Thursday 11th June - Never mind the rain dear!

Couldn’t get on the internet to do a post last night so got a bit of catching up to do. That and my being incredible tired after today’s ride means I ask you to forgive this being a bit factual.

I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed to a lovely morning so made an early start. It was dry and I actually saw some sun.

So, for the first hour I again enjoyed some decent riding through terrific scenery although as the road follows the coast and the fjord sides any photographs look similar.

Then though I began to climb and it deteriorated rapidly. It was some of the worst riding I’ve had this trip, in fact had ever and if there had been a bus home I would have taken it.

But, what goes up and all that, as I dropped down again I saw this sign. Now, I’ve seen hundreds of the Moose signs and nary a moose and I’ve only seen one reindeer in 1000 miles odd so I though the sign erector was having a laugh here but ....

 

My first real herd of reindeer – I’ve given moose up as a bad job.

The old road joins up lots of little town at the heads of fjords which, when they were first populated would have only been accessible by boat. 

You can see from this shot that until tunnelling became possible there couldn’t have been any decent road connection.

And this is what I mean about the trouble they are going to to cut out climbs and bends. These would be majior works in the UK, here they seem everywhere.

Another difficulty today has been riding through their road works. They have such a short weather gap to repair the frost damage that they don’t mess about patching up they just rip up the whole bit of road and re-lay it.  Only trouble is they can’t close the road while they do, there’s no diversions available so you have to drive – or in my case ride - over it. They seem to lay temporary layers of either fine rock chippings or fine grit, and pretty deep layers at that. The bike just digs in and doesn’t want to go. Yes, lots of people on bikes must do it, but on my road bike fully ladened it’s a bit of an ordeal and it goes on for miles in some cases.

I don't like it!

I pulled into Alta and hung out with the local boys – actually I didn’t see them but at least I felt confident leaving the bike while I grabbed something to eat.

And now a confession – please cover the ears of my younger followers – having seen there were still plenty around I had smoked reindeer salad – it was delicious, with cranberry sauce, feta and the works! Won’t discuss the price though, that is still too painful.

I then climbed again, this time up on to the Finnmarksvidda, a vast plateau which spreads out south east into Finland.

At first there were some trees, little scrawny birch and I saw more reindeer grazing amongst them.

But on the plateau itself it was just like the Prairies of Canada or the deserts of Route 66 – only with snow. 

There were no trees at all and only brown, fern like scrub. The reindeer though must love it because now I began to see herds of them though from a distance.

I should have kept on traversing the plateau towards the north east if I was heading straight to Nordkapp but I turned left and headed north, dropping down to the sea again as I was going to see a Methodist Church – yes another one, sorry – in Hammerfest.

Putting Hammerfest into perspective it is some 1200 miles north of where I live. It is further north than mainland Canada, Alaska and a lot of Greenland. More pertinently it lays claim to being the northernmost "town" in the world. Yes, there are some remote communities further north but, Hammerfestians argue, these are too small to be called towns. Certainly it is the most northern town in mainland Europe although it actually wouldn’t be mainland if the magnificent bridge fell down.

So, when a Methodist congregation was established in Hammerfest in 1890 it was – and probably still is – the world’s most northerly Methodist congregation.  That means its Methodist Church must be the world’s most northerly one!  So, “being the world’s most …”  I have to see it so I can include it in my article for the Newsletter. I’m meeting the pastor to have a look round tomorrow.

I didn't plan to see this one, but it must be one of the worlds most isolated..... 

I’m glad I did drop down off the plateau because as the trees started again small settlements sprung up where they farmed reindeer – letting them run free most of the year – as with some of our farmers on the moors. That meant I got a better view of them – nearly eye ball to eye ball with this akward  male – who was just showing off to his girlfriends - what is it about testosterone?

Then on into Hammerfest where I've checked into a lovely hotel with a shower and a ar and acomfy bed and sheets ..........

And the room has black-out blinds - perhaps I'll get some sleep, we'll see.