2nd July 2023 (sun and cloud, mild, cool wind in arvo) 55km

Had a dream last night about Lady Diana. She was walking down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace.  There was nobody else in sight.  Julia and I were about to cross the road when we saw her coming  toward us.

Suddenly the air was filled with the Bruno Mars song Uptown Funk.  Ju and I began to cross, dancing as we went.  She smiled and couldn't help herself and began to dance with us, a little reserved at first, but as the song continued, we all got right into it.

Just three people in the whole of London dancing to a song that hadn't even been released before she died.  When the music stopped, she just smiled at us, not a word spoken and continued up toward the Palace.

That dream couldn't have lasted long as I didn't get much sleep last night.  And also because that song is only about three minutes long.

Orsta must have nightclubs because the noise from 1.36am until 3.45am with people coming back was constant.  This camp somehow is built both sides of a road that leads to houses overlooking the fjord, so cars were going up and down, blasting music as they did.

This morning, we noticed condensation dripping into the vestibule area. The inner was dry so it didn't affect us at all.

We are about 60kms from Alesund, depending which way we have to travel.  Our distance is determined by tunnels, (some of which we have to go around) or the size and volume of the traffic.  Back roads are always safer and more enjoyable, but nearly always longer.

Word of our travels had spread and this guy thought it sounded like fun, as long as he didn't have to pedal.

Headed out at 10.15am with bodies fed and watered and bikes loaded.  Julia had picked a small road today.  Initially we were a little uncertain, but after picking up the main road for a km, we were into it.

Spent about an hour cycling into the mountains, but the scenery was so gorgeous, from the farmhouses to massive rock faces to snow and ice, that the effort was well worth it.  Every bend led our eyes to another outstanding vista and we stopped frequently to try and capture each stunning image.

When you stop to photograph, sometimes it's hard to develop a rhythm.  However, today we were on our game even though we were feeling it and we got over the top and headed down a long, steep descent which brought us to another fjord, where we sat and ate lunch soaking in the size of the mountains we were admiring.

Next was a ride along the fjord into a head wind. The temperature had dropped a little but we were still working hard on undulating terrain.

Arrived at Festoya just moments after the ferry left, so waited probably twenty minutes in the shade and moved a bench seat there, and shared a chocolate bar.  Next ferry arrives like clockwork, everybody piles on and off we go.

We have 21kms of cycling to reach Alesund, where hopefully, as long as it's not full, we will spend the next couple of days, for a deserved rest.
The next stage to Trondheim will be tough as we make our way up the Atlantic Coast Route.

After riding a very undulating course to the Volsdalen campground, we checked in for two nights, but may well make it three, so that we have two full days rest.

Got what we think is a primo spot, but just as we were setting up the tent, a group of young Indian guys pulled up in the carpark outside the camp playing very loud Bollywood music.

So....hold that thought.

Had showers.....I struck it lucky, as my money didn't run out so spent about ten minutes in there. Back at the tent, we met Antoine and Marion from France,  also bikepacking, who are catching a ferry to Trondheim tomorrow.

As we were eating dinner, we met a German guy who had not only cycled from Dresden, up through Sweden, but had run a marathon in Stockholm. He then went through Finland, over to Nord Kapp, caught a ferry to Tromso, where he ran another marathon. He then caught a ferry from Bodo to Trondheim cycled here and is catching another ferry on his way home.  But he is head down and racking up huge miles cause he's got to get back home.  Very impressive though.

Into the lounge area, which was empty, surprising as the camp is now full tonight. We just need to charge our phones badly.  The area down the back of the camp is full of tents and the German was telling us that around Lofoten, there are so many cycle tourers and camper vans, that the campgrounds fill really quickly.  From now we will be following the Atlantic Coast Route so will likely run into way more bikepackers than we have so far.

It'll be quite different seeing that many tourists, as we've hardly seen any on the back roads in the mountains.

Spent as long as we could in the lounge, before they closed for the night.  Definitely looking forward to a couple of days off the bike and reviewing what's to come next.