With a new day comes new strength. What a good amount of rest can do to your body is amazing. I woke up refreshed and thanked the magnesium gods for the additional help in making sure, my legs were still able to carry me. I did not experience a lot of pain or discomfort and that was a win in itself. I could have slept a little while longer but being on a campground with dogs and children, naturally means you wake up early. So I took Sierra for a little walk aound the area and made sure to make good use of the rubbish bins nearby. I took the empty candy bags and threw them out, not only because I ate them all the day before, but also in an attempt to leave yesterday behind and start with a fresh mindset. Once the bike was packed and I came to terms with the sinking feeling of not having candy in my handle bar, we took off.
Alicia really wanted to go and see a nearby waterfall for her birthday, which we had discovered while looking for a new place to sleep at night. It was not that far away and seemed to have nice enough paths for us to ride on. And the map did not dissapoint. We soon reached a forest that with a beautiful path to cycle on and an even more exciting path to push our bikes through to reach said waterfall. I did need a bit of assistance getting the trailer over some obstacles, but were through in no time. This magical spot was an absolute highlight for Sierra who loves running on soft ground and another highlight for us, because we finally found wild blueberries. I did not dare eating them as I was still waiting for confirmation that those where indeed blueberries but now looking back, I wish I had filled my bag up.
Hallamölla vattenfall och kvarn. In Englisch Hallamölla waterfall and mill. This waterfall is the biggest waterfall in the south swedish province Skåne Iän with a incredible hight of 23m. Don´t you go and judge small waterfalls. It is definitly worth a visit as you can not only look at and walk around this magnificent water source, you can also sit near the mill, have a small picnic and walk around to explore small caves, bridges and hidden steps. Sierra loved crawling into the dark spaces until she got spooked and came running back out. After we had finished exploring, it started to rain. With my new found packing system it was easy to get my rain gear out and within a couple of minutes I had waterproof myself and the trailer. Soon we had to make a decision to either go straight or turn right. And this is where things started to go wrong.
We kept going for a little while until we reached a water crossing. I could have simply pushed the bike through but did not dare with our trailer as I did not want to turn it into a submarine. Fortunately there was a small - and I mean small - bridge right next to the crossing. I detached it from the bike and managed - with the help of Alicia - to get everything across safely. This would not be the last time we had divide and conquer. I was really greateful for the easy handling of the trailer but also realised how heavy it was, fully loaded. As we continued the trail got wilder and thicker with vegetation. We crossed another small bridge before we got the feeling that we miiight not be riding into the right direction. I soon saw Alicia standing next to her bike taking a look at the map. We did indeed followed the wrong path which explained the path that looked like it came out of the Jumanji game. As Sierra and myself decided to stay with the bikes, Alicia took off to investigate and find another path back to the road. We did feel like we were trespassing while following a path across a property, through the driveway and past their garden but we knew if the car got in, we can get out. I do not think this would have been an option in America but thankfully Sweden is very kind towards lost looking bikers. And after a few minutes of feeling extremely guilty, we made it back to the official road we wanted to be on from the start.
As there was a supermarket on the way - in the lovely town of Brösarp - we of course had to stop to stock up on snacks and use the Wifi to contact friends and family. Sierra made good use of the time to take a nap and Alicia took the opportunity to ask about information on ticks and their diseases. Swedish ticks are apparently a lot worse than the ones we have here and can transmit TBE. But as the treatment takes a few month to fully kick in, we decided to leave the tick truck behind and take our chances and continue our way towards the coast.
The road that took us past the Brösarp train station, was desperately needed for my soul. It was simply beautiful and much easier to cycle on. I still had the occasional hill to tackle but it was smooth riding with almost zero cars, away from any busy roads and mostly downhill. This was the first time when I got an understanding that biking is a way to free the mind. Listening to music, not worrying about traffic and feeling the wind in my hair turned me into a very happy bikepacker. And after the disasterous day I had yesterday, this was much needed and for the first time on this trip I actually enjoyed being on the bike. After crushing so many kms yesterday I really wanted this day to be a short one and we soon made it into the lovely holiday getaway Rigeleje. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by the owner of the camping site Astrid and her husband. I have been to a lot of campgrounds so far, but this one is by far my favourite. Rigeleje Strand Camping is situated right along a massive beach. If you come with your dog, please note that dogs are not allowed on the main part of the beach and you do have to look for the dog section. If you like to go for a swim, please be aware that it is not only cold but also has a very strong current. There are warning signs though, in case you forget this blog by the time you get there. I loved this spot so much, that I stopped here again on the way back. The campground not only has a lot of space, extremly nice and hot showers but also a perfect little section with soft ground for tents. You can leash your dog perfectly near the fence and are able to take them on a little stroll around the area. Shade is provided, internet can be purchased and cold drinks await you on arrival. The owners are incredible friendly and warm hearted. Astrid if you are reading this, thank you so much for welcoming us and for showing us so much love. We really felt at home and can´t wait to return one day.
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