Cottage country

So, Richard, Jennie and Tova were invited to a birthday party for Liv turning 5 -- I was invited too but Liv had cousins and grandparents coming all of whom speak Swedish so I figured I would be a fifth wheel -- and the day promised to be sun with clouds and 19 (even according to the Norwegian weather forecast which is usually quite pessimistic but often the most accurate).  What is a lady to do to pass the time -- cycle, of course.

I borrowed Jennie's town bike -- one of the three bikes in the carport, there are 6 in the garage along with the 9 pairs of skis-- and Richard adjusted the setting for the internal shifting in the back hub so that all 3 gears worked fine.  I had picked up a cycling map the other day at the tourist bureau in town, and it showed a route north and east to the coast where I have not been in any of my previous visits.  An interesting part of the cyclepath was along a railway track that spanned a bay on a causeway.  How considerate to make it cyclist friendly.  It connected with a beautiful paved path following along beside the coastal road, but slightly separated in most areas.

I stopped at Engeltofta -- think old-fashioned lodge on the water -- and drank a coffee on their dock.  It is just off the entrance to the Gavle harbour and though it is cottage country along the shore north, there are lighthouses, buoy markers and large ships to the south.  Continuing north I came to Bonan where I checked out their lighthouse and finally to Utvalnas.  These last two communities are lovely areas where the former rich folk had summer houses with servant quarters.  Not shabby!  There are now small cottages interspersed with the big old buildings, but almost everything is the traditional deep red or yellow wooden board and batten siding.  The shore is very rocky with only a few small stony beaches.  Already there are lots of sailboats and motorboats enjoying the fine weather.  There is very little commercial in this area, so it was a good thing that I had picked up something at the bakery on the way out of town.

So, today's Tova Elise picture is her chilling out with her Dad last evening. Her hair is definitely growing in length and thickness.