The BIG bike ride in Norway
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15th July. Day 117. Taking loads of photos in Bergen then catching my boat. Sailed through the beautiful fjord country to Stavanger and then off into the North Sea...
14th July. Day 116. A really long day, got down to Nordfjordeid and then across to Måløy, my bike complaining a little (it needs some TLC). Got the Catermaran to Bergen but the bad weather stopped me seeing many good views, so I dozed in my seat. Bergen is a real beautiful place, took some photos and not a lot else. Staying at (expensive for me) Skandia Sommerpensjonat in the city centre. Coming only a little bit south really it is noticably darker at midnight.
Day 115. Friday 13th ! Having quite a relaxed day. Was shown some wood turning and some Cine films featuring my mother also making hay (in better weather) all the way back in 1967. Sent away on a meal of Breem and Turbert. Left Ørsta and just caught the 10pm ferry from Volda to Folkestad and then off into the night...
12th July. Day 114. Went to the Ivar Aasen centre between Ørsta and Volda, he is the man who helped Norwegans find an important part of their national identity by studying grammer to come up with the language known as 'New Norwegen'. The building is a great one by Sverre Fehn. On the farm helped put hay to dry on a pole/wire arrangement, but the sun is NOT shining, quite the opposite!
11th July. Day 113. Doing some more things around the farm, I think I have the mower sussed now...
10th July. Day 112. Went to a very loacal and interesting farming museum. Meeting some of the family. Mowing the lawn ( I don't understand these machines with petrol engines...) Sorted ALL my travel plans out, including an amazingly cheap rail ticket for the UK. It's with one of those 'bad operators', so I'll probably have a 53 hour journey or something.
9th July. Day 111. Helping on the farm, splitting some wood (had plenty of practice in my youth). Going up to a goat farm up in the mountains.
8th July. Day 110. Rode to Solavågen where I got the ferry across the fjord to Festøya. Got to where I was heading - Ørsta - welcomed there by a meal of Wolf Fish by some friends of the family who I am staying with.
7th July. Day 109. Took the train Hamar to Dombås, then Dombas to Åndalsnes. Pretty amazing scenery! Saw the highest rock wall in Europe, the one the B.A.S.E. jumpers use. I was directed to use a disused road tunnel through a mountain. I would need good light I was told, but it was better than over 6Km inside a mountain with cars and trucks. Eventually found this dark hole and started cycling. Really cold and dark in there, but pretty managable. After about 10 minutes came to a large gate so had to turn back and use the normal way. It is legally OK, but not really smart to use this tunnel on a bike. Anyway, my first day in Fjord country. Truly great! Went through a few lesser bores and found myself camping in a wood just past Sjøholt.
6th July. Day 108. Rode to Elverum and Hamar, gawping at the Viking ship skating stadium left over from the 1994 Olympics. Staying at a Motel-style Youth Hostel. Able to watch BBC world for the first time on this trip.
5th July. Day 107. Rode 10 Km to the Norwegan border, now outside the EU! Rode Østby to Trysil and got my bearings. Rode down the number 25 road, camping by Ossjøen, a long lake.
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