2009-11-21
BACK IN BLOGGING!

Back in blogging! It was really a long time since I wrote something here. The last input was my report from Mont Blanc back in September. I haven't had the inspiration or time, I've worked much at my company and during the past 4 weeks I've had a terrible cold that kept me away from all training. Not fun.

In not a too distant future we'll be one more person in our family. The birthdate is estimated to January 26th. Really exciting and making me really happy to think about it. We don't know if it will be a boy or girl...

We have also made some progress in the project of enlarging our house. Right now an constructor is making "construction drawings" for us that the authorities require. We hope to start building next spring.

Climbing plans for next year... I'm not sure because of the baby, but perhaps as I wrote earlier this year, a two week trip combining Mont Blanc and Matterhorn. I've asked around a lot of friends if they're interested in Mont Blanc. Maybe we'll be at least five people. Besides that, I will have little time for ice climbing this winter, but I aim for a trip in march and some mountain hike/climb during the early summer.

Pierre Näsman and I have decided to rent a small office together. From new year, he will try to make a living as a profesional adventurer. Hopefully we can make some projects together! Don't miss out the chance to send a message with him to the top of Everest. Join the time capsule site on facebook.

I don't know when I'll write here again, probably when I have something to say ;-)

2009-07-23
DALARNA

We've been touring around in Dalarna during the past days. We've visited Trängslet (our regular ice-climbing place) and Njupeskär (highest free falling waterfall in Sweden) and the Hykjeberget cliff. Now we're staying at the Tre Björnar hostel in Älvdalen, the place were we often have our ice-climbing Base Camp.

2009-07-19
SALA SILVER MINE

Ramsus, Jonna and I are on a summer holiday. Today we visited the old silvermine in Sala. We took a guided walk down to 60 meters below ground.

2009-07-05
SYLTRAVERSEN - A SWEDISH CLASSIC

I've had a little adventure during the past days when Kenth "Glenn" Rehn and I travelled to the mountains to climb the "Stora Syltraversen" - A swedish alpine classic.

Last Monday, Kenth and I drove to Mörsil outside Åre to visit my old friend Per "Pelle" Taflin that lives on the oldest country estate in Åre and breeds up Turkish Kangal dogs. We stayed there for a night, having a great time with the puppies and grown up dogs. Pelle made dinner for us and we had a lot to talk about since we haven't met for a couple of years.

On Tuesday we continued to Storulvåns mountain station where we parked the car. From there, we hiked towards the Sylarna mountain massif. We pitched ourr tents some kilometers before the mountain station. The weather was great, perhaps the warmest weather I've ever experienced in the swedish mountains.

On Wednesday after having lunch we felt ready to start Syltraversen, that's a mountain climb and high alpine hiking route on the mountain ridges of Sylarna. The round trip is aprox. 16 kilometers, but since we had our tent some kilometers away, I'd say we had about 20 kilometers to make the "round trip". About 10 kilometers of the route is on high alpine ridges. The hand drawn route describtion we brought said a normail time for the climb is estimated to 16 hours.

After three hours walk we reached the first pinnacle and stared to climb. The terrain was easy scrambling on loose rock (Alp grade PD). We kept moving on, taking it easy, having a lot of breaks to take photos and film. We felt no rush what so ever, we called it "senior phase". The weather felt extremely stabile and we wanted to enjoy beeing up in this great alpine enviroment.

We finished the three pinnacles and reached the long ridge walk and scramble that moves over the mountains Templet, Storsola and Slottet until reaching the Djävulskammen (Devlil's ridge) below Storsylen where some sort of climbing start again. At midnight, 12 hours after leving our tent, we reached the Devli's ridge. The sun had dropped but it was light enough to continue. The crux up the last part of Storsylen proved no big deal and suddenly we stood on the summit. From there we continued on the last ridge to Lillsylen that we reached 3:30 AM. At 6:00 AM we finally reached back to our tents after 18 hours! We were happy and felt the need for a good sleep... Something that prooved impossible, the sun rose high that heasted our tents to sauna temperatures. Outside there where billions of mosquitos that made ventilation not to fun! Especially when you're a bit exhausted.

In the afternoon we hiked back halfway to Storulvån and pitched our tents. The morning after we continued the last kilomters to the car and drove the 700 kilomters home.

I'd like to try this climb/traverse in winter when it's a big undertaking!

More photos here on my Facebook pages.

2009-06-23
ARJEPLOG

I’ve had no time or energy to write anything here for a couple of weeks.

Nevertheless, the passed time has been eventful with a week in the northern part of Sweden when Rasmus and I visited our relatives in Arjeplog.

The weather was quite lousy with heavy rain, but Rasmus and I ignored it and drove to the Swedish/Norwegian border and hiked out in the mountains and put up our tent. We had a great time. Fun to be in the mountains with Rasmus, my son that’s 3 years and 3 months old!

Next week Rasmus and Jonna will travel to Mallorca for a week in the sun while I and Kenth Rehn will hit the road up north again and hopefully get a chance to try Syltraversen. A classic traverse climb in the middle of the roadless mountain wilderness at the border between Sweden and Norway.

I almost forgot… I got an answer on my magnetic x-ray of the brain. Nothing dangerous found… Thanks to that answer, now I can start focus on the Mount Blanc trip again!

2009-06-07
X-RAY

Again a week in review...

Monday... Work at both Fonden and Profilskaparen. I had som major trouble to update the CRM system at Profilskaparen and got home late at 9 PM.

Tuesday... First I had an appointment with the doctor regarding my headache. He had no real answers but wanted me to take a magnetic X-ray of the head just to be sure pf nothing dangerous. The rest of the day was spent at KSSS installing some computers.

Wednesday... Took the chance for a morning session at the SATS gym in Sickla. Pushed myself with the bench press. The day was another workday at KSSS. Late in the evening I got iout for a 8 km run. I got home close to midnight.

Thursday... Got a time for the x-ray in the morning. I almost fell asleep inside the x-ray machine! It will take at least a week before my doctor will get the result. Worked the rest of the day at Svenska Bil in Akalla. I stayed to 6 PM to avoid the traffic jam. No joke, the jam was worse than ever. I turned around and parked the car and waited for another 30 minutes before driving home. Crazy!

Friday... Another workday at Svenska Bil in Akalla. I met up with my pal Andreas Wallström during lunch. Always nice to have a chat with Andreas. It's a pity we meet so seldom.

Saturday... We worked at our yard the entire day with the brickwalls at our parking.

Sunday... Jonna, I and Tomas Ericsson climbed on Träskberget for a couple of hours, the rest of the day was spent packing for my and Rasmus trip to Arjeplog. I'm starting to feel a bit sick, hope I will feel better tomorrow...

2009-05-31
ROPE-SOLO ON HARPOON

Again a week in review. Much work this week, still I got the chance for some traing sessions at the gym and the cliffs.

Monday... Work at Svenska Bil the entire day. In the evening, Jonna and I had a climbing session at Klätterverket. I had a good shot at a 6c+ route. Perhaps next time.

Tuesday... Gym session in the morning, work the entire day. Got out late at night, at 22.30 for a run to Dyvik and back. Guess on aprox 8 kilometers.

Wednesday... A windy day at Häggsta, the oldest climbing cliff in Stockholm. Tomas Ericsson and I led easy trad routes. In the evening I found the first tick of the year, an Häggsta tick. Nevertheless, a great day.

Thursday... Gym session in the morning, work the rest of the day.

Friday... A lot of work, installed a new server in the City for Arbetarebostadsfonden. got home late. When I finally got into bed it was in the middle of the night.

Saturday... Home alone, Jonna and Rasmus spent the day at Jonnas parents in Bålsta. I packed the climbing gears and went to our home cliff Träskberget. I rope-soloed the route Harpoon. I think it's five years since my last rope-solo. Everything went well but I lacked the routines and forgot to pull out the long runouts you need. I used my Gri-Gri for self belaying. Not optimal, but that's what I have. I sure would like a Silent Partner from Wren Industries!

Sunday... Today! Jonna and Rasmus got home at lunchtime. The afternoon was spent at home. In the evening we drove to Tyresö Centrum and had dinner at the restaurant Green Bull. Later, at 9.30 PM, I got out for a run. I choosed my normal Brevik-Dyvik-Ällmora-Brevik route. I felt quite strong but as always lately I got a bad headache. I've got an appointment with the doctor about my headache next Tuesday. Hopefully I can get some help then.

This weekend I've also started to play with the thought of going for a hike in the mountains this summer. I have a couple of days free to do something. Perhaps Sylarna and Syltraversen? Never been there but it's a classic.

2009-05-24
THE DAYS PASSES FAST

The days just passes fast. It's only a two and a half weeks left until I and Rasmus travel to Arjeplog for a week. If the weather is good, I'll have a battle with Bierdnacokka again. If I feel fit, I'll try to make a speed ascent again. If I feel confident, I'll have a look at the south-east ridge. Last year it looked bad with serve cornices. Not too fun when you climb solo.

Last weekend passed quickly, on saturday, Jonna and I competed in a pistol shooting competition, the "East Swedish Championships". It went OK for me until the two last stations when I lost my sharp. Don't know why, perhaps I hat too good self confidence or got nervous. Sunday was spent at home. In the afternoon, the whole family drowe to Bauhaus and bought Leca-blocks that we will use to build a wall on the sides of our new parking.

Monday... was workday at Svenska Bil in Akalla. I spent two hours in the traffic to drive 40 kilometers. I had some thoughts about Ueli Steck, he climbed Matterhorn North Face faster than I can drive 40 kilometers with the car in the sick traffic in Stockholm!

Tuesday... was also a workday, but in the morning I phoned the hospital to get an appointment at the doctor. Last friday at Haninge Sjukhus they shot some x-rays on my head to try to figure out why I have my sinus problem. I got an appointment on June, 2nd. Just have to wait... I also got the chance for a short session at the SATS gym this morning. I felt week and couldn't max what I know I can.

Wednesday... A day dedicated to climbing! Tomas Ericsson and I went to Dyviksudd and did some top-roping. I didn't manage to get up a 6b+ that I've done before.

Thursday... A holiday in Sweden. In the morning I got out for a 10 kilometer run. It felt OK if i chose not to include my sinus headache. The rest of the day was dedicated to fixing in the yard at home. We started buildning two brick walls at the parking.

Friday... Workday at Svenska Bil in Kungens Kurva. In the evening I met Jonna at Klätterverket for a climbing session.

Saturday... Working in the yard at home (buildning a brick wall). Rasmus stayed with his grandmother the entire weekend so we'll get a chance to fix things at home.

Sunday... Today! First we continued building our brick walls at our new car parking. In the evening i finally managed to drag myself out for a 10 km run in the rain. It felt OK all the way. I had some encounters on the way; I had to jump over a 1 meter long snake lying on the trail in the forest(!), I also met one badger and two roe deers. No need to visit the zoo if you live in Brevik! I also noticed some climbers on Dyviksudd, packing for home in the rain.

2009-05-14
A TRIP TO SANDHAMN

Yesterday it was Wednesday and I got up very early, at 04.30 am to drive to Stavsnäs brygga to catch the boat to the island Sandhamn. Once I a while I travel to Sandhamn to check the computers KSSS (Royal Swedish Yacht Club) have in their harbor. This is their HQ out in the archipelago. The weather was great, and there’s always nice to be out in the archipelago when the weather is fine! For you not familiar to the archipelago of Stockholm, a lot of people that have sailed around the world regard this as the most beautiful archipelago in the world! Personally I like it but spend too little time here. On the way back, Fredrik and Lotta from KSSS gave me a lift back in an old ex. police boat called Snut (cop in english).

on Monday, I finally managed to drag myself to the gym. I had a short session at SATS Sickla. Also, in the night I snatched the chance to get out for a run. I got out at 10.00 pm and took for me a partly new track when I followed the roads to Dyviksudde and back. I checked the distance on the web when I got home. Eight kilometers… Again my sinus infection took its toll as I got a bad headache when I arrived back home.

This morning, Pierre started his marathon bicycle trip to Gothenburg and back to collect money for Barncancerfonden and promote his Mount Everest Time Capsule. I know that Pierre has only bicycled for 40 kilometers as preparation for this 1030 kilometers tour during four days! Good luck Pierre and hope you’ll  have fun!! Check out his website and the Mount Everest Time Capsule Facebook group to follow his trip!

2009-05-10
WEEK IN REVIEW

Once again I've had no time or motivation to write daily here. Instead here's the passed week in review.

Monday... Worked at Mentor with their computers. Got out for a short walk when I got home.

Tuesday... In the morning, the work with installation a new drainage was started when a big excavator arrived. Stayed the rest of the day with Rasmus on his new kindergarten at Brevik Skola. This is his first week here and to get him feel confident over the new situation, the first week, I, Jonna and my parents will follow and stay with him at his new school this week. In the evening I met up with Pierre Näsman for a walk. He told me about his next project, a 1000 kilometer bicycle trip over four days when he's going to collect money for Barncancerfonden (The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation) and promote his upcoming Everest trip.

Wednesday... Worked at Toyota. In the evening I competed in pistol shooting; precision 25 meters caliber .22lr. Got a really nice result: 48+48+48+48+48+48=288 points out of 300 possible.


Thursday... Finally had the chance for a training session at the gym. I took it very easy to not distress my sinus infection. The rest of the day was spent working at SVenska Bil in Akalla. Got home quite late and felt trashed.

Friday... Again, worked at Svenska Bil. In the afternoon, I, Jonna and Tomas Ericsson met at Klätterverket for a short climbing session. I got up a 6a+. Not too good :-( When we got home, our new drainage was finished and also a new parking for our cars. Now we face a lot of hard work ti fix this goodlooking.

Saturday... Helped my father to sort out and carry old stuff from my grandmothers house. Now at the age of 96 she's moved to an old people's home. We found a lot of nostalgic things. Among other things (and junk) we found two cool gas masks from WWII, dated 1940. They where in original boxes and almost never touched.

Sunday... Today. We started fixing with our new parking and worked with the yard at home. Tomas Ericsson showed up at 10.00 am and we gout out for a three hours climb at our home cliff, Träskberget. It started raining so we went to the overhaninging roofs and the hard routes. Jonna performed well on a 7a sport route.

2009-05-03
WEEKEND

Really great weather this weekend. We got the chance for two short climbing sessions behind our house, on Träskberget. On friday and on sunday when Pierre Näsman came along. We top roped Harpoon, 4b (just led it before, never top roped!), Moby Dick, 6a, Ahab, 5b and Ismael, 6a.

The rest of the weekend was dedicated to working on our yard, digging and fixing. I also managed to pull myself together and organize our climbing equipment in the shed. Prior, it was a reall mess after the winter!

2009-04-29
AFTER WORK BOULDER

Jonna pushed me to get out for a walk and boulder session when I got home from work. The injured elbow feel better and better.

2009-04-25
WEEK IN REVIEW

Again I've had too much to do and less energy to write daily. Instead I'll try to sum the week today.

Last Sunday... Jonna and I competed in a "fältskytte" pistol shooting competition. Fältskytte =field shooting. Fältskytte only exist in Scandinavia and it's a mixture of precision and action. You walk around a trail in the forest and stop at diffrent stations that all vary in distance, time and targets. Read more about it here (in swedish only). This competition was the Stockholm championship with pistols using caliber .22. I managed to get place 23 out of 125. For me a good result having in mind I never train and almost never compete anylonger.

Monday... Worked at Svenska Bil in Akalla the entire day. Driving to Akalla and home in traffic jam is no fun. Getting home takes aprox 2 hours and then it's only about 50 kilometers. No training today.

Tuesday... Rasmus got sick in the morning and Jonna turned around at her work and stayed at home nursing Rasmus. Again I spent the entire day at Svenska Bil in Akalla. Got home late and was tired. No training today.

Wednesday... I stayed at hoe with Rasmus today, he was still a bit ill with fever. In the evening I competed in Tyresö Skytteförenings internal championship in "Nationell Helmatch". I won. No training physical today.

Thursday... Worked at Klintberg & Way the entire day. Got home trashed, my sinus problem is still here. No fun, that mean no training. In the evening, Pierre Näsman came over. He needed his GPS baack that I had borrowed for out trip to Kebnekaise.

Friday... Worked at Toyota in Kungens Kurva the entire morning and continued at Klintberg & Way after lunch. Micke from KW and I moved the last thin clients, PC's and servers to their new storage and office in Sätra. It took some time and I finally got home at 11.30 PM. Got into bet at 01.00 AM.

Saturday... Jonna, I and Rasmus worked at home, digging, carrying rocks and fixing. In the afternoon my father came over and we had a barbecue. In the evening I was finished, I fell asleep together with Rasmus at 8 PM and slept the enire night. I woke up after 12 hours and still felt tired.

Sunday... Today. Jonna continued digging, I carried rocks and Rasmus helped the best he could. In the evening I finally got out for a short boulder session at home. It felt resonable OK in the elbow. The sinus infection is still present, but I belive it has become a little better after I've started to flush clean the nose and sinus with salt water every day. Hope I will be better soon!

2009-04-18
SÖRMLANDSLEDEN

Yesterday, Jonna and I finally got the chance for a climing session at the climbing gym Klätterverket. It went like we it should after a long break - not too good. I got up a 6a+ as the hardest. This was also a test to see how my muscle inflamation on the right elbow would react. It felt quite OK. Always something positive.

Today Jonna and I hiked on Sörmlandsleden trail, from Krusboda to Tyresta by and back. It's aprox 25 kilometers. OK weather but a bit cold...

2009-04-13
BROKEN TREE

Last night we noticed that a tree had broken in the middle and almost had fallen on my car. Only the last meter of the tree had stopped the fall by haning on to the transmission line! Some times you have luck on your side!

We went shopping today, first building material, then food. When we finally got home it was afternoon. Jonna and Rasmus kept on digging for a couple of hours while I had some paperwork to finish for our building permit application. WhenI was finished I got back to the broken-tree problem. I managed to toss a rope over the broken tree and drag it off the transmission line. The tree cracked but stayed together. Now it looks like an V upside down! Guess I'll have to climb the tree and take it down with the chainsaw...

2009-04-12
EASTER

Easter with spring in the air. This far great weather with sun! On thursday, Jonna, Rasmus and I went to Bålsta for a visit at her parents. On friday we got the chance for a walk. We checked out Lastberget and found a rock with the potential for a boulder/sport ascent.

Early on saturday morning I got out for a 1½ hours hike at home. I chose to follow the ridges over Träskberget to Dyviks Gård, on the way home I passed the Gritstone cliff before I crossed the swamp to the Vox Populi cliff... This day was again dedicated to working at home. I changed to summer tires on our cars while Jonna and Rasmus kept on digging on our never ending project to build a new porch on the cliff above our house.

Today we continued working at home, I carried wood while Jonna digged... In the afternoon we took a car trip to Vega Baren to have dinner, and thereafter we drove to Dalarö.

2009-04-09
PIERRE ON AIR AND MORE

I havn't had the energy to write anything for a couple of days. Here's a short report of the previous days...

Sunday... We had dinner at my fathers place after I had helped him to change to summer tires on his car. When I finally got home I felt quite bad. The cold is getting worse and my sinus headache is worse again. In the evening Jonna pushed me to get out for a walk to get som fresh air. I walked our 10km running track. It took at least 1½ hours, don't really know. It was nice to get out in the fresh air.

Monday... I worked at Toyota in Kungens Kurva, installting some nice HP 2530p laptops. I'd like one too, prefect size, ok performance and good battery time. Too expensive! Pierre Näsman called me, he had been inteviewed by Lotta Bromé at the radio show P4 Extra. It has about 1000000 listeners, so hopefully it will boost up the popularity of Pierre's project to bring a "time capsule" to the summit of Everest. Check out the interview here (in swedish).

Tuesday... Worked from the morning until late evening at Mentor. Feel sick, yet no turning point in the cold.

Wednesday... More work, spent the entire day at KSSS.

Thursday... Today! A day off for many workers, but I drove to Toyota and continued to deliver the laptops I started with on monday. After work it's time to drive to Jonnas parents in Bålsta. We'll celebrate easter there. Since they're from Finland, we'll have memma!... Still sick with a cold, no training...

2009-04-04
A DAY AT HOME

This day was dedicated to digging. Jonna and I have a project at home; to build a new porch on a cliff ledge above our house. I guess Jonna have spent at least 100 hours of digging and carrying stones last year. I did some snail-blasting of the rock last year and there's still much to do! Today I and Jonna kept on digging while my friend Pelle carried big rocks for us.

In the afternoon I went across the road to our home boulder wall to test my right elbow that's in bad shape with a muscle inflamation. It felt OK but not perfect. I hope to be able to start trainig sport climbing again.

2009-04-01
HIKING AROUND TYRESÖ FLATEN

I worked from home today. After lunch I drove to Krusboda to meet my father. I got there a bit early and got out for a short run around the Tyresö Flaten lake. I didn't feel 100% and took it easy. Perhaps I'm getting a cold again. Hope not!

2009-03-28
GYM - WORK AND GHOSTS

Yersterday I got home late at night from an eventful day and crashed directly into bed...

I started the day at the gym, SATS Sickla with my first trainging session for 2½ months. I took it easy thinking of my right elbow injury. One of the muscular attachment probably has an inflammation and I'm afraid it will get chronic. I think it might have been cauesd by my dry-tool trainging during the early season? Afterwards I went to my office and phoned the architect that has drawn an enlargement of our house. Now the administrator at the local authority in Tyresö where we live has shown to be totally incompetent and rejected our application to enlarge our house. Time after time they have failed to construe the drawings. They even failed to calculate the right square metre! So now the architect we have hired was irritated and upset after having talked to our administrator at Tyresö. They even questioned the competence and qualifications of the architect whithout knowing anything about her. She has actually worked with this as her profession for over 35 years and has the archipelago as a speciality. After drawing hundreds of houses she knows what she's doing...

Now I was a bit upset, thinking about or convesation while driving to my customer, the Svenska Bil garage in Bromma. After having taken a left turn into the Lindvreten industrial park I noticed that a police car was follwoing me with the lights on. I though they wanted to pass me on some turn-out. But they kept on sneaking behind me until they hit the horn! One of the police officers came forward to me and asked for my driving license. At the same time they asked me if I knew what I had done wrong. I had no clue! They told me I had been driving against red light and even that the car in front of me had done the same. Now it would cost me $300 and a 2 months withdrawal of my driving license. Well I accepted my faith, my mind had been on something else and I had done something wrong... After having checked my driving license for a long time, one of the officers told me that I would only get a warning this time. I was glad, and thanked them and wished them a good day. Without being able to use a car it would be very difficult for me to be able to do my work!

In the afternoon, at 5 p.m. I met up with Micke and Uhro from the company Klintberg & Way (KW). KW are moving to a new building and now it was time to move the last and most important servers to the new server room. It all went well and we were ready earlier than expected, at 10.30 p.m. The night proved also eventful, it had started to snow heavily and we passed several cars that had crashed, also a big truck that luckily hadn't hit anything or anyone else on its way across the opposit road. Uhro had left us earlier at 7 p.m. to attend a basket ball event, but he had also been close to crash with his car when he had done an uncontrolled 360 degree spin around! When Micke and I were about to leave their old office for the last time that night, something strange happened. In the elevator, my phone phoned Micke when we both were standing next to each other. I checked the phone afterward, the keylock was on and Micke was't the latest number I have dialed. Perhaps this was a sign of what they call the "Lindvreten ghost". Strange things have happened in this building and people feel unconforable when working alone here at night. Micke has at several times noticed that the elevator starts by itself when he has been 100% sure he has been alone in the buliding. Strange...

At 23.30 I got home. Jonna was still awake, having watched a move. I felt worn and fell asleep almost immediately when getting into bed...

Today we all stayed at home, playing with Rasmus "fishing game" and just enjoyed being a family. Before dinner Jonna got out for a 10 km run and later, at 8.30 p.m. I got my chance. I took road to the turnaround point at Ällmora and back. I felt heavy. Perhaps one biscuit to much ;-)

2009-03-24
TOO MUCH WORK

I had so much to do today, first work and when finally getting home trying to fill in building permit for a new draining-well. It's a lot of paperwork that drain your strength...

At 8.30 p.m. my uncle Leif and cousin Martin came over to borrow some gear for a mountain trip. Martin is leaving for a mountain skiing tour between Riksgränsen and Abisko next week. I Hope the weather will be great and the temperature resonable.

2009-03-22
A MORNING HIKE AT HOME

It's sunday, but still I got up very early at 06.30 a.m. and went out for a run. First I had planned my normal training route - 10km on the roads at home. But the weather was so good that I put on my icebug shoes and made a 4 km run straight through the terrain to the top of the Dyviksudd climbing cliff. I walked home and took the time to take some photos with my cellphone. 4 km don't sound much, but the terrain we have at home is rough - going up and down, though a swamp, crossing several ravines and so on... When I got out, the temperature showed -5C and when I got home, the thermometer had increased to +16C in the sun. Nice! It felt like spring! It's a good idea to choose the bush-way now. In a month or earlier, the ticks will wake up and make life a pain. The ticks are the worst thing when you live close to the archipelago in Stockholm. Two years ago, one of my friends got a TBE infection by a tick. He died from it a couple of monts ago after first being in a coma and thereafter totally paralyzed! Just 30 years ago, when I was a kid, there where no ticks at all here in Tyresö. Strange, but I guess it's a result of the global heating combined with that the amount of host-animals (row-deers) have increased.

The rest of the day was spent putting together two shelves in our small guest house and organizing the mess of stuff we store there.

I'm thinking of starting to train at the gym again. I've had a three months break due to my sinus problems. Neither have I done any indoor gym climbing for over two months. My right elbow has a strange pain. Perhaps due to my dry tooling earlier this winter? Anyway, I'll start with the gym and then I'll see if I think it's possible to start with the climbing again.

2009-03-20
BACK FROM KEBNEKAISE

We're back home again from our Kebnekaise trip. We never got a chance to try our main objective, to climb the "Pallins korridor" route on Keb. However we got to the summit and had a great time. I've published some photos on Facebook. Check them out here!

2009-03-06
AWAY CLIMBING IN THE KEBNEKAISE MOUNTAINS

I, Jonna and Kenth Rehn will travel to the Kebnekaise massif tomorrow. The plan is to make diffrent alpine and ice climbs in the area. If possible, We will send updates to Pierre Näsman who will publish them on his website. Please visit www.2everest.com for the latest news!

2009-02-28
GREAT WEATHER!

Tomorrow we're celebrating Rasmus third birthday and a lot of people are coming, so Jonna and I spent the entire day, cleaning up the house and prepared for the event. Before starting to fix things, I got the opportunity for a walk and went to Dyviks Gård and back through the forest. It was a very nice morning, a bit cold with a temperature down to -7C and sun. Just great!

2009-02-24
GOT MY NEW "OLD" HONDA

I dropped off Rasmus at Kindergarthen this morning and drove to Rosenholtz Bil in Gustavsberg to get my "new" "old" car. I've bought a Honda CR-V from 2001. I hope it's a good car, it has some tiny rust, but hopefully the engine can deliver since Honda is famous for their world class engines. Now I just have to sell my Berlingo...

My friend Kadri helped me to bring the Honda home and thereafter we had lunch together before I drove him back to Gustavsberg and his car. When I finally got to my office the time was almost 3 pm and I really got nothing usefullly done at work today! We'll I sent an e-mail to the Kebnekaise mountain station to rent some pairs of snow-shoes, but got the reply that it was no to book them in advance since they had so many. It true, what a difference since my previous visit in 1999 when they had a much limited rental service. My conclusion is that mountaineering has become more popular?

Later in the evening, at 7.15 pm I met up with Pierre for a traing session. We hiked with our poles for 10 km in Tyresta National Park and on the frozen lake Albysjön. Pierre was supposed to have followed us to Kebnekaise, but and offer to show his Mount Everest time capsule at the The Wilderness Fair in Stockholm collided. He will be together with the people from Addnature.com in the fair. Hope he'll find some good sponsor there. It's not cheap to go to the big E!

2009-02-23
PELLE AND HIS KANGALS

My friend Per Taflin was in town today, we haven't met for almost three years so I was glad to see him in his brothers aparment. Per is breeding up Kangal dogs outside Åre in the north of Sweden. This time he had brought tree of his youngest dogs, one of them to be sold to the U.K. The Kangal dogs are no tiny knee dogs I can tell... I know that the United Nations has a program to give away Kangals to the masai people in Africa to keep the lions away from their cattle.

In the evening I had much to do as usually before I finally got out for a short run at 9.40 pm. I took my short Brevik - Sandholmarna - Brevik route.

2009-02-19
A DAY AT THE AQUARIA MUSEUM

I had a good day today, free from work, spending it with Rasmus. First we went to check out his new Kindergarthen at Breviks Skola. He'll start there in early May. It's brand new school and we have waited for 2½ years to get a place for hime. I really hope it's a good choice. After that we visited the Aquaria Water Museum at Djurgåren/Stockholm city. We both had fun, watching sharks and all kind of water animals. A small place, but just the right size for a three year old kid!

At 8.30 pm I got out for a short run to Sandholmarna and back. A short distance of 3km, but due to my sinus problem I don't want to push it! It felt OK when running, but when I got home I had a bad headache with swollen sinus. Not good, but I must do some sort of training since it's only three weeks left until our Kebnekaise trip...

2009-02-17
OUT ON THE ICE WITH PIERRE

I'm still having too much to do, haven't really had the time to write anything here. Anyway, this evening I met up with Pierre in Krusboda for a walk. The distance stopped at 14km...

2009-02-14
VALENTINES DAY

I've had so much to do the last days that I've hand no chance, or should I say, no energy to write anything here. Too much to do at work, from early morning until late night.

This morning I got up early and got out for a walk in forest behind our house. I chosed the bush-way to Dyvik and back home, passing the climbing cliffs of Träskberget, Gritstone, Dödskalle and Dyviksudd. It was quite cold, -10C with a sun that slowly was lost in the clouds and later a thick overcast.

Today it's Valentine's day and I Just needed to say it here; Love you Jonna - my wife an my life companion for the past seven years.

2009-02-09
FULL MOON

I was home with Rasmus today, he had fever. I also had an appointment with a doctor, she gave me another 10 days of antibiotics that hopefully will cure my sinus infection... Belive it when it happens ;-(

After dinner I met up with Pierre and we had a fast walk around Tyresö Flaten, ending with two extra kilometers. It was pure ice on major parts of the tracks we followed. God bless our Icebugs! Without the icebugs, we wouldn't have been home until tomorrow.

As usually we talked a lot about different things. Pierre about all his work trying to get sponsors for his Everest adventure and me about climbing vision I'm starting to mix together by putting up certaing goals per year until 2015. More about that later when I feel I can write it down here and have a good shot of realizing it.

2009-02-08
BACK FROM HELSINKI

Jonna and I are back home again after a 48h cruise to Helsinki. The weather was really bad, but we had a great time anyway. Relaxing during the boat trip and taking a days stroll in the town.

Today my father and I worked on the house at home for a couple of hours before I took a short walk down to the sea. It was a great evening with a full moon. Tomorrow it's time for work again. I'm also hoping to get an appointment at the doctor again, my sinus problem is still there, stopping me from any training. Not fun and not good since it's only four weeks until we're heading for Kebnekaise and some mountaineering!

2009-02-04
WORKING

I worked at KSSS today, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. During the lunch I took a stroll at took some photos. Really grey and boring weather.

Tomorrow will Jonna and I leave for a 48 hours boat cruise to Helsinki. A mini holiday with a big contrast to ice-climbing. I'll be back with my next update in a couple of days.

2009-02-01
-25C !

It was too cold to do any serious ice climbing today. -25C when we left the car and probably even colder in the canyon at the ice. We did some top roping. We couldn't perform since the ice were hard and fragile, but we had a lot of fun. Right now we're on the way home in the car and I don't have the possibility to publish photos taken with our sytem camera sice they're in raw format.

2009-01-31
ICE CLIMBING IN TRÄNGSLET

We had a great but cold day at Trängslet today. We climbed Spillrännan two times, first time I lead it all, and the second time Kenth and I shared the burden. Fun but cold... Down to -25 degrees below zero. We all behaved, I was glad to finally try my new Cobras on ice. Kenth was happy to finally climb after a whole year without any climbing, and Pierre performed very well to be his first time on ice. Good work!

2009-01-30
ON THE WAY TO DALARNA

We're finally on the way to Dalarna, Älvdalen and Trängslet for some ice climbing. Sadly, Tomas Ericsson was sick with fever and had to stay at home. Right now we have just left Stockholm and I'm writhing this sitting in the car. We hope for a great weekend and good weather.

Earlier today, Kenth and I met in Sickla for a short climbing session at Klätterverket. Kent have't done nearly any climbing during the last five years, so it was interesting so se how he would perform. Anyway, Kenth had no problem to onsight two 5c routes and almost managed a 6a.

2009-01-27
UELI STECK - 1h, 56m UP MATTERHORN NF

I made it to Klätterverket this afternoon for a 1½ hour boulder session. It went OK. Though, I never made it up a red graded boulder problem I focused on. Annoying! Perhaps next time... On friday it's time again when I and my friends Kenth "Glenn" Rehn, Tomas Ericsson and Pierre Näsman will drive to Dalarna and enjoy some ice climbing. I just finished packing my climbing gear and most of the clothing.

I have written earlier about the Swiss climber Ueli Steck and his speed ascents up the "three major North Faces" in the Alps. On january 13th, he finished his trilogy by soloing the Schmid Route on the North Face of Matterhorn in just one hour and 56 minutes! Hey, compare that time to my and Anders attempt on Matterhorn last year ;-) Yet another fantastic feat by Ueli. Watch the video-clip below featuring Ueli and his climb.

2009-01-25
OUT RUNNING

I still have my annoying sinus related headache. So no real training this weekend either. However last friday friday, Jonna and I spent the evening at the climbing gym Klätterverket. We both managed to climb a 6c+ route that we decided to downgrade to 6a+ or perhaps 6b. Today it's sunday and in the evening, Jonna went to Klätterverket for a boulder session while I took a walk at home. I chosed my normal running course that's about 10km.

2009-01-22
OUT RUNNING

I worked the entire day, from 08.00 to 18.00 at the office with diffrent projects. I had hoped to get home early to hike through the forest to Dyviksudd and back. Instead, I got home late and felt finished. Anyway, late at 09.00 PM I got out for a shorter run. I jogged to Sandholmarna and back. There were ice & snow on the road so I used my icebug shoes. They're not optimal to run in for me, but the steel-spikes on the sole make you stay on track - even on ice. I took it very easy since I don't want to provoke my sinus infection to get worse.

2009-01-20
STILL SICK

I had an appointment with the doctor today because of my sinus infection. I got antibiotic for 10 days and some cortisone spray. I hope it will help so that I can get rid of my headache and start training physical fitness again.

Since I still have an infection - no running. Instead I walked up to my training tree behind our house and did some "tree-tooling" with ice-axes and crampons. I climbed without leashes until my underarms where finished. I took one fall, ended on the back like a turtle. It got pitch dark when I landed and the headlamp fell away. Nothing broken, nothing hurt.

2009-01-19
SICK

No training today. I've booked a time a the doctor tomorrow due to my sinus problem. This is my third sinus infection during a 12 month period ;-(

The day was spent by working for Svenska Bil, administering users in an online General Motors application. I must be finished with this tomorrow, so I had to spend two extra hours at home during the evening with this project.

Rasmus had a good day. Kindergarthen was closed today and he spent the day with my father, having a great time!

2009-01-18
CHECKING OUT TRÄSKET

Jonna went out for a run last night, she chosed my normal track, a 10km roundtrip on the roads and in the terrain where we live. I still feel a bit sick with some sinus trouble. I can feel that I almost have the same problem now as when I almost fainted on Matterhorn. I don't want to train hard and push myself beeing not 100%. Early this moring I took a walk to Dyvik and back to get some exercise. I chosed the short way trough the forest, passing our home climbing cliff, Träskberget. I noticed that someone had been climbing on the part called Vox Populi. This section is hard to reach during summer when high water makes it hard to access. Now all water had frozen solid and I found crampon marks from the belaying person...

The rest of theday was spent fixing window bays at home on two of the windows we replaced last summer.

2009-01-15
PIERRE IN THE TREE

I still feel a bit sick. It must be some sort of infection, I can feel the heartbeat going faster than normal and the throat isn't 100%. So no hard training today either. It's now more than three weeks ago since I last visited the gym! Not good, not fun. This evening Pierre Näsman came over and we had a "tree ice-axe climbing" training session. It was fun. Since there's no ice to climb here in Stockholm anyloger (global heating?!s) we have to use some kind of substitute to get something done... This was Pierre's first try with double axes. He finally got it right and ended with a "around the tree" boulder... Good work!

2009-01-12
FAST BOULDER SESSION

This day passed fast with a lot to do. I managed to squeeze in a short boulder session at Klätterverket in the afternoon. 45 minutes of non-stop climbing...

2009-01-11
TREE ABUSE

Have you heard the name Ueli Steck? After Jean-Christophe Lafaille was lost in 2006 while attempting a solo winter climb on Makalu, Steck has become somewhat my new favourite climber from The Alps. He has now put up new speed records on the three most famous North Faces in the Alps; the Eiger Northface, the Matterhorn, and the Grandes Jorasses. He ended the trilogy with the Grandes Jorasses on December 28, 2008, setting a new fantastic record on the Colton-Macintyre route on the North face of the Grandes Jorasses, soloing it in 2 hours and 21 minutes! Last season he soloed The Eiger North Face 1938 route in just 2hr 47min 33sec! On March 14, 2006 Steck climbed the technical demanding Bonatti route on the Matterhorn in just 25 hours. Remember that this is not the fastest route on the North Face of Matterhorn...

I started this day by taking a 5 min stroll to the top of our yard, taking some photos of the sun setting. I also noticed that "our" two slab-icefalls have grown. If we're lucky and this cold weather continues, perhaps we can try them next weekend!

I spent the day by finishing the new roof for our woodshed, later after that my friend Pelle came over and in the afternoon we abused one of our trees and practiced some tree-ice climbing. The new BD Cobras felt really good. I hope I will get a chance to test them on ice this winter.

2009-01-10
FIRE

I worked in the yard today, first by starting to build a new roof for our woodshed together with Jonnas father. We almost got finished, but then it got pitch dark. During the day Jonna and her mother brought Rasmus at a children's theatre called "Julänglar, finns dom?", in english "Christmas angels, do they exist?". After dinner, Rasmus and I went out again and made a large fire out of old building junk and parts of trees that were to small to use as firewood.

2009-01-09
A WALK THROUGH STOCKHOLM

I worked in the City today. I got finished early and when my friend Pelle phoned me and told me he was on the way home to Stockholm, I invited him for a walk through town. We met at the Central station and walked for about 5 kilometers to my car, parked near Skärmarbrink. During the way I took some photos of famous landmarks of Stockholm with my cellphone. See photos below.

2009-01-08
THE COBRAS HAS ARRIVED

Holy Moses! Today the Cobra axes arrived from urbanrock.com after being sent by DHL Express 19 days ago from the U.K! Must be some sort of snail sending record. Tough luck that I never got the chance to use them on our previous ice climbing just a few days ago.

Today snatched the chance for a lunch boulder session at Klätterverket. I felt week. Somehow I got up an overhanging 6c, but had no chance on a 7a route...

2009-01-06
LEAVING FOR HOME

I'm sitting in the car on the way home writing this. The first ice climbing trip this year was nice, even though we had two days of very cold weather.

In just three weeks I’ll hopefully be on the ice again since I, Tomas Ericsson and Pierre Näsman have a couple of days scheduled for ice climbing somewhere. We’ll see where we’ll go. Perhaps Rjukan or Trängslet again?

Now Jonna and I long to get home to our son, Rasmus, we have missed him a lot! Tomorrow is workday again. My first workday of 2009…

2009-01-05
ICE CLIMBING

The temperature was too cold to do some serious climbing today, -20 degrees below zero. Instead we did some top-roping. Tomorrow it's time to leave for home...

2009-01-04
TOO COLD

We knew from the weather forecast from the previous night that it would be cold today - and it sure was! The temperature was -25 degrees celcius at 07.00 in the morning. We therefore decided to have a break from the ice climbing today and instead make a trip to Njupeskär, the highest freefalling waterfall in Sweden. It's said to be a very nice ice climb, with it's 93 meters it's the best i Dalarna, though neither Jonna or I have tried it.

We drove 120 kilometers from our camp at Tre Björnar and parked at the border of Fulufjället National Park. From there, it's a 2 kilometer hike to Njupeskär. There were a track to follow all the way. It looked serious. The left side of the ice was climbable, but the right side was in terrible shape. Also, this icefall never totally freezes and you could see the water pouring inside, through the thin ice. As the temperature had fallen 20 degrees since yesterday we could hear the ice crack and sound. I wouldn't climb such a serious icefall under these conditions.

Njupeskär is in the pipe of our future plans. Perhaps not this year, but hopefully next season.

2009-01-03
ICE CLIMBING

Yersterday Jonna and I arrived to Älvdalen. As usually we stay at the youth hostel called Tre Björnar.

Today we had a nice ice climbing day in Trängslet. First we climbed "Spillrännan", an easy two pitch climb. Jonna led the first part, I the second half. Sadly I have never seen Spillrännan with such little ice in around new year ever before. The global warm-up is taking it's toll on the nature.

We also climbed some smaller ices above spillrännan and in the main river bed.

2008-12-31 / 2009-01-01
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Bye bye 2008! Welcome 2009... I spent this last day of the year at home together with the family. Rasmus and I worked at the yard while Jonna drove to buy some food and fireworks for the evening. Later I took a stroll to the top of our yard that is neigbour to the Sahara climbing cliff. I shot some nice photos of the last sunrays of 2008. See photos below.

At ten minutes to midnight, we got outside and watched the fireworks. From the top of our yard you can watch fireworks all the way from Stockholm City, 20 kilometers away.

It's now 2009 and I hope for a good year for us. We have a lot of plans, climbing plans and other things. Our climbing goals for 2009 is three ice climbing trips, one alpine tour to Kebnekaise and one longer trip to Chamonix. I also hope for a snatched chance to break my previous speed record on Bierdna from June 2008.

At home we hope to start build on and enlarge our house. We live three persons on 50 sqm. Hopefully we will be allowed to increase the size to 120 sqm. It will be a lot of work for us the next five years os so...

Now I long for our next climbing adventure, tomorrow we're heading for Älvdalen and the ice in Trängslet!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU !!