Solo Woman Cyclist=Bike Hire
If you’re like me, the idea
of traveling with a bike and all your stuff seems overwhelming. In my armchair,
in front of a computer there is no simple way to figure it out. Maybe a crystal
ball. . . .
I first looked into the idea
of an international bike trip when considering meeting up with friends/family
in France. They weren’t going to be available the whole time and I may as well
think about doing my own thing for a week. I knew I wanted to see Mount St.
Michel, so spun an itinerary off of that. I found 2 or 3 places that offered
bike hire for a week.
The trip ended up not taking
place, but planted the idea in my head.
Then when going to Sweden in
September 2015 I Googled the top 10 sights to see while in Sweden and up popped
the Göta Canal. I then referenced places to hire a bike and, voila!, it seemed
do-able.
I never once considered early
September to be out-of-season. The whole town of Sjötorp was closed down or so
it seemed. I eventually found a small grocery to rent me a bike for the day.
Actually half a day as it was by this time way past noon. I saw my dream of
cycling the canal dissipating. But, wait! This is Sweden and the sun doesn’t
set as much as hang in the sky. It
didn’t get dark until way part 8 pm, so I did about 40 miles. Enough to get a
feel for the World Heritage site. That evening I spent the night in a room also
offered through the grocery. Sjötorps
Vandrarhem och Rum.
Also on my trip to Sweden my
friend Lotta talked me into going to Gotland. Actually I’d thought about doing
it but thought it was simply a ferry ride. It turned into a much bigger thing
where I ended up spending 4 nights. Before alighting in Visby (also a World
Heritage site) I checked out bike hire and corresponded with a place. The next
morning I hiked with my backpack and picked up a bike. Then shyly asked if I
could leave some of my stuff. Yeah. Then asked—do you have a pannier I could
borrow. Yay! All I needed next was a map and I was off.
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