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As per my message yesterday. If you’ve enjoyed following my adventure or not any amount you can spare for the good people at Nepal Youth Foundation will go a very very long way in Nepal.
So many good things happened today.
Let’s start with 1.33am . That’s called sunrise. Hold it. I got thinking . If the sun never sets at this time of the year then it never rises right? So there is no sunset nor sunrise. Whatever, at 1.33 am the sun was already on its way up.
I had seen a group of 4 cyclists pull into camp last night looking destroyed . This morning as I left I rode past them as they enjoyed breakfast and asked where they were from and headed. They live in southern Norway and transported themselves and bikes to Nordkapp to ride home. 5 weeks it will take them and they were into day 3. I asked how Nordkapp was. “Cold and windy” was the response. “Very windy” said another in case I hadn’t heard the first. I wished them the sun on their backs and wind behind them then altered that to “ sorry just the sun , cos if you have the wind at your back it will be in my face “. They laughed nervously and she said “ Ya, you have the wind behind you today . Enjoy it .”
She wasn’t wrong. I did have the wind behind me allllll day and yes I did enjoy it. LOVED IT in fact ! At one point on top of the plateau I had climbed to the tailwind was so strong I was freewheeling UP a slight gradient.
5 km after leaving camp I saw my first ever Nordkapp distance sign. Seminal moment after 6,732 km of cycling .
The bridge out of Alta was a little floral gem.
Half way up the first long steep hill of the day (there were two) I came across my first ever piece of vandalism in Norway. A stripped out car. Who steals a Rover???? I am guessing they stole it, realised later what make of car it was and figuring they weren’t going to get anything for it decided to wreck it.
Getting closer !!!!
...and closer .
Towards the top of the first climb I saw the first of many interesting cloud formations. Here it was white layered atop dark. Many weeks ago I had the pleasure of riding with Russ.K. He’s probably the best pilot (along with Fred.H) that United Airlines has ever had fly for them. Over to you Russ . What’s the terminology for that type of cloud formation please?
In this part of the world you’re in the Sami peoples territory . An isolated existence for sure .
Do we think it gets windy atop this plateau ?
Up here the road was long and straight and undulating and it was blowing a gale. As I took this photo Peter the Dutchman (of book information fame ) from a few days ago rode by. Another interesting cloud formation.
A local Sami community church. It wins the “most isolated church “ award of the entire trip.
Getting closer still.
As I swept down off the plateau I stopped for lunch in a wayside picnic area. As I huddled in the meagre shelter of a small picnic table this lovely couple asked if I’d like to seek shelter in their campervan and finish my lunch there. When they offered a coffee too it was an easy decision to make. Meet Doris and Peter. They are from “ the German part of Switzerland” and have rented a campervan for 1 week out of Tromsø . They were in Nordkapp earlier today and said the wind was so strong at 4 am they had to hold onto the railings at the famous Globe attraction. 4 am ????? They had planned to do the 14 km walk to the very very northern tip but there’s a big storm coming so they headed south . Big storm ? Lovely !!!!!! To Peter and Doris I say thank you for the coffee and chat and chocolate eggs !
Toys for boys or just practical mode of transportation in this part of the world ? I am guessing b.
Looking back up the valley from where I have just come . I passed a guy going the other way. Hunched over his handle bars fighting the hill and howling wind . I shouted out “good luck ! “ And then under my breath said “ you’ll be needing it! “ . He had another 75 km of it .
Another interesting cloud formation . I called it “the toilet bowl “ .
Getting closer still !
....... yup and closer still !!!!!
As I approached camp I saw my last mileage sign for the day. (thank goodness for that! I hear you say)
A quite lovely day for a ride . The two steep 4 km hills were a minor blimp on an otherwise beautiful day to be in the wilderness of far north Norway. Honningsvåg tomorrow and then Nordkapp on Thursday morning.
Storm, Schmorm.