Nordkapp in Norway to Smygehuk in Sweden
Nordkapp to Riksgränsen
How did I get the idea to ride the length of Sweden? Well for the first it wasn’t my idea.
Then there are 100s if not 1000s that’ve done such a ride before me. One of the cycling clubs I belong to here in Sweden now has the rights to using the name “Sverige Tempot” which was/is a race, which was/is the length of Sweden.
In the Malmö area we are 3 who have kept the Randonneur Cycling going over the last 10 years, organising Brevets and taking part in “Paris-Brest-Paris” and other 1200K Brevets.
At the end of 2008 we talked about talked about taking part in “Sverige Tempot 2009”.
Ingmar Nilsson had talked about riding from NordKapp, the northern most point in Norway to Smygehuk, the most southern most point in Sweden for several years now and said if he was going to take part in “Sverige Tempot” , then while he was up there, he would for fill his dream and cycle from Nordkapp.
Training wise 2009 began OK, my fitness was getting better, but like all good things, a spanner got thrown in the works. This started with my getting the flu the last week of January and a week off work. OK, back to work and try and start training again, but no. First day back at work and I put my back out. This meant 2 weeks sick leave and of course NO TRAINING.
During this period I made up my mind that I’d also take part in “Sverige Tempot” and join Ingmar in his ride from NordKapp to Smygehuk.
By the time I went back to work after sick leave, our route through Norway was planned and accommodation organised, along with accommodation during “Sverige Tempot”.
I must say that Ingmar did the lion’s share of the planning, booking flights and accommodation.
The end of March began our Brevet series, these being the usual 200, 300, 400 and 600 Kilometre Brevets. This year I did the 200 & 400 twice.
Then there were 3 other yearly rides, Cykel City Grand Fondo over 137 K, Ringsjönrunt over 120k and Vätternrundan over 300K which this year was my 8th time.
The weekend before we were to fly up to Nordkapp, Ingmar and I did our 2nd 400 Brevet to do a final test of all our gear. This turned out to be a good move as over the next couple of days before departure I went through my gear and lightened the load.
Wednesday 1st July
and the trip begins, train from Malmö over Öresundsbro to Copenhagen airport.
Ingmar and Tony at Svågertorp railway station in southern Malmö for the first part of trip
Once you hand over your bike to the ground crew, it’s not a good idea to look back.
PAYS TO PACK YOUR BIKE PROPERLY
Tony’s bike packed and ready for trip to NordKapp
Our flight was in 3 stages. On our arrival in Oslo, the end of the first stage, we didn’t realise we had to collect our baggage, go through customs and then check baggage in again.
We had about an hour between flights and once we realised what we had to do a bit of PANIC began. The time waiting for our bikes just seemed to drag, but once we got them we pushed our way to ODD SIZE GOODS. We had 15 minutes until our flight and a long queue for security. We showed our boarding passes to a guard who let us go to the front of the long queue and we got to our flight with a minute to spare.
We changed planes again in Tromso, this time without the rushing about.
We arrived in Honningsvåg along with our bikes, got a taxi into our hostel.
Thursday 2nd July.
Breakfast was included in our stay at the hostel, so we were up early and had breakfast, after which we put our bikes together.
Tony assembling his bike
The weather outside wasn’t sunny or warm. I checked the weather forecast and we decided to ride up to NordKapp today instead of tomorrow as planned. We set off and it was only after 5 K that it was time to put on booties ad long fingered gloves. It rained off and on, but the worst was the wind.
There were 3 rather long climbs. The climbing wasn’t so bad, but the descending wasn’t pleasant, side winds. At least we were lucky in that there weren’t too many tourist buses.
Ingmar said his cycle computer showed 3 degrees, that with the wind it was minus temperatures. I got to the pay booth before Ingmar, so I waited there until he came. During that time a cloud blew over the area and I couldn’t see back down the road from where I’d come or behind me to the exhibition hall.
One has to pay to come into Nordkapp area. The girl in the booth let us in without paying, (talking to other cyclists over the next few days, they hadn’t paid either due to the bad weather).
Ingmar and Tony at NordKapp
Once inside the hall, we signed a log for cyclists. We sat there for a couple of hours in no rush to go back out in the weather again.
Ingmar and Tony at NordKapp
It had taken us 2hrs to cycle the 30k from Honningsvåg to NordKapp.
The weather cleared for our return trip, was still blowing, but no rain, so the extra clothing we put on came off again on the first climb back.
Tony and one of the day’s climbs/descents in the back ground
The Columbus having a rest on the way back to Honningsvåg, Ingmar
On way back to Honningsvåg, camping ground by the reservoir
Back in Honningsvåg we got a few things to make dinner and then back to the hostel.
Showered, hand washed cycling clothes and then had dinner. There was a cyclist from Belgium in the dining room with whom I started chatting. Ingmar disappeared; he’d gone and lay down in our room. When I came in he said he wasn’t feeling well, so I left him alone for a while. When I came back 3 days of hell broke loose. Ingmar had trouble keeping his balance and he had no strength in his legs. I decided to phone the woman who was in charge of the hostel. She drove us to the local hospital where they checked Ingmar out.
Ingmar in Honningvåg hospital
As they couldn’t find anything wrong with him, they decided to transfer him to a bigger hospital in Hammerfest.
The next 3 days were no fun, uncertainty as to what was wrong and happening to Ingmar.
I re-planned the trip down through Norway, cutting out Finland. We were to have spent 2 nights in Finland, so I just used these 2 nights to stay in Honningsvåg and changed the arrival dates for Alta and Sörkjosen. After that I would be back on track.
Thank God for mobile phones, as I was in contact with Ingmar all the time as well as his wife and mine. But the fact they hadn’t found anything wrong with Ingmar didn’t make things easier.
Things were better by Sunday morning, Ingmar was feeling better and I knew what was left for me to do. They would be keeping Ingmar in Hammerfest hospital until they knew what was wrong. I packed Ingmar’s bike back into the carton he’d used to ship it to Honningsvåg in.
I would like to thank Nina who was our contact person and owner at “Nordkapp Vandrerhjem”, was great in that she was so helpful and was prepared to have someone to drive me to Hammerfest.
NOTE - Tour de France started the weekend I was in Honningsvåg, so I watched the Saturday and Sunday stages and every night until the “Sverige Tempot” started.
During the next 2 weeks from Saturday 4th until Saturday the 18th I would cycle 2800K and the Tour de France would finish a week later and they cover 3500K.
I watched the 2nd to last stage while on holiday in Ireland.
Stats for Honningsvåg – NordKapp - Honningsvåg
Total time for days ride 6h 51m 09s Ride time 3h 44m 21s Days Distance 71K
Max speed 60.8 Average speed 19.1 Climbing 1405 Descending 1410
Min temp 4 Average temp 10
Monday 6th July. Honningsvåg – Kvenvikmoen
The day began at 06:30, breakfast and then pack the last of my gear. Getting going is always hard, but when it’s about 6 degrees and light rain it’s even harder. One good thing about the day was I had a tail wind. The first of the 5 tunnels I was to cycle through today came after only about 2K, this being Honningsvåg tunnel which is 4440 meters long.
The first of several tunnels today and just a kilometre after starting off
Next was a short tunnel, Sarnes tunnel which is 190 meters long.
Next was Nordkapp’s tunnel, this going to a depth of 212 meters under sea level.
The tunnel is 6870 meters long, 3000 meters down at 10 degrees, just under an 870 meters flat and then 3000 meters up at 10 degrees.
This was an unusual experience going through this tunnel.
There was a sign just as I entered the tunnel warning that there is a risk for fog in the tunnel. I had no trouble riding through the tunnel and there was almost no traffic.
My first stop for the day was at Skaidi. I did have other stops, but these were to take photos.
I stuffed up my stop here, I was thinking of getting a warm meal, but instead went into a Service Station (Statoil) that we usually use and got myself a hot chocolate, they didn’t have anything else I wanted. I sat outside which wasn’t a good idea as I got cold and had a couple of sandwiches I’d made at breakfast. It was then I realised there was a cafe next door and for some reason I decided to carry on, which was a bit of a mistake when I look back.
Got going and it poured down for about the next 10K.
The ride from Skaidi to Alta was with showers and a bit of sunshine. The worst was when I was nearing the end of the mountain range. One could see in the distance rain, I thought I would be OK, but oh NO, down it came, even more than before and hail to boot.
I came to the last rise, descended about a 500 meter descent, swung into a valley and no rain, but sunshine. Not long after this came a long descent and I froze, the coldest I felt all day.
This was the first of 2 long descents which I didn’t realise. About half way between the 2 descents I stopped and put on a wind jacket I bought just before coming away. On the next long descent I didn’t have the same problem of freezing-
Alta was a rather long drawn out town and the hostel I was booked into was on the out skirts of Alta, the other end of Alta.
The effects of not having a decent meal in Skaidi now became evident, as a hill out of Alta felt like a mountain, I had no energy. Got to the hostel which it turns out was an old army base.
After showering, watched days stage of Tour de France, cleaned my bike, got on the hostels computer and phoned Ingmar to see how he was doing and tell him about today’s ride.
Stats for Honningsvåg – Kvenvikmoen
Total time for days ride 8h 29m 01s Ride time 7h 45m 53s Days Distance 214K Max speed 59.7 Average speed 27.8 Climbing 2030
Descending 1955 Min temp 4 Average temp 8
Tuesday 7th July. Kvenvikmoen – Sörkjosen
Got up at 06:15, got my clothes from the drying room that I’d hand washed last night.
Breakfast and then was away just before 08:00. Today started easy with a rather long descent.
Following Alta fjorden I had a slight head wind which I felt after yesterdays ride.
I decided to stop at Burfjord which was a good move. Had a hot chocolate and a waffle.
Hot chocolate and a waffle stop
On leaving Burfjord I went straight into a long climb which I suppose shouldn’t have surprised me, as I was going from one fjord to another, but at least it wasn’t raining. Dropped down to the next fjord, Badderfjorden, followed the coast for a bit and then it went up again, this time steeper and in warm sunshine. It seemed like it wasn’t going to come to an end.
Once at the top, I got my picture taken for me by some Finnish folk on holiday.
Top of long climb, road at the bottom can be seen to right of my chin
Before descending on the other side to I put on the wind jacket which was probably a good move.
Rest just before a long descent after a long climb
The descent was a long one and not as windy as the climb up and it gave me a chance to have a sandwich.
Arrived in Storslett which is 4K from where I’m to stop for the night. I had a sit down meal before going to the Guest House. I bought a filled roll as I knew I’d be hungry again later.
The owner of the Guest House had told us there was nothing out where he was when we first contacted him about accommodation.
Arriving at the Guest House it was the usual, shower, hand washing and then parked myself in front of the TV and watched days stage of Tour de France.
Phoned Ingmar to get his latest news and tell him how it went today.
I even went to bed a bit earlier.
Stats for Kvenvikmoen – Sörkjosen
Total time for days ride 8h 04m 16s Ride time 6h 33m 33s Days Distance 174K Max speed 62.1 Average speed 25.7 Climbing 1830
Descending 1890 Min temp 8 Average temp 14
Wednesday 8th July Sörkjosen – Bardufoss
Up at 06:30, sorted gear, breakfast and got going just before 08:00. After about 4k there was the day’s first climb. The 50k to Olderdalen went OK, once there I asked about the tunnel on the other side of fjord. 1 of the 2 policemen I spoke to said the side road was OK to cycle on. I took the chance and got the ferry over to Lyngeidet.
Ferry from Olderdalen to Lyngeidet
Tunnel which I couldn’t cycle through, side road is to the left
Got to the tunnel and the side road was more than OK, any gravel on the road was from slips and it was only the last 50 meters before coming back onto the main road again that could have been a problem if it had been wet, this bit was clay.
This stretch of road has to be kept open in case of an accident in the tunnel itself.
End of side road past tunnel.
Once back on the E6 I stopped by a river and had sandwiches I had with me. I stopped again at Nordjosboten, this time to fill a water bottle, which was a good move as the other one I finished rather quickly after leaving Nordjosboten. Seemed to climb a lot after Nordjosboten,
Looking back towards Nordjosboten
but the good thing was it felt like downhill to Olsborg.
Found my hotel for the night and just to finish the day off it was a rather short sharp climb the last 100 or so meters.
Showered, hand washed my clothes and then had dinner which turned out to be good. For a fixed sum and eat as much as you like of the days special. Sat in the lounge after, watched Tour de France, phoned Ingmar, today we didn’t talk long as he was trying to catch people about his going home.
Felt like there weren’t many staying in the hotel. Even the last few nights have been a bit thin with hotel guests. People are in these parts more for the winter activities.
Stats for Sörkjosen – Bardufoss
Total time for days ride 7h 55m 59s Ride time 6h 26m 11s Days Distance 169K Max speed 57.6 Average speed 26.2 Climbing 1575
Descending 1380 Min temp 12 Average temp 19
Thursday 9th July Bardufoss – Riksgränsen
I got up at 06:30 before the alarm went off, got gear together, breakfast and got going just after 08:00. Was pretty easy going for the first part of the day, downhill and flat. Then after about 50K the climbing started, but nothing steep. Stopped after 60K and had a couple of sandwiches and put gel in one of my drink bottle. Cycled past a few museums to do with the battle of Navik during the 2nd World War.
Top of a great descent down to Bjerkvik, Narvik is on the other side of Fjord
Stopped again at Bjerkvik, Shell service station after a great descent and filled up water bottle and had a sausage with roll.
27K left in the first part of Nordkapp to Smygehuk
Carried on to Riksgränsen, stopped and took a couple of photos, got bitten by a couple of horse fly’s, talk about blood. It was all uphill to Riksgränsen, but only the first part that was 8%.
Last look at the sea until Smygehuk. Narvik is around the point at the right side of the picture.
Taking this photo was when I got bitten by the horse fly’s
At the border between Norway and Sweden, Riksgränsen is on the other side of the customs house
Got to Riksgränsen and found hotel, got a room, showered and then I sat in lounge/bar which didn’t open until 16:00, but I got let in early and watched Tour de France.
View from hotel lounge, looking back towards Norway
I got on the computer at the hotel and corrected a few things I’d sent to the Blog.
Peter Tonér who is the organizer of “Sverige Tempot” arrived and asked me to join him and his family for dinner. I phoned Ingmar during the afternoon and he is to fly home on Saturday.
Had a chat with couple of Police who were here from Luleå, there had been some sort of political meeting here at Riksgränsen over the last few days. I treated myself to a glass of red wine while I waited for Peter to come and get me and have dinner with him and family.
Watch TV for rest of evening.
Stats for Bardufoss – Riksgränsen
Total time for days ride 6h 04m 53s Ride time 5h 15m 29s Days Distance 127K Max speed 59.9 Average speed 24.4 Climbing 1675
Descending 1330 Min temp 16 Average temp 22
Friday 10th July Riksgränsen
I got up at about 06:45, breakfast, got on the computer and did my blog. Christian and Göran arrived with whom I am to ride with to Smygehuk. After finishing my blog, Christian did a bit on his blog and we linked our 2 blogs.
Sorted out my bike, changed the tyres around, fitted a new spoke in the front wheel which I broke yesterday.
Getting ready for a week long haul south
I ended up in Christian and Göran’s room for most of the day. Watched Tour de France.
Took a walk to local shop. I was told by one of the others that my back wheels tyre had gone flat, I went and checked it out, looked as though the valve had screwed it’s self out. I changed the inner tube anyway and marked the old one with tape. Had paste dinner together with the 9 others taking part in “Sverige Tempot”.
View from hotel where we had pre-race meal
7 of the 10 riders in Sverige Tempot 2009
Checked tyre pressure after dinner, looked good. Ove, one of my cycling mates from Malmö who will make up our 4 man group to Smygehuk, Christian, Göran and I went through a few things in preparation for tomorrow. I was back in my room by 21:15.