Tag Archives: Cycle Touring Festival

18 & 19 July – to Tarifa and end of Stage 1

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The last two days of stage 1 of my tour, routes and stats below; I felt very excited to be getting close to Tarifa, after what for me has been an epic pedal across Europe, from its Northernmost to Southernmost points.

–> 18 July – Cadiz and Conil de la Frontera
I travelled 61.65km today, but only pedalled about 51km, as I took the ferry to Cadiz from El Puerto de Santa Maria. Cycling into Cadiz from my overnight stop would have proved a very roundabout route, as cyclists aren’t allowed over the bridges. I decided to split the ride down to Tarifa over two days, to allow time to see a bit of Cadiz, and permit a more leisurely pace.

I thought the Catamaran ferry to Cadiz started running at 09.00, however it turns out it doesn’t start until 10.00 on Saturdays, so I had an hour and a half to burn by the time I arrived at the ferry terminal. El Puerto de Santa Maria was quite busy as I took a quick tour around its streets, with a bustling market, and lots of people eating breakfast in the many street cafes. At the market I saw a couple of stalls selling Prickly Pear fruits, and watched a lady deftly peeling pears one after another, in rapid succession, using a short knife; they look a bit like kiwi fruit when peeled.

After a swift look around and realising I might have been here before, when I visited my brother at flying school in Jerez several years ago, I returned to the ferry terminal and bought a ticket; very reasonable at €2.85. The ‘voyage’ over to Cadiz only took about 20 minutes, but it was lovely to be on the sea, with a cool breeze, and the deck gently rolling in the swell. If I wasn’t cycle touring I’d love to sail around the coast; bit more expensive though. Smaug wasn’t particularly happy about being out on open water, so I left him below decks in a cubby hole for the duration. I was privy to some great views of Cadiz during the crossing, and saw lots of small boats bobbing about, either fishing or sailing.

Once off the boat I visited to the nearby Tourist Information Office to get a map, and also checked with them about cycling East out of the city; yes it was alright to cycle on the Autovia for a bit. The ancient city of Cadiz was originally founded as far back as 1104BC, by the Phoenicians, although some say the city was founded by Hercules after completing his 10th labour. The Phoenicians were a massive trading culture around the Mediterranean, from 1550BC to 300BC, and sound pretty advanced for their time; I wouldn’t be surprised if archaeology that can be attributed to them has been blown ISIS recently, b*st!!ds! Of course the Romans also figure in its history, as do the Carthaginians, so a really interesting place to visit.

I spent a few hours wandering about, taking in the cathedral, the narrow city streets packed with small shops and people, several parks including a lovely botanical garden, and the city’s several beaches as I cycled a circuit around perimeter. The beaches were packed with people basking in the sun; I don’t see the attraction myself, however the beach volleyball was entertaining to watch for a bit. I also passed several stalls selling Churros, and really must try some soon; they’re like doughnuts – fried dough, cooked fresh, and often served with chocolate sauce.

Cadiz is definitely a big tourist trap, and very busy, so it was quite a relief to make my way East and out of the city. I had to join the Autovia for several kilometres, to Chiclana de la Frontera,  as there’s no other road to use on the narrow strip of land that connects Cadiz to San Fernando. Although cyclists are allowed to cycle on the Autovia, it was still very busy. The hard shoulder was nice and wide but I had to be pretty careful but assertive when crossing the slip roads.

I stopped for a cheeky Mcdonalds in Chiclana, but shouldn’t have bothered as it wasn’t very nice, and the Wifi didn’t work which was a first for this particular fast food chain. It was only a short ride down to Conil de la Frontera, which turned out to be bigger than I expected, and a resort in its own right. The town was thronged but pleasant to walk around, and even better once I’d found a cold can of Kas (Fanta equivalent) to drink. There was a 3 piece band busking near the beach as a walked through, with a merry crowd of Spanish holiday makers dancing to the drum, trumpet and saxophone combination; I think the band may have been English, nothing like music to bring people together.

A couple of kilometres riding brought me to a campsite picked at random from the several situated around Conil de la Frontera; Rosaleda Camping. It has a good ACSI review, and to be fair the facilities and pitch were fine, but it turned out to be the most expensive campsite of the tour so far at €24. I couldn’t be bothered to find somewhere else, so settled in for the evening on my own private and well shaded pitch, enjoying a siesta before doing anything else. I hope this isn’t the beginning of expensive campsites as I travel up the South coast of Spain, however it could easily be the case; might have to throw in the odd wild camp to balance the books, however I’m not going to worry too much about it until after Tarifa; one day to go!

The stars were lovely and bright this evening, and I spent a long time lying down gazing up at them, enjoying the darkness and falling temperature. I really must give some thought as to exactly what I’m doing post Tarifa; I know I’m heading to Marseille, to hopefully meet up with old friends, and then on to Istanbul, but need to decide whether to visit Africa or not.

–> 19 July – Tarifa, end of stage 1
The day was finally upon me, the final leg to Tarifa and the end of this stage of my tour; I felt pretty excited when I woke up, but did faff quite a lot packing up, and was consequently a little late leaving. A late departure isn’t such a problem down on the coast, as it’s several degrees cooler than inland thanks to a sea breeze and the odd bit of cloud.

Conil was quiet as I cycled through it, and then on to El Palmar, passing fields full of cows regarding me suspiciously; at least they don’t have a tendency to start following me, or even chasing me on the other side of the fence, like they did when I toured in Scotland, don’t know what all that was about.

After Zahora I hit a steep climb up through a natural park, but in general it was fairly easy riding compared with the rigours of central Spain. I even cycled under cloud cover for a bit, which came as a welcome surprise; lovely cool breeze with moisture in the air. Other features of the today’s ride:

  • Snails on fence posts, thousands of them
  • Wind farms; Spain must produce a lot of its energy from renewable sources, which is great to see, especially after perusing a few recent climate change reports which aren’t happy reading in the slightest. I worry that it’s too late to reverse a lot the changes that are going to happen over the next few hundred years, with sea levels rising; what sort of world are future generations going to be left with?!
  • Fences made out of cactus; these make an excellent barrier to just about anything I imagine, and you get to harvest prickly pear fruit as a secondary benefit. Note: must include equivalent in my parallel novel idea.
  • Cycled past Trafalgar and its lighthouse, no naval battles in evidence today.

I had to head inland at Zahara, as the coast road stopped, taking the main road (N340) the rest of the way to Tarifa. The road was moderately busy, but fine to cycle on, especially with the hard shoulder to use. A French family passed me, slowing down to ask for directions to Tarifa; I pointed down the road and said ‘vingt kilometres’, slightly bemused at how they could be lost when there are lots of road signs, but happy I could help out.

After a final climb I came down out of the hills to a long stretch alongside the beach that runs all the way to Tarifa, which has various sections for windsurfers and kite surfers, but never the twain shall meet. I passed the Rio Jara campsite, where I intended to stay for a few days, before heading into town to complete this stage of my tour; Nordkapp, the northernmost point of Europe accessible by road, to Tarifa, the Southernmost point, awesome.

Here are some stats covering the ride from Nordkapp to Tarifa (haven’t included the few hundred miles I did in the UK):

  • Distance pedalled: 4,452 miles or 7,165km (need to double-check Garmin has counted it right but appears correct)
  • Number of days: 75
  • Average distance per day (including rest days): approx 96km or 60 miles
  • Number of rest days: urrr, maybe 3, need to check, people keep saying I should have more, and I will when I feel like one, but I enjoy the pedalling
  • Number of punctures: 5
  • Number of new spokes: 6 (all at once due to chain slippage spoke mangling incident)
  • Number of new chains and rear cassettes: 1 of each
  • Number of new saddles: 1 – the Brooks saddle has been a wonderful replacement
  • Min temperature: 0 degrees Celsius, although might’ve dipped below that some nights
  • Max temperatures: About 42 degrees Celsius
  • Favourite stop: Got to be Tarifa, however loads of great stops along the way
  • Next target: Probably Marseille area

I felt pretty elated cycling into Tarifa itself, letting out an involuntary whoop as I approached the beach and Isla de Tarifa. The island can be reached by a causeway, but you can’t get onto it without a permit as there’s a Guarda Civil base there, as well as a lighthouse. Crossing the causeway to the gate was enough of me, with the Atlantic on one side, the Mediterranean on the other, and Africa just 12km across the Straits of Gibraltar. I hadn’t quite realised how close Morocco is, it being clearly visible and almost looking within swimming distance; wouldn’t like to try it though, lot of ships and I bet the currents are pretty fierce.

I paused for quite some time at the end of the causeway, reflecting on my journey and the things I’d seen along the way. I’d made it, stage 1 of my tour completed, with a travelling Lobster, Smaug and the road being my constant companions, along with some great people met as I pedalled through 10 countries to get here (including England). It had been a journey of considerable contrasts, from the frozen North, with lakes covered in ice, and snow abounding, to the verdant stretches of forest in Sweden and down into Denmark and central Europe, amazing old cities, points of solitude followed by great companionship on the Camino de Santiago, and then hot arid stretches through Spain to get down to the cooler coast. Wow. One constant thing, as always, is just how friendly and helpful most people are when you’re on the road, often interested in what you’re doing and ready to assist should the need arise. The majority of the human race really are the same, good and hospitable people, often with their own stories to tell.

After a quick phone call to say hello to my parents, I made my way back into Tarifa town itself, watching a traveller lead a laden horse across the causeway; his horse was packed with tent and equipment in the same way Smaug is, I wonder where he’s travelled from. I took a stroll around, mostly taking in the old town which has a lovely atmosphere, with lots of small shops and restaurants, and with a lively atmosphere but in no way trashy like some coastal towns can get. Definitely looking forward to spending a few days here.

Feeling relaxed and happy I pedalled the few kilometres out-of-town to the Rio Jara campsite, my home for the next few days. It’s a great campsite, and not as expensive as I feared at €15  night, with a bar/restaurant, small supermarket, shaded pitches and access straight onto the beach. Once set up I watched the kite-surfers out on beach; lots of kites zooming back and forth. A bit later on several were careering up and down the river next to the campsite, doing some pretty impressive jumps in the process.

As night fell I could see many lights twinkling across the straits in Morocco, which appeared if anything closer in the darkness. I still need to decide what I’m doing next; Morocco is very tempting, despite a few Foreign Office warnings to the contrary, however it might be better to plan a more extensive trip for some point in the future. I’m also keen to start my journey back up to France to meet up with friends I haven’t seen in about 20 years. All stuff to mull over during my stay here.

Thanks for following my  blog thus far, I hope you have found it interesting and enjoyable. As always if you have any spare pennies please consider making a donation to the Big C via my charity page.

27 & 28 June 2015 – a bit of a rest and into the woods

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Before I recount tales from the last couple of days, here’s bit of a stats summary for the tour so far, which includes today (29 June). Slight warning; this post may have been compromised by the introduction of Sangria this evening, courtesy of the very friendly staff at Camping du Lac in Ondres.

Distance pedalled: 3,441 miles, or 5,538km
Days since Nordkapp: 55 (including a couple of rest days)
Average distance per day: 100.69km, or 62.5miles (includes rest days)
Number of punctures: 5, but none recently, touch wood
Number of punctures in Thermarest: 3 after thorny ground last night (d’oh)
Number of new chains: 1
Number of new rear cassettes: 1
Number of new saddles: 1 – changed to a Brooks in Sweden and it’s now worn in, very good decision
Min temperature: About 0 degrees Celsius – have cycled in a snow storm
Max temperature: About 33 degrees Celsius, supposed to be hotter tomorrow though
Did I bring too many pairs of socks: Yes, as well as a few other clothes I’ve never worn
Favourite city: Hamburg or Bordeaux, with Paris and Stockholm very close behind
Favourite leg so far: Current leg down from Bordeaux to Spain proving excellent, Scandinavia also fantastic, but parts of it very hard work with headwind

Let me know if you’re interested in any other info.

Here are my routes and stats for the last couple of days:

27 June: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/818715809
28 June: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/818715885

–> 27 June
I was up early at the campsite just outside Bordeaux, mainly because the Spanish motorcyclists were up early and it was a very small camping area. I thought I may as well get up and on the road to maximise my rest day opportunities later.

Surprisingly it had rained slightly overnight, and was still overcast in the morning, with a slight drizzle which kept everything cool and fresh. I packed up and pedalled off by 08.30, slightly nervous about the route which involved using one main road marked red on the map. You’re mostly allowed to cycle on these, but they can be very busy, and I was hoping there was a cycle path running alongside it. I didn’t really have much of a choice in any case, roads being less common South West of Bordeaux.

Pedalling to Biganos

Pedalling to Biganos

As it turned out the road was fine, and did have a cycle path running alongside it for some of the way. Compared with the E04 in Sweden it was positively heavenly! Although there was a fair bit of traffic it was pleasant riding in the cooler temperature, through some forest, and the sun came out by the time I made it to Biganos. I pedalled 44.5km today, however about 10 of these were once I got to Biganos as I had a quick ride around the town once I’d checked into the campsite, before having a siesta.

Charlie - the friendly campsite dog

Charlie – the friendly campsite dog

I’d arrived at Les Marache Vacances campsite by 11.00, so had plenty of relaxing time left, but needed to get my washing done first. I was greeted enthusiastically by Charlie the campsite dog, who then decided to have a nap too.

Les Maraches Vacances is an excellent campsite, and I was able to set up my tent in a partially shaded pitch, leaving enough room in the sun to dry my washing!

Washing done and drying at Les Maraches Vacances

Washing done and drying at Les Maraches Vacances

After that it was down to the serious business of chilling out, starting with a Grimbergen beer.

Grimbergen beer - best beer of the tour so far

Grimbergen beer – best beer of the tour so far

This was closely followed by some reading, whereupon I dozed off again, but roused myself for a swim a bit later on on the afternoon; it’s a hard life sometimes.

Swimming pool at Les Maraches Vacances

Swimming pool at Les Maraches Vacances

After doing some planning I went to the campsite restaurant for dinner, splashing out a bit on a very nice meal, served by a singing waiter.

There were several other cycle tourers at the campsite, included one family all on bikes; two adults and 3 children, all kitted out.

I think the cycle route down the coast from Acarchon is very popular; the Velodyssey. Over the next few days I saw loads of other cyclists, most just out for the day but a few tourers too. It’s not surprising as the Velodyssey is a fantastic cycle route, passing through lots of forest, right next to the coast and lots of beaches.

After a bit of a blog update and some Rose wine, I fell asleep very quickly!

–> 28 June
It was a bit of a longer ride today, covering 118km in 6hrs and 40 mins. As the crow flies it was probably half that from campsite to campsite, however I was following the coast and Velodyssey route, which isn’t very straight, plus I enjoyed a few detours.

Leaving Les Maraches Vacances

Leaving Les Maraches Vacances

Bidding goodbye to Charlie, the campsite dog, I was on the road by 09.30, and headed to Arcachon first, through a bit of forest and past a big canoeing centre.

Through the forest to Arcachon

Through the forest to Arcachon

In Arcachon I picked up the Velodyssey route, which is also Eurovelo 1, down the Atlantic Coast. Arcachon looks to be very popular spot for a holiday, with a busy harbour and lovely beaches.

After Arcachon I followed the trail South, mostly on dedicated cycle paths, with occasional bit of road thrown in to keep things interesting. The route weaved its way down the coast, through nice shaded forest where the smell of pines and lavender permeated the air. I passed some enormous sand dunes in Pylar, before arriving in Biscarrosse where I stopped for some lunch; just fruit and biscuits after yesterday’s spending!

I went down to the beach and watched the surfers for a bit, enjoying the sea breeze. This part of the coast appears to be a surfing hotspot, and I can see why with all the fantastic beaches and a decent swell. I was definitely starting to feel like I was on holiday too; a feeling that is persisting but might come to an abrupt halt when I hit the Pyrenees and higher temperatures.

Post Biscarrosse the trail went a little bendy, heading inland and slightly back on itself to go around a military training area. This is mostly why I ended up doing 118km; I could have stayed on the road and cut a few km off the route, but it wouldn’t have been anywhere as nice a ride – the forest trails are lovely, despite a few hills.

I cycled past two big lakes, packed with people enjoy a hot Sunday afternoon, both in the water and on the beaches; loads of water sports too. Just around the corner from the beach there was a nice harbour with sailing boats moored up. A little further on I missed a sign and accidentally diverted to another smaller lake, where it was good to see the Union Jack flying.

After a long ride I made it to Mimizan-sur-Plage, where I had my eye on the Camping Municipal du Plage. It turned out to be a huge campsite, packed full of kids learning to surf for the most part. The Wifi was rubbish so I could do any planning or blogging, but ended up chatting to a retired Scottish tourer, Ken, who has cycled down from Roscoff; good to swap a few stories and tips. I also didn’t need to do much planning, as the route to Bayonne is well signposted along the Velodyssey trail.

Dinner was pizza from the campsite snack bar, as well as a new concoction made up of leftovers; Camembert, bread, raspberry jam and Tabasco goes surprisingly well together! Ken was finding the heat a little over the top, however I’m enjoying it so far; as long as I remember to drink plenty of water it’s fine, and I’m going to start setting off earlier in the morning to avoid the heat later on. The hottest part of the day isn’t midday, it’s more like 15.00 or 16.00, so I’ll aim to stop around then, and do a few shorter legs when the hills get bigger.

One minor issue today; I didn’t notice the thorny ground where I pitched my tent, so my Thermarest mat ended up with a few holes in it, as did the bottom of my tent. They were both however already a bit compromised, the tent by Scandinavian varmint incursions, and the sleeping mat just has a slow leak somewhere; nothing to be majorly concerned about.

Tomorrow it’s onwards towards Bayonne, before turning inland towards St-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the Spanish border; getting close to starting the Camino de Santiago, as well as a visit from my parents.

From Cycle Touring Fest to the Arctic Circle

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The Cycle Touring Festival in Clitheroe wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, after a brilliant weekend. About 200 people attended, including a broad range of guest speakers and experts. It was fantastic to meet so many like-minded individuals, most of whom have completed one or more tour by bicycle, with several having been on more epic round the world or one continent rides, and a few just planning their first odyssey.

Closing moments at Cycle Touring Fest - great bunch of people

Closing moments at Cycle Touring Fest – great bunch of people

There were talks from individuals or couples on their rides, including touring South America and the Andes, Asia, Africa, USA and Alaska, Canada, the Middle East, Australia, as well as more locally in the UK and Europe. Some of the feats of endurance, as well as the commitment shown, and ability to survive and adapt to any environment or culture were frankly astounding, as well as hugely inspiring. I’m not sure I’d have the guts to pedal the length of Africa, or some of the high altitude routes n the Andes, but I guess it’s all about taking things one step at a time and building up your experience. Hats off to the likes of the Laura and Tim Moss, McNeils on Wheels, Tom Allen, Tom Bruce, Emily Chappell, Helen Lloyd, Anna Hughes, Kev Shannon, Stephen Lord; this list could go on for some time, however needless to say there were lots of very cool people there.

As well as hearing about so many amazing adventure by bike, I was able to pick up lots of useful advice and top tips for my forthcoming tour, and any future tours in Europe and beyond. There were talks on equipment, picking a touring bike and bike maintenance, surviving extreme environments, touring as a man or a women, preparing psychologically, communicating your trip and writing for magazines (thanks for the latter Ruth and Scot), to name but a few topics, all in a friendly and inclusive environment. Needless to say I have come away feeling a lot more confident and reassured about my forthcoming ride, as well as with the knowledge that if I need it there’s an amazing support group there I can get in touch with, if I get stuck and need more advice. I feel like I’ve made lots of new friends for life, as well as had the opportunity to meet up with folks like Anna Hughes, and Tony and Gill Pearson who I’ve only communicated with over the internet up until now. Anna has just published her book East, Sleep, Cycle, on her tour around the coast of Britain, well worth a read.

Eat, Sleep, Cycle - Anna Hughes

Eat, Sleep, Cycle – Anna Hughes

Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eat-Sleep-Cycle-Around-Britain/dp/1849536872/

I completed the same tour, albeit slightly different route as I decided to include a few islands, in 2013; rather than go for adventures in far flung lands it can be just as exciting and rewarding, and at times just as extreme, to explore what’s on your own doorstep. You can read about my own ride around the  coast of Britain, and check out the route I took, via my Bike around Britain website – www.bikearoundbritain.com

I could continue to wax lyrical about the event, however if you’re interested it’s probably best just to sign up for next year’s and go along yourself, certainly worthwhile if you’re thinking about cycle touring and want to learn stuff, meet people, and realise it’s not so strange a thing to want to do. Many thanks to Laura, Tim and the whole team for organising and running it. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll be able to give a talk on my own experiences whilst cycling from Norway to Spain to Istanbul?

Oh, and they had a bar, always handy, Saturday night partying left me somewhat delicate first thing Sunday morning. Probably wasn’t the only one though…

The illustrious Kev Shannon - he punched a wolf you know

The illustrious Kev Shannon – he punched a wolf you know

Kev cycled around Europe a few years ago, down to Istanbul; you’ll have to ask him about the wolf punching incident, pretty terrifying.

Sidenote: I’m typing this up flying North over Norway, over stunning landscapes full of snow covered mountains, wooded valleys and lakes, can’t wait to get on the ground!

Flying to Tromso - stunning scenery

Flying to Tromso – stunning scenery

At the end of the festival they gave those of use departing on tour a bit of a send off, including cake which is always a win, so I’ve really started on a high, thanks again Laura! To round things off, and as I was staying over until Monday morning, Tony, Gill and several others including myself headed to a local pub in Waddington (Lower Buck Inn I think) for a few pints of ale and some grub; a fitting end to the festival celebrated with Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, one of my favourites.

Post Cycle Tour Meal at the Lower Buck Inn

Post Cycle Tour Meal at the Lower Buck Inn

Gammon Steak with all the trimmings, awesome

Gammon Steak with all the trimmings, awesome

Lobster on a hat plus pint of Landlord

Lobster on a hat plus pint of Landlord

On Monday I packed up my tent, which had stayed nice and dry despite some pretty persistent rain, said my goodbyes and pedalled off to Manchester. A pleasant ride over a few hills, but nowhere near as many as on the inbound ride, and the rain held off. I even met up with Graham from the festival in Manchester, completely by chance. He’d just got off the train on his Brompton and was pedalling home; we crossed paths 4 miles from my hotel.

After 37 miles in about 4 hours I reached my hotel, a cheap and slightly shabby affair that completely did the job for one night, and checked in. I had to nip out to find a large bag to put all my panniers into, airlines not being particularly sympathetic if you turn up with 4 or 5 different pannier bags needing to go on a flight. I had a few ideas about what might suit, but as I was short of time and it being a bank holiday Monday I opted for buying a large canvas rubble type bag from Wickes, which has loops at the top, in which I could fit all my panniers then tie it up with bungees. I have to report this tactic worked very well, and the bag only cost a fiver so not precious about discarding it at the other end of the flight.

Panniers packed in a Wickes rubble bag, worked a treat

Panniers packed in a Wickes rubble bag, worked a treat

I managed to sneak my bike into the hotel room and spent the evening packing that into the large CTC plastic bag, then unpacking and repacking my panniers several times in a state of slight paranoia. I chose the large CTC plastic bag option for transporting my bike as it’s cheap at £10, you can fit the whole bike in by just turning the handlebars, lowering the saddle, and putting some padding in; for example I used a plastic bottle to cover up the derailer, another top tip from the festival. Baggage handers can also see what it is so there less likely to throw it about, in theory anyway.

Bike wrapped and ready to fly

Bike wrapped and ready to fly

All packed up I tried to get some sleep, after all the TV didn’t work, and Wifi didn’t reach the room, however it was slow coming due to high excitement levels. I think I eventually nodded off about 00.30 and awoke with a start what seemed like 5 minutes later, but was in fact 06.30. I’ll skip over the journey to the airport other than to say when the shuttle vehicle first turned up it was a taxi, in which my bike wouldn’t fit, d’oh; one minibus later I arrived.

Wheeling my bike and baggage through the airport precariously perched on a trolley proved challenging, as did checking in, but I got there eventually. I had to go back to check-in after security as they don’t like bike tools in hand luggage, and there was no way I could do without them. Not sure what damage I’d do with a small wheel wrench and a few allen keys! Everyone was helpful, however it was a great relief to finally get on the plane and start my journey North.

The flight involved three planes, one to Olso, then a connection to Tromso, followed by the final plane to Honnningsvag with a stop off in Hammerfest to drop a few people off; Hammerfest sounds like a cool place. The planes got gradually smaller the further North I journeyed, flying over some beautiful vistas. Needless to say I eventually arrived in Honnningsvag, as did all my luggage, thankfully. I screwed my pedals back on, remembered to pump my tyres up again, twisted a few things that had had some abuse back into the right place, and pedalled to the hostel through the wind and sleet; only a couple of kilometres to a safe haven.

I’ll leave you with a few photos from the journey

My next post will cover today’s ride to Nordkapp and back, and probably the next few days, depending on when I next get online. I might be offline for a few days as I journey South.