Anita Paulsson and Åsa Öhqvist from WIMA Sweden wrote the report for this rally.
Morokulien is a no-man’s land between Sweden and Norway, north of Arvika in the region of Värmland. 207 foreign guests had signed up and a further 20 came as a surprise.
The price of this rally was set to 1100sek for camping and 1300sek for cabin. Accompanying kids paid 300sek (according to the historical currency converter this was approximately 110, 130 and 30 Euros respectively). There were only 10 cabins, and they were reserved for disabled guests or travellers from far away. Some meals were included in the price as well as a welcome kit that included shoeshine, pens, nubbeglas (a small glass for drinking hard liqueur), brochures about the area and Allemansrätten (Freedom to roam).
The weather was cold in the beginning of the week, rain and only 3°C but fortunately it dried up and got warmer later. The top temperature was 30°!
Unfortunately, there were some mishaps before the rally had even started; some members from the Czech Republic arrived with broken bikes and a couple of German members had a fall on the campsite upon arrival. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, and spare parts could be ordered.
During the week there were several games to take part in, and the most successful participant was crowned ‘the WIMA woman of the year’. The games included a quiz about Allemansrätten and other things related to the forest, and a motorcycle rally with four competitions along the route as well as fun and games on site.
The meals were traditional smörgåsbord including salmon, herring and ham, as well as the perhaps lesser known blodpudding – a loaf made of blood. This was accompanied by snaps and snapsvisor (traditional songs to sing when you drink hard liqueur) and a joint Saint Lucia and Easter performance by the Swedish WIMA members’ children all dressed up as Saint Lucia, Easter witches, gnomes and even a white elk. White elks are rare but can be seen in this region. There were home- made sweets for all; Swedes are big on sweets for all kinds of celebrations. Another evening offered traditional whole grilled pig and lamb.
Other activities included a guided tour to Magnor’s glass workshop in Norway, a first aid course, a visit to Gammelvala – an old-style marketplace with food, arts and craft and, as a bonus, a parade with 300 classic cars and bikes.
On the last evening this year’s WIMA winner Silke Stolley was announced and awarded with decorative glass objects from Magnor. Other prizes were handed out to the oldest participant, a 72-year-old lady from the Czech Republic. The youngest was a baby travelling with her mother. The furthest travelled participants came from Japan. The furthest travelled distance with a sidecar was a Finnish member.
