Biking to Kista
I used to live in Husby, a suburb in the north-west corner of the Stockholm subway map, and always in the shade of its bigger neighbor, Kista. While Husby has remained roughly the same, Kista has transformed into a technology Mecca.
I decided to try out the new bike lanes, and what better trial than to bike back "home"?
The first try went ok, but not great. I missed the left turn that would take me across Järvafältet and ended up coming in over Helenelund, from the north-east. Acceptable, but not good.
The second attempt went slightly better. I managed the left turn, but before I knew it I was biking through a very dark forest, heading back toward the city. Or so I thought... After a little while I was surprised to find an open field that looked so much like Kymlinge that I was just amazed that something like that could be found near the inner city. I kept pedaling. Suddenly I realized where I was - this place wasn't like Kymlinge, it was Kymlinge. Just as I figured it out I saw the lights of Kista through the trees. Score one for the carrier pigeon instinct. I would have wished that my navigation had been more deliberate, though, and until I came back home and checked a map I was at a loss as to how my internal compass could have been so much off. But I got there, so I rate this attempt good but not great.
This was the third attempt, and by God this time I intended to do some flawless navigation. The sky was clear with a full moon, the ground covered in fog, and the full moon illuminating it all. It worked great.
Going back I chose the route over Helenelund, mostly because I was curious which one was the longest. Some numbers, because I love them:
| Distance | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| To Kista | 12 km | 39 min |
| From Kista | 13 km | 48 min |
Given this, would I bike to work if I worked in Kista? No. It's great for a quick exercise ride, but I'd hate to work overtime and know that I have a 40 minute bike ride between me and home - in pouring rain, uphill, chased by a tsunami of molten lava.
