Day 3 Syterstuga to Tarnasjostuga, 14 km
I wanted to start early today as I'm not the fastest hiker. Nevertheless, I hung out at Syterstuga until 8:45 a.m. I actually ate breakfast with folks and chatted some more. I think the camp host Ulrika and I made a good connection.
The day's weather was a little iffy. Yesterday made it sound like rain was a real possibility and this a.m. there were thick clouds. It felt colder. I asked the girls in the organized group what they were wearing; we all were considering the idea that it could rain. Finally, I decided that I'd wear my tights and start with my quick-dry T-shirt, layered with my Icebreaker long sleeve, with the Kuhl shirt on top. If the weather changed I could add or subtract. One cool (pun intended) is that my next hut has a sauna.
As I mentioned, the first 2 days were warm and sunny and today definitely had an autumn feel to it. I started out having to cross over a little land peninsula to get down to a lake I'd be following all day up to Tarnasjostuga. To cross over the lake and hike on the east side there is a series of metal fabricated bridges spanning small islands. I was really looking forward to this. But first…
As I was walking along, getting into my stride I saw movement in some brush and out pops a reindeer followed by a family of reindeer. This was also something I'd really wanted to experience–and there they were!!
Before the bridges I needed a bathroom break and a quick snack. I turned a corner and there's a porto and wind shelter where a couple have made a fire. I asked if I could join them and they said sure. I had my tea around the fire and a tortilla cheese sandwich. The couple was from Germany and we chatted for a bit. They offered me chocolate. So typical.
The man offered to take my picture at the wind shelter and at the first bridge.
Really the temperature was perfect for hiking and the terrain was more moderate. I hiked by the lake going through birch forest and boggy ground on wooden planks
The German had explained to me that for about three weeks they had excessively high temperatures for the region. The heat killed off some of the reindeer and lowered lake levels about 50 cm. Also the bogs, some had dried up, making it easy for me to just race across the boards without fear of falling in. He also explained the flower that looked like feathers on a stick. They grow in boggy areas and this year far fewer patches of the “mood” flower.
At one point when going through the forest in the zone I looked up and my brain first registered an elk, then I remembered: Reindeer!!. He was very close and just looking at me. It's companion emerged and crossed the path also and they both disappeared into the woods. I'm definitely near the Arctic Circle, I thought.
I reached the cabin at 3 pm, 14 km.
The day's weather was a little iffy. Yesterday made it sound like rain was a real possibility and this a.m. there were thick clouds. It felt colder. I asked the girls in the organized group what they were wearing; we all were considering the idea that it could rain. Finally, I decided that I'd wear my tights and start with my quick-dry T-shirt, layered with my Icebreaker long sleeve, with the Kuhl shirt on top. If the weather changed I could add or subtract. One cool (pun intended) is that my next hut has a sauna.
As I mentioned, the first 2 days were warm and sunny and today definitely had an autumn feel to it. I started out having to cross over a little land peninsula to get down to a lake I'd be following all day up to Tarnasjostuga. To cross over the lake and hike on the east side there is a series of metal fabricated bridges spanning small islands. I was really looking forward to this. But first…
As I was walking along, getting into my stride I saw movement in some brush and out pops a reindeer followed by a family of reindeer. This was also something I'd really wanted to experience–and there they were!!
Before the bridges I needed a bathroom break and a quick snack. I turned a corner and there's a porto and wind shelter where a couple have made a fire. I asked if I could join them and they said sure. I had my tea around the fire and a tortilla cheese sandwich. The couple was from Germany and we chatted for a bit. They offered me chocolate. So typical.
The man offered to take my picture at the wind shelter and at the first bridge.
Really the temperature was perfect for hiking and the terrain was more moderate. I hiked by the lake going through birch forest and boggy ground on wooden planks
The German had explained to me that for about three weeks they had excessively high temperatures for the region. The heat killed off some of the reindeer and lowered lake levels about 50 cm. Also the bogs, some had dried up, making it easy for me to just race across the boards without fear of falling in. He also explained the flower that looked like feathers on a stick. They grow in boggy areas and this year far fewer patches of the “mood” flower.
At one point when going through the forest in the zone I looked up and my brain first registered an elk, then I remembered: Reindeer!!. He was very close and just looking at me. It's companion emerged and crossed the path also and they both disappeared into the woods. I'm definitely near the Arctic Circle, I thought.
I reached the cabin at 3 pm, 14 km.
Tärnasjö
 Reindeer!! |
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