The road to the North Cape - Day 4: Overcoming Obstacles and Making Progress
Morning Struggles and Lucky Breaks
The day began early, as I awoke to a faint glimmer of sunlight peeking through the clouds. After the stormy night, I was eager to get moving, but first, I needed to deal with the aftermath of yesterday’s challenges. I brewed a strong cup of coffee to kickstart the day and spread out my damp gear in the weak sunlight, hoping it might dry a bit before I had to pack up and move on.
The previous day’s muddy ordeal had left me with a bike that wouldn’t start. I tried to use the old trick of bump-starting by rolling down a gentle slope, but with a fuel-injected bike, this was more of a hopeful experiment than a practical solution. Some folks say it’s possible to bump-start a fuel-injected bike, but in my experience, it’s a hit-or-miss, and today was clearly a miss.
With no cellular reception at my campsite and no way to reach out for help or look up solutions online, I realized I had no choice but to walk to the nearest village. The map showed a small village about 18 kilometers away, so I packed up what I could, grabbed a water bottle, and started walking along the gravel road.
“...which was essential not only for navigation but also for emergency communications.”
A Stroke of Luck
Just as I began my trek, my luck took a sudden turn. I had not walked more than about 4km when I suddenly encountered two cars traveling the road, probably a rare sight in this remote area. I flagged them down, explained my predicament, and asked if they could help. The first car didn't have jumper cables, but the second thankfully did. The drivers were incredibly kind and quickly agreed to assist. They provided me with jumper cables and helped me get the bike started. It was a huge relief to hear the engine roar back to life after such a stressful start to the day.
While waiting for my bike to run for a while and charge the battery, I chatted with my rescuers.
It turned out that these two cars were not together, but just happened to be driving on the road at the same time. They were also very well aware of the Trans Euro Trail and that it passed through the area.
They were very curious and interested in hearing my story and my plans for the trip, and asked many questions. After a few laughs and the bike started, they went on and I packed up my things.
Tech Troubles
With the bike running again, I was faced with a new problem: my phone charger on the handlebars had shorted out due to water exposure from yesterday's rain and dip in the creek.
I hadn't made it long before I noticed that the battery in the phone was starting to drain and that my phone holder was no longer charging. This left me without a way to charge my phone, which was essential not only for navigation but also for emergency communications. I knew I needed to find a solution quickly or the trip could come to an abrupt end.
A Marathon Ride
Determined to press on, I resumed my ride, and today would turn out to be one of my longest on the trip, covering a whopping 635 kilometers. My route took me through Sveg and Östersund, and along the way, I searched for a solution to my phone charging dilemma. I needed to find a store that could provide a USB socket or another solution to attach to my handlebars.
My search led me to a store called Skoterdelen.se. Although it primarily caters to snowmobiles, they surprisingly had USB ports in stock. The staff were extremely helpful and even lent me some tools to get it mounted on my bike. This was a huge relief and allowed me to get my phone charging again, ensuring that I could stay connected and navigate properly.
Back on the TET
With the bike in better shape and my phone charging, I rejoined the TET and continued riding for the rest of the day. The trail was less eventful than yesterday’s muddy struggle but still offered some beautiful scenery. The landscapes continued to impress, and I felt a renewed sense of optimism as I rode through the picturesque terrain.
Setting Up Camp by the River
As evening approached I decided to call it a day and set up camp next to a river. The location was perfect - a quiet place where I could relax and enjoy some well deserved downtime. I built a small campfire and set up my camping hammock, spread out my wet clothes in a wind shelter and let the soothing sound of the flowing river be my lullaby for the night.
Reflecting on the Day
The day had been a mixture of frustration and triumph (and luck!!), and ending it by the river was a peaceful and rewarding end to the day.
Despite the challenges of the motorcycle's dead battery and problems with charging the phone, I had still solved my problems and was able to move on.
Day 4 was also a test of endurance, as there were many kilometers and hours on the bike. The day ended with 635 kilometers. Unfortunately, much more paved roads than I would have liked and not so many kilometers completed on the planned route, so in total I had lost time.
From the early morning battles to finding help and finally setting up camp by the river, it was a day that tested my endurance, ability to solve problems but also highlighted the benefits of pushing through.