Biking through Snow and Sun in the Fiords of Norway
Thanks to the kind sponsorship, guidance and assistance of Hege Barnes and Fjord Norway, we arrived in Bergen, Norway on July 7th and after roaming around the village settled into our lovely hotel on the port. The following day we took a 2.5 hour train along the Fiords and up into the mountain to Finse, Northern Europe’s highest situated railway station, 1222 meter above sea level. At Finse we stayed in Hotel Finse, a lovely hotel overlooking the “Blåisen Glacier." After testing our bikes and riding in a light then heavy rain we returned to the hotel for showers and a hearty dinner of roasted chicken, potatoes and other Norwegian specialties. By 10:00 we were tired but it’s hard to rest when there is a full light shining through our rooms until late. Regardless, we settled in with books and music for some well needed rest.
Today we awoke to a delightful morning with some overcast ready for our bicycling journey down to Vatnahalsen. We had a hearty breakfast and packed our backpacks with food, extra fleece and rainwear. We were told there were over 45 snow crossings but since lots of cyclists and hikers had been packing down the trail, we figured we would be fine.
With our luggage going to our destination without us, we enthusiastically began our ride from Finse to Vatnahalsen on the old Navvy Road - the Navvy Road or “Rallarvegen,” Norway’s most famous bicycling route. First built to bring in materials to the Bergensbanen Railway which opened in 1909, the route took us from Mid-Norway’s mountain plateau with glaciers and open fields, till mighty valleys and waterfalls.
Had we known there was so much snow and the terrain was so challenging we might have reconsidered the trip especially since the the only option for Luca was to ride a front suspension Mt Bike that was one size too big for him. Riding back and forth to school every day as well as a few Mt Bike excursions in the Fells had paid off for Luca. He is a natural on a bike. Watching him maneuver the bike over gravel, uphills and over snow (and getting his gears right almost every time) it was hard to believe that last summer he was still on training wheels.
Apparently the snow usually melts on the Rallarvegen by mid-July but not this year! The dirt and gravel trail winded gently along a deserted landscape of snow, waterfalls and distant mountains. After crossing about 15 snowbanks, sometimes over 200 meters long and uphill, the ride begain feeling more like an expedition than a bike ride. Although Lorenzo and Valentina’s patience and muscles were certainly tested they kept our spirits up for Luca who was almost lost it on several occasions. All along the way we munched on nuts, hearty sandwiches and on a king size bar of Swiss chocolate
As I expected the bike expedition paid off. Eventually the white, gray and blue landscape turned completely green and lush with flower, ferns and tall grass. The frozen waters melted into enormous waterfalls with clear blue freezing water gushing full force over cracks in the mountain. We eventually ended up at the Sognefjord, a spectacular route filled with contrasts. While there were treacherous moments with steep drops, the riding got better and better as we descended. I have never seen so many waterfalls! As we neared the end of our ride, the path followed the shores of an enormous lake, Reinungavatnet whose waters were so clear and cold. By 6:30 (over 6 hours on the trail) the trail arrived at the delightful Vatnahalsen Hotel. With only two mishaps--my lost glasses and Lorenzo’s knee digger--we were all very happy campers. Upon arriving I ordered a local beer for myself and a large Fanta for Luca then sat on the sun drenched porch and shared our adventures with fellow cyclists from Oslo and Northen Norway. A buffet dinner of fresh salmon and other local delicacies was served in a light drenched dining room. We toasted another great day in Norway!
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