Some stuff I bought today!

Pencils for drawing, pencil sharpner, drawing pad, notepad for journal, a rope, cable ties, duct tape and a Asaklitt LED flashlight.

Passion in the freezing cold that is Stockholm.

While I was downtown I thought I'd go and go look at a store called www.kartbutiken.se to check out what maps they have in the area around where I plan to ride my bike.

While in the store and firmly entranced by one of the maps I overheard to guys speaking in English, standing on the other side of the shelf I was near they commented that the store didn't have maps of Albania. So I told them it was on my side of the bookshelf.

When one of the guys came around he right away noticed I had a map of Albania unfolded on a small table;

Guy; Oh are you going there?
Me; Yeah I am going from Skopje in Macedonia through Albania for the most part and then into Greece.
Guy; Cool, what route are you taking?
*I pointed out the planned route*
Guy; This road is really heavily trafficked so you should avoid it...

This goes on and on, he and I talk for like 15-20 minutes and he gives me tips and pointers on my planned route so I have decided to shorten it by about 200 km skipping some parts and making sure its a vacation and not an exercise.

The moral of the story was that it was great to actually talk to someone who was passionate about Albania, he said I can't go wrong wherever I go there.

Getting my ID and passport renewed!

Another shipment landed with smaller things!

Today I got a few things thats been on back-order for quite a while, gotta love free shipping and returns since it makes price matching even the smallest thing a viable thing.

Optimus Terra Lite HE Cook set,  MSR dish brush, MSR Fuel bottle, Exped  Comfort pillow L and Primus spice jar.

A story about how a scale for my weight managed to convince me a GPS was a important thing!

Back in 2011 I did gastric bypass surgery and just prior to that the hospital had me eating Modifast, those kinds of shakes that's a low calorie diet. Upon starting with the diet 2 weeks prior to the surgery I bought a Withings Body scale and started to weigh myself on a fairly regular basis.

The reason for this was twofold, firstly, whats not to love about a scale with WiFi that tracks your body mass, lean mass and weight - if it only folded laundry I would be in scales heaven. Secondly, I thought it would do my mental journey easier since I know from firsthand experience that loosing a big amount of weight takes far, far longer in your head than on your body. This is the result as of today.

I've found out that I have had help from the graph more and more the further away from the surgery date I am.

That's why I am gonna buy the Garmin Edge 800.

Because a guy I've talked to shared links like this with me.

I think that it too, will help in making my biking experience more worthwhile and fun to look at in hindsight.

Or it's just me that craves another gadget...

Latest news!

* I got my bicycle helmet yesterday - it did not fit my gigantic head so I am gonna return it and buy a helmet from a store instead so I can try it first.

* I got a chest harness mount, rollbar mount, tripod for my Gopro - but I managed to order the wrong size SD cards so I can't try it yet.

* I also got my sleeping pad, Exped Downmat 7 LW, seems nice and light.

* Lastly I got my first shot for Hepatitis A and B and being the bulky, strong male that I am I didn't flinch when the nurse pushed it into my massive should muscle... um... or something along those lines.

Now, visualize this...

...a lone mountain road deep in Albania.

The sun shines brightly through the trees and when I go around a corner I discover a accident in front of me.

A bus full of school children lies on its side, the children are trapped from above by a huge log of some Albanian tree making it impossible to exit from windows or doors.

I quickly press my Shimano Deore LX brakes into a screeching stop and reach into my handlebar bag...

The children see it glisten in the sunlight as I unfold it...

Leatherman Wave

Now click this link as I quickly work my way through the bus engine and save all the children by removing the engine block, gas tank and cut a hole through the floor...

It could happen!!!!

That's why I bought it... seriously it is!

This is the tent I am gonna use, MSR Hubba Hubba;

I thought I would try and put it up in the living room;

Surprisingly big on the inside!  

Gloves for cold and hot weather!

These are my gloves I plan to use, I have no idea if it's required - maybe I am off completely in getting gloves instead of SPD shoes but it's kind of a point in doing this and not knowing how everything will turn out and how I will look back at my adventure.

Gore Bikewear summer gloves

Gore Bikewear winter/autumn gloves

My plans to familiarize myself with my steed...

...is ongoing. The last thing I have done is I booked a course where I can bring my bike to a bicycle shop that two nights will learn me to disassemble it to tiny bits and then reassemble it to working order.

I think it will be very good learning how to adjust gears and similar things.

Of course I will take some pictures while doing it, the dates are in the beginning of February.

Booked time for vacinations.

I just booked time for vacination, man its alot of expenses popping up left and right - to get Hepatitis A and B and TBE it almost costs 1000 SEK per dosage and I will require two to start with.