Thursday 14 June, 22 km  Frederikshavn-ferry (Stenaline)
to Oslo (N)
The ferry to Oslo is one big casino, no wonder
the tickets are so cheap. Sunny weather, stayed
the whole trip on deck. On board I meet another
cycle tourist, a Norwegian living in Denmark and
planning to cycle from North Cape to Lofoten. To
my surprise she'd even made a (test) ride on a
recumbent. Oslo isn't a bicycle friendly town to
cycle trough: busy roads with potholes and tram
rails. Once out of the city centre I cycle along
bike paths to the expensive (125 Nkr) and not so
clean Bogstad campground.
Friday 15 June, 83 km
Oslo (Nordmarka)-Sørkedalen-Heggelivatna-Damtjern-Åsa-(RV
241)-Jevnaker-Rækstad (camping)
To avoid the busy roads I directly head for
the backroads in Nordmarka, a forested wilderness
area. The Sørkedalen road reminds me of the
Belgium Forests (Ardennes). Although not paved
the gravel road surface is ridable and there are
even signposted bike routes. Nice views of snow
capped mountains and glaciers from the 400 m.
high Damtjern pas. Quiet backroads to Jevnaker.
Nice campsite at a farm along the Randsfjord.
Saturday 16 June, 134 km
Brandbu-Hov-Dokka-Aurdal-Fagernes
In Hov there even seems to be a recumbent
bicycle shop (importing Flevobike recumbents).
Unfortunately I can't find it. The library
however, is open, so I can check my e-mail.
Beyond Dokka a 17 km long, gradual climb to a 7-800
meter high plateau. After a quick downhill to
Aurdal and not so busy E-16 I reach Fagernes. The
campground in this tourist resort is crowded and
noisy.
Sunday 17 June, 95 km
Fagernes-Beitostølen (RV 51)-Bygdin-Valdresflya
(1.390 m.o.h)-Sjodalen (camping)
Road 51 to the Valdresflya plateau. The
elevation difference of 1000 m. is very gradual.
Until the ski resort of Beitostølen the
gradients are not exceeding 3%*). Here I find a
big supermarkt which is even open on Sunday.
Climbing higher and higher, I enter the
impressive mountainous snowy world of Jotunheimen.
At the youth hostel I reach the top and put on
my fleece pants and gloves for the freezing cold
downhill. Due to road constructions the road
deteriorates into a rough track. Too rough for my
recumbent, some parts I have to walk and push the
bike through the gravel. Near Gjendesheim the
road is paved again. Unfortunately there's too
much snow for a hiking trip to Beseggen ridge, I
continue the descent. In Sjodalen valley I find a
pleasant and almost empty campground.
*) See the track profile of the Jotunheimenrundt, a 430 km
long cycle tour through Jotunheimen.
Valdresflya
 
Monday 18 June, 110 km
Sjodalen-Randsverk-(RV 15)-Lom-Bismo-Skjåk
seter (camping)
Very steep descent to lake Vågåvatn. In Lom
a scenic 'Stavkirke' and a visitor centre where I
can check my e-mail. Beyond Bismo the road climbs
gradually through the sunny Otta valley. On the
high plateau I find another pleasant campground.
  
Bygdin, Sjodalen, Lom
Tuesday 19 June, 77
km
Skjåk seter-Grotli-Djupvasshytta
(1038 m)-Geiranger-Eidsdal-Valldal (camping)
The ride starts in a landscape of
impressive snow capped mountains and frozen lakes.
The toll road up to the viewpoint on Dalsnibba (1476
m) seems to busy and difficult, so I start the
breathtakingly beautiful descent to Geiranger.
This hamlet is packed wih tourists and I continue
the so called Golden Route, a scenic road between
Geiranger and Åndalsnes, without taking a break.
Not very wise, because the very streneous climb
out of the fjord turns out to be a real killer
hill with its steep hairpins of 10%. After
reaching the viewpoint the suffering is over and
a long descent to Eidsdal follows. In Valldal I
camp at a relatively expensive campground, more
suitable for caravans than tents.
 
Strynefjellet
Wednesday 20 June, 88 km
Valldal-Trollstigen-Trollveggen-Åndalsnes-Isfjorden-Torvik
(camping)
The route to the famous Trollstigen is coming
from Valldal not too difficult. Only the last 4
km to the Trollstigheimen pass, beyond the 'strawberry
valley' and Gudbrandsjuvet (a narrow canyon) is a
bit steeper. The Sky Mounti gradient meter reads
5-7%.
 
Geiranger fjord /
Trollstigen
 
Trollstigen
At the top I park my bike near the kiosk to
walk to the viewpoint. From here gorgeous views of the 11
hairpin bends. After descending the spectacular
Trollstigen, I visit in the narrow Romsdal valley
the towering walls of Trollveggen; This 1800
meter sheer vertical cliff is a big challenge for
mountaineers.
After a quick visit to Åndalsnes I find a
campground on the opposite side of the Isfjorden.
Thursday 21 June, 107 km
Torvik-Afarnes-Sølsnes (ferry)-Eidsvåg-Sunndalsøra-Ålvundfjord
(camping)
The sunny weather has changed into drizzle,
ideal circumstances for the midges. After taking
a ferry in Afarnes to cross the Langfjord, I turn
right on a small backroad to Eidsvåg. Just
before entering the industrial town of
Sunndalsøra I encounter the first, 6 km long,
tunnel of this trip. Luckily it is well lit and
not busy. In Ålvund I camp at a pleasant and
spacious campground along the Haslafjord.
 
Fugelvåg Camping,
Ålvundfjord (l) / Mats near Leksvik (r)
Friday 22 June, 132 km
Alvund-Kvanne (ferry)-Rindal-Orkanger-Melhus (camping)
Attacked by a seagull on my way to the ferry
Røkkum-Kvanne. With my Dazer I'm well armed
against dog attacks but not prepared against air
raids! I regret I haven't put my helmet on and
Hitchcock horror scenes cross my mind. After this
remarkable incident a quite boring and long
stretch through the Surnadal follows. Near
Orkanger the traffic becomes heavier, the narrow
and windy route 65 along the Orkafjord to
Trondheim is not pleasant at all. I'm glad when I
reach the Øysand camping unharmed.
Saturday 23 June, 140 km
Melhus-Flakk-Leksvik-Follafoss-Vada
Avoiding the busy roads to Trondheim I take
the quiet 707 to Flakk. Unfortunately, I'm
totally not aware of the start of the famous bike
ride Store Styrkeprøven (Trondheim-Oslo) that
same day. On the ferry to Rørvik I meet the
Swiss cycle tourist Mats. He started from his
home town and his heading all the way to North
Cape. Planning to cycle the same route to Bodø,
he's joining me on the coastal road 755 until
Leksvik, where I get some problems with my 7-speed
shifter. The closest bicycle repair shop is
probably in Trondheim, more than 50 km away and
probably closed for the weekend when I get there.
After a few hours I manage to exchange the broken
part with a healthy one taken out of my 3-speed
shifter. I've now 14 of my 42 gears left, still
plenty enough to manage the Norwegian hills,
though.
Instead of following the main highway to
Steinkjer, I turn left on a gravel road to
Verrabotn, a very scenic backroad along lakes and
dark forests. Near Verrabotn another seagull
attacks me.The campground on the map near
Follafoss doesn't exist. However I find a nice
place to camp in a garden of a friendly couple
and can even use the sanitary facilities.
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