Congratulations to Carolyn who was the first person correctly identified the island I travelled to as Bornholm. Amongst the Danes it is known as the sunshine island since it is the sunniest part of Denmark. We were a group of 34 people with students from all over the world and the Danish members of IAESTE.
I had a great time on the trip. The organizers did a great job and everything was very coordinated and went smoothly. Apparently they have been running this trip for 15 years, so they have had some time to work out any wrinkles. Initially it seemed a bit strange to not have any responsibilities beyond looking after myself and my belongings. However it was a nice change. I am so used to going camping with my Guide unit where I am in charge (along with the other leaders) or even my Rover crew where everyone shares in the leadership (The seats were very similar to airline seats, but it was much more comfortable to get out your sleeping bag and sleep on the floor under the seats. The 5:30am wake up call for disembarking at 6am from the ferry came much too early. Once on Bornholm in the town of Ronne we had to wait until 7am for the bakery to open to get fresh buns for breakfast and the bike shop to open to get our bikes.
Around 8:30 we finally started cycling (it felt like at least noon at this point). Bornholm is a cyclists paradise with a good network of cycling routes. There are small towns of up to a couple thousand inhabitants every few kilometres. Along the way we stopped to see various sights including a church, a tower (the second highest point in Denmark) and castle ruins. After eating lunch (which we picked up at the grocery store) we went for a walk to the Echo Valley. Unlike the rest of Denmark, this island actually has hills.
Typically I rode in the middle of the first pack of cyclists. After one of these stops I was a bit slower getting back on my bike so I ended up at the very end of the group. I soon grew tired of the slow pace at the back and left the slow group with the aim of catching up with the others eventually. I had no clue where we were going, but we were each given a booklet with a map and directions. I knew they occasionally paused, so if I kept cycling I should be able to catch up. However, before long I came to a fork in the road. I looked behind me and the slow group was nowhere in sight. So I pulled out my booklet to see which way to turn. The map wasn’t very clear, but it indicated that we were heading for the town of Nexo, so I just started following the road signs to this town. Eventually I reached our destination and found our campground. I was very surprised that I had not encountered the rest of the group along the way. I had been keeping an eye out for a large collection of red rental bikes on the side of the road as a sign of them stopping somewhere along the way. Since I had not manged to catch up or see anyone since just after lunch I figured they must have beat me to the campground.
In the campground, I spot the van with the tents and our food and cycle over to it. I am a little surprised to not see a large collection of bikes around. I figure they must have really beat me there and have since headed to the nearby beach. However, the drivers of the van instead inform me that I am the first one to arrive. I am a bit confused since I did not pass anyone and I started at the very back of the pack. Apparently I had somehow taken a completely different route, but managed to find my way and had beat them all there.
On Saturday we cycled another 40 km. Along the way we stopped in a lovely seaside town at a fish smoke house for lunch and another town for crepes (and a nap in the sun). We also encountered “Tequila Hill” a fairly lengthy slope with a 10% grade. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the organizers made it sound. Even with only 7 speeds, a big cruiser bike and all my gear I managed to cycle up the entire thing with just 2 water breaks. Soon after arriving at the campground and getting the tents set up it started to rain. However, this campground was not like our typical provincial parks. Instead it was a 3-star facility complete with a communal kitchen and covered areas with picnic table. Our dinner however was a BBQ with charcoal briquettes and due to them getting a bit damp it took a very long time to get dinner cooked.
During the night I woke up a couple of times to the sound of pouring rain. I was not looking forward to cycling the next day. However by 8am on Sunday it had stopped raining and the clouds had blown away making it a beautiful sunny day.
Sunday we only cycled 24 km. However, I think the scenery and bike paths were the nicest on Sunday. Along the way we visited an old lighthouse up on a hill and the largest castle ruin in Scandinavia. We arrived back where we started on Friday morning around 6pm and returned our bikes before having dinner and waiting for the night ferry. On the return trip I managed to get a whole 4 hours of sleep. We arrived back in the outskirts of Copenhagen at 6am this morning (Monday). I went home dropped my stuff off and had a quick shower before heading out the door to work for the day. I was a bit tired at work today.
I had a great time on the trip. The organizers did a great job and everything was very coordinated and went smoothly. Apparently they have been running this trip for 15 years, so they have had some time to work out any wrinkles. Initially it seemed a bit strange to not have any responsibilities beyond looking after myself and my belongings. However it was a nice change. I am so used to going camping with my Guide unit where I am in charge (along with the other leaders) or even my Rover crew where everyone shares in the leadership (The seats were very similar to airline seats, but it was much more comfortable to get out your sleeping bag and sleep on the floor under the seats. The 5:30am wake up call for disembarking at 6am from the ferry came much too early. Once on Bornholm in the town of Ronne we had to wait until 7am for the bakery to open to get fresh buns for breakfast and the bike shop to open to get our bikes.
Around 8:30 we finally started cycling (it felt like at least noon at this point). Bornholm is a cyclists paradise with a good network of cycling routes. There are small towns of up to a couple thousand inhabitants every few kilometres. Along the way we stopped to see various sights including a church, a tower (the second highest point in Denmark) and castle ruins. After eating lunch (which we picked up at the grocery store) we went for a walk to the Echo Valley. Unlike the rest of Denmark, this island actually has hills.
Typically I rode in the middle of the first pack of cyclists. After one of these stops I was a bit slower getting back on my bike so I ended up at the very end of the group. I soon grew tired of the slow pace at the back and left the slow group with the aim of catching up with the others eventually. I had no clue where we were going, but we were each given a booklet with a map and directions. I knew they occasionally paused, so if I kept cycling I should be able to catch up. However, before long I came to a fork in the road. I looked behind me and the slow group was nowhere in sight. So I pulled out my booklet to see which way to turn. The map wasn’t very clear, but it indicated that we were heading for the town of Nexo, so I just started following the road signs to this town. Eventually I reached our destination and found our campground. I was very surprised that I had not encountered the rest of the group along the way. I had been keeping an eye out for a large collection of red rental bikes on the side of the road as a sign of them stopping somewhere along the way. Since I had not manged to catch up or see anyone since just after lunch I figured they must have beat me to the campground.
In the campground, I spot the van with the tents and our food and cycle over to it. I am a little surprised to not see a large collection of bikes around. I figure they must have really beat me there and have since headed to the nearby beach. However, the drivers of the van instead inform me that I am the first one to arrive. I am a bit confused since I did not pass anyone and I started at the very back of the pack. Apparently I had somehow taken a completely different route, but managed to find my way and had beat them all there.
On Saturday we cycled another 40 km. Along the way we stopped in a lovely seaside town at a fish smoke house for lunch and another town for crepes (and a nap in the sun). We also encountered “Tequila Hill” a fairly lengthy slope with a 10% grade. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the organizers made it sound. Even with only 7 speeds, a big cruiser bike and all my gear I managed to cycle up the entire thing with just 2 water breaks. Soon after arriving at the campground and getting the tents set up it started to rain. However, this campground was not like our typical provincial parks. Instead it was a 3-star facility complete with a communal kitchen and covered areas with picnic table. Our dinner however was a BBQ with charcoal briquettes and due to them getting a bit damp it took a very long time to get dinner cooked.
During the night I woke up a couple of times to the sound of pouring rain. I was not looking forward to cycling the next day. However by 8am on Sunday it had stopped raining and the clouds had blown away making it a beautiful sunny day.
Sunday we only cycled 24 km. However, I think the scenery and bike paths were the nicest on Sunday. Along the way we visited an old lighthouse up on a hill and the largest castle ruin in Scandinavia. We arrived back where we started on Friday morning around 6pm and returned our bikes before having dinner and waiting for the night ferry. On the return trip I managed to get a whole 4 hours of sleep. We arrived back in the outskirts of Copenhagen at 6am this morning (Monday). I went home dropped my stuff off and had a quick shower before heading out the door to work for the day. I was a bit tired at work today.
View from the top of a decomissioned lighthouse
Part of the castle ruin
View from the Castle ruin
Nap time after lunch on Sunday
Riding along one of the bike paths in the middle of the island
View from the top of one of the hills (it was the first real hill I have seen in almost 2 months)
Taking a break at the top of that same hill.
Our van and bikes
Typical Danish scenery
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