30.06.20 Jølster-Stryn

104 km, cycling time 5:46, average speed 18 km/h, total ascent 784 m, net descent 190 m

Mostly a flat stage, apart from one long, hard climb between Byrkjelo and Utvik. 500m in one long climb, tough for an old guy. And down is not so funny either, always afraid to run my breaks too hot. Break intermittently (to my brothers: "pompend remmen" 😀).

Took a long time to decide where to continue. Weather forecast very bad from Thursday. So shortest way was tempting, but then you must follow E39 all the time. Decided for a compromise, taking other roads today and tomorrow, and the E39 when the rain comes.

Today some rain was expected from 12, and serious from 15, so started early, before 07:30 (holidays!). 

First 23 km along the large large lake Jølstervatnet.

Look at the small detail: one meter of asphalt outside the white line. They can if they want to!

At 08:40. I deserved it.

So on to Byrkjelo. And suddenly the landscape change dramatically, and you're in a typical glacier valley, Våtedalen.

Våtedalen. You see the typical U-shape of the valley.

Goat herd. Curious as they are, they came out on the road when I tool a picture, stopping the cars

Regarding the goats: the brown goat cheese from local goat farmers is generally fantastic. If you haven't tasted it, give it a try.

In Byrkjelo, there was an interesting outdoor sculpture park. I am in no position to say something about the quality, but I found it original and funny.

Discussion about culture in Jølster: left side: "I don't like all this art" - right side: "So stay on the farm, then you don't see it"

Sysiphos and Kafka

So the long climb up to 640 m. Great views, if you had anything left to enjoy them.

Red circle: where I cam up the glacier valley

The down again. In fact that is when I am jealous of the electric bikes - safe breaking (I assume they work like cars?).

Fantastic views over Utfjorden on the way down (part of Nordfjord)

This is a kind of secondary road (not E), but still a lot of trailers

At the end of the fjord lies Loen. From here you can walk up to Skålatårnet, 1840 m, and you start at about 70 m. You can spend the night up there, there at two huts. A very old, round one in stone, and a modern one. Anbjørg and I walked up and spend the night twice, in 2007 and 2017. First time was nice and quiet. Now it has become a Facebook hype, and the second time it was totally overcrowded. I would still recommend it, if you have the energy (and knees!). But I would prefer not to spend the night up there - overcrowded self service huts are not my favourite.

Skålatårnet is in the clouds somewhere

There is another interesting but sad story about Loen: in 1936 there was a large avalanche that resulted in a flood wave of 70 m, killing 74 people. The same happened in 1905. Now they are constantly monitoring the relevant places.

Now remember my earlier criticism of how bikes are handled. This is a better example: a sign to follow the old road. Which is nice and quiet. Great!

Bikes follow the old road

And then it started raining again. Waiting in a bus shed to see if it would finished. Life of a long distance cyclist in Norway would be considerably worse without bus sheds.

A nice regional variety: small windows in the bus shed. Who needs a café with bus stops like this?

The rain did not stop, so just put on the rain gear. And then it became so heavy that I took another break in the next bus stop.

Coming to Stryn camping around 15:15. Good day.

29.06.20 Birkeland-Jølster

101 km, cycling time 06:35, average speed 15.4 km/h, total ascent 1435 m, net ascent 100 m.

A tough day, first "grown-up" distance, a LOT up and down - but a great day. Perfect weather fo cycling, partly clouded (skiftende skydekke), around 20 degrees, and the old body worked well. You get more and more used to it after some days.

The first 200m climb came early. Look at the picture, I was in the red circle just a little before.

After 1 1/2 hour, I was dying for a coffee and something sweet (I have a weakness for that), but nothing in sight. In fact, I haven't seen a single place to buy anything since Åsane, shortly after Bergen (apart from the ferries). So had to settle for something less (and healthier maybe).

Banana and water break

Great views though. There was also interesting information on the old post road from Bergen to Trondheim (cf. yesterday). Sorry, in Norwegian.

But soon afterwards, in Flekke. I didn't let this chance slip away.

Another tough climb after Flekke, then down to Dale. The part after Dale along the Laukelands fjord was the nicest part of the trip so far. Wonderful nature, and not so much trafic on the old road to Førde.

Tunnels on the old road also, not so long, and you are allowed to bike them

The bridge of the new road. Not for bikes, but there is a good alternative

Waterfall in the Laukelands fjord

The old road is quite narrow some places, but with little trafic that is
no problem

Lunch in Bygland, at the end of the fjord. Then today's longest climb, 350m, but not so steep, apart from the first part. Then the E39 for the rest of the way. Lot's of trafic.

So what's this? The white line on the side of the road. They make it "uneven" in such a way that you hear it well in a car, when you pass it.

And what's beyond this white line?

30 cm of asphalt. That is not enough for balancing a full loaded bike!

Room for improvement for #Veivesenet here too!

And finally arriving at camping Jølvassbu.

My home for tonight

Reminds me of something my mother used to say:

"Diogenes de wijze, die woonde in een vat

Waaruit men kan bewijzen

Dat de wijsheid schuilt in het nat" 

29.06.20 Bruvoll-Birkeland

68 km, 4:15 cycling, average speed 16.1 km/h, total ascent 1057 m, net ascent 40 m

Some rain during the night, but the day started mostly clouded and around 20 degree, nice cycling weather.

Soon I saw this sign on the road side:

Share the road

Very good sign of course, but funny on a road between tunnels you are not allowed to use!

After 22 km coming to the ferry Leirvåg-Sløvåg. This is close to the Mongstad refinery. The building became a huge scandal some 20 years ago, as it ended up costing 7-8 billion kroner more than planned. It cost the then CEO, Harald Nordvik his job. Now Equinor has lost 200 billion in the US, but the scandal seems to be less somehow. The CEO who made the decisions, Helge Lund, has already left anyway.

Mongstad refinery

The signs on the fence still say "Statoil". But the message is clear. It looks like a nice forest behind the fence, but you smell the petro chemics.

Coffee and "svele" (a traditional cake) on the ferry. And antibac of course. The plastic packed wasn't as good as the fresh ones you often get.

After the ferry the weather detoriated. On and off with rain jacket, but after a while only on. Waiting out a heavy shower in a bus shed:

View from the bus shed

... and from a tunnel:

Waiting for the rain to subside in a tunnel

So I came to the next ferry around 13:30. Next one at 16:00 😒. I normally check, but not this time. But it wouldn't have made any difference, I could never have made the previous one at 12:00 anyway.

No the weather turned really bad, with lots of rain and wind. But, sympathetically, there was a dry and warm waiting room (I turned on the heat).

Maybe not the most cosy room to stay...

But you love it when the weather is like this, you have to wait for 2 1/2 hours and there is nowhere else to stay inside

I am on the right way

And see what you can find 😋

Birkeland camping. I am so glad there are still a few around of this kind with simple huts. And thanks to Mona, the camping owner for buying a Fjordland dinner for me.

Rather short trip today, would have liked to move a bit further, but it became late because of the ferry waiting, and there seemed to be nowhere else to stay for a very long stretch - and it was raining. So Birkeland camping was a good alternative.

27.06.20 Bergen-Bruvoll

Finally on a new long trip! Took the Coastal Express (Hurtigruten) from Trondheim to Bergen yesterday in fantastic weather. In fact the weather has been extremely nice and warm for weeks. The hottest June in history in Trondheim, 5 degrees above normal. Well, then May was horribly cold instead.

The idea is to bike back to Trondheim, about 800 km.

Me on the Hurtigruten

Today's trip:

46,3 km, 3 hours, average speed 15,4 km/h, total ascent 600 m, net ascent 65 m

The altitude profile is a bit strange due to some breaks, but you get the general idea

It was hot in Bergen, around 30 and sunny.

Leaving Bergen

It took me some time to find my way out of Bergen, until I found the R1 signs - the main cycle route to Nordkapp!

Then it went smoothly for a short while, until...

 

Damaged gear. The part in the red circle was broken, a bit hard to see

I geared a bit too fast and my chain ended up between the cogwheels and the spokes. I managed to fix that, but then it turned out that the gear was broken. Surprisingly, it still worked! Bad luck? No plain stupid, I should have adjusted the bolt that prevents this!

Saturday afternoon, 4:30, where can you buy a new gear. Did not fancy to spend the weekend in Bergen. Found out there was an #XXL in Åsane 10 km ahead. An extremely nice young guy there repaired the gear by using a part from an old one and adjusted the gear perfectly! Thanks a lot! It is so great when you get help when you are in trouble on a long hike. Let's remember that when we see others in trouble.

I had another round of problems finding my way out of Åsane. Inconsistent R1 signs and Google map finding a crazy alternative. So it got late - but from there it was a nice ride.

Passed under the Nordhordland bridge a few hours earlier with the Hurtigruten
 

The R1 follows the local FV565, but I took road 57 instead, because I had booked a hut there. After 5 km there is a tunnel:

Forbidden for bikes

Now that isn't good enough, #Vegvesenet! Should I go back 5 km and take another road? In fact, the camping where I am staying is not reachable by bike (lawfully). If the tunnel is not allowed for bikes, then at least put a sign where the road starts!

Of course I neglected the sign, for this one as well as the 3 next ones, putting lights on my bike. I don't understand why they are closed in the first place. They are reasonably broad and well lighted.

Finally, at 08:50, I reached Bruvoll camping

46 km took me over 6 hours, with the gear and the searching. Hope tomorrow is more smooth.