itsmylife: 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!