Norway: Lindesnes to North Cape 2009 (Southernmost to northernmost point)

[Gravel Seeker]

Day 09 - 3/8-09
294 km - Total milage: 3417 km
Skibotn - Alta


Time to make our way over to my old stomping grounds. I went to school in Alta back in 94/95 and this'd be the first time since my navy days to be back here (95/96).





The day was just as nice as the day before and it really is a shame how it's all shot to hell because of mechanical woes.



My bike had serious problems which, unbelievable, had not gone away over night.

Whoa ! What the fuck !


P: Lars

Lars filling his Camelbak with sparkling water before departure



The ride was out of this world, so we spent some time stopping for pictures (when I wasn't refilling my radiator ofcourse)


P: Lars

This is what I was shooting



And here is Lars' version



Time waits for no man, onward and upward !




P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars

I've done shots like this a million times with my old Fuji compact, but transfering Lars' Leica between us at speed was all my heart could take...


P: Lars' camera


P: Lars' camera


P: Lars' camera


P: Lars


P: Lars

We were now well and truly in northern Norway. Home to the Scandinavian endogenous people, the Sami. Historically they are a nomadic people following their reindeer herds across the arctic tundra between summer pastures by the sea and the highlands during winter.

Now a days they live in regular houses, herd their reindeer with snowmobiles and helicopters and sell souvenirs along the highways.




P: Lars







If you remember on day 6 between Verdal and Bodø, we ran into Lars Q. and Elisabeth. Lars Q. told us that Alta River Camping was the place to stay in Alta (He'd never been there, just a tip he had recieved before leaving on his trip). What a fucking joke. Honestly the worst camping I've evver been to. Hard ground, long grass. Dirty, old amenities, expensive and noisy. Don't stay there !
[ GPS: N69 55.779 E23 15.655 ]



P: Lars


P: Lars

Behind the small hill in the background is the school I went to all those years ago.






Edit: typos

.

[Gravel Seeker]

Day 10 - 4/8-09
350 km - Total milage: 3767 km
Alta - Havøysund - Stabbursdalen


Alta



Now, our original plan had been to ride to North Cape (Nordkapp) , but as I'm a tight ass fucker (not literally) I have huge aversions against paying out the ass (again, not literally) for something that ought to be free.



The tunnell from the mainland over to the island of Magerøya, where the cape is located, cost alot of money. Both ways. On top of that you have to pay $40 to ride out to the cape plateau aswell (and you still have to walk the last bit).

Looking at the map the point farthest to the north on the mainland is actually Havøysund. Since North Cape is on an island we would have to go to Svalbard to get to the northernmost point of Norway......sort of.... sufficient justification.



Let's go to Havøysund !



Another beautiful day (carefull, watch you eyes)


P: Lars

First off, we rode up to Øytun Folkehøgskole, the school i went to all those years ago. We parked our bikes in the court yard and began walking towards the dorms when the headmistress called for us. She was wondering what we were doing there, making it clear that dangerous bikers were not welcome. I explained the situation and her personality changed completely. She showed us the dorms and a quick tour of the school building. Alot had changed, but alot were still the same. I guess the reason why she was so stern to begin with was that there were about 50 children/ youth attending band- and choir-camp there and it would obviously suck if some kids disappeared on the back of a couple of bikes.

My bike was now really acting up and it took about 5 minutes to get it started.

The previous day I had stopped by an auto shop and had my cooling system pressure testet. The radiator lid would open at 2,0 bar and then hold 1,6 bar*. The system itself held 2,5 bar, no worries. Hindsight suggests that the operating pressure of the sylinder, which is 9 bar, pressed exhaust into the cooling system through a bad headgasket (or bottom (?) gasket). The bike would perform ok as long as I kept it low in the rpms and didn't push it.
* Don't recall the exact numbers, but I don't think I'm too far off.

But it eventually fired up and we rode in to the city for supplies. We searched high and low and finally found a litre of mineral oil for Lars' bike at a Ford dealership.

Alright, nothing more to see here, a quick ice cream in the shade and we'd be off.....

Me: Good ice cream
Lars: Mmm..mmm....yes... mmm
Me: Another one ?
Lars: Mmmmm

Crossing Alta river. The best Salmon river in the world. People pay $100.000 to fish there for a week....


P: Lars

Climbing towards the highlands


P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars

Typical scenery of Northern Norway


P: Lars

We stopped for lunch here [ GPS: N70 16.091 E24 06.172 ]
The water was nice and refreshing. Temperatures were again in the high 20^oC's




P: Lars

Two full bellies and four pink shoulders later we rode on

The road towards Havøysund was desolate. Guess if you can claim the same for the road up to North Cape.....






P: Lars

I like to think there's an art to getting shots like these to work. The somewhat unknown composision paired with getting the focus right.





Not too far up the road we came across this old quarry (I'm guessing)

Why they've left the monolith I have no idea






P: Lars


P: Lars

Lars went down there



Can you say slate ?


P: Lars

This looks like two pictures have been cut and pastet together, but it's not, I swear.


P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars

While Lars was down exploring the monolith I went across the road and explored the rocks there







Quit fucking around - gotta get a move on !


P: Lars


P: Lars

My bike hadn't spewed cooland all day (I'd ridden very carefully, keeping my speed even and low, just cruising and not pushing uphill). We made it to Havøysund and rode as far north as we could


P: Lars






P: Lars

Distance ridden: 3515 km (Mine is a little longer, because I started a bit further away the first day)

Hours ridden: 48:23
Average speed: 72,6 km/h


P: Lars

One last look north


P: Lars

Before we head back south


P: Lars


P: Lars

We bought some beer on the way (first time I've ever seen beer in a gas station in Norway - there are very strict rules in "the best country to live in"). We made it down to Stabbursdalen and found a nice camping site [ GPS: N70 10.512 E24 54.062 ]

The place had a restaurant and the motto for the trip had been to always order "the chef's speciality". The chef had the night off but the owner said he made a mean finnbiff (reindeer stew). We were welcome to eat outside on the patio facing the river and even bring our own beer. I can't find any pictures of the food, but I can stil taste the creamy stew in my mouth just thinking about it


P: Lars


P: Lars


P: Lars

A comparison between the two bikes with luggage


P: Lars




.

[Viking]

Awesome, really like your trip and the way you tell your story. Are now waiting for the trip back

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by Viking

Awesome, really like your trip and the way you tell your story. Are now waiting for the trip back

Thank you

Hard at work so the next leg will have to wait 'till the weekend I think. Will try to rock out the rest before monday !

[subvet]

fantastic scenery. sorry about your mechanical troubles and all the stops, that always puts a damper on things but hey, you get more opportunities to take pictures right?

looking forward to the next installment of your trip.

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by subvet

fantastic scenery. sorry about your mechanical troubles and all the stops, that always puts a damper on things but hey, you get more opportunities to take pictures right?

looking forward to the next installment of your trip.

Yeah, one would think that, but I don't think I was in the best of moods as I've not a single shot from any of the places I had to stop

[No False Enthusiasm]

Today, I've been to Peru and Norway... thanks for including us in the ride.

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by No False Enthusiasm

Today, I've been to Peru and Norway... thanks for including us in the ride.

My pleasure, glad you enjoy it

[Glenboy]

Great trip. Thanks for taking the trouble to share. It's a trip I plan on doing myself soon.

[tserts]

Wow, the level of the RRs is getting better everyday... Yours is the first that is proof read before posting...

On the other hand, any more stolen internet photos? Your own material is holding this RR back..

Furthermore, you should change the title of the thread to "Lindesnes to Havøysund 2009"... I thought I was gonna read about the real deal, you know, with tolls and "tourist tax" stuff...

You realize I say all this out of spite... Cape North (or Havøysund would do!) has been a dream destination for years but it's a 12000km trip at least from Athens, thanks for keeping this dream alive for me, I gotta visit that country someday, it's pure magic...

Keep it coming, even with your own photos....

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by Glenboy

Great trip. Thanks for taking the trouble to share. It's a trip I plan on doing myself soon.

What's keeping ya ?! Come on over !

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by tserts

Wow, the level of the RRs is getting better everyday... Yours is the first that is proof read before posting...

On the other hand, any more stolen internet photos? Your own material is holding this RR back..

Furthermore, you should change the title of the thread to "Lindesnes to Havøysund 2009"... I thought I was gonna read about the real deal, you know, with tolls and "tourist tax" stuff...

You realize I say all this out of spite... Cape North (or Havøysund would do!) has been a dream destination for years but it's a 12000km trip at least from Athens, thanks for keeping this dream alive for me, I gotta visit that country someday, it's pure magic...

Keep it coming, even with your own photos....

Thanks

And to comment

I was pondering what to call this thing.
The whole point is to share it with as many as possible, right. To inspire some and simply to get others trought a dark, cold winter... I doubt many people outside Norway even knows where Lindesnes is, let alone Havøysund, so you gotta catch peoples eyes somehow

You know I have to have it proofread since we don't really speak engrish over here and only pick up bits and pieces from watching Hillstreet Blues and Cagney and Lacey (I'm sure there's plenty of typos still if anyone takes pleasure in pointintg them out )

Why do you think I'm using Lars' pictures ?! From now on though you won't be disappointed - I've burned my terrabite Harddrive




.

[RockyRoads]

Beautiful photos! I especially liked the ones showing the layers of slate--simply magnificent!

I like your idea of having the chef's specialty at restaurants. I've never had the opportunity to have reindeer stew, but I'll be sure to try it if I ever travel to a place where it's offered on the menu.

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by RockyRoads

Beautiful photos! I especially liked the ones showing the layers of slate--simply magnificent!

I like your idea of having the chef's specialty at restaurants. I've never had the opportunity to have reindeer stew, but I'll be sure to try it if I ever travel to a place where it's offered on the menu.

Thanks !

Can't remember where I read or heard it, but in addition to showing some respect, you ought to get the best possible meal in that particular restaurant aswell

[T.REX63]

Wow! Awesome report, stunning photography