Best time so far in wet and windy Vätternrundan

15 hours 23 minutes. (Start 20:14, finish 11:37) and NO PUNCTURES!

The rain and wind was very similar on my very first Vätternrunda in 2004.

On the way to Jönköping we pass through Gränna. This is Sweden's home of the equivalent of Brighton Rock. It is the only part of the whole 300km route which goes over cobbles! For me this is usually a nice massage, but for those that go really quickly all the fixtures on a bike that aren't properly fixed end up scattered over the road! When I passed it was early enough that the pubs hadn't closed, but I have been through later when added to the cobbles one has to be careful to avoid running over the drunks.

It went quite quick down to Jönköping despite the rain. This was in part due to the strong following wind, and of course my improved condition and 1000+km training. After the porridge in the Jönköping depot it was very cold to get started again. As usual Vätternrundan coincides with school graduation. This means that while we extremely sober cyclists are pouring through the town, we have to keep an eye out for drunken youngsters with their fine caps and suits.

After Jönköping it all gets a bit harder. The road isn't very interesting, more hilly and it was very dark, cold, wet and windy. We do this why exactly?

Some hours later I got to Hjo, which is where they serve the main meal of the ride. This is a very welcome pasta dish. I sat next to two men of about my age, and when they started to speak I realised I was sitting next to two English men. It turns out they had come over specially for this event, and were beginning to wonder why they had! I hope that they enjoyed it despite the weather. They come from Surrey and were very impressed with how positive the local people view this event, supporters cheer the cyclists, thousands of people assist in running the whole thing. They told me about an incident in Scotland (I think) where the locals were so upset about the closing of some roads because of a cycle event that one person spread tacks over the road causing a number of injuries!

After Hjo (where I stayed for about an hour, my longest stay anywhere on the ride) the wind reduced in strength, a bit like me. Since the wind was coming from the north, and I'd been fighting it, it was a bit of a disappointment when it didn't help for the last 40km from the beautiful bridge at the extreme northern point of the route. However it always feels good to start on the last part, at last heading towards Motala instead of away from it.

Sadly Margaret had to work this weekend, so wasn't able to be in Motala, but it still felt very good to arrive at the finishing line, eat some more pasta, and drink a wonderful beer! I should point out that they serve lättöl, low alcohol beer, but after over 300km on a bike saddle it tastes wonderful!

After a few hours sleep, the others in our group arrived, (they also did a very good time, which I could only dream about!). We had what has become something of a tradition, pizza, champagne and an early night! Before travelling home in the morning we also visited another of Motala's attractions, this also being something of a tradition, 'Två Små hus' (Two small houses) where they sell some of the most wonderful ice creams.

My companions started much later than me, since they are in a completely different class as far as cycling is concerned. (the underlined start numbers should take you to their respective statistical pages at the VR site, where you'll be able to see previous years results)

• PATRIK HORSELL, VÄSTERÅS Vätternrundan 2009 17435 05:04 - 13:34
• JOHAN DAHLBERG, UPPSALAVätternrundan 2009 17432 05:04- 13:35
• MARKUS DAHLBERG, UPPSALA Vätternrundan 2009 17434 05:04 - 14:15
• ERIK DAHLBERG, UPPSALAVätternrundan 2009 17431 05:04 - 17:14
• FRANK MCNAMARA, VÄSTERÅSVätternrundan 2009 469 20:14 - 11:37

As you can see I came in first! Patrik & Johan actually went all the way round together, the arrival time difference was due to the fact that they had to queue up to pass the timing mat that read the chip we all wore. It was Erik's first time round. Johan, Markus and Erik are brothers, which explains the common surname.

I should also congratulate my friend in England, Sean Overend, for completing the 1030 miles from Lands End to John O Groats. 1600+km puts some perspective on it all. Press the tab marked LEJOG Ditty on http://www.monticello.org.uk/ to read all about that adventure.

Two punctures on Halvvättern!

Margie and I have just come back from Motala after the second of three cycling weekends in a a row.

Margie did a good job of her 100km Tjejvättern, which went on a new course this year including a tough hill called Ombergsbacken. This is about 2 km long, and very steep in parts. She managed it without stopping and/or walking (many did both stop and walk up it!). The new course is a shortened version of the new Halvvättern (150km) course. The part that goes through Omberg is particularly nice, thick forest with occasional views out of the lake.

They had heavy rain for a while early on and then it cleared up, and they even had following winds on the open later part of the course.

The next picture of the three of us that were about to set off on the Halvättern. I was in the first start group starting at 08.00, Edward and Julia were in another group starting at 08.48.

Edward had promised to stay with Julia, which he did. It seems that he was in front all the way round!

Well we all made it round, despite a strong head wind for a long stretch towards the end, and two punctures on my bike!

After last week's puncture I was more observant when I changed the tube thankfully at the top of the long Omberg hill! I noticed that the puncture was on the wheel side, rather than the outside, indicating that there was something wrong on the wheel itself rather than some external sharp thing (which shouldn't really get through a brand new modern tyre with it's Kevlar layer etc. etc.). So when I got to the next depot I bought a new tube and was recommended to buy a new rim-tape (I think that's what they're called in English, fälgband på svenska) and told, if I get another puncture, to put it on over the existing one so that I'd have two in place.

Sure enough after ages of fighting that strong head wind, I felt the hard road against metal again, and knew it was time for another unscheduled stop.

Next Friday is the last and biggest of the three weekends, when I attempt the 300km Vätternrundan. According to the weather sites I've looked at we're in for rain and strong winds all the time! In my very first VR it rained for 15 of the 18 hours I took, and if this site it right it's going to be even worse this time. I've got better clothes and hopefully better condition this time, but I just hope the weather site is wrong, in particular about the wind! Rain is much easier to live with than strong head winds.

Expensive Car inspection

Well I took the car to bilbesiktning (the Swedish equivalent of MOT test station except this is not connected to any garage, at least not yet). It failed on a couple of points, which are going to set me back nearly 4000SEK.

Something called a spindelled (which I think might be known as a king-pin in english, but I'm not sure) is worn, and one of the brake pipes as well. This isn't the first time this has happened. I think they've been changed on both sides since we've had the car, so this is clearly something common in Volvo V70s.

Ah well, can't be helped. Having changed one of these myself before, I have no difficulty in putting the job out to a car mechanic! I've never changed a break pipe, and that's also a skill I don't wish to acquire. I get quite dirty enough fixing bikes.

The car's booked in next Wednesday, and the re-inspection is a drop in affair. I have to get it done within a month, or the car becomes illegal, but that shouldn't be a problem.