Norway Tre

Sunday 9th June.  Vikingland, Spangereid - Farsund, Camping Lomsesanden.  Fine and sunny, tent fully dry and packed, roads nice and quiet.  Steady up's n doons, over the Jasund Bridge and a sharp 'up' for 60mtrs then a bit of a switchback until after around 12k you get to the high point of 220mtrs!  Mind, it was nice coming down the hill into Lingdal.  Ice cream time!
More short and steep plus some long and steep hillls before the surface becomes gravel, a further 2k and you're at 160mtrs, back to sea level then up to 145mtrs and on a loose gravel surface there was a bit of GOAP'ing going on!
At Kolevall the route joins the 43 the main road to Farsund.  This was 10k I didn't enjoy, sharing a fast road with  sunday drivers, all in a hurry to be where they were going needs no further description!
Farsund looked expensive!  A frankfurter from a filling station was reasonably cheap, and the mustard was free so pile that on!  The nearest camping was at Lomsesanden a further 6k and as it turned out almost hill free!
The camp site was busy with folk packing their stuff at the end of a weekend break and I'd been given free reign as to where I could pitch; I was poking around at a spot where I thought the sun would hit in the morning when a lady came over from a caravan and said "You can put your tent over here, this place gets the evening and morning sun and we are just about to go", then the inevitable questions; where have you come from?  Where are you going? Would you like a beer? "(That one worked!).  Then, "To save you putting your tent up you Ican use the awning, there is a couch, a fmridge/freezer, there are some tomatoes which need using up and in the fridge are two beers and a box of white wine!  JLust u se what you want, when you go zip up the awning and hook the rubber loops on to the screws to keep the wind out.  A contact phone number, an offer of a spare room (Husband had stayed back in Stavanger this weekend to go to a Kiss gig!).  Five minutes later her three boys were strapped in and she was driving away!
Sat in the evening sun outside my new temporary home, fed and nursing an ice cold beer!

Jasund Bridge

Strand at Rosfjord

Big boats just left of strand

Well, I think I deserve it!

Farsund from the bridge

Another temporary home, Lomsesandes site, Farsund

Monday 10th June.   Lomsesanden.  Woke to bright sunshine!  I'd bought some milk at the site reception so museli as a change to bread, cheese and salami for breakfast, along with coffee and bread and honey.
An exploratory wander around the site followed by a daunder along the beach, it was a really nice spot, dunes and scrub at one end and rocks and woods at the other.  I discovered that ther area was a nature reserve and all caravans had to be off site by the end of September until the begining of May.
More coffee and a sleep in the sun!  Magic!!

Lomsesandes Strand, right

Lomsesandes Strand, left

Time to crash!

Tuesday 11th June.   Lomsesanden.  Back to weather I know and love.  Woke up to an overcast sky along with a cool breeze off the sea.  Nothing for it but to put t' kettle on!
By 1130 the caffine twitch had started.  Time to do something meaningfull!  Clean the bike (properly).  A good bougee out around all the bearings, wheels off and pick all the grott from around the rear mech and between the cassette sprockets, clean up the chain rings and give the chain a proper seeing to.  A good squirt of lube around all moving parts and done.
No change in the weather,  early tea, prep for a 60k run on the next day and early bed.

*No photos of bike cleaning!

Wednesday 12th June.  Lomsesanden - Utsikten Hotel/Hostel, Kvinesdal.  The way fate plays a hand!
Peering out of my temporary home the sky was grey and looking ominous and even though I had time in hand I felt I should get underway.  My initial plan was to ride to Lysta and see if the hostel in that neck of the woods had a bed for the night, but riding into Borhung thought Nah, I'll visit Lysta Fyr then press on.  The Fyr staff were preparing for a school visit and pupil drawings of seagulls and lighthouses were being displayed.  Again it was one of those times when I stuck my head in the door and asked if it was ok to have a look around.  It was no problem and folk were quite happy to chat about their work and what was going to happen that day.  Another young girl was pouring orange juice into plastic cups and appeared to be queen of the refreshments, "Any coffee going"?  "Yes a fresh pot", this in an American accent, the girl added "You'll see from my accent I improved my English  in the States,  I was an exchange student for a year in Boston".
The coffee was fresh and hot but small people had started to appear, accompanied by harassed teachers.  Downing the coffee as fast as I dared I was off down the road as the first spots of rain began to fall.
Not heavy enough yet to warrant boiling in waterproofs I kept on.  4k of almost flat road, running onto almost flat compacted gravel, then..... It all started rearing up again!!  Wet, sweaty (Thankfully no mosquitos), lots of GOAP!  The gravel meant wheel spin when you tried to really push it  and although I had some 'quick links' I wanted to avoid a snapped chain.  Track became road then track again and the ups and downs continued with a vengance.  Now on an excellent section of road with wet seeping through where it shouldn't I spied a bus shelter.  That's it, fuel stop!  A screech of wet disc brakes, the weight of my panniers threatening to swing the tail of the bike off the road I swung into the shelter.
A handful of nuts and raisins and some chocolate washed down with a mouthful of water made a marginal improvement but other than making all the hills a tad flatter and turning off the rain nothing else would make a deal of difference!
Peering disconsolately out of my shelter trying to summon up some enthusiasm to start pedaling again I saw two Lycra clad speed merchants hammering down the hill, the foremost rider, a stocky powerhouse, nodded in response to my half hearted wave, I wasn't sure if his companion had seen  me as he was partially hidden by the wall of spray cascading from their tyres into the undergrowth but I saw that the second rider was lean, built like a racing snake (They may get to read this!).  Watching them fly by galvanised me into action.  Leaping into the saddle I was off in pursuit!
A short distance down the road was a major road junction linking the 465 with the E39 (A motorway, definitely no bikes!).  The NSCR sign must have been correct as it was raining and the sign was pointing up a long hill!!  Ah well, dig in and pedal.  A couple of minutes into the hill and I spy my two Lycra bikers scooting down towards me.  Brakes on for them, stop pedaling, feet down for me.  A tentative opening from me, "Hi" (A bit international).  Them- "You speak English"?  "Yes, you"?  "American"  "Close enough" sez I.
Introductions:  Liam,the stocky powerhouse and David, the racing snake.  They were meeting friends at a hotel who were doing the full NSCR and they were over to do Norway with them.
Back to  navigating!  "We're coming back because the road feels wrong (I thought, I know it's going up hill!).  We cruised back to the road junction to review things.  Liam went back along the 465 a short distance to check the road signs and Yep, our only option was up that hill!  Goodbyes and safe journeys said they took off like the road was flat!  I must see what gear I can dispose of to shed some weight.  Something to occupy the mind helps on hills, before long I'd reached the 230mtr point, surely it must all be down hill now!  No, undulations but with steady climbs, all doable.  Down to the turn off to Ase then up one last time and a steady downhill into Kvinesdal.
By now I was wet, cold and hungry, a hotel seemed the only safe and sensible way to go, you don't want to fail because you couldn't make a rational decision!  Well done brain you've convinced me, a hotel it is.
No B&B's, the Gasthof full up!  A recommended spot was a further 4k out of town and, yes,you've guessed, up hill all the way!!  When the Gasthof Manager told me this I could feel a quivery bottom lip coming on.  I was in the process of giving myself a good talking to when a suit sporting gentleman who had done some interpreting with the manager for me said "I will give you a lift" !!!!  "But I have a bike and luggage"  "And I have a big car" he said. True enough he opened up the tailgaate of a Toyota Land Cruiser, my company give me a big car so I use it".  Gear and bike stowed off we went.  4k uphill flew by!  All too soon I was out in the cold and wet unloading his car.  "You will definitely get a room here" and with that we shook hands and he was off into the murk.
I was creating puddles all over the plush foyer but the charming young lady booking me in was completely unconcerned aand when asked about storage for my bike just said bring it through here it will go in the basement.  Soggy gear carried through, dripping bike wheeled through and not an eyelid batted!!
Showered, warmed up and into dry clothes I wandered through towards the dining room (Service stopped at 2100).  I think David spotted me first, "Wow, you made it"!
David and Liam were sat with their friends whom I'd assumed to be Americans as well; it turned out that it was Matt and Francie a NewZealand couple I'd bumped into at Ditzum, they were waiting for the ferry while my bike had been locked up for safe keeping!  I was off to a 'celebration'.
It was great to meet up, swop travel tails etc, then join them for dinner, though my 1/5 share of the cost of a bottle of wine would have bought at least two bottles of 'good stuff' from Tesco!!
Francie, Matt, Liam and David had a schedule to keep to and had to be away the following day whereas I had a day to dry off, also the weather was due to improve!  At aaround 2230 eyes were drooping, bed time.

Mooses!?!

Lyster Fyr

And the road still goes up!

L to R, Liam, Francie, Matt and David

Norway To

Wednesday 5th June.  Camp site Aros - Mandal.  Heard the patter of wet stuff in the night, went back to sleep.  Up around 0530, breakfast and bags packed before rain started up again!  Lurked under trees, wait or go?  Dutch couple, cycling, camped next to me, the guy peered out, pulled a face at the conditions, disappeared back into his tent and zipped up!
Ha! What a wus!!  Time to bite the bullet!  Time to find a warm cafe, hot coffee and big, make you feel better, sticky bun!
Plan:  Get to Mandal.  Execution: 5k in't wet to Lunde, spied Bakeri sign, not only do they make bread but pastrys, cakes and serve coffee.  Bike parked under an awning I went in to drip all over the floor while I stripped off wet outer gear.  I was soon sat behind a large coffee and cake of even larger proportions!  By the time I'd eaten up and lingered over the coffee the sky was brightening a little and the rain almost stopped.  The route quite straightforward, lots of ups n' doons, Norway is very lumpy!!  A bit of navigatoring to be done (got it right, the Dutch team failed!).  Rain started up again about 6k before Mandal, Oh Joy, the pleasures of putting a wet tent up in the wet.  I couldn't wait.
The Dutch couple, I bumped into them the following day, had found another camp site; as they eventually rode into Mandal they spotted a camping sign which took them to a small site about 1.5k alongside the Mandala river.  I missed that sign but as I came into the town proper there was another camping sign pointing towards the forest.  Heading that way I found a road leading to a large site, there was no one in reception so I figured it would be ok to pitch and sort things the following morning.  Riding through the site
 I spotted a young woman putting trash into a bin, I asked if it was ok just to pitch.  That was fine, just see reception in the morning.  Sorted!

Wooden church, Lunde

A squatter in my bus shelter dining room!

A home by the fjord

Wet and weary at the campsite, Mendal.

Thursday 6th June.  Mandal Camp Site.  Woke to sunshine and light wind; perfect day for drying out.  Went to reception to book in and keep their books straight.  When I told the receptionist that I'd arrived late but had spoken to someone, she said "Yes, that was me", she obviously thought I was doing one night and moving on because she then said "Ok, no problem, I'll not charge you".  "But I'm staying one more night to make sure all my kit is dried out".  "Oh, well I'll just make it 50Nkr (About 7 pounds) then"!!!
About to get on my bike and go back to the tent I heard what sounded like a deepest Englandshire accent, as the guy came out of reception he was greated with "You a brit"?
"Yer, you too"?  A bit more chat; Norman and his wife were in a camper and were heading toward Kristiansand the next day then south to Denmark.
I got my act together and pedalled off to have a look at the beach, where I bumped into Norman and wife out for a walk.
Into town and I bump into the Dutch couple!  We exchange navigating stories and I point out where I last saw an NSCR sign, they countered with "We did the same as you did yesterday, packed up and went to find a cafe, a great little bakeri off a narrow street in a small square with a fountain.  We pedalled off together, they pointed out the narrow street and I pointed out the road with the route sign on it.  The cafe was excellent, outdoor seating in the sunshine, coffee, cake and fresh bread for tea and next day's breakfast.
Had been recommended a sports shop; luck seemed to be holding out.  I had found a pair of 3/4 length strides which fitted, great to hide the peripheral oedema,like swollen knees!  More work for Kenny!!
Into the Co-op on the way back, provisions for tea, breakfast, lunch and following tea.
Perfik!!

The strand by the camp site; a better day.

Beautifully varnished wooden sailing boat, Mendal

All the necessities for route planning

Mendal, an old bit

Mendal, a new bit

You just wait till I'm fully grown!

Friday 7th June.  Mandal - Spangereid, camp site.  Late-ish start as I waited for the sun and breeze to dry the flysheet and tent inner before packing them away and vacating the site by 0900.  NSCR  signs leading out of Mandal were clear and appeared to be well placed, or it was me becoming cynical and second guessing which tree to look up or bush to check behind!!
Panting away up hill it suddenly clicked, there shouldn't be any water by the side of the road and I should be on a gravel trail  Stop, check. I'd been concentrating (or not more likely!) and over shot a narrow trail leading into the forest.  It was an about face and back down hill for about 200m, a sharp right turn onto the forest trail and.......Stone me the track is vertical or even steeper!!  The 7.3k through that piece of forest were purgatory, with more leapings off and pushings up than the highest road section (Which was one long hike!).  The trail surface was gravel which meant that if you tried to race into a hill you had to rattle down through the gears and finished up with the back wheel spinning out.  GOAP!  It was hot which made you more sweaty and the mozzies were out for blood!!  It was one of those days when you'd rather be somewhere else doing something else!!
I was in the breeziest clearing I could find having a five minute breather when two other cyclists pulled up equally hot, sweaty and bitten.  Herbert and Angelika were on a two week vacation from their home in Germany, they belonged to a cycling organisation that had accommodation in various spots throughout Europe.  Nice to have a roof at times but it did mean that you had to get to a particular place by a reasonable time to book in, in this case it was Lyngdal where as I only had 9k left to get to my chosen destination.  Herbert and Angelica were away before me and were also travelling much lighter, however, I caught up with them in Vigeland where they'd stopped for lunch.  I pulled over and joined them for a brief pit stop before they were off on the last 30k of the day's travel!
My journey was along the same road but as I only had 15.5k to Spangereid plus a couple of
km to the camp site I was content just to potter along in the afternoon sunshine.
Vikingland camp site was pretty quiet, perhaps they'd all gone off to raid Lindisfarne again! Anyway, tent up, sort gear, shower, brew and sit in sun!
Later that evening a brand new VW camper parked up several metres away.

A hoose in the woods

Herbert and Angelika, the German contingent

Saturday 8th June.  A slow start, sunshine on the tent door!  0730ish bathroom,  museli, brew, enjoy sunshine and sort what I want for the day.  Travelling light today as the road only leads to Lindesnes and the fyr, roughly a 25k round trip.
The camper van couple smiled and commented on the nice day as they passed on their way to the bathroom, a short while later, as they returned, they spoke for a little longer, "Where are you riding to"?  "Where have you ridden from"? etc.  10 minutes later a shout asking if I would like to join them for coffee!  Around an hour and three cup of coffee later we said our good byes and Birgit and Reinhard set off for Lindesnes Fyr, I was away about five minutes later under pedal power.
Even unloaded it was a hot and hilly ride but, unless the fates were really against me, I'd have a tail wind on the return journey!
Lindesnes village was quite picturesque but a cool breeze made you not want to hang about too long.  A few photos and I was away to see  Lindesnes Fyr, the lighthouse at the most southerly tip of the Norwegian mainland.
A shortish, stocky building on an exposed rocky headland, built to withstand heavy duty North Sea gales and although the sun was shining the cold wind took the warmth out of it.  I felt it was a case of 'Been there, done that' now I'm off.  Back in the car park unlocking my bike Birgit and Reinhard came by, they were parked among a flock of campers and had spent some time back in their vehical warming up after wandering about on the headland.  More good byes and I was off a good following  wing making  a big diference to the return journey time!
Back at Vikingland I was in a sheltered spot and enjoyed an hour or so sprawled in the afternoon sun!
Food, brew, shower and bed,that was Lindesnes Fyr done!

Spangereid camp site, Brigit and Reinard
with their brand new VW camper

Life on the waterside

Another hill that just keeps going up

Lindesnes, most southerly community

Ceramic moggy on guard

Lindesnes

Top of Lindesnes Fyr and nature reserve sign

Southern tip of Norwegian mainland

Norway Ett

Sunday 2nd June.  Hirtshals - Kristiansand.  A little bit of time to spare for a more leisuerly breakfast and pack up, the ferry, an express boat, not starting to load until 1000, departure 1145, crossing time two hours.
It had been blowing a bit during the night and the sea was looking as lumpy as Norway would become!
A while later I was standing in a queue with a few other cyclists and a hoard of motor bikers, many of them older guys with some 'disposable income', big fancy bikes were the order of the day, A few Honda Goldwings, BMWs and Harleys, most of them worth as much if not more than my car!
Bike firmly stropped to rigging cables around the car deck I shamble up to the passenger seating area, all set out very aircraft like.  Think I'll have a nose around, Duty Free shop, snack bar, and an upstairs!  I'm peering up at a 'posh' food dispensary when a stewardess asked if I had a 'bog standard' or 'expensive' ticket.  I don't think she understood when I said mine's steerage!  Quick recovery, beaming smile "But I'd like to have a look if that's allowed"?  A quick check on her radio and I'm allowed up to the 'expensive' ticket area.  A smart young chap sporting a load of gold braid announced that he was the Purser and what would I like to see?  Here we go with the flannel!  "Well it's all general interest really, you see I'm writing on this web site in Scotland" (True!!).  Anyway, I got the full run down of the benefits of having 'loads of money'.  "Of course" he said "For a substantial amount Of Danish or Norwegian Kroner I can up grade you now".  Backing out of the situation, "I think I need to speak to someone in duty free but thank you so much for the tour" and crept back down to the 'common folk'.  In the end it wouldn't have made much of a difference, the sea was sufficiently lumpy to cause enough buffeting that you could barely stand.
The sea conditions caused a half hour delay getting into Kristiansand, but, here I was, Norway.

Hirtshals Ferry Terminal Check In

Bikes secured in the bowels of the ferry!

Depart Hirtshals 11:45

Looks like a touch of roughers out there!!

Down to the bowels of the boat, securing straps off the bike, shuffle forward with the other cyclists, the air almost unbreathable with exhaust fumes!  Watch the guy in the blue and hi-vis yellow overalls, wait for the imperious wave, saddle up, watch the sticky up securing points in the deck, don't wipe out and look a prat in the middle of all this!
Safely off (I'd picked up a street map of the city on board) I aimed for a car park near by,  what to do?  Cheap B&B, there was no hostel and the map was for city centre shopping and didn't show camp sites.  Some smart thinking person with an eye for the main chance had erected a box like building, en suite, clean basic rooms a plenty, no meals, towel and bedding handed over when you signed in and parted with your cash!  There was a small kitchen to sort your own food out if so desired (Free Wi-Fi).  That was it, end of day in Kristiansand.

First Norwegian Lighthouse

Norwegian coastlind

The Fjordline Express

Heading into town

Monday 3rd June.  Woke 4 ish!  Couldn't sleep so back  online and clear some e-mails and messages before packing.  Had spied a Bakeri on the map and knew that they were open early and frequently served coffee!  A table out of the breeze and in the sun, a large coffee, a  moderately large cake and two freshly baked bread rolls (already thinking about lunch!).  I whiled away the best part of an hour before wandering along to the tourist info office, the guy there was on the ball, I was soon on my way clutching a pack of individual map sheets printed on plastic and designed to slot into handle bar map cases, covering Norway's section of the NSCR.  I was also given a better city map showing the suburbs and camp site, a map of hostels and from a camping info brochure he opened the binding staples, took out the map and then tore out the pages giving site details for the different communes that I would be passing through!  "No point in carrying all that" as the rest of it went into recycling!!
Off to the park to sift through what I'd got and was soon dozing off!  Time to make a move; 1415, ten minutes to the closest camp site, tent up, gear sorted and a brew made, I was probably asleep again by 1530........Woke up, made cup-a-soup, drank it, went to bed!

Bronze statue...boy on bear

Nice vase!

Part of Kristiansand marina

Bronze deer

By the campsite at Kristiansand

Tuesday 4th June.  Kristiansand - Aros, camp site near Sogne.  Early kick off from Kristiansand to try to beat work traffic.  Soon off route (which turned out to be a good thing in the end!).  Must still be half asleep, I should be on a gravel trail.  Get navigation head on and stop messing about!!  Next left will take me to Nodeland.  Confidence!!

Well...heaven is on an industrial estate just outside Kristiansand!
I wonder where the 'other' place is!?

Nice bit of tarmac,no one on it but me!  Another three or four km road work signs, hummm? next sign, no cars/motor bikes!  Oh Oh!  De ja vu!  Shades of a road nearing Edinburgh!!  Round the next bend the road surface is well chewed up by big trucks and tracked machines, is this a big detour coming up?  It would be another 15k or so added to the day!  Now it's no road surface and major works underway!  With my fat tyres I could ride the crushed stone without a a problem, still no one about and a bit more ominous, in the road making debris were shreds of Shock Tube, part of an explosive detonating system!!  They can't be going to blast, there would be lookouts, more security.  But this is the middle of nowhere, the back of beyond, would they need all that??  Yes, they would surely have to factor in plonkers like me appearing in the middle of major road building!?!  Still, it made me wonder!
A little further and GOAP (Get Off And Push).  Up ahead was a pick-up, amber roof light flashing and a guy poking at the innards of a huge earth mover.  Oh well, keep going, see what he says!  Get closer, "Hey".  He looked up "Hey hey".  "Can I get through to Nodeland or is it like this (pointing at the rocky road)?  "Ja, 2-300mtrs and you'll be ok".  "Great, it's not a problem"?  "Ja, no problem".  Well, onwards and upwards!!  A bit of huffing, puffing and cussing and the surface gradually became more user friendly, just beyond the crest of the hill I could ride it and, a bonus, I could see tarmac ahead!!
Back on route 1  at Brenasen, on to Vollaberg and Sogne.  Camping signs led to Aros and the site where a chilly evening gave way to a dismal, wet morning on the 5th.

Southern Norway....it is lumpy (photos might not depict how lumpy!)

Ran out of road...GOAP

I can ride this...and there is tarmac ahead!

The Strand near Sogne