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Pisa – Napoli by bike. 2002

Posted: October 7, 2012 in Cycling, Italy
Tags: Amalfi, Cycling, Italy, Naples, Napoli, Pisa, Toscano, Tuscany, Vesuvio

Updating some of my earlier bike trips. This was a beautiful ride in the sun in central Italy in 2002.

The trip southwards continued in 2002. Having made it to Pisa in 2001, this year I cycled with Frank Thiele southwards to Napoli.

Pisa is a hot spot for tourists. It is a lovely little village with the leaning tower and a host of other old buildings clustered together in the tourist area. Before we started on the adventure southwards, we needed the standard ‘we were here’ photo.

Starting point: The leaning tower of Pisa.

We followed the cycling route from Amsterdam to Rome by Benjaminse. It took us along gorgeous country roads in Tuscany. Rolling hills with beautiful old houses dotted on the crests, cyprus trees, and beautiful little villages. Tuscany is my highlight of all of Italy. Simply a stunning place.

Tuscany

Traveling with Frank, I learned that it was actually more pleasant cycling fewer kilometres, not the shortest route, and stopping on the way. With less testosterone in my blood as when I started cycling, without anything to prove, I realised that I didn’t need to cycle 200+km in a day. We could stop in beautiful little villages and sit in the sun. We could stop early and stay the night if it was a nice place. So, we visited some nice villages.

In the sun

Bagnoregio is a charming town perched on a hilltop, surrounded by a city wall. In the middle of the beautiful, sundrenched landscape of central Italy.

Bagnoregio

And the landscape was flowered, this time in startling purple.

Purple

We skirted around Rome. Big cities are not very easy to navigate through, and it takes ages to get through them. We stopped at Tivoli to the east of Rome, and decided to plan in a rest day. Frank stayed around in Tivoli, and I caught the train in to Rome to do the tourist things.

Colosseum

After Rome, our planned route ended. Not having a recommended route means that you tend to end up on bigger roads, and pass through less pretty places. We followed the coast. We stopped one evening at the beach town of Sperlonga.

Frank in Sperlonga.

The coast leading into Naples was busy and ugly. Naples itself is an amazing, throbbing city. On cycling through Naples, I put on my yellow sunglasses, and somehow got an energy boost. I felt part of the bustling traffic. The cutting in and out of traffic. The tooting and waving of arms. I bounced down the cobblestone streets ringing my bell, living the moment.

We set up camp in Pompeii. This was the end of our journey. Our flight was booked a few days later. We had some time to cycle around the place. We cycled up Vesuvio one day (but took the metro to the base of the mountain to avoid the bouncy cobblestone streets). Another day we cycled along the Amalfi coast. The Naples area is gorgeous. The trip was continued in 2003.

Pompeii

On the way up Vesuvio

The bike

The Amalfi coast

Bodø – Nordkapp Summary Video

Posted: August 28, 2012 in Cycling
Tags: Cycling, Lofoten, Nordkapp, North Cape, Norway, Senja

I have now created a summary video of my cycle trip from Bodø to Nordkapp. Check it out!

YouTube video of the Bodø – Nordkapp 2012 cycle trip

Bodø – Nordkapp. Cycle trip. 2012

Posted: August 25, 2012 in Cycling
Tags: Cycling, Nordkapp, Norway

In 2012 I cycled from Bodø to the North Cape (Nordkapp), a total of 1330 km, completing my bike tour of Norway started with Ed in 1997, when we cycled from Tønsberg to Oslo, and then to Bodø.

It was a spectacular trip. What were my highlights? There were many. Here are my top 4.

	Highlight 1: The team of 4 met on the boat, and cycled together on the magical island of Senja. The weather was perfect, and our wild camping place on our own private fjord was spectacular. We bathed in the midnight sun.
	Highlight 2: I climbed the almost vertical wall behind the village of Reine on the Lofoten islands to experience the most exquisite panorama. Moskenesøya at midnight.
	Highlight 3: Skirting the northern coast on Austvågøya on the Lofoten islands on the way to Fiskebøl. Majestic mountains, fjords and serene tranquility.
	Highlight 4: Arriving at the North Cape (Nordkapp). It was windy. It was cold. It was barren. And it was spectacular. I had made it. What a feeling!

Here is a day by day summary of the trip. I am interested to know which parts you likes. Click on like or rate on the individual day posts to let me know! 🙂

	Day 0. To start in Moskenes Surrounded by pointy mountains and beautiful blue sky I set up my tent in Moskenes. Then I climb to the top of a peak above the town of Reine to experience the most exquisite panorama. Moskenesøya at midnight.
	Day 1. Moskenes – Ørsnesvika. 131km The south of the islands are bathed in sun, the north in cloud, and I alternate between the two. Every turn reveals a new panorama.
	Day 2. Ørsnesvika – Stokmarknes. 100kmSun, pointed peaks, fjords and tranquility. A highlight of the trip following the coast on Austvågøya island.
	Day 3. Stokmarknes – Frøskeland. 73 km Cycling along the quiet north road on Langøya. I couch surfed with the lovely Svein near Sortland.
	Day 4. Frøskeland – Andernes. 127 km The beautiful Andøya island was bathed in low hanging cloud. No midnight sun cycle, but ghostly scenery of pointy mountains in the mist.
	Day 5. Andernes – Ersfjord. 80 km The team of 4 cycle along fjords, up steep long valleys, through tunnels into the wild and absolutely breathtaking scenery of Senja island. Wild camping on our own private fjord, we bathe in the midnight sun.
	Day 6. Ersfjord – Tromsø. 94 km An early morning ride across Senja with not a soul around. Goal is Tromsø, and a hotel with curtains. After an afternoon sleep, I see the midnight sun looking out from above over Tromsø.
	Day 7. Tromsø – Fosslv. 131 km. Rain as I cycle the road I passed in the winter with Dad and Valerie. A race against the clock to catch a ferry. An afternoon of amazing threatening clouds hanging low over the mountains. And no more rain.
	Day 8. Fosselv – Alta. 161 km Mountain passes and a long road along the fjord. 50 metres up and 50 metres down, 30 metres up and 30 metres down. All the way to Alta. Exhausting. And then another broken spoke. The spoke problem is now serious.
	Day 9. Alta. 40 km No bike mechanics in Alta, and my spoke replacements aren’t doing the job. An attempt to leave Alta failed, and I return, dejected, not knowing what to do next.
	Day 10. Alta (car: Hammerfest). 11 km A car hired, 130 km driven, and a new wheel bought in the northerly town of Hammerfest. The bike is now OK to continue.
	Day 11. Alta – Repvåg. 153 km. High tundra plain and windy coastal road. The North Cape is approaching!
	Day 12. Repvåg – Nordkapp – Honningsvåg. 118 km The Nordkapp tunnel, and then a windy, hilly, chilly, and beautiful slog to the North Cape with Chris. Goal achieved! I am happy!
	Day 13. Honningsvåg. 0 km Down day in Honningsvåg. Cups of tea, talks with Chris, and a 50 metre dash through the rain to the supermarket.
	Day 14. Honningsvåg – Kjøllefjord – Mehamn. 39 km Journey in the grey to the Nordkyn peninsula. A bleak, barren and windswept place. Beautiful!
	Day 15. Mehamn – Slettnes – Kjøllefjord. 72 km The most northern lighthouse on mainland europe. Another broken spoke, and a drenching, cold, windy return towards Kjøllefjord.

Day 15. Mehamn – Slettnes – Kjøllefjord. 72 km

Posted: July 22, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Cycling, Nordkyn, Norway, Slettnes

Results of today.
Broken spokes: 1
Malfunctioning speedo: 1
Drenched shoes: 4
Bedraggled cyclists: 2
Interesting people met: 4
Northernmost lighthouses seen: 1
World’s most northern forest seen: 1
Bleak, desolate, tundra, arctic, beautiful landscape seen: lots
Wind: yes. strong headwind/side wind
Rain: yes
Reindeer seen: lots
Waffles eaten: 2 each
Happy cyclists: 2
Nice warm, snug hut: 1

On the high plains

Slettnes

Day 14. Honningsvåg – Kjøllefjord – Mehamn. 39 km

Posted: July 22, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Cycling, Nordkyn, Norway

Today had everything. Sleep, eat, sleep, cup of tea, pack, cup of tea, contemplate belly button. It also had having a drink out of glasses made from ice in a bar made of ice. It had a lazy ride on the luxurious Hurtigruten boat from Honningsvåg to Kjøllefjord. It had an awesome ride through the most barren landscape yet. A climb to a plain of grey, rolling rock, patches of snow, and lakes supplying streams running down into fjords. It was cold, grey and wet, and blowing so strongly that the Hurtigruten wasn’t stopping at all the ports, and had cancelled some of the excursions. Luckily the wind was a tail wind that blew us on to the high plains. Near Mehamn – our final destination – it was a side wind. I had to concentrate completely to not be blown off my bike, scooting down the mountain.

Me and Chris in the Ice Bar

Chris and me in the Ice Bar in Honningsvåg.

The Ice Bar

Me in the Ice Bar in Honningsvåg.

Cycling up the high plains

Cycling up to the high plains.

On the high plains

On the high plains.

Mehamn is a lovely place a million miles from anywhere. Another little village sitting on a bay surrounded by a desolate arctic moonscape, the place has charm. Feeling cold and wind swept, we stopped at the first sign of a room for the night, to be greeted by a lovely, lively South African working at a place called Red Tree. They had rooms but also lots of interesting knick knacks. He enthusiastically told us that Mehamn was the best place in the world. Amazing scenery (which is true) and great things to do – winter and summer. In the winter you can go kite skiing. This would be fantastic on the endless rolling tundra plains with the gale force winds. March is the best month. Anyway, he had no rooms left, but arranged us a room in the local hotel and the following night in a Sami camping ground near Kjøllefjord.

We didn’t stay longer as I was slipping into hypothermia, and we made our way to the hotel and I had a super long shower to warm up.

I like Mehamn and this peninsula.

Day 13. Honningsvåg. 0 km

Posted: July 21, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Cycling, Honningsvåg, Norway

Today it rained all day and blew a gale. I exhibited the feline side of my personality. I slept and ate. Periodically I looked out of the window. This convinced me to remain in this feline mode.

Chris and I slept in, had a late breakfast and many cups of tea. We wanted to at least set foot in Honningsvåg centre (and not just be in our lodge on the outskirts). We went outside, dressed for the rain, ready to walk the 3 km to the centre. After 10 metres we returned. At that point a couple of drenched French backpackers arrived. That was it. Time for an afternoon snooze.

At a certain point, in a feline way, we decided it was time for dinner. We cooked up our North Cape meal than we took all the way to the North Cape and back. Anything else would have involved a dash in the rain to the supermarket.

But, we did need to go to the supermarket. After hours of procrastination we made the dash.

Despite the bad weather forecasts, we plan to do a short trip on the neighboring peninsula. We needed supplies. Sweet tooth Matthew was calling the shots.

Sweet tooth at heart

We then wanted to go to the famous Ice Bar to celebrate our achievement of reaching the North Cape. But we were not going out there in the rain. Time for a taxi.. 🙂

The Ice Bar closes at 20:00 – even on Friday night. (!) We ended up in the Nøden bar which was probably much nicer. A local bar.

Snooker

A wonderful rest day with lots of chats and cups of tea. Almost a highlight of the trip..

Day 12. Repvåg – Nordkapp – Honningsvåg. 118 km

Posted: July 20, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Cycling, Honningsvåg, Nordkapp, North Cape, Norway

Wow! So much awesomeness packed into one day it makes my head spin! The strongest headwinds to date as I crawl up the windswept, barren coast from Repvåg to Honningsvåg to meet up with Chris for lunch. Beautiful and worthy of a final approach to the end of the earth.

Leaving Repvåg

Then, entrance to the final approach is only granted to those that can pass ‘the tunnel’. A 3 km dive to 212 m under the sea at 9% slope, followed by a 9% climb to materialize in the rocky, mountainous spectacular Magerøya island.

Entering the tunnel

I stop at the entrance to gather myself and eat a chocolate bar or 5. The wind is howling at the entrance and a periodic electronic chime sounds from the mouth of the tunnel as if to warn those that dare to enter. A car emerges from the tunnel and a Swedish couple get out. ‘it’s long and steep,’ they warn, ‘and no room to walk your bike!’ They look concerned for me. I know what I am doing, I reassure them, and plunge in.

I pass the roll down gate 20 m inside the tunnel that opens and closes in the winter to let the individual cars pass, and then accelerate to the depths. Faster and faster, and I get colder and colder. I start to shake from the cold and my teeth start to chatter as I accelerate down and down into the dead straight tube.

In the tunnel

When cars pass its like an enormous train passing by just over my head. Then, it’s silence once more. Just the whirring round of my wheels.

I am glad when I reach the bottom and start cycling out. I can warm up. It gets steeper and steeper as I slog forward in low gear. But, there is no headwind: a blessing.

Following the coast, now on Magerøya, I crawl along further into the wind before entering another long tunnel. This time it was must less strenuous. A gentle climb for 2 km and a gentle drop, again without wind. I start whistling, making an orchestra of sound echoing off the walls from all directions. A tribute to mum. All her favourites. She whistled all the time.

I arrive at Honningsvåg and enter the Nordkapp guesthouse (quite a common name in these parts). Chris is upstairs in the communal area reading a book in the warmth. We sit and a chat, comparing stories of this trip and others, and made plans for the day. Cycle the last 30km to Nordkapp and then a walk to Knivskjelodden for dinner. This is the true most northerly point of Europe: a low lying peninsula one bay across from the Nordkapp. A 9 km walk from the carpark. We go shopping, planning to cook up a feast on the most northerly point, watching the bus loads of tourists on the Nordkapp.

We talk and talk, and laugh, and before we know it, it is 15:00. We need to hurry. We still want to do a lot.

The final assault can only be completed by those that have made it this far. The wind is brutal, as are the long steep climbs: up and down and up again. During the whole trip from the Lofoten islands to here, I have had a head wind. The gods smile on us today and dish up a hurricane that is conveniently a tail wind on all up hill stretches and a ferocious head wind going down. On the flat bits it is often a side wind.

Wind

And, man, it is beautiful scenery. A winding road through rugged, barren, rocky land. Grass and moss. Rocks and stones. Lakes and fjords. Herds of reindeer. Sweeping views before dropping down along the road curving down to the bottom.

Towards Nordkapp

The last grunt to the Nordkapp is with a side wind and we freeze to death. We stop at the start of the walk to Knivskjelodden and hide under the shelter out of the wind for a snack. Then up and up. We get a discount entrance to the North Cape complex. Cyclists are classified as British students and get the reduced rate. We pass through the village of camper vans and buses and into the warmth.

From inside we look out the glass at the globe which everyone photos when they come here. That is for later. First a hot chocolate, a waffle, and soak up the warmth.

Well, dear readers. Here is the proof picture. Chris and I at the North Cape.

It is too cold and too late to go to Knivskjelodden, and so we have dinner at the restaurant at the end of the universe and make our way back.

We remark over and over with glee how perfect the direction of this hurricane wind is. Perfect head wind to brake our steep descents and perfect tail wind on the climbs. We whiz on home in 2 hours. A snappy time for 30 km in Norway.

Content, I curl up into bed.

Day 11. Alta – Repvåg. 153 km.

Posted: July 18, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Cycling, Norway

I was keen to leave super early today now that my bike was roadworthy. It was pouring with rain at 2:30 when I planned to start getting into action. I got up, had breakfast, and, when back in the tent, I thought, why do I need to leave now? I got back into the sleeping back, and fell asleep to the sound of the rain on the tent.

At 5:00 it stopped raining (heavily), and I started to pack. By 6 I was on my way. Clouds and grey were the theme of the weather today. It didn’t rain heavily again, though.

Leaving Alta

The road then started to climb to end up in an open, barren plateau.

Up to the barren plateau

The barren plateau

After lunch at Skaidi where I met with Chris yesterday, I crossed over to the shore at Olderfjord and then followed the coastal road north. The sun started to poke through the clouds on occasions which made the road and some of the fishing villages look even nicer.

Fishing village

The coastal road

There were some tunnels. On the longest one there was a cool system for cyclists to loan reflective safety vests. You pick up one in a box on one side of the tunnel and leave it in the box on the other side.

My borrowed yellow vest

The coast road continued to Repvåg.

The road to Repvåg

Crossing into Nordkapp county

Repvåg is a small fishing village perched on a rocky barren peninsula sticking out from the mainland. It feels like the end of the earth. I like that!

I stayed in a hut. This way my tent won’t be blown away, and I can dry out the tent and some clothes.

My hut at Repvåg

There is also a hotel and restaurant here, which made me some nice fish.

Chris is staying in Honningsvåg. I plan to go under the big tunnel tomorrow morning and catch up with him there. Might see the Nordkapp tomorrow!

Day 10. Alta (car: Hammerfest). 11 km

Posted: July 17, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Alta, Cycling, Norway

My mind was turning over in my sleep. How could I fix the broken spoke? I knew all the options, but still I went through them all again. I was up early as usual (6:00) and had to wait till 10 when the bike shop opened. I started playing with the spokes but just made it all worse. I was given moral support from several different cyclists. One gave me some spokes. Also thanks to Marco Janssen who gave me tips via this blog. My wheel was beyond any sort of repair now, though.

Chris, from the group of 4 passed by on his way onward. Seeing him go was hard. I wanted to be on my way too..

The mechanic at the last remaining bike shop in Alta was on holidays. I then started ringing around, and found a bike shop in Hammerfest (140 km to the north) where the mechanic was not on holidays. A ray of hope opened out, and for the first time since my arrival in Alta I saw this spoke ordeal as an adventure to be lived ‘in the now’. I won’t have to see the north cape in a tourist bus or a car, and today will just be an obstacle to cross.

I went to the Alta airport and rented a very expensive car.

Renting a car

I then drove the route I will be cycling tomorrow. The road climbed and climbed to a big open plain. It reminded me of some of the landscape of the Flinders Ranges back home in Australia. Wide open spaces and little vegetation. It was beautiful.

The kilometers in a car went slower than on the bike. I hate driving, and seeing the scenery is like watching a movie. You don’t feel it, like on a bike. Tomorrow that will be different.

Hammerfest is a little town perched on the side of a bare mountain with a bike mechanic – my kind of place!! 😉

I bought a new wheel and had it fitted. Many thanks to the great help from the people at InterSport Hammerfest!!

Bike repairs in Hammerfest

Then it was time to return back home. Chris had just arrived in Skaidi – where the roads to the north cape and Hammerfest part when I was eating my mid afternoon lunch 20 km away. We arranged for a coffee in Skaidi via Facebook.

Me and Chris in Skaidi

We will be meeting up again in the north cape. The group of 4 meet up (partly) once again.

I’m now back in Alta, have eaten, and am going to bed. I need sleep for my first kms after 2 days of nothing.

Day 9. Alta. 40 km

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Cycling, Norway
Tags: Alta, Cycling, Norway

Today was a day of frustration. Cycling from one bike shop to the next in the glorious, sunny weather, finding someone to fix my spoke. I was in my civilian clothing, passing cyclists kitted out with their cycling clothes and luggage clearly heading for the north cape. I couldn’t help but tell them I was just getting a spoke fixed. I was one of them..

The first bike shop only sold bikes, but pointed me to a second, some 8 km away at the other end of the town (with a minor hill in between). They couldn’t help, but perhaps a third. Back over the hill. The third does repairs, but the mechanic is on holidays. I took to their workshop, and changed the spoke.

I only had spokes that were the wrong size, collected on the way. After some time I had the spoke replaced (after getting frustrated several times at my failure at being able to carry out particular actions and seeing my cycling time ticking away).

I went to an all you can eat pizza place to fill up with the fuel that would take me over the tundra wasteland to the next camping ground some 80 km away.

3 km further another spoke broke. I fixed it and continued. At last on my way. The north cape is in sight!

The North Cape in sight.

I passed a sign: the climb to the tundra plains.

Up to the tundra plains

And up I went. At the very top, just before the descent down, another spoke broke.

Yet again: *sigh*

Unlike the others, it was a spoke on the side of the gear wheel. I couldn’t change this one even if I had tried. It was cold and windy and the clouds were looking threatening. I was 20 km out of Alta and 60 km from my planned camping ground: a tiny village with no facilities. In fact, the next bike shop is at Honningsvåg near the north cape or at Hammerfest, some 130 km away. What was I doing here at the start of the arctic tundra? Alone, with my (non-existant) technical prowess and with a wheel clearly past it’s prime. If another spoke broke and the wheel was unusable, what then? I tried to straighten the wheel with one broken spoke by tightening and loosening other spokes. The wheel got worse.

Time to quit while the wheel was still rideable. Dejected, I turned and cycled back to Alta.

Having dinner at the camping ground, I was speaking to two Serbians who have just returned from the north cape. They were early and are now killing four days of time. They had a lot of stories to tell. Some were hilarious: particularly about mosquitos.

But, dear readers, I have a question. Can you help? What should I do?
1. Call around and find a nearby cycle shop with a mechanic. The nearest one may be 100s of kms away. Then rent a car and take the bike to it.
2. Try to rent a bike. I doubt this would be possible.
3. Try to readjust the spokes and cycle the last 250 kms.
4. Buy a new bike. (this is not a really serious option)
5. Something else..

As you can see, I don’t have any options I like. The Serbians told me of another bike shop in Alta that sounds promising. I will try that. Other than that, please help me with your ideas. I could think of nothing worse than cycling all this way and joining a tourist bus trip to go to the north cape from here.

By the way, I asked the last bike shop if they had a replacement wheel. They didn’t but could have one in by Thursday. I guess that would be Friday now. Maybe another one of the shops has a wheel. The gears will need to be mounted which may not be possible without a mechanic..

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Posts Tagged ‘Cycling’

Pisa – Napoli by bike. 2002

Pisa – Naples 2002

Bodø – Nordkapp Summary Video

Bodø – Nordkapp. Cycle trip. 2012

Day 15. Mehamn – Slettnes – Kjøllefjord. 72 km

Day 14. Honningsvåg – Kjøllefjord – Mehamn. 39 km

Day 13. Honningsvåg. 0 km

Day 12. Repvåg – Nordkapp – Honningsvåg. 118 km

Day 11. Alta – Repvåg. 153 km.

Day 10. Alta (car: Hammerfest). 11 km

Day 9. Alta. 40 km

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