The road to the North Cape - Day 5: Short and not So Sweet, but salty treats..

Rain and Tech Troubles.. again..

Day 5 turned out to be one of the shortest on my entire trip. I kicked off the morning with a cup of coffee and packed up my gear, ready to hit the road. However, the weather had other plans. The rain was relentless, pouring down from the moment I packed up until I finally stopped for the night.

As I rode, I noticed that moisture had managed to seep into the new USB charging port I’d installed on the handlebar. iPhone has this annoying security feature that stops charging if it detects any moisture. So even though I’d addressed the problem the day before, I found myself unable to charge my phone. It was a frustrating setback, but I pushed on through the rain, hoping the day would get better.

Dashboard Glitches

Unfortunately, things didn’t improve. As I continued riding, my motorcycle dashboard started acting up. The display began glitching, and all the numbers became unreadable. This was more than just an annoyance—it meant I couldn’t see how fast I was going or, more crucially, how much fuel I had left. Without the trip meter, I was flying blind when it came to fuel management.

The combination of rain, a dead phone, and a malfunctioning dashboard was too much. I gave up and found it was time to call it quits for the day. I followed the TET until I reached Åsele, hoping for a break from the relentless weather and a chance to regroup.

A Pizza and a Plan

Once in Åsele, I stopped at a local pizzeria. Unfortunately, the pizza was far from memorable—more of a last resort than a culinary delight. Still, it was food and a chance to sit down out of the rain. I used the break to look up nearby campsites and find a place to stay for the night.

I found a nearby camping and decided to rent a room. It was a bit of a splurge, but given the state of the weather and my drenched gear, it felt like the only sensible option. The room provided a much-needed respite from the rain and a chance to dry out my gear. The cost was higher than I’d hoped, but sometimes you have to prioritize comfort and practicality over budget constraints.

Getting Dry and Recharging

Back at the room, I took advantage of the warmth and dryness to spread out my gear and try to get everything back to a manageable state. I set up a makeshift drying area and spent some time trying to get things as dry as possible. The rain had turned everything into a soggy mess, and it felt good to be out of it for a while.

I also took the opportunity to check the bike and figure out the dashboard issue. I managed to get some temporary solutions in place, but the lack of a fully functioning display was still a concern for the future. For now, though, I was just grateful to be dry and have a roof over my head.

I spent the rest of the day relaxing in the room, recharging my phone, and eating a bunch of candy. It wasn’t the most exciting or adventurous day of the trip, but it was a reminder of the unpredictability of travel and the importance of adaptability.

Reflecting on the Day

Day 5 was a mixed bag of short distances and numerous technical issues, but it was also a day of making practical decisions. The relentless rain and technical troubles meant I had to adjust my plans and find a way to deal with the setbacks. Despite the frustrations, I managed to find a solution by renting a room and taking a break from the weather.

Sometimes the journey doesn't go as planned, and you have to adapt on the fly. Day 5 was a reminder of that, but it also highlighted the importance of not pushing more than necessary. This is supposed to be a fun trip anyway, my vacation, so I'm not going to put myself through more than I have to.

I may have hit some frustrating obstacles and lost a lot of time over the last two days, but I was still making progress, and that's what mattered.