Berlin - Midnight Sun Randonnée 2023 - Berlin

German Version - contains a few more details.

Content

• Idea
• Route
• Outward
• The MSR
• Backward
• Stats
• Packlist

Apology first: I’m not very good with grammar. Double that when not using my mother-tongue. I’ve translated this by hand to get a bit more practice.

Idea

After 4 years of only events (and COVID-19) I wanted to see whether I could still do some touring. And if this is even possible with my road/randoneur bike.
After considering some really long distance events (7 days and more). I’ve decided that they are a lot of hassle (traveling there) and quite costly for basically just a gpx track.
I’ve already had quite a bit of trouble with traveling to the Midnight Sun Randonnée (MSR) last year. I’ve tried to be ‘green’ without plane but the Swedish Railroad really made this hard by preventing booking the required night train during spring. So as the event got within weeks I was nervous and quickly changed my plan to a plane.
Therefore I was searching for something that I could start and end right at my door steep. Because its not going to be more simpler to organize or more sustainable.

With those really long distances events that’s not possible (for a normal vacation time). So I’ve settled for the MSR with this seemingly crazy Idea of getting there and back by bike that I’ve already had in my mind last year while hitting this train problem. Also it is a kind of test if I am at all able to do any of those long distances events in the future.

As a funny note: There is also a different event called MSR: the “Mecklenburger Seen Runde”. (It’s a copy of the Vätternrundan and the first event I’ve ever attended) Riding both events in the same years is nice little extra that helped in the decision process.

Route

See here for the actual cycled track. Some minor mistakes are redacted but all the diversion for sleeping/shops are still there.

My primary goal was the shortest route while still avoiding main roads.
Towards Umeå: It’s almost the same like my previous touring to the Northcape (german only). Because this trip was also selected to be short - to make sure I can reach the selected target in the available time. While a rather high speed was expected (otherwise I’ve wouldnt be able to complete the MSR) it was unclear how the camping gear would slow me down. That resulted in quite a bit of buffer. I did plan some extra loops at the end to accommodate and had to use them.

Obviously the MSR part is fixed.

Towards Home: My goal here was to reach a point where it is easy to abort the whole trip. Because I’ve never done more then 14 days before that I was not sure if there would be still some (will) power in me. Thats the reason for Oslo: There is a ferry to Germany (Kiel) there. The 2nd reason for Oslo was to shorten my list of capitals reached by other means than cycling from my door step. After completing this there are only 2 reaming: Viena and San Marino (and 11 in Europe done).
Behind Oslo I did plan different lengths to continue so I was able to decide considering my physical state. Shorter ones would have used ferry from Oslo or Larvik to Denmark instead of going till Helsingborg and using the short ferry there. The final stretch had a final Option to shave of ~150km by using the ferry from Gedser.

Outward

First day is long as usual. It was also required because the ferry to Sweden was prebooked for the next morning. That lead to the unique situation (for me) that also the camping ground was pre-booked.
I did ad the photo stop at the Brandenburg Gate just a few days before as I’ve started thinking about this report :) It did ad a few km and a nice run in with a bunch of glass on the road: Some driver decided to show of what an SUV is good for: He manged to convert a boring street lamp into modern art - seemingly just a few moments before I crossed this corner (Police still there). But this time I narrowly avoided puncturing the brand new tire (unlike the last brand new tire).
The summers have gotten more dry here and this week was not going to be different. However I’d like to think that wind is getting more. This day had particularly strong head wind coming from the Baltic sea. So it was a small storm near the coast. Not funny with a deadline, but it all worked out.

Day 2: Got up really early because the ferry line requested to be at the port 1 houre before. But than didn’t open the check-in at this time … in reality bicycles where only allowed to board 5 minutes before departure. I was not the only one fallen to this trap a group of bikepackers from Austria did skip there hotel breakfast. And also 2 touring riders - still only a fraction of all the caravans on the ferry. In Trelleborg another strange decision: We’re not allowed to ride in the harbour and have to wait for the bus (like those without any vehicle). But one bus and 7 bikes does not match at all. So after waiting for 15 minutes we do what should have be done from the start: begin our cycling!

Finally start. The slightly stormy headwind form yesterday is still present. But I’am now on the other side of the source so its a strong wind from the side. The first stretch out of Trelleborg feelds really dangerous drivers seem to ignore me and the can easly throw me into there very narrow overtaking paths :/ Somehow I’ve remember traffic to be much more considerate in Sweden?
luckily it’s really only this first bit (aside from the dreaded 2+1 streets where it’s obviously impossible for driver to overtake with a decent safety buffer)
The further north I get the more the land is blocking the side wind. And the thing I’am riding here is finally beginning: Forest, forests and even more trees. There will be even more in the next days but already here in southern Sweden it’s a total different level of Woods compared to the average German road: It just keeps continues on forever. During the late evening I am finally above the wind source so that it turns into a strong tail wind. On the E4 I find myself in a race with a tractor: he is faster uphill I am faster downhill. With some really stupid hard push on a climb I can shake him off. After all its about the fun not being sensible! My target for the day was always Ljungby - to match my speed from the Northcape trip.

Day 3: From Ljungby there is a bicyle path atop an old railroad line. I know that it will be gravel shortly but its dry and I have all the time. Its also a different feeling for once instead of asphalt roads but still quite a bit slower. Towards the end it gets more and more gravely so that after about 15k I am also happy that its over.

Starting with Jönköping there are the first notable hills. Also a surprise: a large number of children is going up this not to easy hill I am descending - on bikes of course. Maybe they are starting early with training for the Vätternrundan? By the way it’s on the next weekend.

The rest along the lake is quite flat but there its to far away from the water to see it. Only at on the last bit for the day there are hills again. I do learn that there is a channel here connecting all the way through Sweden from coast to coast!

Day 4: Stil warm and dry, and also some tail wind today. Near Laxå I am anoyed by the very loose gravel road. Just to be happy about it moments later: It did avoid a bit of E20 that has heavy traffic. Still there is some part of it that would have required a long stretch of gravel to avoid. But the other roads are again very calm. You can also find some cycle paths up there even local people using them. For example this mother&daughter passing through a village (without cycle path) on the left(!) side to connect the cycle paths that are outside of the village.
Again I’am trying to match my speed from the previous trip in this region adding almost 40km on top. However it feels like the road is not so calm like last time :/ Feels like this 2+1 stretch here is new but maybe thats just the fact that i missed a turn? The advantage of those 2-digit-roads is that they got rest areas with toilets (some with drinkable water) and sometimes even some small huts. If you don’t have problems with noise you could use those for sleeping. Problem is there never where you need them.

Day 5: Nothing to say about the route: Just getting north.

I do meet someone doing a sabbatical trip all around the Baltic see (including russia). He is one of the wild campers just pulling over at bathing spots and such. I meet him on one where I use the toilet. At the time he gets ready to leave I’ve almost done 100km :). In the evening there is a problem with the camping ground: The one I did find in the app is Caravan only (no grass ground) - hrmpf. That the reason for the strange bend at Bergsjö. Luckily this is near the sea so there are a tone of camping ground to choose from.

Day 6: It was expected that I am going to not comply with the plan (to fast) and this is getting very clear now. So this Bergsjö diversion for camping ground does not hurt at all and results in avoiding more E4 then expected by using some small remote roads with some bits on gravel.

Behind Sundsvall the route switches to my extra long backup plan. Away from the coast into the loneliness. This part has some of the longest distances between villages. According to my plan there are 2x stretch above 100km without a place to by grocery’s. Bun in real life there are some very very tiny shops in between.
To my surprise this area is part of Lappland. I thought that is even more north? Im slowly climbing upwards along rivers so its very relaxed. At one point there is a group of 3 road bike in the opposite direction but I feels like they have a support car behind.

Day 7: Even more Lappland loneliness. It is really flat and with wind from the sea all runs very fast and smooth. Due to the camping ground yesterday I find myself a bit of my planed route - but I don’t want to turn around. So after looking at the map I follow this road on the side of the river opposite to the main road - what could go wrong? Well not really wrong but the asphalt may stop and gravel appear! While it is still this nice Swedish gravel which tends to better then most Brandenburg coble roads - it feels sketchy not knowing how long this stretch will last. With some short sharp climbs its also a bit more difficult. It feels somewhat long but actual is quite short till the next bridge to change side on the main road again.
As mentioned its fast now the next shop has still 20 minutes left. I am not going to wait hat long right? It only another 65km to next one for breakfast!

On this next shop I meet a touring ride with more luggage I’ve ever seen by far. He’s already gone to the nort cape more the once and had some nasty mechanicals that why he is packing spares for almost everything.

Later that day more unusually things: In one of this tiny shops the salesperson is watching out for his daughter at the same time. He also has enough time on his hands to ask my what the heck I am doing out here with a bicyle. I return the question why is living here even in winter and thank him for doing so to make my trip possible.

Day 8: Relaxed rolling the last km to Umeå. Noteworthy: Far away from home I ride on a road I’ve used just last year. And will use again in a few days. Slow is still not slow enough. Hotel only offers Check-In starting 15:00 so I have to do something really strange: ‘Chilling’ on a bench. There is a beautiful park alongside the river here in Umeå. Later at the Hotel i meet the first MSR riders coming back from the first Coffee-Ride.

Day 9: Well due to my plan with lots of safety buffer I am still a day early. Even with my extra long time killing loop. Seem I just have to hang out at the hotel. At least the organizer created another Coffee-Ride for today. But due to my talking all round it finishes in a flash without me noticing much of Umeå. Well it seems there is quite a bit cycle infrastructure here. That’s strange I thought you can’t use a bike in the winter? And hearing it just 8 week since the snow melted in city theres a lot of winter here? Why then the cyclepaths well look it up in this youtube video about Oulu

MSR

(Note: The German Version contains some explanation about Brevet here; I’am guessing most people reading this are coming from the MSR site anyway so this is not required)

This Brevet is especially suited for me due to its remote location: There is very low traffic almost no corners and nice flowing landscape. My problem is that I am acting to cautions (compared to other riders) at crossroads, corners and step descents. Leading to me getting dropped from most groups. Most likely if there is a string of roundabouts.

Cheat luggage

While I did cycle my body all the way the dirty secret is that I send myself a package with gear better suited for the MSR. While it would have been possible without this it’s a bit nicer.
Main point is the different (smaller) bag. In addition some spares, bars and drinking powder. Used (as planed) part of the spares is only the cain. Why chain?: I am using hot melt waxing with multiple chains in rotation, so I had a fresh chain for the event and another fresh chain for the way back.
On the way home I also removed some items that were planned for cold (<5° celsius) weather at the polar circle.

Get going

Start at sundown - meaning 23:07. This is annoying because I am not able to sleep on those days already waking up at 6 in the morning. As a result being already tired at the start line; sadly I can’t use this nice ‘Siesta’ location provided efficiently.
I can see that sundown is useful choice for this event - still I prefer starting at 8-10 in the morning. But the dinner buffet before the start is also nice!

Shortly before the start there is a lot of stress: The route had to be changed last-minute due to road works not finished on time. Really annoying but also reassuring: Florian (the organizer) did a through check of the route and we can expect the rest to be smooth.
The weather forecast is great - way warmer then someone would expect for the region - thanks climate change? Night temperature is not expected to drop below 10° and day with 25° or more. In addition the wind coming from the east or very weak so that the first ¾ are very likely without headwind. There is some rain for Norway (would be norway without) but not cold so no problem.
However I am using my baselayer the whole time - doesn’t hurt. At night extra sleeves but the legs are bare the wohle way. My Pullover the trouser, socks and gloves are just dead weight - last year they were essential to avoid frost burn.

Start is all rides in one group; due to me beging cautions I am at the back almost instantly. My plan is to stay with a group as long as possible but the end of the field is to slow for my taste. On the other the fast riders are already a bit ahead. I decide to do something stupid: going into the red to catch up.
This is playing with the fire. Will I catch them before being out of juice? Then I would be already broken after just 5km. If I catch them will I be able to hold on or will I get dropped on the first crossing due to my extrem caution?
The sprint feels like forever - in reality its probably rather short - but I do catch them. But as feared the first village and I drop of again. Luckily there are no more villages or sharp corners for the next 50km so after a another short sprint I can start drafting. And off we go! It’s the lead group - seems like all my training is finally paying off. With a total of 6 guys nobody has to do much front work so I can go at about 85% sweetspot for my turns. Clearly not just leching here.
In this style we reaching the first control really fast. This breather is welcomed - we’re actually to fast for the minimum time! (That’s because the changed route buts the first control with less distance but the time was not recalculated).
The stretch to next control works the same. No crossings just slight hills - I am not hindered by my usual problems and can do my fair share of work without problems. As we approach the second control the groups slowly starts to disintegrate looks like its to fast for some.
On the 2nd checkpoint I notice that one of the other riders has a support crew - its Gerd. (Honestly I feel like this is somewhat out of the spirit of this sport but it is legal for the current rules). This crew is aiming at the fastest possible time by using some “hightech” food to keep the stop to a minimum. Still Gerd decides to wait for me and my normal (but very hasty) pause so that we can continue together as team. This is an ego boost for me!
Obviously with only 2 guys rotation now we have to go a tiny bit slower. But the fact that this very strong rider decided that its worth waiting for me gives me some extra power from mind. That way we’re pushing on for 110km without any stop (again mostly long straight roads very few corners and no traffic) at a fast pace. Its somewhat above my abilities for this kind of distance. Still I’ve reached my goal to get group as long as possible about 50km more then last year.

Now solo: I need a bit more pause and Gerd continues on with his fast pace. I need to slow down. Due to this incredible pace I manage a new PB: 10h for the first 300km! In my mind I am playing with dream of managing 600km within 24h. But with group on rather flat terrain is a different ball game then solo in hilly terrain which is now starting.

Surprisingly I am the first one to hit the 4th control: Gerd took a wrong turn somewhere and had a flat tire. Still my ‘first place’ is just for a short while because now I am doing very long and cozy stops. I leave the control in 4th ‘place’. Doesn’t matter its not a race of course. Only my additional ego-based power is now offline.
I am now 15 hours on the bike with an evening start; like last year more less on this same spot the need for sleep is catching up with me. I decide to give in right now before its starts haunting me. So i stop and close my eyes for a few minutes. After continuing I’ve notice that this was the perfect spot: just a few km more the road (and grass) is wet from rain showers. Norway is sending a welcome message!
Some short rain shows hit and I also hear 2 or 3 thunder strucks but nothing to worry about. Due to some lucky coincides most of the rain falls done while I am at the 5th control after that it just a slight drizzle. Shortly before the control I buy new chocolate & stuff and the only supermarkt, last year I was to slow for this one - and there was no other village since the last control. With more snacks the next part is looking much brighter unlike last year when I almost bonked.

Should I sleep? I shortly think about trying to sleep at the 5th control avoiding sleeping somewhere outside on the road. But I can find an alibi to go on which will also make the next bit much more fun, well for me. Florian has a problem: His bottom bracket had a melt down the only possible repair is still 100km away in Moi near the next control. He’s thinking loudly that it would be nice to have a third hand in case it locks up again. That feels like a good excuse for me to skip on useful sleeping :) He has to pedal rather cautions and has some problems shifting into the large ring. So we got a lot of time to talk - keeping or minds of the problem and the hilly landscape. In the end there is no need for another emergency fix.
With almost 24h and 560km now its a really good point for sleeping. Also there is a really nice hut with real bed available here. In theory I may have been able to improve my 24h PB by not waiting for Florian, but this would have put me inside the middle of nowhere at the 24h mark without any sensible option to sleep for an addition 150k …

I wake up as more people enter the hut. Trying my internal ‘snooze’ button and finally wake up shortly after (I usually don’t use an alarm). About 4 hours of good sleep is a very good result for me. I am fresh again no risk of microsleep.
Onward, first to a very expensive breakfast on a petrol station in Mo. After that the long steady climb up till the Polar circle (which is also a pass). Only ‘problem’ is that there is nothing polar about the weather even during early morning. Nothing more to report just relaxed pedaling no more record breaking pace.

At center I buy some postcards and quickly continue. Well the descent now is a bit cool so I do use my windbreaker. Now for the second high pass back to sweden. This one again has a mediocre gradient so again easy pedaling without going above zone 2.

At the 8th control I hear that I am the 6th one passing here. This does not change anymore till the finish. Behind me and in front of me there is always at least one hour of space. Therefore I have everything just for me: controls and streets. Somewho it all feels really slow now. But this only compared to first part - I am going at normal long distance pace.
At the 9th control again I can buy new snacks (unlike last year): 2 chocolate bars and 2 rolls of cookies. Of course I eat a lot of this on the spot.

The third ‘night’ starts. I eat the second chocolate bar to keep my sugar up. But whats this? Damm climate protests! Multiple groups of reindeer are blocking the street :) While the do trot its to slow to do any useful drafting.

Did I do something wrong? I see a car in the mirror - for multiple minutes. I could be Gerd’s support crew but should he be near the finish? The car finally overtakes me - its not them. On the next hill two cars a parking at the side of the road and two man a cheering at me. What is that? Thats some really new sight for our sport (with exception for PHP of course) and this here? Right in middle of nowhere? What ever the reason - thats fun - I give the a high five while passing.
Reaching control 10 both are already there. They we’re as surprised as I am. Seeing some professional looking (from their perspective) looking cyclist around here. Seems like those small little arrows where enough for them to find the control where they got an explanation whats happing.
And another oddity: I am so used to expecting that everyone in Sweden speaks English, but not those two - well they look like 60 or more.

After this unusual events I check the weather forecast: The wind will shift to headwind soon. It’s now almost 48h and the sleeps is knocking again. Still I push on to get as much done as possible before the wind picks up. Reaching the 1000km point at 50h is another new personal best. As expected its now very though without sleep my muscle don’t like to follow the mind any more. My bag of tricks (coffeine tabs and metal) is not working.
A short nature break turns out very painful those mosquito’s here bite! Maybe I should have taken note of the reindeer bones laying around? Of course just 5 minutes later there a real nice rest place with a real toilet without any mosquito.
As expected the secret control is on this stretch (Expected because of the order in the digital version of the brevet card) only surprise is the exact location. Those two here are really awesome: There is only a bench and a small shelter (and a car) here. And they are waiting for almost 2 days to give out some stamps and sausages!

As foretold its now headwind. After a good tailwind in the beginning its now about 150km left with an annoying headwind. Control 11 has fresh grilled ‘Palt’ again. In retrospect another reason to ride this course again! After a failed attempt to sleep outside on a bench somewhere I can use this nice hut here. But this time its only a nap. The next part is even more viscous I need to do multiple power naps at unsuitable places. Getting some ice cream also does not help. In the end the weather is punishing me for this extra sleep: The last 20km its real rain so I need to change into my full raid gear.
In the end it takes me about 13 hours for the last 200km - quite bit slower then the first 300!

Done: 63 hours and 15 minutes; missed the nice sounding number (below 60h) by quite a bit. Even though it seem theoretically possible at the 1000km point. For some strange reason doing 200km after 1000 is slower then just doing 200 on sunday ride. Anybody known why?

Backward

Finish for MSR was early afternoon. Unlike the outward trip there is no reason to add rest day. So I continue the day after - well at 12 a clock and very slow. So half a rest day. I did try to stay below 100km but because of the selected camping ground this didn’t work out. Also i wanted to start more like 10 but I had to wait till 12 to send back my extra luggage.

Day 2: After resting its now again normal pace. There is more distance to cover then on the outward trip if I want to complete the longest planed route. The fact that this route has way more is not helping at all. Also the wind seems to disagree with me most of the time - well it always feels this way.

To get some distance done I start the day with a lot of E4 including the large bridge: Högakustenbron. After avoiding this the last time due to the suggestion of a local (“not very cycling friendly”) I wanted to experience it. The wind is really strong from the side but due to being Midsommar today and still early there is no traffic at all while crossing the bridge. And thats required those pillars are a very nasty trap for turbulent wind gusts throwing me out of my line by quite a bit. With cars or trucks this would have been a very close call.

In the afternoon the last big city (Sundsvall) before heading into the “Hinterlands” and solitude. A lot of cycling touring traffic here: seen 3 people in the opposite direction. Seems low but combined with local cyclists it feels a lot compared to some other days here up in the north.
In the evening finally a camping ground still having extra price for cyclist (instead of paying the same as a caravan). But a different problem: no reception only SMS with the owner and there is no sanitary key left. So I need to borrow one on demand or wait for another guest. This works out surprisingly good even at 5 a clock in the morning. Which is really surreal because in almost every other case I am the only one awake.

Day 3: Out in Nowhere: As already written this part is really lonely. Even the main road has a long gravel section. The distances between settlements is so mind boggling that I somewhat loose the feeling for time. Those 50km to the next house feels like a short trip. Compared to densely populate area where you can sum up every 5k between the villages and it feels like forever to get to the next slightly major one.

During the day there is a stretch where like 500 caravans are coming in the opposite direction - really none in mine. In afternoon another touring cyclist this time in my direction. He is from Norway so more less at home here :)
For today trying to stop early - at least thats my plan. In some ski resort is a camping ground. But they want a new record breaking charge that feels to much for me (today will be seem cheap the next days!). I continue there another in my map: But its a Vandarhem and you should have pre-booked it. So continue but I need water luckily there is a easy reachable river here. Very unlucky that the bottle slips form my hand while cleaning it. Just over a meter from the water shore but with a stony river and visible current it’s already out of reach. The bottle is now waste in some nice Swedish riverbed :/ Sry! And I still need some water …
Also there is still the problem to find some place to sleep. Just pitching my tent anywhere is not really my favorite think (prefer a real loo). While there are many possible spot at this quite road I can’t settle for one. Until I see a small wooden hut at the road side. I try my luck and: the door does not have a lock. It looks a bit abandoned inside but still some wooden beds. Also an outhouse at the barn. Those this is way cheaper. (For some reason I managed to take no picture of this)

Day 4 Into Norway: Sleep was as cheap as the hut: it feels like no sleep at all. Also I still got this problem with only one bottle and limited water. Therefore I leave very early today. The next village has a church an some nice water - but still only about one liter. I will need to buy a new bottle today. Up here in the mountains it also feels cold for the first time on this trip.
In Norway I quickly get caught up by german history: south of Elverum is a memorial for a battle during the first days of the attack during World War II.

Towards Oslo its now obviously way more populated. Inside the area of Oslo there are -at least on my route- a lot of nice (but not great) cycle paths up to the city center. But with a lot of hills more traffic and real rain starting (well - Norway) its not fun at all. Overall the progress is faster then expected but reaching the harbour in the evening with rain I am not in the mood to take a look of the city center. Just heading to nearest (and only one in Oslo) camping ground and getting baffled by the sky-high price there. But there the only one - so they only need stay slightly below the cheapest hotel … and don’t need to provide any quality at all. Barely suitable tent location and ugly sanity buildings. Not even a fence to the neighbouring park. But pitching my tent in some park in the city (like I have seen just around the corner) is not in my comfort zone.

Day 5 Rain and Fjord: The road out of Oslo also has some cycle paths (Unique: The cycle path is sometimes marked with same number as the parallel motorway). But a soon as they end it feels annoying with the traffic on this narrow roads - compared to the solitude of the last three days.

Rain continues the day just slightly behind the border. The rest of the way is just getting distance done. And again a very expensive (but still notably below) camping ground.

Day 6: Yesterday there was again a short stretch of this beautiful calm of sparse populated land. But from now on its all normal central European: Regular villages and lots of car traffic. Also the disadvantages coming with that: A dark tunnel under a motorway in Göteborg. I am well behaved using the cycle lane - seemingly littered with lots of glass! So a flat tire on day 19. Not sure if the tubeless sealant is already gone or was bad from the start (long shelf live) - whatever its not working. I fail to remember that I’ve got some replenishment sealent on me an change to a normal tube.
Seems like Göteborg hates me - last year I had a crack in my down tube somewhere around here.

During the evening another expensive camping ground that I am now used to. This time with a different problem: The reception is closed. Looking at the map there is something marked up as a hiking hut (also some Internet page confirming this). If made for hiking why not also biking? Climbing the last hill (which is like a crossbar in the flat surrounding landscape) and finding the hut on the slops of this hill. But: The Internet page didn’t say anything about that this is a rental hut bookable for large groups! Still it seems like nobody is here and there is a tap outside. So again I camping ‘wild’ near the fireplace of the hut (without fire). Nice spot but still a loo is badly required for me.

Day 7 Ferry crossings: Sweden is already one again and this time finally. The Helsingborg ferry is very efficient and crosses often. Seems like lot of commutes use it daily. Its all so fast from me arriving at the port to boarding and the start of the crossing that I barely able to eat something.

The region of København is what you expected from the reports: Lots of cycle paths and cycling traffic (even something that felt like a cycling school bus). But still it does not feel like this cycling paradise. The paths I am one are mostly narrow and have seen better days (not bad - but also not good). This law that you can’t turn left is also very bothersome.
The real problem starts outside the city: Drives acting way worse than what I am used to. This small 25cm right of the white line are sometimes even marked with a bike pictogram! And the drivers seem to also think that way … most don’t even bother to fake something that vaguely would resemble ‘overtaking’. On my list of unpleasant roads this would make the top 5. Only relaxing part is the lack of trucks due the parallel motorway. Still a lot of cyclist on this road. Its hard to beat for the shortest route in this area.
Another sore point I have with Denmark are the public toilets. Of course its very nice to even have some - but there unusable. There a phone number on the door and your supposed to send an SMS. But the number is only the local part. So to whom did I send this text? It takes so long to figure this out that I have to run around the corner and take the wee there …

Reaching the Rødby harbour seeing some cyclist and being part of some often used cycling routes - its still strange that there are so minimal signs who to get to port as a cyclist - I have to search a bit to reach behind the fence of the terminal. I am somewhat relieved that Denmark is already done. At least the all-you-can-eat buffet on the ferry takes a really bad deal with me :)

Day 8 Finalizing: As soon as I get up I am determined to not make another (sleep) stop. The only question is whether its going to be before midnight (so 21 days) or after. The day seems to do everything it can to slow me down: Another puncture. This time remembering the sealant and pouring it into the tire - fixed (almost permanently).
Another batch of rain clouds, notable wind (but still mostly tail) and finally exhaustion. This also what this day is about cycling through more and more known regions. Once the midnight goal seems achievable a major road works appears. As usual I continue but this time it would have been better to use the diversion (but really can’t remember seeing one).
The final stretch - there is something strange happing: The light seems to go out? Whats wrong here? :) Buying a last chocolate bar to replenish my sugar the last bit on this very well known roads is going quite well - reaching the Victory Column just before midnight. Of course this was my plan all the time having started here 21 days before.

Summary: So yes I can still do touring with tent even on this bike. But 3 weeks is a bit much. There was no ‘grinding’ day but all this exhaustion adds up. I need a few days of not-cycling.
The weather could have been better. Only 3 days with some rain. Almost always warm but never really hot.

Stats

I like numbers so here are a lot of useless ones.

	Days	Distance	Climbing	Average	Average total	Average power	Calories
Outward	8	1729 km => 216 km/d	9177 m	25 km/h	9.0 km/h	174	36064
Rest	1 1/2	27 km
MSR	3 (63:13)	1222 km	7882 m	27.1 km/h	19.4 km/h	163	23415
Backward	8	2069 km => 258 km/d	14054 m	23.8 km/h	10.7 km/h	166	43012
Sum	21	5048 km => 240 km/d	31234 m	24.2 km/h	10.1 km/h	165	104326

• Total riding time: 202h
• Average total meaning including sleep and stops
• Climbing according to my wahoo - some say they tend to undercount
• The Monday of the MSR start at 23:07 is counted as the 1/2 rest
• Average power only calculates the active pedaling time (at least I think so)
• Note that the total per day is below my previous record from 2018 with 252 km/d

Min/Max values for all normal Days. So not MSR rest day and the short days (82km and 129km).

	best	worst
Distance	367 km	186 km
Ridetime	14:40 h	7:44 h
Averagespeed	26.1 km/h	22.8 km/h
Climbing	897 m	2868 m

Cost

• 3x Hotel: each ~1.000SEK
• 12x Camping ground: between 9€ and 43€
• 3x No sleep night/power nap
• 2x Camping ‘wild’
• Sum: 520 €
• Food: 520 €
• Other: 287 €
• Ferrys: 84 €
• Wear and tear: 1,262 € (Estimate based on 0.25€/km; I am hoping for this long term actually I am now at 0.29€/km)

Di2 Shifting during the Ride: Front 909x and rear 21950x.
How long does the battery last? I did charge before the return trip and finished with 60% left counting 562x/8247x.

Packing list

¹⁾Not during the MSR ²⁾Not on the return trip

• Bike Kocmo Custom with Ultegra 11-Fach Di2; 29/34mm Nextie rims.
• Bags
  • Rear panniers (Vaude) ¹⁾
  • Frame bag with Smartphone
  • Ortlieb Drybag Ultralight 13 liters ¹⁾
  • Small front roll
  • Ortlieb Rack box ¹⁾
  • Satteltasche ca 1.5l ¹⁾
  • 3x Hardcase boes for small parts
  • Cloth bag for shoping (from BMB)
  • Multiple plastic bags
  • Klicta emergency stand (rather bad; rarely used)
• Sleep ¹⁾
  • Tent Vaude Tokee Ultralight
  • Sleeping Bag Cumulus Quilt 15
  • Camping mat Exped Down Mate Light
  • Pillow stuff able with cloths
  • Shorts and T-Shirt
  • Sleepingmask
  • Mosquito net for head (never needed this but its so light anyway)
  • Emergency patches for tent & mat
• Clothing
  • 2x Jersy
  • 2x Cycling Shorts (Bib & Simple)
  • Shoes (Lake)
  • Sleeves
  • Leg warmers
  • Pullover ²⁾
  • Buff
  • Base layer
  • ¾ shorts ²⁾
  • 3x socks; 2x normal 1x²⁾ warm & very long
  • handkerchief
  • Cycling gloves
  • Rain gloves (warm)
  • Rain shoes (warm)
  • Windbreaker
  • Rain jacket
  • Rain trousers
  • Casquette (Cycling Cap)
• Wash bag
  • Toothbrush & stuff; Mouthwash (small)¹⁾
  • Shaver¹⁾
  • Asos Chamois
  • Asos Skin Repair
  • Repellent Spray
  • Sun cream
  • Toilet paper
  • Mini towel¹⁾
  • Universal cleaning agent (Body & clothing)¹⁾
  • Glasses cleaner¹⁾
• First-aid kit
  • plaster & Co.
  • blister plaster
  • Aciclovir
  • Hydrocortison
  • Water cleaning tab
  • salve: joints & neck¹⁾
  • insect bites & sun burn aid (2 in 1)
• 3x Bottles on the bike (Third only filled in remote area)
• Spork
• Document bag, pen
• Smartphone + Backup Smartphone¹⁾
• Charger, Replacment USB cable
• powerbank ¹⁾
• head torch (stupid without darkness :))
• Wahoo Element Bolt + sensors
• Tools & Co
  • Multitool
  • Tire leaver
  • Leatherman
  • 2x standard tube; 1x lightweight TPU tube
  • Grease
  • Patch kit
  • Tape
  • Chain wax (liquid)
  • Pump
  • Parts: Break pads; spokes; Di2 cable; laces ¹⁾
  • Di2 & Favero charger ¹⁾
  • Microfiber cloth ¹⁾
  • Replacment front & rear light; front light doubles as a small powerbank
• drinking powder (during MSR inside the 3th bottle)
• Recovery drink + multi vitamin tabs¹⁾
• 2x Powerbar (one in each pannier) + Gel as emergency ration

Weight bike about 10.3kg (+/- 0.5kg depending on tires and such)
Weight luggage incl bags: 15kg after return it was about 1.5kg less