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I liked today. It wasn’t too hot. It only rained lightly and was quite refreshing for fast cycling. The cloud formations were spectacular making the surrounding raw landscape even more imposing. And I feel I am getting stronger.

I followed the E8 from Tromsø. This is quite a main road and the traffic made for less than optimal cycling. Once I turned off to the road to Breivikeidet, I had the road to myself. I saw when the ferry was leaving and planned my speed for the subsequent 23 km.

The road to Breivikeidet

The ferry at Breivikeidet looked very different to in the winter. Then, the sky was clear and a very deep blue. The mountains, covered in snow, were also blue in the light. Snow covered the entrance area and the yellow street lights made for a contrast to the blue. Today it was light, but a rainy light. Big, black clouds hung pregnantly on the horizon. Rain could start again at any moment.

The threatening clouds at Breivikeidet

The ferry ride was too short. A quick snack of a sandwich and lafse (a local delicacy) had to be gulped down.

There was only a small kiosk on the other side, and I wanted lunch. I got a brochure on ferry times, and continued. 1 km on there was a lovely little cafe where I consumed a steak in mushroom sauce and chips. I spoke with a French couple there, in their 60s, who had cycled here from southern France. They have explored a lot in northern Finmark, and convinced me that that is the place to go. Lonely roads (no trucks, cars and camper vans like on the E8), and amazing arctic landscape. I will probably have spare time if I keep up this pace, and I spent all day on the bike contemplating which of these delicacies I want to taste. They are all only a ride away on the Hurtigruten boat.

When I left lunch, I realized there was a slim chance I could still catch the ferry I had planned to take not accounting for lunch. I hardly considered it possible, but, I was clocking up a really good speed despite a light headwind/ no wind. As I continued, I did some mental calculations and found I needed to average 24 km/h over 45 minutes. Just a few days ago that would have been well beyond the rhelms of possibility, but now it was happening. I puffed and panted and gave gas. I made it and I felt great!

On the way to Lyngseidet

Making kilometers was on my mind and I continued. The cloud formations became even more threatening. Near Storslett there was a looming dark black mountain with a fang shaped summit touching some deep black cloud.

Clouds near Storslett

Dinner was bought and eaten at a supermarket at Storslett, and then I
pushed on to my destination camping ground at Fosslv.

At the camping ground at Fosselv

With a mega day tomorrow, Alta is in reach. Then the last slog through the tundra of the Finnmarkse Vidde. Awesome!