Day 15: Sundsvall | 0km
Day 15 was my first complete rest day since starting this trip. I had initially planned to take one day off a week, but a mix of my body holding up surprisingly well and the nature in the north being surprisingly inhospitable led me to keep going. I decided to aim for more days off when I reached Gothenburg, my hometown.
My morning was peaceful, and with nowhere to go, I stayed at the breakfast buffet for hours, eating, reading the news, and catching up on photo editing. Around lunchtime, I left the hotel to explore the town. It was Sweden’s National Day (our version of the 4th of July), so crowds of people strolled around, and a big stage in the town square featured a live orchestra and choir performing. Being an outsider in this town, I felt a bit like an undercover agent on a secret mission to bike from north to south, awaiting instructions before continuing. Imagine James Bond but with spandex bike shorts. The feeling didn’t last long, though, as I caught my reflection in a store window. An unshaven, messy haired and poorly dressed man stared back at me, pretty far from a tailored Tom Ford suited secret agent…
The weather started turning grim, so I fled into some shops to look for a new tripod, gloves, and another water bottle to replace those I had lost along the way. I managed to find replacements for all but the tripod. To celebrate Sweden’s National Day, I headed to the oldest café in Sundsvall after seeing their sign promoting meatball sandwiches. It felt like an appropriate way to honor the day.
Many friends I talk to about this trip ask if it’s lonely on the road, but truthfully, I don’t feel lonely as long as I keep moving. When I stop, however, especially in a city where people are out with families, friends, and hordes of high school graduates celebrating, I’m reminded of what I might be missing out on at home. There are always trade offs for anything you do, and for this summer, I’ll just have to be okay with not seeing friends and family as much. Being out like this does give you some perspective, though. I feel more appreciation and gratitude toward the people in my life. You realize just how much you depend on others’ support and friendship to get by.
The rain continued all afternoon, so my sightseeing didn’t last long. The rain gave me a good reason to return to the hotel with food and half a liter of ice cream to watch a movie.