Åland by tandem

Our time in Åland was marked by dramatic, stormy weather, but luckily we had one day that was almost completely without rain. We made the most of it by renting a tandem bike and exploring several islands.

The bike only had one gear, and took a little getting used to. I dare say we looked a bit ridiculous at the start, trying to figure out in what order we needed to each get on and start pedaling and whatnot. Luckily Åland is quite flat, and we were able to make it up the few hills (mostly bridges) without needing to get off and push.

We took a rest stop for homemade cake and coffee at the only cafe to be found in this group of islands. A couple local women were inside knitting and chatting, and the cafe was full of their homemade crafts. We sat outside and pretended the wind was pleasant rather than bone-chilling. The chocolate cake was delicious.

As we pedaled back to Mariehamn along the beach, we came across a flock of peacocks. As you do.

We had fun watching two males chase a female around like something out of a cartoon – in and out of the peacock house, around and around. She’d even hide and then run the other way after the guys had run by. Meanwhile we were trying to figure out how one gets a peacock to show his tail. Do they do it when threatened? Horny? Hungry? Tired of the sun never going down? After Scott’s attempts at playing an agressive rival peacock failed to produce results, we were about to give up, go back to the hotel, and google it. And then all of a sudden two of them decided we were worthy of their tail displays. Naturally that is the moment in which the camera card decided to be full.

If you are the type who enjoys cycling tours (not just day-trips like we did, but real tours), then you may want to check out Åland. The islands are gorgeous and easy to cycle (flat, very little car traffic). Plus many of the local ferries are free for cyclists. It’s so tempting even I’m considering if I want to go back and do a cycling tour, and trust me, I’m not the type.