Stage 3: Kilometer Munching on the E4 & the First Bright Night in Umeå

Today marked the first real 'king stage'. From our castle near Stockholm to Umeå, it’s about 600 kilometers. That sounds manageable, but it stretches out when you have to share the road with heavy traffic.

Truck Slalom Heading North

We bypassed Stockholm extensively – luckily, because I didn't need any city traffic today. Instead, we got to know the E4 from its bustling side. It’s the main artery to the north and today it was full. Trucks were pushing their way up the coast one after another. Overtaking is often cumbersome, and you have to stay highly concentrated. The landscape passed us by almost unchanged for hours: flat, lots of forests, and occasional glimpses of the coast. Spectacular is different, but you can feel how you’re making your way into the wilderness kilometer by kilometer.

Two Highlights by the Wayside

To avoid 'tunnel vision', we made two strategic stops:

1. Billudden Nature Reserve: A wonderful contrast to the busy E4. Here you find expansive pebble beaches and sparse, wind-swept vegetation. Just the right place to take a deep breath and clear your ears from the noise of the highway.

2. The Höga Kusten Bridge: An absolute highlight of the route. Suddenly the topography changes. It becomes hillier, almost a bit dramatic, and then this gigantic suspension bridge appears, spanning the Ångermanälven river. It almost reminds you of the Golden Gate Bridge – just right in the middle of Sweden. A perfect photo stop!

Encounter in the Community Kitchen

Upon arriving in Umeå, we settled into our accommodation: a simple but cozy place with a private bedroom, but shared bathroom and community kitchen. It was this community kitchen that turned out to be a stroke of luck. We met a German motorcyclist who had just returned from the North Cape. We spent ages together. He with his eyes set on 'home', we full of anticipation for the destination he had already left behind. His stories about the cold up there, the wind, and the endless expanse really heightened our excitement (and respect for the coming days). It feels good to exchange thoughts with like-minded people when you’ve been 'on the road' for so long.

Where is the Darkness?

After the conversation, it was now 1:00 AM, and I was supposed to go to sleep. But a glance out the window kept me awake. It wasn’t dark. Outside there was a strange, magical twilight. We are now so far north that the sun only dips briefly below the horizon. Seeing this midnight twilight with your own eyes is surreal. Your head says 'bedtime', but your eyes say 'twilight'. An unforgettable moment that made it clear to me: Now we have truly arrived in the north.

Daily Summary:

• Route: 600 km concentration exercise on the busy E4.

• Landscape: Mostly flat and wooded, apart from the impressive Höga Kusten Bridge.

• Social: Exciting exchange with a North Cape returnee.

• Magic Moment: Glancing into the bright twilight at 1 AM.