Inlandsvågen

What can I say........

Day 1......

Day 3....

Day 5....

Day 7...

Day 9.....

....Sweden has no shortage of pine forest!

Nordkapp

Did the pilgimage to Nordkapp, which ironically isn't even the most northerly point

From Lufoten I continued up the coast to Hammerfest, still with snow and the wind against me. Took the (very expensive) Hurtigruten to Honningsvåg so I wouldn't have to cycle the same road twice. The road to Nordkapp is nice...but not very cycle friendly; narrow, windy roads cut into the side of the fjord and long, nasty tunnels. Glad I didn't do it twice.

Arrived at Nordkapp to find it "closed" which was a good thing...they wanted 215 NOK (~30 euros) to go the last 50 metres! With the visitor centre closed, I had the place to myself.

With no more road north....nothing to do but turn south again...after a swim!

Lofoten

The Lofoten peninsular in NW Norway has to be some of the most stunning cycling I have ever done!

Mountains, fjords and quaint little fishing villages...every view a picture postcard.

Unfortunately, I also had gale force winds, snow and hail storms....so I probably only saw a third of what was actually there.

It is a major tourist route, so the road can get busy but if you visit in April, except for some local traffic, you are guaranteed to have the road virtually to yourself!

There are also some long tunnels which you have no option but to go through, unless you want to swim!

It is a well recommended trip....though maybe in summer!

The Arctic Circle

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.

Once I hit this open plain...the snow came in. Covered in snow and slush, the road was treacherously slippery 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!!

The road to Hell

Forget good intentions...this road was paved with

snow.!

I have made some intelligent decisions in my life but cycling north in Norway in April isn't one of them!

It has been bitterly cold and I have rarely felt my extremities...I have tried every possible way to try and keep my hands warm and for the past week haven't felt my toes except for a few hours in the sleeping bag.

On the up-side...my tent went through its first snow storm and performed admirably. Once the snow piled up around the base and sealed it...it was snug and moderately warm. Not bad for a 3-season tent!

It is strange though...I haven't seen any other cycle tourers on the road. Perhaps there is a reason for this!

bloodshed in Nimes

Despite my better judgement, I decided to go to a bullfight.

Hemingway can glorify it all he wants but all that pomp and ceremony is nothing more than the torture and death of a noble animal.

With tears running down my face I watched the bull run to the edge of exhaustion before being tormented and stabbed until it collapsed and died, then ignominiously dragged out of the stadium to the waiting butchers van.

Amsterdam to Provence

After Francesco left, I headed south to Provence, which unfortunately meant I had to cross the Massif Central again. Headed a bit further west and paralleled my route from last year.

After Norway the hills didn't seem so bad but I did make the mistake of climbing Super Besse. After seeing it on the Tour de France I thought....how bad can it be! One of my more stupid decisions.....