I always start
my drafts “Its been a day of contrasts…”
but then scrub that as it is a bit of a cliché isn’t it, but …today has been
just that.
I worked out
last night that I’ve done 1450 miles and not bad with the calculations as I’d
planned on it being around 1350 to here – I know, obsessive whatever – Delden
Mk1 has a lot to answer for. Anyway it’s
half of the 2600 to North Cape in total so when as I woke up this morning to
lovely sunshine again I took time to check the oil and tyres. Would have been
better though to have just set off because when I was eventually getting my
gear on to start the heavens opened. I don’t mind riding in the rain, moving
along you don’t really get wet but I hate setting off in the rain on a wet
bike. Plus I had to get out of Oslo and the only way really was along the
motorway so I was a real grump for a while – hard to imagine I know.
That soon
changed as once out of the city both the weather and the roads changed for the
better.
My ability with
a camera can’t do justice to the panoramas but I hope they give you a taste of
how lush the countryside was and what great weather I had once the rain
stopped. Hold that thought though…... 
Wanted to call
in at Lillehammer, the venue of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Once near the town
the Olympic village wasn’t hard to find as the Ski Jumps stuck out from miles away.
I rode up to them and even from the
bottom they seemed scary, gawd only
knows how frightening they must seem from the top. There are some crazy people”.
I always assumed that Norwegians were good at skiing because of all the snow,
but up to this point I hadn’t seen any. Doesn’t deter them though, remember the
chap I told you I’d seen “skiing” down a cycle lane, well he was positively
sedentary compared to this young lady…
I wanted to
look around the Olympic Museum but it was in the process of being moved so only
saw the empty shell, a sad bob sleigh and these sculptures
– no, I don’t know either!
Preferred these lovely people.......
Though wouldn't want to meet the guy who left this ....
After
Lillehammer I took a shortcut up through the Rondane National Park rather than follow the main road along the
valley bottoms. That was exciting for a while as I began to catch glimpses of
snow but as I got higher, the temperature plummented – and boy did it plummet,
this water fall was still frozen - and the land became more barren I admit to
slight twinges of anxiety about what was to come further north. The air was so
clear though and you could see for miles so again I was a happy biker.
Then, just as
quickly as this morning the rain started only this time it was icy cold and no
fun at all. Was glad then when I got to the camp site, bike tucked up for the
night and fire on. It's called Gullvag Camping and is on the E6 just north of Opdal and 45 miles south of Trondheim......
AND, it is really comfortable – a very pleasant surprise. It’s
a great system. There are 2 bunks, so 4 beds but you only pay for the number
you use so this is costing me the grand total of £34.
Goodnight ...............
