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.

Wednesday 10th June

Look at this photo. Nothing remarkable you may say – and I would agree, except it was taken at 20 past 12 – midnight, last night.

How they ever get to sleep in this place is beyond me. On advice I’ve brought one of those airline night flight eye masks and am so glad I did.

My cabin looked like a Chinese laundry – can I say that? – last night. I’ve perfected the art of getting just enough clothes on the electric radiator to make it worthwhile but not too many to make it cut out – great. Boots and gloves are a lost cause though. Still wet through. And I look like some southern hemisphere tribesman, my hands are stained blue – from my gloves.

Made no visits today other than a few photo stops, just wanted to get on north.

Experience has taught me there are two types of Norwegian drivers. There’s the mad man – it has always been men – who ignore speed limits, double white lines – except they are yellow here – and oncoming traffic. And then there’s the totally over cautious who crawl along at 10 miles an hour below the speed limit – and remember is mainly 47mph – and who are aware that around every bend there may be a parked tractor, a herd of reindeer, school children crossing the road etc. etc. so slow down just in case! I don’t know how this nation bred the Vikings – obviously they were from the first category. If it had been the second there wouldn’t have been much pillaging going on. You would have had Bjorn calling Erik back and saying be careful round that corner mate there may be a tree, could have your eye out!

Hadn’t gone far this morning when the road ran out. I hadn’t realised that there is still one point where the only route is by ferry – you can put ”Avoid Ferries” in the sat nav but it adds 1100km!!!. 

This little one only took about half an hour to get from Bognes to Skarberget  and cost the princely sum of £5.  It looked like a happy little whale.  Can’t make a profit this time of year though, they were hardly overflowing.

I came across this site and a couple more later in the Narvik region – there are 6 in total erected by the Norwegian Army in thanks to, and memory of, the British, French and Polish soldiers who fought the Nazis in  an attempt to drive back their invasion in 1940. In the end it was decided that Norway could not be protected so the King took refuge in England and the Allies withdrew.

I won’t go on about the weather again – it’s all relative – it was a fine drizzle so compared to yesterday I was happy. It was cold though, got down to 2°C at one point and many of the lakes and some rivers were still frozen over.

As I’ve said previously, I don’t know what we are doing wrong in our country. Norway’s roads are brilliant and there’s bridge building and tunnelling going on all over the place as routes are made shorter, quicker and safer. And these aren’t piddling little bridges, they span wide, deep fjords and the tunnels are awesome. I use that word deliberately because depending on the weather – sorry will just mention it in context – going through them is either a trauma or a relief, and they are sooo long.

If it is ok outside then going through the tunnels is terrifying. Most have no coating on the inside so are just hewn rock weeping slime on the road surface. The lighting is dim sodium, they are 2 way and there’s often no divide marking. Obviously your head tells you it must be wide enough for 2 trucks to pass but as traffic approaches and their headlights bounce off the slime it don’t seem like that and the bike seems awfully small. I tell myself I’m not worried but I am so relieved to get out the other side.

However when the Norwegian Goddess of rain and hail is throwing stuff at your face so thick and fast that if you have your visor down you can’t see and if you have it up you get a facial skin peel  you not only enjoy the blessed relief the tunnels give but find yourself racing for the next entrance. The warm air in there then is like a balmy breeze, and has a kind of soporific effect – I think the technical term is carbon monoxide poisoning.

I was told that May was the start of the season here but have found that except in the towns not much is open yet. I stopped at old farmstead now a museum and would have liked to look around – old buildings are another of my nerdish interests. But it was shut – look at the buildings though – made to last.

Similarly this was a collection of Sami – the correct term for Laplander I am told – tents, though I can’t imagine they carry wooden porches around with them as they follow their reindeer herds. I did stop to take a photo but not too long as I had the distinct feeling my bike wouldn’t have any wheels left if I hung around!

In the car park were these – another “I have no idea” photo!.

Know what this is though – I was told by it’s proud owner – he only got it yesterday. It’s 6 wheel drive and I want one!     

Now the good news – it stopped raining about 100 miles from tonight’s camp site so I  had a long dry run along the side of fjords and the speed limit went up to 90kph. Add a bit for the fact I’m in the Arctic Circle and so the earth’s surface speed is slower than home and that’s why I love biking!

Arrived at the campsite just passed Skibotn, east of Tromso. 

 A much more basic camp than the previous two but amazingly warm  cabins – they apparently always switch on the electric heaters prior to guests arriving – they have at the other two too – Hydroelectric power is cheap!

Coffee made and pasta on.

(No wi-fi though so talk tomorrow)

Good night!