Ever since I was a wee cyclist with training wheels I have wanted to cross the Arctic Circle. None of my daydreams included doing it in a snowstorm! 
After a long slow rollercoaster of a climb, I emerged on the open, snow-covered and windswept pass, through the middle of which runs the infamous line.
After a long slow rollercoaster of a climb, I emerged on the open, snow-covered and windswept pass, through the middle of which runs the infamous line.
Once I hit this open plain...the snow came in. Covered in snow and slush, the road was treacherously slipper
y and the water thrown up was freezing up everything. Icicles were forming on anything that wasn't moving. My gears froze into positions, my brake cables iced up so they no longer worked and ice kept building up onto the big ring. I had to keep stopping to chip it away to stop it jamming into the derailleur.
y and the water thrown up was freezing up everything. Icicles were forming on anything that wasn't moving. My gears froze into positions, my brake cables iced up so they no longer worked and ice kept building up onto the big ring. I had to keep stopping to chip it away to stop it jamming into the derailleur.Stopped at the visitor's centre (which wasn't officially open) and was surprised (!) to learn I was the first cyclist through for the summer. This of course was after they told me I was mad!!
I forgot the tales of how flat the Netherlands really are, nor how windy. The national symbol of a windmill should have given me some clue. But at least I wasn't going to be alone!
