NPL Day 74 & GB Day 50

Day 74: Tuesday 29 August 2023

Salsfjellet-Grövelsjön via Sjöstugan, Fjällstationen

We woke up with a smile on our faces, today we would reach Grövelsjön, and the sun was shining! ❤️

We started to walk the nice and easy trail and met two people that we talked a little bit with by a crossroads. But even though it was sunny, it was still really cold and a bit windy, so we quickly got cold by standing there talking. So after 15 mins or so, we told them that we had to continue.

Not long after that a man with only a small trail running backpack on his back caught up with us, and the first thing he said was something along the lines of "you have Altra so you must know what you are doing". He himself was wearing Hooka. We answered yes, and that we would get our third pair in Grövelsjön. Then we told him about Norge på langs and Gröna Bandet. He was impressed by our adventure, and since we walked in the same direction we talked all the way to Sjöstugan where he was working this summer. We got on really well, and managed to go through soooo many different topics in a very short time. When at Sjöstugan we ordered our "finish line waffles" that are included when you finish your Gröna Bandet-hike. While we ate we still talked to Thomas. Kim's mum called and said that they would soon arrive at Grövelsjön and we just answered that we would see them at the mountain station. Time flies when you are talking to nice people and suddenly Elisabeth showed up. Apparently they had looked for us at Grövelsjön Mountain Station and tried to call us. So we finally had to say goodbye to Thomas. Then they walked with us up to the mountain station. On the way there, we stopped to look for some geocaches. One was hidden by "Linne's källa". Quite cool spot!

Then once again, we arrived at the blue door of Grövelsjön Mountain Station. But just before arriving we met another guy hiking Gröna Bandet - Tommy Larsson, who was on his way down to Sjöstugan to eat his waffle. At the door we also met an old friend of Kim, Jenny, who was now working at the mountain station.

The feeling at the door is hard to explain. Last time Lukas felt empty as the hike just suddenly came to an end, and not so much joy over being done. This time it was really fun to reach the door as we knew it was not the end for any of us, but it was still hard to celebrate. We sat down inside and ate another waffle since the mountain station also served "finish line waffles". Then Kim's parents walked back to the car and Lukas started to walk towards our accommodation we would stay in tonight. Kim stayed a little longer, talking to Jenny. After some time she had to go back to her work, so Kim went outside to also go to the accommodation. But there she met Tommy again who was hiking Gröna Bandet this year, and also Peter Berg who had been hiking Gröna Bandet in 2021, same as when we hiked Gröna Bandet the first time. It was so nice talking, so we stood there talking for quite some time about experiences and gear and hiking. But finally Kim had to get going. Lukas called to see what had happened and her parents even came with the car to see what was going on (on their way to the supermarket). Meanwhile Lukas had emptied his backpack and hung up some things to air out. When Kim arrived she also hung up her things, we took a shower and Kim's parents prepared taco 🥰

It was sooo nice to have taco together, and after the dinner Lukas and Kim's parents went to the sauna. Kim was way too tired and stressed about everything that needed to be packed and organised, so she continued doing that instead.

When they came back it was time to enjoy some home-made mudcake that Kim's sister had baked. Soooo good 😍 And them, time to recover for tomorrow 😴

Today's

Distance: 12.51

Start time: 09:34

End time: 16:52

Ascent: 232 m

Descent: 458 m

Tent: 51/75

Total distance from the North Cape: 1862.02 km