After a great week with family and our grandson, we started on our bike tour, Monday 23 May 2022. The first stop was at Hesseng where we had to drop by the post office in the store, where we had to send a package home to our daughter with some things we had brought too much of (as usual). Then we stopped by the store to get the food for many days, as there is a long way between the stores in Finnmark. Our plan in the beginning is to cycle about 30 km a day, as not to wear ourselves out completely. It was cloudy when we started the day on which the sun came out and warmed well. Our first night in the open air was wonderful and the tent site we found was just terrific with an incredible view.
We woke up to sunshine and great weather on day 2. Pack the equipment and crawl up to the road with bikes and equipment, there were some trips up and down. While we drove on, the ambulance helicopter came at a low altitude above us and circled the area for a while. We had to check if any of us had gotten lost in the 113 app. Fortunately, neither of us had done something wrong. Then it was on the bike and about 30 new km that day. The sun was shining well that day but we reached Bugøyfjord where we camped below the old football field in the bush.
We woke up on day 3 and felt tired and sunburned. After much deliberation, we agreed to take a day off here. We had both forgotten to arrange sunscreen, so we had to find a solution. Assar found the bus times so it was just to hop on the bus to the nearest shop for sunscreen and something good. Well back after about 3 hours where Heidi had sat and looked after the tent. Johooo we finally got our noses lubricated haha. In the evening we took a walk around and met a man from Austria, he and his wife had driven north in a motorhome. Nice to talk to other people about what they do and what they have experienced. It was also night 🙂
After a good day of rest, it was on the bikes again (day 4). We stopped and knocked on the door to a nice lady to ask if we could throw our rubbish in her rubbish bin. It’s really shameful to throw rubbish in nature. So it’s either asking for permission or dragging it along. The nice lady let us throw our rubbish and then we filled up water from her and had a nice morning chat. We cycled a short distance and then it was “Hike a bike”, uphill it went a long distance. At least it was not the last hill we met that day. It was hot and the sun was shining, the sunscreen was well arranged. During the afternoon it became cloudy and colder. The wind turned and we got a hell of a headwind. We were now cold and tired after headwinds and many “hike a bike”. We stopped at a Sea Sami museum / collections, where there were cabins around the yard. Assar decided to go down and ask if we could camp there. A nice man offered us to stay overnight in one of the cabins which also had a sauna. It was a dry and terrific end to the day.
The next day (day 5) we were going on, in rain and headwind. When the man who lent us the cabin offered us a ride to Varangerbotn, we were happy and said yes. So cycling that day we let go and looked at it as a day of rest. It is tough to start such a trip without the great training basis. There we spent the night in a kind of hotel / motel. Quite decent standard with self-catering kitchen, including breakfast.
After a good night’s sleep in a good bed, it was on to Tana (day 6). It was a short bike ride with nice weather and little traffic, as usual. In Tana we stayed 2 nights to wash clothes, fix bikes and not least rest. There has been little filming along the way, as you have enough with yourself during a strenuous trip. The nature in Finnmark is incredibly beautiful and special. The view over Tana and the river is great. Once inside the Tana Hotel and Camping, it was time to relax with interweb and TV. We went out to have a dinner that was fin steak and mashed potatoes, tasted incredibly good.