Vatternrundan

[Kablinsky]

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http://www.egcc.net/display-items.asp?intTypeID=150&intItemID=496

Kab; the £475 for the CFC trip sounds very reasonable

It was pretty good value. BA flights, transfer to/from Stockholm, CFC jersey and decent enough accommodation.(best bit being an undercover veranda to put bikes together on)

From waking on Friday morning at 7am (after only 5 hours sleep due to snorers) I didn't sleep again unitil sometime after 1.30am on Sunday.

 

[Bollo]

Nice report Zoom. Enjoyed reading it, although my travelling experiences were more Stephen Fry to your Bear Grylls.

Once on the bike, the weather only bothered me descending into Jonkoping, where the road felt as greasy as hell, and around dawn before Hjo, where a head wind whipped up a bit and the drizzle intensified.

I had a much more pleasant journey home and managed to get some sight-seeing in around Lund and Odense. Both the Oresund and Storebaelt bridges are spectacular bits of engineering and almost worth a visit in their own right. Driving was certainly NOT the cheap option, although the only time I enjoy driving is when there's a 'road trip' element to it.

Getting back on UK roads was a bit of a shocker, both on the bike and in the car. I passed this Norwegian driver from the ferry on the M25 and he looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown with the brutality of the traffic.

 

[des.o]

All in a great trip - started about 3am and took 12h:28m which I'm very happy with. The rain was a bit grim at times, but there was an epic quality to it all which always makes you feel like you've had a 'real' ride afterwards. Bonked badly about 30km from the finish - an energy bar which I'd been carrying about for the last two years finally came in useful. The sprint finish was brilliant fun - delusions of Mark Cavendish.

Given that I've never toured before, the real revelation for me was the trip there and back - no time pressure and a lovely ride down through the pine forests on the way down, then followed the Gota Canal all the way back. Definitely a great combination: a fast sportive type ride, coupled with a scenic meander through the countryside. Despite swearing 'never again' in the rain at Jonkoping I'm already looking forward to next year - thinking about a start/finish at Skavsta/Gothenburg this time and see the canal all the way through from coast to coast.

 

[Bollo]

I put together an album of pictures that I took during the ride and the journey there and back. They're nothing special, but you might like a browse...

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=110

 

[Zoom]

some of mine

38km control as dawn rises (somewhere among those rain clouds)

Hjo; dry buns lingonberry juice and gherkins, nom nom nom

the final stretch

Arrivee

on the way back to Stockholm

new EU food labelling regulations?

that's it down there; I'll be back

 

[Brainstorm]

Thanks for the pics Zoom, really great stuff!

 

[Zoom]

Dear Cyclist!
You have probably heard that the start numbers for Vätternrundan 2010 were sold out in record time.
What is less well known is that our quota for non-Swedish residents was not filled, which means that cyclists living outside Sweden may still register.
Register via this link: Entry
For the registration to work, you must first change the entry number.
1) Fill in the number 340001 in the field to the right of the blue registration number.
2) Click on the box beside " I have read the information. "
3) Press the button Change the entry number. The number 340001 should now be shown in blue.
Then fill in the cyclists information (name, date of birth, etc) and click on Add.
When you have filled in everyone, go the middle of the page, and click on To payment.
Please call us if you have any questions! +46-141-22 32 90
See you in Motala!
Vätternrundan

 

[Zoom]

a reminder that registration for 2011 opened yesterday and it's up to 6000 / 18500 already; expected to sell out in 2-3 weeks

I'm in

www.vatternrundan.se

 

[Rassendyll]

a reminder that registration for 2011 opened yesterday and it's up to 6000 / 18500 already; expected to sell out in 2-3 weeks

I'm in

www.vatternrundan.se

Hi

Thanks for the info - I've been really keen to do this ride for a while now.

The thing that puts me off is that there seem to be limited accommodation options in the area. I'm not really keen on camping. Can I ask what you'd reccommend for staying somewhere nearby - hotels or B&B style accommodation.