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Wind. Freezing. Grey. Tired.

Day 43. 90km. Havøysund – Olderfjord. Map and gpx

The Hurtigruten boat left at 6:15 am.

I am surprised it could with the wind. It almost blew me away.

It was grey. It was cold. And the wind made it feel much colder. Every now and then it started to drizzle. I left the warm comfort of the Hurtigruten into the Arctic gale.

I crawled over a bridge, to then be blasted to the start of a fjord, a few kilometres further on. From then onwards I had a brutal headwind or side wind and inched up steep hills at 6 km/h. I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful it could be, only I couldn’t enjoy it.

It took me 90 minutes to post 15km. I was hungry and had hardly traveled anywhere. It was too windy and cold to stop to eat something. Then, like manna from heaven. A beautiful enclosed, brand new toilet block. There was also a viewing and picnic area, but only the toilet was windproof. This was where I had my lunch.

It was barren. It was bleek.

My plans of cycling to Lakselv soon evaporated. I was tired. As the day went on, the wind died down and the sun came out.

I continued to cycle at a snail’s pace. I have a sleep deficit. I stopped at the next camping ground. Where I was just a few days ago. Olderfjord. I took a hut, and plan for an early night with sleep in.
I did some organization for the coming days. Peder can take me from the remote Svaerholt peninsula to the Nordkyn peninsula. There is exactly one public expedition a year from Mehamn to the most northern point of mainland Europe (not the North Cape on island Magerøya), and it is when I am in Mehamn. All is planned. Looking forward to it.