grey grey uppsala

No update for a while, less excitement in my days. Much laziness broken up by long fast bike rides and long walks. Never been a very good traditional tourist, seenin the sites. Everyday i pick a direction and take off biking. Its been great to get out again on the road bike and blur past everything. My knee is well enough that i can stand up and really push to get up to speed. Rolling with traffic has been strange (it constantly changes where you are supposed to be riding, on the road, on the sidewalk, every street is different) and the last few months of no cardio has taken its toll. So far no cars will let me draft them, they speed up as soon as i tuck in.



I made some bread; the first, from scratch, i have ever made without the use of a machine. Turned out very good, even though i didnt have any measuring devices. More will come from the baking department.



There has been a constant gloom in hold over uppsala. Grey sky, drizzily rain, and uhhh other dismal things. I sit and stare alot, not knowing what to do with myself. I am reconsidering my rail travel to see more of europe, fearing the loneliness it may bring. I am looking forward to getting into portland. Dont know if i mentioned it to everyone before, when i leave here i will be headed to the big OR to stay with my cousin Christina/husband Ian and new baby.



It will be nice to have the change of scenery. Many of my closest friends have left fairbanks and a few key players have moved to portland. Sorry fairbanks folk, nothin but love for you. Fairbanks will always be home, but the winter is no place for a lonely guy. And the idea of dealing with moving into a new place in the winter doesnt sound fun.



So what am i going to do in portland? Good question. Start a new. Find a job as fast as i can. Ride my bike. Figure out how to get my other bikes down there. And the big one, figure out what i want to do with my life and go into action. Standing at a cross road for too long, waiting for something to lead me. I need to be the desider of my fate, take control of it all. Time to find that spark i lost.



L

Back ta Uppsala

Made it back to uppsala this morning. A guy from Austria drove 60km out of his way to drop me off, he had the time and his work was paying for the rental/gas. He complained about everything and i just said "yeah well what do you do".

The trip here was great, let see... Started off with the good deed of buying some kid some cigarettes. He wandered up to my while i had my thumb out. Talked a while about his sporty motorcycle. He was about 16 years old i guess. I was wondering 'why is this kid talking to me' but, hey it was nice to talk with someone. Then he asked, saying the gas station wouldnt sell them to him. I thought it over not really wanting to, but then felt for the kid, i've been there too. "Hey mister" is a brave game to play. So i bought his cigarettes and he bought me coffee. My good deed for the day done, i got picked up soon after that. A guy in a little car, towing a trailer that was totally loaded down with stone shingles. He said he picked me up to have more weight in the car. We traveled up and down big hills, in what was to be the most beautiful area i had been. If we had to emergency brake at ant moment, the car was sure to jack knife and throw us off.

Got a late night ride and camped. Should have saved the drive for the day, but i was on my mad push back to my bike.

Got a ride with several people driving to work, interesting to see that side of things. Got a ride from: a phone company worker, some hotel worker off to buy booz for the hotel, a gynecologist, a diver, some tile installers, carpenters, a couple nurses, a combustion engineer/scientist, and yeah that all i can think of now.

Ok loosing steam, and really after leaving that road, nothing much happened. Got alot of rides, camped just off the side of the road.

I had this crazy gut bomb of a dinner last night. Two hot dogs on mash potatoes, all covered in shrimp salad. Not too bad, really.

OK well, ima update the photos after this.

yeah
more later
L

Runnin down the road

Heading back out, travel time. Grimstad was fun, but some how sleeping outside -not knowing how or when i'll get to where ever it is i'll get- is just a bit more enjoyable.

I plan on making a hard push, getting back to sweden as quickly as possible. I flew my bike over and have been dreaming about riding it.

As i travel this leg, i may not be in contact for a few days. Possibly till thursday, so be worried.

Talk to you'ins later

Lylø

Norway Bar Scene

a dance floor filled
with people who cant dance
off beat
flailing about
no cares
good times

i find i cant fill a space
and hold it
men
for some reason
not really confrontational
purposely
or maybe not noticing
go out the way
to bump up against me
causing
little more
than smile on my face

cops are very consistent
passing the place
even in this small town

women and men dressed
not up
but nice
in such a small town
18k
i picture the US
being filled with dirt
and cloths worn all day long
(probably longer)
no thought
just comfort
ease

only one beer on tap
makes it easy to order
for an outsider
point

most people drink mixed
few shots
an interesting mix
of young and old

i top my hat
and flow my way out the door
and head back to the pad
sleepin on a bed
alone
but no complaints
tomorrow i hit the ground
probably

Into Grimstad

So i'm actually staying in a place for a few days. Grimstad is a small town on the southern coast of Norway. The houses are painted white and the town has a good feel to it.

I have writen alot in a book that i carry, but havent had the time to post it. While im here i plan to catch up a bit on that.

I'm staying at a nice guys house in the middle of town, my own bed and everything. We saw a lady talk about her trip up everest and to the north/south pole (i just looked at the pictures i guess). Then a band played, they were good, sang in english. I bought a couple 10 dollar beers, yup a good night out. I guess we are going to meet some of his friends at a pub soon. My first trip to a pub since i got here, should be exciting.

Word to your moms
L

Rollin on into Oslo

Ok, so after quite a few days of no contact, I will try to catch you all up.

Stayed a night in Åmål again, not that exciting, a nice camp area in the down town.

Met up with Ranil the next day in Trollhatten. Couldnt get a ride on the thumb, so defeated i took a train. It was fast and nice, fairly in expensive.

Ranil took me on a personal tour of the Saab museum. I got to see the back room of cars, they were mostly covered and stored. After that we went to a dealership and got the fastest car they had. 250hp on a rainy day. I drove around town and into the country, it wasnt that exciting. Till Ranil took the wheel to show me what it could really do. Holy crap, he drove at the edge of the limit for the car, it was great. We got up to 240km/h about 150mph down this skinny wet country road. Talking later i found out part of Ranil's job is test driving cars and he has raced some in his life, i was amazed at his driving ability.

We parted and i tried to head out of town toward the west coast, walked out of town the wrong way. But, i found a tiger salimander on the way and that totally made my day, sadly better than the car ride. Got a ride back through town and out to the other side of town. It was dark so i called it a day and stomped off into the woods. I scared some deer that were bedded down next to where i was settling. I said sorry and put up my test.

The next day i got a ride right away and the guy didnt drop me off at my exit (a miss communication) and took me to a town i didnt want to go. Oh well, i got some kaffe and a kannabulla (cinimon roll like thing). Stood in that town waiting forever. Finally a cute girl drove past me in a red sports car, then i saw her turn around and headed back around to pick me up. She dropped me at a main highway, where i stood in the rain for hours trying to get to oslo. Could get one so took off following a sign that i thought would lead to a town and a bathroom. Walked for oh.. 10-15 miles in a big loop. Waited again in the same spot, gave up and decided to head to a small town that was closer.

A nice new mercedes stopped, a sweet elderly couple up front. Turns out i was totally no where i thought i was, so they drove me to where i thought i was. They totally washed away all the frustration of the day. I bought some food and got some fast food (sadly all that was there). And walked back out to the road. A bus came that was going to the town i was headed. Randomly got off at a stop in the town, walked down a bike path and found the greatest little camp area and beach. It was surrounded by high rocks and totally separated from town. I sat up my tent and tried to start a fire in the fire pit, no go everything was wet. As i settled down to sleep, the wind picked up and my tent fell on me. So i pulled all the stakes, threw the whole tent load over my shoulder and took off to a more protected area.

Today, Finaly, i stood and waited for a ride forever. A swedish guy in leather cowboy hat pulled over and rolled down his window, asked where i was headed, i told him oslo. I asked how far he was headed he said just a ways up the road, so i said that will work. As i moved to open his back door and throw my bag in, he drove off. I dont think he quite understood me, oh well about an hour after that a guy from chile stopped for me. He drove me to a truck stop. I got a ride from a finish trucker to oslo. Now im here, i got an expensive bed in a hostel. Im sitting in this expensive internet shop hoping the guys in my room arnt divying out my stuff. Luckily my whole bag rather smells from being wet on and off for a week and a half.

Ok well, thats all i got, im tired
the bed calls
more tomorrow
ug
L

Photos for yas

Started a photo sharing account for everyone to see.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15014429@N07/

hope that link works

I'm in karlstad still, stayed the night at some friends i meet on couchsurfing.com. A great site to find a free place to stay. Finished drying all my stuff out, just in time for the rain to roll in.

I plan on spending the night in Åmal again, it had a great camp ground downtown.

Then hopfully tomorrow will be my tour of the Saab factory and i'll drive a bunch of nice cars. A quality day.

Its nice to have a lazy day here in karlstad, reading and catching up with the internet, not standing in the rain waiting for a ride.

After the tour, i plan ot head west back into Norway. I will go around the south coast and stare out into the ocean. Yup, big plans.

L

The big push

So after leaving Östersund i got a few short rides toward Norway. I got stuck in a cold area, a ski town that was the location of the World Championships. Stayed warm, but wished i could have gotten further.

Again in the morning i got few short rides and made it to the Norway border. There i was able to get a ride from a young trucker headed to Trondheim. It was my first time riding in a semi, very slow ride. The driver was swedish and complained about Norweigen roads for a long time. But overall he said people were more friendly in norway. He had to stop and ask another trucker for directions and he said a swedish trucker would have never stopped for him.

Walked through Trondheim and stocked up on supplies. Trondheim was the first place on my trip that i smiled at someone and they smiled back. Despite being a big city, people seemed at ease and dressed comfortably. People rode nice bikes (everyone in sweden seems to ride crap bikes because they are affraid they will be stolen, i think it just paranoia, but what do i know).

Made it out of town with a few rides to a small town. Stood in the rain, standing on snow (a mountain pass), waiting for a ride for about an hour, before calling it a night. Crawled into my sleeping bag, everything damp, but i was warm. It rained all night and in the morning the roads were very icy. I ws worried that if someone stopped for me, they might loose control. Luckily noone stopped, except a local bus headed to the next town. I got on and warmed up. Some lady got on the bus with a wig that looked like she shot her small dog and just plopped it on her head.

Waited for hours for a ride out of that town, but i was in the sun. Was about to pull all the stuff out of my bag to dry and someone pulled over. We passed an area that is frequented by musk ox, didnt see any. Next we drove along norway's longest river, down a valley of continuos towns. We passed Lillehammer and i was dropped off soon after this.

I was dropped off in a bad place to hitch, so i headed down the road to the next rest area. Many people avoided entering the rest area when they saw me (i was in the entrance so people could see me and pull in off the highway).

Side Note about hitching:

My favorite Steriotypes of drivers looking at a hitch hiker.

1. The old lady alone in the car

This is the best. A true exchange of thoughts, almost a conversation. She looks at me and shrugs in a 'I'm sorry, i'm just an old lady alone in the car and no way can i pick you up'. I smile and do my best to return a look of *No Worries, I dont think you should pick up strangers either, have a nice day'.

2. The car full of people

The driver shrugs in apology, no room. Like they would stop anyway.

3. People that lock their doors as they drive by.

Yeah, maybe if i had super powers i would get ya. But then i probably wouldnt be standing here would i.

More to come on that, maybe, probably let that one lie.

After many cars passed in a short time, i was picked up by Steien (No clue how he spells it, pronounced like steven with out the v). He was a nurse just as i have been thinking i want to be (for those that didnt know, i'm thinking about being a nurse these days, or a murse i guess). He was headed to his families to visit and go shopping. Alot of people close to the swedish border in norway cross over to shop, cheaper for them. Night fell and we approached his home town. He asked if i planned on continuing or camping. I said camp and he was on his phone right away. He offered me a place to stay at his parents. It was great. I slept in a real bed, instead of my wet ass tent. I got to dry a bunch of stuff out. I helped him change over his winter tires, he had access to a tire machine. We drank beer and talked with his father, ahh the kindness of strangers. This trip has been great for balooning my good thoughts of society. How giving people can be to complete strangers. Although i guess it has jaded me a bit as to close relations with people. Guess thats how it works though, your more likely to be killed by someone close to you, than a stranger.

After a great traditional breakfast, with so many different stuff i couldnt try it all, they gave me a lift to where they were shopping for the day. I got two quick rides and her i am in Karlstad. I am supposed to meet up with my friend Lotta here.

I'm off to find food now.
sorry about the gramatical errors, but i dont feel like correcting
L

I just wanna Saab

No, i dont want to sit around all day crying, im past that... i think. I want a Saab 96 2.3 turbo.

I was picked up leaving Amal yesterday (after my usual morning of getting lost trying to find the highway and upon finding it eating). I was once again picked up very quickly.

I was planning on just going north about 70km to a town called Karlstad, to get a sleeping pad and see the town. Instead i got a 750km ride north to a town called östersund, with Ramil. We talk constantly for the whole 10 hour trip. He was from Sri Lanka, but was adopted and grew up in sweden. He worked for Saab. Driving behind him was a test car. A Cadillac made by saab to be sold in sweden. He was on his way north for work and to see his son. He talked lovingly to his son on his cell a few times, pap is on his way.

We got along great and seemed to have similar views on life. I wondered if some of this had to do with the fact that we were both short, as i've noticed that alot of short guys have some similar behavior. We talked of the girls of the world, both deciding that Persians were the most beautiful (sorry alaskan girls, you know you'll always have my heart). We also talked alot about cars.

He offered to let me drive and i could not refuse. It was by far the best car i have ever driven. A dream. He told me that if i came to his work at the factory, i could get a tour and test drive their line of cars. My head nearly exploded. He gave me his contact info and seemed very stoked that i might come see him. I cant believe i might get to drive a 280hp car around a test track. We stopped for food a couple times and he refused to let me pay.

He dropped me off at the town camp ground. We hugged and i assured him that i would be in touch. He seemed very glad. I looked around the camp and decided to just stomp off into the woods across the street, a little urban commando camping just like those nights camping in eaglewood (i dont know, i wa in high school).

My night was to be filled with dreams of fast cars and Persian woman.
Thank you Ramil
You have alot of good karma coming your way.

I interacted with my first swede that spoke no english. I froze like a deer in the headlights. Just stood there staring, not able to get out my oh so practiced line of 'I dont speak swedish'. Luckily someone came to my aid, probably curious as to why these to people are staring at each other for 5 min. I finally got my food and kaffe.

Got a pad and long johns. It is pretty cold up here.

Either plan to head west to Trondheim or stay here tonight, havent decided.

Pictures when i can
love
L

Cold in Amal

Got a ride to a town called Amal for the night. Wanted to be by the big lake here. If you look at a map its the giant blue spot hanging a bit toward the left side of the wang that is sweden. Got a ride here from a great guy, who once again told me to take the train. Why would i take a train? Every time i get a ride, i get a personal tour guide and new view of the country.

I got picked up by a firefighter last night, that told me all about the stiff punishments for speeding. For any traffic offence, you get your license taken as well as a fine. You have to take the driving test over again to get it back. He said he got one once and he had to quit his job driving commercially. So dont speed in the swedeland.

Last night was cold. I have been trying to rough it old miner style, with no foam pad, sleeping on all my stuff for some insulation. Last night it just didnt cut it. The firefighter told me it was getting down to -2'C in the night. Yep, i got a long way north to head too. Gonna find a sleeping pad to buy and admit my weakness.

I dont think i have mentioned this before, but i have a tentative goal of heading to Norway to find a whale. Norway is one of the few countries that ignores the international anti-whaling laws, them and japan (although japan claims to only whale for science and the meat would just be wasted if they didnt use it, this way they can fill restaurants with full protected endangered whales). So i'd like to see a dead whale. Bit morbid, i know, but you have to have goals.

Heading to Karlstad, where oddly enough my friend Lotta from Gothenburg is going to be this weekend. So hopefully i'll stick around that long. Maybe head out and come back. So strange and exciting to have so much time, so little to get done.

Its great to keep this updated, hope you all like it. Its almost like you guys are traveling with me. Instead of the harsh reality that i'm all alone in a foreign land. I've been talking to myself a little too much, yikes. Trying to stick to singing songs, but i only know so many and ya gots ta have some conversation in there too. Also most of the songs are vulgar hiphop songs.

Time to sit in the sun and read\find food

Lyle

Big city blues

Felt a great need to leave the big city. So many people around just made me lonely. Weird that sleeping in a tent, alone, next to a lake i feel less lonely.

So after kaffe and a pastrie i got on the metro to get out of town. Couldnt figure out how to pay for the metro, so i didnt and road to the end of town for free. Sorry swedes. I got out in the middle of a neighborhood and couldnt find my way out for some time. Finally i made it to a highway, any highway would do. The high way headed to Karlstad, Karlstad it is. Found a good spot to stick out the thumb and someone stopped pretty much as soon as i did. I'm getting really good at this, i thought.

Barboro was on her way to work. She worked in a town on my way, as a child physiologist. Exactly what i was in need of. She was incredibly open for what i have come to expect from the average swede (not that i know that much from personal experience, but summing together others). We each plunged into sharing the personal challenges we were going through, it was great. She hit a bird while texting, a moment of silence for the magpie off to another life and we were right back into the matters at hand. By far one of the best conversations i've had since i arrived, sorry uppsala fokes.

She gave me a map of the town she dropped me at and her phone number if i was back in göteborg (gothenburg). Which i will probably be back, because Bone Thugs and Harmony is playing there October 14th. Ahh Yeah.

Ate some meatballs and mash, sat in the sun and now i feel my soul letting in wind (not my line, stolen). Its time to head out to the road and a little north for the night.

Things are looking up
the sun is out
and the road is calling

L

Hitchen Sweden Day 1 and uhhh 2

Such a great day.
After all the frustration Dianna and i ha been dealing with, it was great to get out and breathe. I gathered my last supplies and headed east out of Uppsala (where di lives). 30min of standing with my thumb out feeling kind of stupid, a car finally stopped. A couple from Estonia with a child in a car seat picked me up. The woman applauded my hitching commenting that it was very common in Estonia . Mostly the trip was filled with the couple baby talking to their child who would reply, making me smile and fight the urg to ahhhh.

They took me an hour or so down the road to Västeras, a large city. They dropped me on a busy highway in the middle of down town. I ate and returned to the highway to try and get a ride out. Again after about 30min a car finally stopped. Only it greeted me with blue flashing lights. The cops told me i couldnt be there as it was dangerous, which it probably was but i was stuck in the middle of town. So i walked off into the city to head for the end of town.

Walking by the shops i caught my reflection in the windows and was faced with the reality that with the wind in my hair it really looked like i had a mullet. Luckily around the next turn was a salon. They were closed, lights on and my ignorance lead me to try the door anyway. A lady answered and seeing my ignorance and mullet took pity and offered to cut my hair. I felt refreshed with my 30dollar hair cut, she asked for 40 but i only had 30 in cash, and walked on to the end of town.

I reached what i saw as a safe spot and stuck out the thumb. A guy stopped and after a complete miscommunication i passed on the ride. He said something like he was going shopping and it would be 30 min or so. In reality he was saying he was only driving to köping (pronounced shopping) which was only 30min down the road. Oh well, ate some crackers and jam and continues the wait. Last cracker still in my mouth, a car finally pulled off. He was headed a good deal beyond my minimum goal for the day.

His name was Joseph, he was from Lebanon. He was large and breathed rapidly at rest. He laughed when i said i only spoke english. He told me i should be taking the train as he drove. It was fast and cheap, "what you dont have money?". He kept the conversation going with his broken english for most of the 2-3hour drive, till i fell asleep. I awoke to beeps and voices coming from his navigation unit. It was amazing what that thing knew.

Night fell and Joseph asked if i was hungry pulling into a Burger King. I said i was but reaching into my pocket quickly realized i had given all my cash for the slick new dew. He said, "no no no, i will pay, you have no money" as soon i checked my pockets. I asked for two hamburgers which were cheap. He ordered us each a triple cheese burger meal, the most expensive thing on the menu. It was great to eat something hot as i had planned on dinner of PB&J. He inhaled his meal and smoke a cigarette while i tried my best to finish all the food.

We drove on and we reached his turn off my path. He got out and shook my hand very warmly, i had enjoyed my time with him as well. He gave me directions for my continued trip, which i didnt understand at all. I nodded and smiled, thanking him for his generosity. I stomped off into the woods for the night (in sweden you can legally camp anywhere (maybe only outside city limits) for one night as long as it isnt like someones lawn). I set my tent after a long time of starring at it in the dark, regretting not getting instructions. It did have a hammer with it, which was totally needed as my bag was dangerously light.

I awoke with a coffee from the gas station across the street and was quickly picked up. The guy was swedish and heading going home from relatives north of uppsala. He had started at 2 in the morning and could take me the whole way to Göteborg. He drove me all the way down town to the train station and here i sit on a computer. Now im off to get a room for the evening and see whats around. The city is the second largest in sweden with buildings that are extremely old and some that look like they might head to orbit soon. I hope to find my friend Lotta (worked at the musk ox farm with me) her and will be here a few days.

Love to all'
L

Lyle has landed

After a crazy stressful couple of weeks getting moved out and ready for this trip, i have finally arrived in sweden. I was quickly whisked off to a house in the country with Dianna, her sister Monica, husband Brad and two friends Martin and Maria. Faced with the new challenge of figuring out where Dianna and i stood along with my long trip, left me drained. Awkwardness filled my days and sleeplessness my nights.

Things settled over a few days and the trip on hand came to focus. I was finally hit with the reality that i was in a foreign country (having spent the time in the country with only the above mentioned) on a trip to the grocery store. I decided that it was time to move and see what i can.
Having heard many people say that hitchhiking in sweden was difficult as the swedes tend to not like the strangers, i decided this was my best option for travel.