“ a conclusion is the place you got to when you got tired of thinking”…

Please watch the Relive video here: https://www.relive.cc/view/vdORj1m5LKO

On the Road: 131 km/ 81 miles. I Elevation 8,112 ft/ 2,475 metres

Today was the second to last day of Stage 1 of the Vikings bike trip. In the grand tours like the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, there is one long stage and is called the Queen’s Stage. Our ride today was the longest and most challenging of Stage 1. It was also cold (we are on Norway after all!) with periods of rain.The morning started out at 6C and light rain. As the day progressed, temperatures dropped to as low as 2C as we ascended into the mountains. High temperature was 11C with sun and cloud and the odd shower., typical Norwegian weather we are told.

What a day we had as we headed across the empty centre of Norway!….kind of tundra like.

We now have ridden into Dalen from two directions and realised there is no way out which is not up! Our first 6 km retraced our original entrance into town and the climbing continued from there – the morning’s ascent was around 12km and 2,297 ft/700m elevation gain.

From there we undulated over the plateau along glaciated lakes with beautiful scenery of ice on lakes, snow and the occasional waterfall.

There were no towns or villages today at all, so we detoured an extra 3 km to a nice warm cafe for our lunch spot. A big pot of creamy fish soup and open faced sandwiches was prepared for us, much needed to warm our insides and give us energy for the afternoon climbs

Onwards we rode with more amazing quiet roads, tundra like landscape, incredible views of the surrounding mountains and glaciated lakes which made for an epic afernoon’s ride.

We climbed for over 20km, an average elevation grade of 7.5%. We summited onto a plateau towards the Setesdalsheiene mountains into the Utsikt Tjodanpollen, note we were on the highest paved road in southern Norway which is closed at least 6 months a year, and it was beautiful – rocky formations, spattered lakes across the landscape and all with a perfect ribbon of tarmac winding its way through.

After a long switchbacked descent and 130km we made a left turn for the final kilometre, which was a climb of 5% grade…an uphill finish for our Queen’s Stage of the Vikings Stage 1. This climb is dubbed “Norway’s Col du Tourmalet because it has similar length, 20km, and similar avg grade, 7.6%.

Sorry to see Robert and Sue (NZ), Mary, Bill, Michael and Michelle (USA), Barb (Canada) and Janice(UK) leave us and not continue to Stage 2. Also guide Julie and guide/soigneur Christiana leaving as well. Thanks for riding and safe journey home.

Life is good in Fidjeland!