Little Rouge Explores Norway. The Arctic Highway

[david]

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Dover 07.30



Day 1.

I'm off at last, almost had to cancel the trip but sorted out everything and decided that I just had to go to Norway.

I left Loughton Essex at 06.00 on a very heavily loaded Transalp, M11, M2 onto the 08.30 Dover to Calais ferry. My panniers packed with food for 12 days and my extra large Held Tank bag bursting with sweets and spare gloves, waterproofs and the laptop. Hoping to get to or near Kiel to visit the Submarine Museum on Monday morning.

I'll fill up once off the boat and log the cost's of the trip as for those who are interested and work it out at the end. My Budget is a grand, got new Conti Escapes, did a service before I left incl new Chain and Sprockets so fingers crossed were sorted. Caring front and rear pads as spares and some chain wax. The full going around the world kit.

Bit Foggy on the way down to Dover, but now 45 miles up the coast in Belgium on a coffee stop and enjoying the warmth of the sunshine. Bike looks clean and shinny new.......won't on the way back I'm sure. Loads of thoughts going through my mind this morning as I left the house. One of them was about 5oo mtrs away from the house was "You idiot you have not printed off the ferry Vouchers". So back home to fire up the printer and then in a sweaty huff I left again and didn't talk to myself until the ferry?


I realized while reading The Arctic Highway Guide that Norway was a very important theatre in WW2 and that much of my route across northern Europe was Occupied and equally as important to both sides. With this in mind I decided to go look at the bridge at Arnham and ended up spending a hour looking at the bridge and bits of information. Its a very attractive river bank, so sitting under a tree I promptly fell asleep in the sunshine...........Oh bugger was hoping to get another 250 miles in.

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Arnhem Bridge in the sunshine, so I fell asleep on the river bank and waking to realize I had 250 miles to go before Kiel.
I got going smartishly and cruched some miles, making it to just north of Bremen. Pulling off the Autoroute as it got dark I planned to wild camp somewhere, riding up the slip road i saw a sign for a campsite at Oyten so headed there. I was a nice little sit........Closed. But a sign said (instructed as it was Germany) :cheer: Please camp and pay tomorrow, so tent up, shower and walk into town for a quite beer.

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[brownrigby]

Great stuff.......keep it coming.

I would love to see Arnham Bridge too.

[david]

Day 2.

Up early and leaving 10euros and a note saying thank you I hit the road north and into the Hamburg rush hour traffic. Skipping past the massive container docks into the Elbe Tunnel destination Kiel Submarine Museum.

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Leaving Kiel i stopped for a Coffee at a great Motorbike Shop www.louis.eu then headed north on a country road to pick up the auto route Flensburg.
Crossing into Denmark and 150 kms to Kolding. This is where i made a error that almost scrapped the trip. My map ended at Kolding and I thought it was about a another 150kms to Hirtshals and the ferry. I was wrong with 4 hours to go I was 350 kms from hirtshals so in stead of a gentle cruise at 70 I hammered my Transalp at a steady 95mph. Quick Pit stop and again back to chasing my arse to catch the ferry. A few cars flashed by and at 17.50 I arrived for the 18.00 boat to Norway. Unlike the ferry which was lucky running late, si I fuels up at the auto pumps next to check in and waited. The Jet Ferry used to cross the channel for Speed Ferries for those who remember them.

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My first view of Norway Kristiansand

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I followed some other motorbikes out the dock and followed the E39 east at Flekkfjord turned north 466, 42 to camp at Tonstad. Well over looking the town by a waterfall..........someone in the tourist office should really turn them off at night as they keep you awake

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[david]

Day 2.

Up early and leaving 10euros and a note saying thank you I hit the road north and into the Hamburg rush hour traffic. Skipping past the massive container docks into the Elbe Tunnel destination Kiel Submarine Museum.

P8130035_2012-08-25.jpg (52.18 KiB) Viewed 2389 times

P8130056_2012-08-25.jpg (56.78 KiB) Viewed 2389 times

Leaving Kiel i stopped for a Coffee at a great Motorbike Shop www.louis.eu then headed north on a country road to pick up the auto route Flensburg.
Crossing into Denmark and 150 kms to Kolding. This is where i made a error that almost scrapped the trip. My map ended at Kolding and I thought it was about a another 150kms to Hirtshals and the ferry. I was wrong with 4 hours to go I was 350 kms from hirtshals so in stead of a gentle cruise at 70 I hammered my Transalp at a steady 95mph. Quick Pit stop and again back to chasing my arse to catch the ferry. A few cars flashed by and at 17.50 I arrived for the 18.00 boat to Norway. Unlike the ferry which was lucky running late, si I fuels up at the auto pumps next to check in and waited. The Jet Ferry used to cross the channel for Speed Ferries for those who remember them.

P8130061_2012-08-25.jpg (57.61 KiB) Viewed 2389 times

My first view of Norway Kristiansand

P8130073_2012-08-25.jpg (42.73 KiB) Viewed 2389 times

I followed some other motorbikes out the dock and followed the E39 east at Flekkfjord turned north 466, 42 to camp at Tonstad. Well over looking the town by a waterfall..........someone in the tourist office should really turn them off at night as they keep you awake

P8140074_2012-08-25.jpg (61.03 KiB) Viewed 2389 times

[brownrigby]

Hell of a view from the Laboe Memorial tower don't you think.

[david]

Hell of a view from the Laboe Memorial tower don't you think.

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Inside or

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Out?
Its a great memorial.

[david]

Day 3.
Again up early, I'm a Truck driver I always get up early. Brew on while I pack up and promptly head off up the valley to see the the lake (at that point I didn't realize that Norway is full of things to see and Lakes are very common :silly: So as pretty as it was I'd see better :cheer:

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Turning around I started my journey to Pulpit Rock (Prekstolen) on a island so following the rt 45 I crossed on my 1st ferry at Forsand. It was a picture of Pulpit Rock that started the whole trip off, I love climbing and wanted to dangle my feet above the Fjord below. I parked in the motorcycle area, Brew on and changed into some walking shoes and sorry shorts :dry: I left my leathers and jacket on the bike seat and followed the trail up to the top. it was great to get walking and I sprinted along the track, climbing over boulders. I takes over a hour to the top but wow its so worth the trek.

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Having spent a hour scaring myself and watching people do very daring things and wondering what Health and Safety would make of it I turn about a walked down. It was now midday and the sun was up so I decided that a swim in the Fjord was called for. I got a change of T shirt and socks etc and armed with a towel plus mint fresh body wash dived in for a refreshing swim. Much to my surprise it was warm, even more to the surprise of the others on the beach, I soon foamed up and scrubbed up clean. So did my socks and walking T shirt which I hanged off the bike to dry later.
On the way to the next ferry I was flagged down by a bloke. It took me a while to realize he was a Cockney and lived in the middle of nowhere in a house with a fantastic view of the Fjord. Inviting me in for coffee he said I was the 1st English biker to come this way as I was on the wrong road hahaha :woohoo:
So a pleasant hour talking bikes mostly classic bikes which John owns a few of. Were all welcome to go camp i on his lawn as well.


Catching a ferry I pick up the rt 13, riding past endless Fjords, mountains , lakes (said their was more lakes). On and on the road went, keeping at a steady pace I just drank in the fabulous views on fantastic near empty roads. I got to Odda and started to look for a camping spot and soon found a on-suit lay-by with Fjord side terrace.

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[david]

Day 4.
During the night a couple also pitch up as its quite normal practice and not frowned upon. I got going early as is my way having enjoyed a class of wine by candle light by the fjord. North of course on rt 13 to the ferry at Brimnes, through Vossand a glorious ride to the ferry at Vik. On this boat I got talking to some interesting ABR bikers from all over Europe and the strange thing that bought them together apart from a love of Motorcycles.............they all speak Russian and belong to a forum called Kick-start

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The Russians

They where heading to Elvekrok to see the giant Jostedalsbreen and invited me to ride with them, lucky they all spoke English and one with a London accent that sounded more London than mine.

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We shared a boat trip from the car park and all walked up onto the biggest Icecube Iv ever seen and it was all blue and just unreal. I was beginning to learn that Norway is unreal and beatiful. After the boat trip I made a Brew which gave everyone a laugh and sadly said good bye as I needed to be on the other side of the mountainby night fall. A brisk 2 hrs got me back down the valley in sunshine and into a net work of tunnels. On of which had a roundabout and dipped like a roller coaster. I found a great spot to camp on a old road running by a East to West Fjord. So sunset and sun rise to warm the bones. Lighting a fire I cooked dinner and read my book as fishing boats trawelled below me.

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[Tramp]

cool stuff mate..

Those transalps are Ace B) very well suite to plodders

[brownrigby]

WONDERFUL.