Temperatures today between 4 and 8 below Riding distance Fjällbonäs-Sundsvall 565 km. Well, then it’s time to say goodbye to Eva and the children for the next two months. It feels strange to be away from her for so long.

Have thought about how to protect the almost new BMW HP32 from the horrible salt on the roads, all the aluminium parts. Anybody who has ridden on salted roads, knows what I mean. I have noticed that wherever grease in any form has been, there is no corrosion. Said and done: In the garage I found a tube of grease, to keep Dieseldoris nice and shiny. But what the heck, she is hibernating and wouldn’t mind. I have greased the whole drive shaft arm and most aluminium parts.

There were will be many hours in the dark at the handlebars at the beginning of the trip. The days are so short, I have to ride in the dark. A day like this is straight out of Star Wars, with the snow flakes whirling in the lights. I chose the inland roads to save the spiked tyres. Another advantage is when you stop to refill, the risk for being run over is smaller. On the coast road the tarmac is free everywhere and it is no pleasure to ride those on long spikes either.

We took a room in hotel Södra Berget, 3 kilometres south of the city centre on top of a mountain. All around the hotel there are ski pists and I have trained here a few times in earlier years.