Karl New York City, United States of America.

When I was in New York this March, I took the oppertunity to hit up the bargins on eBay.com. I found a second hand 2nd gen iPod Nano for US$19. Turns out the battery only lasts about an hour and a half, and, if you forget to charge it over night before your run, you’re screwed out of using Nike+.

Well, for those who are in a similar situation, or simply forget to track their run, this is the website for you!

Click the image for the large version.

This was supposed to be the “best day on the Swedish calendar”. Parties, people, sunshining and celebrating summer. But, look!

Hrmph.

Ah S:T Eriksplan. This is where I live. The first tall peach building, I’m somewhere around there. Shame you can’t see the miserable rain falling in this photo. I went outside to capture the essance of the Swedish summer. Nothing but rain. I think we topped 8ºc today. Boo!

This coming Friday is midsommar, and apparently it’s the biggest day on the Swedish calendar. I’ve heard countless stories of the city going crazy, but most, nej, pretty much all of my friends are leaving town to go to their parents holiday houses on the archipelago. One thing that I’m trying to understand is why the Systembolaget (the governing body of the alcohol monopoly of Sweden) is closed the night before and during the entire celebration. Thursday 7pm, no more booze until Monday 11am. What the hell! It’s a bloody public holiday. And, to further this, the employees of the Systembolaget are threatening to strike this week. It’s not as bad as I first thought, but who knows what else could go on.

Needless to say, people have already started to stock up. If it’s a beautiful weekend, people want to be in the park with a few beers and a frisbee, not kicking the doors down of the bottle shop.

So, apart from my 4 day week, I’ve actually finished booking my Europe trip coming up in 3 weeks. Above is the first image I’ve seen of Zurich. I have really no idea what to expect, but my good friends Al & Jules just returned from there and sang nothing but praises about the city and the surrounding areas. Yes, that’s the Alps you can see in the distance… a short train ride out of town and you’re amongst it. I’m looking forward to relaxing here after what is already drumming up to be a pretty big week and a bit in London.

I land July 10th and the next day I’ll be joining my good friend G at the TCR BBQ, and later that night partying it up on the Lot49 boat cruise. I can’t wait to catch up with my old breakbeat crew. I met so many great people during that period of my life, it would kill me if we didn’t keep in touch. I’m actually playing G in an online Chess battle, so we are keeping in touch, so to speak. I just wish he would let me win.

After Zurich, I will be flying to Paris to witness the final stage of Le Tour de France 2009. 7 laps of the Champs-Élysées should give me enough time to fire off some shots of the pelaton making their way to the end of what I imagine will be another tight and gruelling race. I can’t wait!

Speaking of Chess, if you have an iPhone, download the app “Chess with Friends”, install, and look me up (lynt). It’s the most addictive application on the iPhone. Constantly playing other people around the world. Keeping me occupied while I wait in line and on the train. It’s great!

I’ll report again after midsommar, bless!

Yesterday I tried to ride to Vaxholm. Vaxholm is one of the first points of the Stockholm archipelago, and is easy to get to by boat, and almost impossible by bike.

Stockholm in general has excellent bike paths, well signed with distances, wide and smooth. That is, until the council can’t be bothered anymore. Several times on this trip I ended up on dirt roads, industrial areas and peoples back yards. At point I was heading on to a highway. One minute I’m following bike path directions, the next I’m on the E18 heading to Oslo.

So I got frustrated and had to abort my mission. I was around 15 kms from my goal, which would have rendered me spending the afternoon on an island, drinking beer and having fun. Instead, I returned to Stockholm, and drank beer in the park with some friends.

It’s also nice to ride back to places I ventured to when it was snowing, this is a totally different town now. Summer is here, the rides are long and the beer is cold. Loving summer!