Hot and Sweaty

Tormasniska – Pello     61.6kms  304’ ascent

This morning dawned, although, I suppose technically it did no such thing having never dusked!  Technicality aside, the storms of yesterday had gone to somewhere else and the skies were clear blue. Scatterings of twigs and a short power cut were the only remnants of the violence. Singing along with the birds we set off for Pello and a fairly short ride. Our unplanned route continued to follow a river glistening in the sun and, with virtually no traffic, was a joy to ride. Summer had returned in no small measure - not exactly shorts and T shirt hot – but lolling on the banks of the river while eating lunch sort of hot.

The scenery underwent a moderate change from all trees , to trees and some pasture; the latter acquired at some considerable effort on the part of the farmers ably assisted by some of the most enormous plant imaginable. We could also detect odour of cow but no beasts were visible. Then it dawned on us that the buildings we thought might be hostels were, in fact, very large cowsheds! This fact was verified when we spotted cows lurching up to the windows awaiting their opportunity to munch the green, green grass which presumably had been very white for a long time.

We think we may have approached Pello from the posh end as, with increasing frequency, we passed some very affluent looking housing hugging the banks of the Tornio, all with their access to the river. Stunning locations on this fine sunny day but might all look different in the winter or not be visible at all!

No hassle finding accommodation in Pello. A perusal of the information board indicated that we had just passed the huts in the woods so we returned the 2 kms to the junction, rode into the woods and located a cabin, complete with its own private sauna! Thankfully, it did also have beds and a kitchen so that we could eat and sleep as well as sweat! I have never quite got the sauna thing but Alan enjoyed perspiring in private.

Tomorrow, I am told, is likely to be a cultural day as we make our way into Sweden. Here’s hoping for more of this summer stuff.