Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Tour Adventures

Above Left: Leaving Linköping early in the morning made the departure very easy on the nerves.

Above Right: We got to ride on a bike path out of town for all but maybe the first 5-6 blocks. The sign says it all; we will pick-up the Göta Kanal in the town of Berg.

Above Left: Swedish made Aeroplanes displayed at the Linköping Airport. We're crossing E-4, again (last time at Jönåker on Day 2).

Above Right: Fog for a while; it never rains on us. We are wearing Goretex Rain Jackets, just in case.

Above Left: The bike path ahead.

Above Right: The bike path behind.

Above Left: Share the bike path.

Above Right: Spidy Home.

Above Left: A nice crop of Ragweed.

Above Right: Girls just want to have fun (Lots of Yellow Hair in Sweden).

Above Left: Lots going on here:
1) City Limit Sign for Berg (which is a pretty big town).
2) We will pick up the Göta Kanal in just a few miles. Slussar means Locks.
3) We are going to visit this Church (Vreta Klosters).
4) Ultimately, we will spend the night in Motala.
5) The Swedes do not seem to mix Distance Signs with Which Direction signs; it seems to be a cultural feature.
6) Death is sitting on the big signpost, we're old acquaintances, not my time yet.

Above Right: Beautiful Sumac Tree.

Vreta Kloster (Monastery)

Left: Ground breaking in 1162.

Center: Vreta Kloster (Monastery).

Right: Rectors of the Monastery of Vreta.

Above Left: Pyramid Marker, quite rare.

Above Right: Main Abbey.

Above Left: When I see heavy duty lift rings, I always wonder what is in there?

Berg and the Göta Kanal

Above Left: Göta Kanal signage and passenger boarding.

Above Right: Two locks of the Göta Kanal in the foreground and Lake Roxen in the background.

Above Left: View of the canal passenger boats on Lake Roxen.

Above Right: View of the locks from Lake Roxen.

Above Left: Ducks.

Above Right: Sheep.

Above Left: Who let the dogs out?

Above Right: Auto Museum.

Above Left: Equine.

Above Right: Boats.

Above Left: Wooden Sheep Grid.

Above Right: Sheep (picture from a moving bike).

Above Left: Sheep.

Above Right: End of Sheep Grid.

Above Left: This is a draw bridge for local traffic and not a lock, at the Ruda House (1.5 metric ton limit = 1.6 US/UK ton).

Above Right: Metro?

Above Left: A red grass/grain crop in the field, opposite the canal.

Above Right: This cyclist is the first non leisure biker that we have seen on the canal.

Above Left: Huge leaf plants.

Above Right: Our First Sheep warning sign.

Above Left: Lowing Sheep. These guys did not budge as we went by.

Above Right: Drinking Sheep.

Above Left: A Church across the canal.

Above Right: A Murder of Crows on this side of the canal, hmmmm.

Above Left: A little summer place.

Above Right: Me and T.

Above: Near the end of Augusti in Central Sweden and the signs of Fall are already here.

Above: Indicators that one is nearing a well off suburbia outside of a successful town.

Above: Approaching Borensberg.

Borensberg

Above Left: The locks at Borensberg.

Above Right: We decide to have lunch here - Lunch. This is just Terry's packed lunch from the Scandic Frimis Hotel in Linköping, it is hands down the best lunch of all of the lunches on the bike tour and I have to tell you that all of the lunches were very good.

Above: This is one of the most charming trail side picnic areas that we have ever witnessed. Borensberg went out of their way to make Göta Kanal travelers feel welcome.

Above Left: Picnic Area Picture.

Above Right: A family on a walk, dropping in to use the Loo - Nice facilities!

Above Left: A water spray show, the picture is from the end of the timed program.

Above Right: A roaming Duck.

Above Left: Pink Flowers, perhaps what is called Mountain Heather.

Above Right: Pansy Flowers and a very brave table cleaner upper (on top of the corner of the granite block).

Above Left: Daisies.

Above Right: Our very Last Göta Kanal Picture.

Quick Orientation (map below)

1. We are following that [pictured above right] little green Sverigeleden bicycle route sign to the left.


2. The Göta Kanal continues on for about 4 kilometer and connects to Lake Boren, which then connects to the town of Motala on Lake Vättern on its east side. Motala is where we are heading tonight; We're in Borensberg and we started in Linköping.


3. At the north side of the same lake, Lake Vättern, is the town of Askersund. We will spend tomorrow night at Askersund.

Above Left: Leaving Borensberg.

Above Right: House and Picket Fence.

Above: Beautiful Homes brought to you by today's color, Barn Red.

Above Left: MONSTER TRUCK, Swedish Style.

Above Right: Travel sign.

Above Left: It looks like Aspen but it's Birch - I stopped and checked.

Above Right: Fruit Trees, Barn Red and Light Yellow (aka Crème Brûlé) colored homes. These two colors cover 90% of all Swedish homes.

Above Left: Fresh Cut, ready for pickup.

Above Right: Intersection, our destination is not on display yet (Motala); we're turning right.

Above Left: The old cooler and root cellar; it's probably a couple hundred years old.

Above Right: A not so unusual Fog Driving machine (looking at the extra head lamps).

Above: Electricity Generating Windmills (and both grain crops are ready for harvest as soon as it dries).

Above Left: Wild Poppies, Daisies, and Flax.

Above Right: Major Bike Interchange, we're going right (East City).

Above Left: Big Barn and Farm Operation; we're turning left.

Above Right: This is where the kids Spin Wheels, I missed photographing the biggest rubber burning display.

Above Left: Roadside flowers and barn (a moving shot).

Above Right: Finally, Motala is on our grid.

Above Left: Signs of Fall. This is a repeat statement but the Scandinavian Area of Norway, Sweden, and Finland is to European Birds and Bird Flyways as Alaska is to North America. Also notice more tire burning marks.

Above Right: This is a circle of hardwood trees (about 8 trees) forming an archway on a 2 kilometer long driveway that leads to a Royal Private Manor, it is not quite a palace but close. See Below ...

Above: Ulfasa Royal Manor House (Private).

Above Left: Suiting Up; we felt some rain drops and it is cooling down in temperature (50F/10C).

Above Right: Another major bicycle route interchange. Huge barn and grain storage operation. We are turning right, so as to take the back roads into Motala (about 7k to go).

Above: Some backroads into Motala.

Above Left: A nice home; it is painted with Sweden's favorite house colors.

Above Right: Cattle.

Above Left: We made it to the outskirts of Motala, we are now heading for the Town of Centrum.

Above Right: Terry (always cheerful and positive) - I went about 30 meters before that unsecured bottle fell off.

Above: Plenty of rivers, lakes, and water around Motala.

Above Left: We rode a bike path to this major artery and bridge that leads into Motala. There were about three bridge access choices to choose from our approach. We are to take the Pathway seen next to the river into town. We do, but it is closed in about a kilometer and we will have to free navigate to our hotel. We get to go around a few construction areas, one way streets, dead-end streets, and railroads that only allow proper crossing access in certain locations. Weeeee.

Above Right: Terry, following me blindly; poor girl.

Above: We stumbled onto this Grave or Memorial Placard, Graf in Swedish does not seem to translate in any of my Translation Books, but I know that it means 'Baron' or 'Count' in German. There is a German Poet/Soldier (the best kind) Graf Platen that died in Italy - I don't see a connection. Graf Platen(s) searches return no other useful information.

Above: We have arrived at the central plaza of Motala, Sweden. Our hotel room is about 5 rooms in from the right most windows of this image. We will have a grand view of the plaza and the lake beyond. Notice that the same gentleman is captured twice in the image (of the foreground pedestrians).

The ground is wet but it never rained on us, just a few sprinkles.

Above Left: Check-In, Best Western Hotel, Motala, Sweden. BTW, The Best Western Hotels in Europe tend to be really good places for lodging.

Above Right: View from the room.

Above: My beautiful bride, before and after refreshing.

Above Left: Weird looking pedals on blue flowers.

Above Right: Weird looking caricatures (at the hotel's restaurant).

Above Left: Dinner.

Above Right: Dessert.