13.07.18 Gorges de la Nesque

Decided to convert my Nordkapp blog to a general cycle blog. I won't bore you with daily job or training tours, but try to include tours that may interesting also for non-cyclists.

So staying in the wonderful Provence I really wanted to take another bike tour after Mont Ventoux. So rented a bike in Carpentras, started at seven thirty and had a great ride up the Gorges de Nesque and back to Carpentras on minor roads. 90 km, taking it easy. Back for lunch in Carpentras.

Not flat in the Provence either. Still the slopes are less steep than in Norway. And it is up, then down, not up and down all the time. Not having luggage also helps of course ☺.

Vineyards close to the wonderful hilltop village Blauvac

Blauvac

Mont Ventoux, always on the background. Fun when you just have been there!

Gorges  de la Nesque

More Gorges de la Nesque. The road is rather high up the side of the valley, ascending not so steep but continuously over 20 km, ending around 700 m. Then slightly down to the small village Monieux, which has a Boulangerie. Guess I tookan a break there.

Lavendel field on the way back. The slopes back were not too steep either, but  the road surface was quite uneven, so really had to concentrate and keep steady. 

#cycling #Provence

10.07.18 Mont Ventoux

Another long held dream. So what to do next?

The route from Bedon,  21 km, 1600 m ascent

Simple altitude profile. This time with heart rate and speed. Tried to keep the heart rate below 140, but too steep. Or too ambitious?

Almost up.

Satisfied at the summit, 1912 m

#cycling #Provence #Mont Ventoux

02.07.18 Aftermath

The change in weather is incredible! Today it is 17 degrees, sunny and almost no wind. After two weeks of shit weather. Somewhat frustrating 😐. But had my day be better with storm and rain? I made the best of it and went on a mountain hike as my beloved bike is already underway to Trondheim. Just hanging around makes me restless 😃.

I continue in the same style...

Walking to Falkebergbukta you pass a fresh water reservoir, from great views to Nordvågen and the Porsanger fjord

The cairn shortly before Falkebergbukta. And here there are benches! How I looked for those when cycling...

Walked up a small hill with great views, seeing the Hurtigrute leaving Honningsvåg to the east

Statue of filmmaker Knut Erik Jensen

Who would believe this three days ago at a freezing cold Repvåg, or even yesterday?

Some statistics

Trondheim-Nordkapp 1748 km
Total ascent 20530 m (1141 m per day)
18 days of cycling

Longest stage: Reine-Svolvær 125 km
Shortest stage: Honningsvåg-Nordkapp 34 km
Highest average: Vik-Sandnessjøen (106 km), 18,2 km/h
Lowest average: Repvåg-Honningsvåg (58 km), 14,9 km/h
Highest altitude: Kvenangsfjellet, 401 m
Lowest altitude: Nordkapp tunnel, -212 m
Most ascent on 1 day: Hamn-Tronsø (122 km), 1754 m
Least ascent on 1 day: Olderfjord-Repvåg (46 km), 404 m


Kristiansand-Trondheim 2918 km (about 100 km less from Lindesnes)
Total ascent 33357 km
30 days of cycling

01.07.18 Honningsvåg-Nordkapp 🙌😎🤗

34 km, cycling 2:10, average speed 15,7 km/h, total ascent 894 m, net ascent 310 m

YESSS I did it! On day number 18 from Trondheim and 30 from Kristiansand/Lindesnes. It truly is a long ride, even when you split it up.

In spite of the weather, I was pretty confident the last week, but you still have to get there, something can always go wrong. This morning, the weather was still grey with a slight rain, but the forecast was better so we (Thei and I) waited until the afternoon. By then, his family had also arrived with the camper.

Quite a difference, a bike without luggage, and sunshine! There are quite a few ascents on the way to Nordkapp, but without the luggage you hardy realize they are there. The strong wind is worse, and slope+wind is still a challenge. But it all went well, and after 2 hours and 10 minutes we arrived at 71 degrees 10' 21'' Nordkapp! Great feeling.

I was offered a ride back with the camper of Thei's family, and I accepted. The cycling was not too good in the strong winds. Moreover, they will take my bike back to Trondheim and were eager to leave. Good excuse :)

So here I am in Honningsvåg, all alone, waiting for my flight on Tuesday morning (I did not need the slack day, shouldn't complain about that). What to do now? What new goals? I don't know - yet.

On the Nordkapp plateau. Nice weather, but strong winds. Still barren and desolate, but looks a lot better in sunshine.

Seem to grow everywhere

Only a few meters left

Arrived! 1750 km from Trondheim, 2850 from Lindesnes. Great feeling.

With Thei - we spent the nights at the same places the last week and met a lot. Thanks for the good company, Thei, and for taking my bike to Trondheim,

My bike and the Northpole (not really visible)

2100 km from the North Pole. Only slightly further than Lindesnes (1700 km)

You're not alone here

30.06.18 Repvåg-Honningsvåg

58 km, 3:53 cycling, average speed 14,9 km/h, total ascent 925 m, net ascent 0 m

Coming to think of it, Repvåg hotel is hardly a hotel, it's a joke. Run by 4 Russion/Ukranian youngsters with zero hotel experience, cold, worn down. But still a good stop for us, Honningsvåg would have been a long ride under yesterday's circumstances.

The major difference between today's and yesterday's weather was that it was not raining today. The wind was rather stronger, and the temperature the same, but still, without the rain it all feels a little better. As you can see on the map, I started out due west, right into the storm (well, it wasn't really that, but it felt like it). Sometimes I only made 6-7 km/h, downhill. After 30 min I had an average speed of 11 km/h. Then turning more northeast for a while, meaning mainly tail wind and going fast. The last 10 km before the tunnel were either against the wind or with a side wind - the latter is actually worse for you really have to concentrate to stay on the road. No lorries today on Saturday fortunately, but quite a number of busses.

The tunnel was almost a relief. 7 km, 212 m down and so up again. But the air was fresh, is was not blowing (!), and I am used to climbing by now. So it felt easy. Then a very tough part with head and side winds, then turning east and an easy ride to Honningsvåg, with one other 4 km tunnel - this time I felt a bit cheated because I lost the tail wind in the tunnel :).

Apart from the side wind stretches, which are stressing and require concentration, it felt good today. I have a fair hotel in Honningsvåg, Arctic Hotel Nordkapp, the weather is improving with a little sunshine in between, and Honningsvåg is actually quite charming.

Tomorrow is "summit day". Strong winds in the morning, but less in the afternoon (only 10-12 m/s) and slightly warmer, so I give it a try in the afternoon.

Only 30 km left. Arrived on Magerøya, the island of Nordkapp

There is no GPS signal in the tunnel, so the descent to -212 m in the Nordkapp tunnel does not show

During the night, the wind was so strong that my bike was blown down. As a result, I could only just open the door and get out.

In front of my "hotel" room

Repvåg hydro power plant, a little north of Repvåg. 5,6 MW for those who are interested.

Found a quiet place under a rock for some energy fill-up

200 m below sea level

Done with 7 km tunnel

Shortly after the tunnel there was a bridge, and here the wind was so strong that I expected to have to walk. But the wind receded somewhat, so I could stay on the bike, trying to keep the middle of my file. My friend Thei had to walk, and was blown off the sidewalk twice!

Approaching Honningsvåg. What the heck is this? Looks like a grain silo, but it certainly isn't. Haven't found out, any suggestions?

Honningsvåg harbour

29.06.18 Olderfjord-Repvåg

46 km, 2:31 cycling, average speed 18, km/h, total ascent 404 m, net ascent 0 m

Almost bad conscience for not having a "real working day". But, as I have plenty of time anyway, it is better to split up in two short rides than hanging around in
Honningsvåg several days.

At the camping in Olderfjord, the weather did not look too bad, but once outside and moving north, it was really cold (5 degrees), windy and wet. For the first time I started to become really fed-up, and it was ok to stop early for the day instead of shivering through. In fact having trouble keeping really warm. The landscape is barren and desolate, I wonder that anybody could chose to live here. And you might say to bike here - but that is only once and not a lifetime!

The hotel in Repvåg is rather strange. Operated by Russians (should we boycot it?); a large, actually nice dining room with artefacts from fishing, but empty, cold and eery. It seems they try to save money on heating. The room is not very warm either, I have put on all my clothes and a blanket around me, still  my fingers are ice cold.

By the way, Tromsø set a rain record for June - surely we are not really lucky this time.

22:00 update: they put some wood in the stove, we sat close to it, the food was surprisingly good, so all in all it became a nice evening. "We" is my new Dutch friend Thei and me.

Mostly a nice tail wind, but around the bays we needed to go west a couple of times, where you get the wind right in front. Makes you realize how lucky you are to bike to the north. Against the wind I had a hard time keeping 10-11 km/h, and sometimes completeyly stopped. Feeling sorry for the poor buggers that to the other way, quite a few in fact.

A little bit up and down, but nothing high. Looking forward to the climbs today to get warm

Grey, eery, desolate

Still a patch of this winter's snow - at 40 m above sea level!

Finally, the municipality of Nordkapp. Morsom kommunevåpen (sorry, can't find the English tranlation; it is about the "mark" of Nordkapp)

Repvåg, rescue training

More Repvåg

The (cold) hotel rooms

The dining room of Repvåg hotel. No need to make reservations.