GravelLand Saga Day 9

After a night of heavy rain I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. I took my time drying the tent in the morning sun before rolling out around eleven, and for the first time in nine days the wind was finally on my side.

The French bikepacker from yesterday caught up with me again. He has been riding for four months already, and we chatted for a while before naturally drifting apart. When I asked what he remembered most from his journey, he smiled and said, "Serbia and its dogs." Apparently one day a passing car even shielded him and his girlfriend from a pack of chasing dogs. Definitely a story to remember.

Later we crossed paths once more near Tönnersa Nature Reserve, where the route finally became exactly what I had been hoping for. Sandy gravel roads, pine forests and peaceful trails made me forget the long stretches of asphalt from earlier in the trip. The coastline also became wilder. Strong waves rolled onto the shore while old windswept trees leaned toward the sea after years of battling the coastal wind.

The afternoon became a little harder as the wind shifted and the climb toward Torekov slowed me down. Every shelter I checked was already busy with other cyclists, and one even came with a warning about noisy seagulls at sunrise. Instead I trusted my luck once again, left the main route for a short detour and found a brand new shelter hidden on a quiet hillside near Förslöv. The wind now hits the outside wall while I listen to cows somewhere down in the valley.

Today felt calm. No rush, no drama, just steady progress, beautiful coastal gravel and another reminder that trusting your own rhythm is often the best route forward.

102 Training Load
-- from COROS