, so Jocke, who organized the rally, went to pick him up. Jonas ended up being taken to the hospital. By this point, we were feeling pretty tired and decided to end the day in Lessebo.
After lunch and a bit of hydration, we felt re-energized, and Joakim and I continued. The route was easy to navigate, and since we had scouted it earlier, everything went smoothly. We picked up the pace and started having a blast again – lunch had definitely worked its magic! We stuck to our plan and finished in Lessebo, where we refueled and headed back to Ödevata Gårdshotell, marking the end of Day 2 and the entire rally.
Back at Ödevata, we enjoyed more sauna time and conversations about the day’s adventures. The day ended with a three-course dinner, which was the perfect conclusion to a fantastic weekend. It was a weekend filled with laughter, challenges, and incredible roads.
Conclution
This was my second time navigating with a roadbook, and despite some initial rustiness, it turned out great. If you haven't tried navigating with roadbook, you really should try it! The rally took us through the beautiful landscapes of Småland, and while the navigation had its challenges, the joy of riding those incredible roads made it all worthwhile. What stood out most was the camaraderie – meeting new people, sharing stories, and bonding over our shared passion for adventure riding. Between the thrilling routes, the scenic stops, and the evenings spent relaxing with good food and conversation, it was a weekend filled with laughter, adventure, and unforgettable connections.