I had been in Norway for practically two entire months at this level… however I nonetheless had one other week of biking in entrance of me earlier than my Scandinavian bike tour can be over.
I had spent per week biking throughout Sweden and southern Norway with Pablo and Ana and their canine Hippie. I had spent 10 days on a self-guided bike tour with Lively-Norway.com and my highschool good friend Eric. I had then cycled throughout Norway from Oslo to Bergen with my Canadian good friend Rob. Then I had spent per week biking round Fjord Norway with Berg Fritid and my good friend Katelyn. And I simply had simply spent the final two-and-a-half weeks residing on Sula island off the western coast of Norway – a free lodging alternative that was introduced to me and I simply couldn’t move it up.
However now the time had come for me to depart the consolation and stability of my distant island dwelling and climb again onto my Co-Movement touring bicycle for one remaining push throughout Norway and into central Sweden, the place my journey would finally come to an finish. I wanted to be in Umea, Sweden by September 10, 2016… and I had simply ten days to get there (greater than 1,000 kilometers away).
Within the video above you see a couple of fast pictures of the unimaginable island dwelling I had the pleasure of staying in for two-and-a-half full weeks. Rob’s good friend Kjartan and Ingeborg supplied the home to me after assembly me in Bergen, Norway… and it was a possibility I simply couldn’t move up. I spent these two weeks on the island engaged on my laptop, play darts on the home’s again patio, occurring a day by day run, occurring a number of lengthy hikes, and usually simply stress-free and exploring. It was an unimaginable expertise!
Upon leaving the island, nonetheless, I caught an early morning ferry boat that took me for an hour or two up the coast of Norway to the tiny city of Selje. From there I cycled east alongside the shoreline after which up and over a small hill earlier than arriving at a second ferry crossing (taking me from Koparnes to Arvik). With the solar about to set and my power ranges low, I cycled a couple of kilometers additional after which pushed my bicycle only a quick distance off the highway earlier than establishing my tent in a small flat space positioned between some pine bushes and two small (and vacant) summer time lake homes. I dived inside my tent and known as it an evening. I used to be exhausted!
My first day on the highway had been warn and sunny (an oddity, it appeared, for biking in Norway). So, I wasn’t stunned after I wakened on the second day and it was pouring rain. Little did I do know, the rain would final for days and days. However I pushed on. As quickly because the rain stopped, I packed up my tent and hit the highway, biking throughout a big island, catching the ferry boat from Hareid to Sulesund after which biking alongside the shoreline for some time earlier than climbing a protracted, moist ascent right into a forested mountain. One second the solar can be out and the subsequent second it could be raining. And regardless of a sluggish begin to the day, I managed to cycle over 100 kilometers and discover an excellent spot to camp for the evening, excessive within the mountains close to a neighborhood ski resort.
Day three of my Norway to Sweden bicycle touring journey was presumably the worst day of climate I encountered in all of 2015. The rain lasted virtually all day lengthy and drenched me to my core. After taking one other ferry boat from Vestnes to Molde, I cycled alongside the shoreline for some time after which climbed up a steep hill resulting in the city on the opposite facet. The rain throughout this a part of my day was excessive, and the downhill descent was windy and chilly. By the point I reached the city of Batnfjordsora, I used to be able to name it a day. I managed to cycle a bit additional, nonetheless, and after discovering a graveyard during which I may refill my water bottles, I pushed my bike up the hill behind the city of Hogset and pitched my tent within the bushes behind some summer time properties.
I used to be so joyful after I woke the next morning to a sky that was solely half stuffed with clouds… as a result of the opposite half was stuffed with daylight! And after two days of close to continuous rain, that sunshine positive did really feel good. Now nicely not on time, I wanted to press on and proceed aiming to journey about 100 kilometers per day if I deliberate to be in Umea, Sweden in time for my flight again to america. This was a enjoyable day of biking for me as a result of I acquired to cycle throughout a variety of small islands, crossing first on bridges after which taking my remaining Norwegian ferry boat from Kanestraum to Halsa. Now again on mainland Norway and with Sweden only a couple hundred kilometers away, my spirits lifted – whereas on the similar time making me notice that my bike tour was practically over.
After spending the evening camped out within the forest, I packed up my touring bicycle and hit the highway. It was one other chilly and moist day on the bicycle. My toes had been freezing, however the surroundings was spectacular. I had deliberate to cycle all the best way to Trondheim after which get on a practice from there to be able to rapidly get to Sweden, however within the city of Fannrem I noticed a bus stopped on the facet of the highway, and the motive force knowledgeable me that he wasn’t going to Trondheim, however he was going to Stjordal – and he may drop me and my bicycle off there. Stjordal, I discovered, was somewhat east of Trondheim, which suited me simply positive, so I jumped contained in the bus and was grateful to be heat for even a couple of minutes. As soon as in Stjordal, I jumped off the bus and cycled to the close by metropolis of Hell and arrived there with simply minutes to spare earlier than the practice pulled into the station and I jumped on – touring the ultimate stretch throughout Norway to the city of Storlien, Sweden – and arriving simply earlier than darkish. I pedaled a pair kilometers east of the practice station and pitched my tent on the sting of what I believed seemed to be a nature reserve.
After a chilly evening of tenting in Storlien, Sweden, I jumped on a practice to the town of Sundsvall. As soon as there, I hopped on one other practice to the north and was kicked off a short time later within the metropolis of Harnosand. Watch the video under to study why I used to be kicked off the practice. Then I rode a bus for an hour or two to the town of Ornskoldsvik, the place I set off a safety alarm on the bus station after which spent the evening tenting within the woods close to the native golf course. Once more, I like to recommend you watch the video under for a full, blow-by-blow account of precisely what went down on this explicit day. It was my worst day of journey in all of 2015!
Lastly, throughout my final full day of biking in Sweden, I wakened within the forest about 35 kilometers west of Umea, packed up my bicycle and cycled into city. I spent a pair hours within the metropolis – shopping for meals and simply wanting round. Then I spent one final evening tenting within the woods on the northern facet of city.
Early the subsequent morning, I cycled again into the town middle of Umea and checked right into a studio condominium I had rented on AirBNB.com. I spent 4 full nights in that condominium and used my previous few days in Umea to discover the town, pack up my bicycle and all my belongings, and put together for my flight again to america. My 2015 bike tour was formally over!