Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt
Province: Jämtland
Municipalities: Ragunda, Bräcke, Östersund
Saturday 3rd of July
08.32 It's another morning on the move. The suffocating summer heat continues with yet another cloudless morning. We are at Hotel Hammarstrand (https://hotellhammarstrand.se) on the outskirts of Hammarstrand. For the first time this trip we will not travel further and change accommodation today. Instead, we will go out into nature on an excursion.
09.30 We had our personal breakfasts from a stable breakfast buffet. It is a lovely breakfast dining room here with a clear northern Sweden style in the interior. Yesterday evening's problem with the counters at COOP supermarkets is due to an IT attack on one of COOP's suppliers. This has led to COOP recommending, as we feared, to keep stores closed today. Since there are only two supermarkets here in Hammarstrand, a visit to ICA becomes an easy choice.
09.50 Without our big bags/backpacks, we are now going out on a day in nature.
10.14 In lack of COOP we settle for ICA. Now that we have stocked up with provisions here at ICA Hammarn, today's activities continue. We have bought with us beverages and ingredients for today's late lunch or early dinner. At least we're having a meal out in the woods.
11.04 On dry dusty gravel roads via Ammer, Färsån and Ytterstvattnet we have reached Christer's family's cottage in the forest near Krokvågssjön. Here there is neither electricity nor running water but much else that compensates for these amenities. With the cottage as a base, we'll spend a few hours here in the woods. Christer's family has owned the cottage since 1978. Then they lived in Östersund. Nowadays it is Christer who live closest and visits it from Sundsvall but his father who now lives in Oxelösund also come here in May and July every year.
11.35 After taking it easy for a while inside the cottage we will now start the stay with a short walk to get close to the lake. There is definitely no need to light the stove today. It's again a really hot day.
11.54 While Christer focuses on video documentation, I sit in a shelter and engage in so-called written activity. There is also high activity on the life of insects. We are by the remains of the so-called Kramforskojan at Krokvågssjön. It is a remnant from the era of log driving here. Now that's enough of this, the insects are too annoying.
16.00 Self-grilled pork and self-sliced cucumber. It was simply a really good meal and certainly it is a little extra good when you are out in nature cooking. Now is the time to wash dishes and clean before we get ready to become hotel guests once again.
21.03 The final quarterfinal, England against Ukraine is now underway. Who will be Denmark's future opponents? Soon we'll find out.
Sunday 4th of July
Hotell Hammarstrand.
Hammarstrand a warm summer morning.
Peter in the cabin at Krokvågssjön.
Our base for this day in nature.
The road we arrived on.
Lake Krokvågssjön, a part of Gerilån river.
Christer found his drawings from 1986.
A wonderful day in the forest.
Telemarkstjärn in the forest south of Krokvågssjön.
Peter is writing down some notes at Telemarkstjärn.
Christer at Telemarkstjärn.
Peter has wet feet.
A good area for hjortron (cloudberries).
Jungfru Marie nycklar (spotted orchid), Sweden´s most common orchid.
Christer is preparing this day´s early dinner.
08.25 It's Sunday and the US National Day. The kettle has been committed to what it does best, providing us with coffee water for the upcoming travel day. Our sleep in Hammarstrand is now over. Shortly, it also applies to the consumption of the breakfasts here at Hotell Hammarstrand.
09.43 It is soon time to return to the Golf. It will be nice to continue discovering new places. 10.18 The clouds play with each other in the sun-soaked sky meadow. We've arrived at the two churches of the Ragunda Parish, both the old and the new one. The old church is built and consecrated in the late 1400s. Then Jämtland was part of Norway controlled by Denmark. Above the door to the sacristy is the Danish coat of arms from the time of Kristian IV, regent between the years 1588-1648. In the old days, the old church was located on the shore of Lake Ragunda. That lake is no longer there for a reason that I will return to. 10.35 Ragunda new church was built in 1846-1849 and below it is the cemetery. Much of Christer's family rests here. We have visited the graves where his paternal and maternal grandparents and great grandfather/grandmother rests. We now sit down at the old church with a beautiful view of Hammarforsen and Kullstaberget. Up on a mountainside you can read Hammarstrand, written in Hollywood style. That sign came about in connection with the TV production "Allt för byn (Everything for the village)" which was a broadcast on TV3 2007. 10.48 So we are again on the way again. This time it is with wet wipes within reach. If I bought them, we'll use them. It's hot today as well. Yesterday it was +28°C and it will be something similar today.
Breakfast at Hotell Hammarstrand.
Ragunda new church.
Christer´s grandparents are buried here.
The Hollywood-style Hammarstrand sign has been here since 2007.
Ragunda old church from 1487.
Hammarforsen power station.
11.18 After buying an ice cream cone each in the restaurant, we will now take a look at eastern Jämtland's main attraction, The Dead falls (https://dodafallet.se). It arose when Magnus Huss, also called "Vildhussen" who wanted to make it easier to bring timber down the river created a new canal from Lake Ragundasjön. The result was that the lake was emptied via the canal and the old river rapids became a dead fall. The area here is a nature reserve and free to visit.
11.30 Below us is the old riverbed where once the mighty Storforsen existed. A cool wind fans us. Is it the breath of history that reaches us or what? We have just looked at the large rotary grandstand that is here at the Dead falls. It is used in various theatre plays that are played outdoors with the whole valley as a background. Christer made his military service from 1992 to 1993 at the regiment A4 in Östersund and in June 1992 he was in training here in the area. The conscripts then had the dubious pleasure of carrying sandbags equivalent to a person's weight to each seat in the stands when they were going to test drive it. 11.59 A dog just barked and a car is heard. Enough of the present, back to the past. On the night of the 7th of June, 1796, the dams of the canal project burst and in four hours Ragundasjön's 1000 million cubic meters of water disappeared, that is a thousand billion litres, downstream of Indalsälven river. The advancing water brought material that when the river calmed down at the outlet was based on the delta we visited a week ago in Timrå municipality. 12.13 With the help of wooden stairs, we have walked around the whole area and will now start planning for the next move on this day. It is always pleasant to visit the Dead falls. Christer and I have visited the area before, for example. 2007 when we had a visit from Shu Ming from Malaysia and 2014 when Patricia from Indonesia was in Sweden. 12.24 The motorcycle gang we had behind us for a while swung into the Ingo petrol station in Bispgården. Let's continue for a while. Now Christer swung in on Road 86. 12.48 We have sat down on a bench at the Thai Pavilion (https://thaipaviljongen.se) in Utanede village south of Bispgården. The pavilion is built in memory of the Thai King Chulalongkorn, Rama V. He visited the site in 1897 on the occasion of a visit and a round trip in Sweden. When Chulalongkorn received an invitation from the Swedish-Norwegian king Oscar II to visit the international art and Industry Exhibition in Stockholm, he accepted. King Oscar also wanted to show other parts of Sweden and since the Swedish sawmill industry interested King Chulalongkorn; the choice fell on Central Norrland. The King was also interested in seeing the Swedish modern traffic, both on water and land. If we don't get out into the world, it's going to have to come to us instead. The buildings and the heat make it almost feel like in Thailand.
The moving stand at the open air theatre at Dead falls.
Dead falls.
Information about Magnus Huss (Vildhussen).
Christer at the Dead falls.
Information about the disaster in 1796.
All that remains from Storforsen.
13.02 We have sat on a bench in the sun and pretended that we were in Thailand. It felt really convincing. There are plenty of visitors here.
13.17 Barefoot without socks and shoes I have been inside the Thai Pavilion. Two Buddhist monks are arriving. We see them from a distance slowly wandering through the beautiful park. Something that is also on the incoming for us is the lunch that we plan to eat here. 13.52 It was not today's winner but not at all wrong with food. There was Thai buffet for lunch at the restaurant Paviljongterrassen. We sat outside with nice views of the village. 14.10 Imagine how quickly it gets hot inside a car. After airing out some of the heat, we will now travel further. It's a way in and a way out of the area here for us by car. We are fascinated by how many visitors cannot look at signs and goes away from here in the wrong direction. Now we will soon cross new streams and pass several trees. 14.31 A stream is behind me, sitting on a barrier. However, it is not a new watercourse but the Indalsälven River that calmly flows past Bispgården. 14.49 The last road we traveled on passed the village Näset and ended in Ragunda village. Now we drive on county road 323. 15.08 Håsjö and Kälarne have been passed without us making any new stops. We have left Ragunda municipality and are now in Bräcke municipality. Now we're craving for coffee. The coffee we got after lunch didn't taste that good. 15.22 In a parking lot at Gastsjön and the village of Gastsjö there is a practical camping table. We are by that table together with the classic insects. Here we go for a coffee break. The worst heat has disappeared. Now it is overcast and significantly cooler.
The thai pavillion in Utanede was built 1997.
King Chulalongkorn is remembered.
Even before the pavillion there was a road here with the king´s name.
The beautiful thai pavillion.
Peter is having a Sunday lunch at Paviljongterrassen.
the beautiful Indalsälven river at Bispgården.
16.24 Our journey has now taken us to Bräcke. Here we entered the E14 road and get ready for the final stage towards Östersund.
17.01 At OKQ8 service station in Gällö we ended the trend to avoid too many sugary drinks and bought more MER orange and Coca Cola. Sure, water is useful but if you want to drink a lot, it tastes better. After a little searching we then found a parking lot to stop by to refill with these drinks. 17.22 At the Diamond League competition in athletics in Stockholm, 400 meter hurdles runner Alison Dos Santos wins on a new Brazilian and South American record, 47.34. At the same competition pole vaulter Armand Duplantis first attempt at the world record height, 6,19. All this we follow with the help of the radio sport on P4. 17.40 There was victory but no world record for Duplantis. Now we roll into Jämtland's only city. Here we were last year also for about the same time. The city I am referring to is Östersund which got its name from the Eastern Strait between Frösön and the mainland. The city, founded by King Gustav III in 1786, currently has 52,797 inhabitants. 17.48 Now we have parked outside the railway station in Östersund. From here it is a short walk to our next accommodation. Last year we were invited to stay with our companion Roberth with family in Överbyn a bit outside Östersund. Then the weather was terrible with low temperatures and rain. This year the weather is much more pleasant and we do not stay at the home of Roberth. By staying in the city centre, we think we can manage the city a little more efficiently this time. Last year, we didn't do much other than hide from the rain. 18.19 At first we went to Hotel Jämteborg to check in and get our room keys. It just went well. Then we went on to the small Pensionat Svea a bit further away on Storgatan to move in. It is Hotel Jämteborg that also controls this accommodation. Now we have arranged accommodation for two nights in room 6. We live to the left of the entrance right by the sidewalk. 19.22 After a nice shower and some other things, we are ready to do the town, or at least have dinner and buy something for the evening.
Peter is having a coffee stop at Gastsjön.
Pensionat Svea, Östersund.
Peter inside room 6.
The old artillery regiment A4 is now a part of Mid Sweden University.
Östersund City Hall.
Old church, Östersund.
19.41 Just as we left the guest house, two former students came to me from another accommodation along Storgatan. We talked for a while before our paths parted. They went on to Hotel Jämteborg to later bike to McDonald's. We went instead to Aladdin Matpalatz (https://www.aladdinspizza.se). Here we have sat down on the patio and waiting for the food.
20.07 Nothing wrong with Aladdin's food but there is a lot to develop regarding the service. Despite only three busy tables, they managed to mix up the food for the other guests and Christer was met by an unsympathetic look when he wanted to order a pizza that was clearly in the menu. 20.21 Now we walk around in the evening sun. We want to take some photographs here in the city. There was not much of it during last year's poor weather. 20.49 We have been to the city hall and the Old Church of Östersund before we entered the ICA Supermarket Traktören to shop for something to drink. 21.31 The news discusses the government crisis and whether Stefan Löfven can form a government. It also addresses the upcoming autumn budget. 23.08 Lost fluid is replenished as gulls scream outside. It seems to be cooler in this room than in Hammarstrand. We won't say no to that. Tomorrow there will be a full day here in Östersund and at some time tomorrow we will also meet our friend Roberth.
Monday 5th of July
08.24 It is quiet here at Pensionat Svea on Storgatan in Östersund. A new week begins today. Most other guests are probably awake and somewhere else. We sit on each edge of the beds with different assignments. Christer inserts his contact lenses and I write this.
09.48 We went to Hotel Jämteborg for a good buffet breakfast. Now Christer talks on the phone with Roberth and plan about today´s plans. Since Roberth is going to have lunch with some colleagues, I guess we'll be seeing him for a morning coffee and then again during the evening. 10.01 Now there is an overall and preliminary plan for the day here in Östersund. Some future planning is underway. What does the next accommodation offer? Can we watch football there? It's the semi finals of the European football championship for the next two days. 10.37 It's time for a bench break. We look out over Storsjön with Badhusparken just behind us. Christer talks about times when he has sat on this bench. It is both moments filled with joy during the festival Storsjöyran but also on the last time of freedom the day he started his military service at A4 in June 1992. We are surrounded by gulls. A small dog barks and the sun sparkles in the waters of Storsjön. 11.00 It's time for a touch of the story again. We have used the footbridge over to Frösön island and sit devoutly, breathless or something like that at Frösöstenen. It is the northernmost rune stone of the country. An interpretation of the text on the stone is Austmaðr, Guðfastr's son, had this stone raised and this bridge built and Christianized Jämtland. Ásbjörn built the bridge. Trjónn and Steinn carved these runes. 11.11 Writing of a much newer brand is now in front of us. Webman and Dox are scribbled on the turquoise swivel chair that I sat in/on. Christer spins around his chair while filming. It's a nice new trend to set up chairs like these. We have seen this in several different cities. 11.29 Christer just spoke to Roberth on the phone. He said he was on his way and almost there. We thought he was going to arrive by car but suddenly we heard something in the gravel and Roberth got off his bike. Now he's going to catch his breath before we move on. It'll be quick. Quite recently he cycled to Stockholm, a trip that you can follow through video clips on our website resedagboken.cc.
Peter is on his way out from Pensionat Svea.
Here is the start of the ice road open in winter.
Views from Östersund towards Frösön.
Lake Storsjön with the Vallsund bridge on the horizon.
The bronze sculpture Far och son (Father and son) in Badhusparken.
The rune stone Frösöstenen.
11.53 The three of us walked and the bike was pushed via the footbridge to Badhusparken Café. Here it will be hot and cold drinks. It was difficult to find a table with shade but one should not complain about summer and sun. We've talked about a little of each, among others, about Robert's new job at the Frigga school and his bike tour to Stockholm in June.
13.01 Our roads were temporarily separated at Stortorget. Now we are on a short visit in the room at Pensionat Svea. We should be replenished with liquids before continuing the day. 13.23 We are in the old regiment area where A4 was located from 1893 to 1997. Christer was here when he did his military service 1992-1993. Now it is a university campus that is part of Mid Sweden University. 13.48 We have walked further along the Memorial Avenue for Christer. Along it we have seen his first home on Övre Hantverksgatan and his secondary school Parkskolan. Now we take a nice bench break in the Fridgårdsparken. In the big wide world, the speaker, Andreas Norlén, proposes Stefan Löfven as prime minister again. We'll see how this ends. 14.08 The speaker has informed that the proposed government of Stefan Löfven will consist of politicians from the Social Democrats and the Green Party. If it is voted through or more precisely, it may not be at least 175 no in Parliament and they may form the government. 14.41 The walk in the area Körfältet where Christer and Roberth grew up continues. Now we are where the old post office was located. We're at Pizzeria Reveljen (https://www.pizzeriareveljen.com) inside the Körfältet Center. On TV it is tennis from Wimbledon as usual on our summer trips. The odd thing is that it is commented in Arabic. The match of the fourth round is between the reigning champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia and Cristian Garin from Chile. 16.02 There was a lot of food and it was delicious. Again we wonder if we had a late lunch or an early dinner. After the meal we strolled past other school units where Christer went. First we came to Körfältsskolan where he spent year 1-6 and then his old high school Palmcrantzskolan where now IES (International English School) moved in. Körfältsskolan has recently been closed as an elementary school, only the special school is left. Now we have found a shady bench in Odenparken. In the tennis we saw it is right now 6-2, 5-4 to Djokovic.
Blue chairs on the shores of Lake Storsjön.
Roberth arrived on his bike.
Christer and Roberth at Badhusparken Café.
Övre Hantverksgatan 38. Christer lived here 1973-1977.
Our walk ended in the residential area Körfältet.
Christer is visiting Pizzeria Reveljen.
16.28 Although room 6 is hot and stuffy this time of day, it is nice to come home to wave our toes for a while and soon take a shower. During this trip there have really been warm days. It is only in Härnösand and Junsele that it has been gray and rainy. Today it is +25°C in Östersund.
18.11 A shower and rest are nice. Too much of the latter at least makes me lethargic. It's time for me to do something. 18.22 Roberth has called and come up with a proposal on where we can go later. In anticipation of his arrival in the city, we will go to COOP supermarket and shop for beverages and other necessary things. 18.52 We have purchased evening drinks from ICA Supermarket Traktören, COOP was still closed. 19.11 We have met Roberth on Storgatan and moved on to the almost crowded garden restaurant Teaterträdgårn to drink good beer. The restaurant we sit at belongs to The Best Western Hotel Gamla Teatern. 19.40 It is full speed here on the outdoor terrace and stressful for the staff. First we were told to order drinks at the bar and then the next waitress came and said we would order at the table. Sometimes they remember the orders and sometimes they are forgotten. We have identified some famous people here. Behind us is Daniel Kindberg, former chairman of the football club Östersunds FK and former CEO of Östersundshem. In an appealed verdict, he is sentenced by the District Court to 3 years in prison for financial crime. Roberth has also spotted his niece Wilma sitting at another table with some friends. He just made fun of her by sending a few text messages about her taking it easy with the drinking.
Körfältsskolan, a former elementary school.
Christer´s old high school Palmcrantzskolan is now the International English School, a private school.
Peter and Roberth visit Teaterträdgårn.
Who is Polarn and who is Pyret?
A nice summer evening on Stortorget.
The last beers of the evening at The Bishops Arms.
20.26 The three friends drink beer and chat here at Teaterträdgårn. One beer turned out to be several. It's always fun to meet and have a beer, especially when it's a warm, comfortable summer evening. Not everyone's having a good time. A worn gentleman came to the bar but was not allowed to order anything.
21.11 We got indebted and left Teaterträdgårn and Gamla teatern behind us. The worn man who was not allowed to order disappeared into Hotel Östersund. Is he making another attempt or is he a guest there? We ourselves have moved on to the outdoor terrace belonging to the pub Bishops Arms on Stortorget. 22.57 After enjoying, among other things, a very good Ale from Jämtland brewery we said goodbye for this time to Roberth. He will soon be picked up by his wife Katrin. Now Christer and I are "home again". In other words, we are back in the room of Pensionat Svea. It's time to end the day. Tomorrow it feels like this second Sweden summer trip starts a little more for real. There has been quite a lot of "holiday at home" during the first week of our trip.
You can see 48 photos from July 3 in this photoalbum.
You can see 114 photos from July 4 in this photoalbum.
You can see 60 photos from July 5 in this photoalbum.