Day 4 - Alta to Storslett - first 100 miler
Getting into el ridmo
Day 4: Alta to Storslett - 101mi - 2066m
Um, this is quite difficult!
Right, all pumped up & ready for this first 'big' day. I headed out, at what I thought was an early time, meaning even if it took 10mph I'd be home & dry by 6pm - perfect!
Turns out 2 days' worth of food & 2L of water makes cycling extra difficult on any incline...pros & cons of survival eh!
I stuck on my secret weapon of the day (Taylor Swift - honestly, best cycle albums ever), & headed out along Altafjord.
A couple of minor inconveniences arose - a lot of tunnels in Norway are illegal for cyclists, but helpfully most have an alternative cycle route or 'old road' bypassing them.
The first one didn't actually rejoin the main E6 road - it was barriered. A little annoying to unpack my heavy beast of a bike to get it over to the road!
One alternative was helpfully blocked with no explanation.
Anyway, got to what I thought was the only real town of the day, Talvik, at mile 23. Only 1/4 down, but I grabbed a coffee in their little shop & some oreos & other snacks for the day. Learned my lesson from day 1 - extra food is always good!
So after that fjord, came another one, pronounced 'Longfjord', for 25 miles. It certainly did seem long. I had a 15min hummus sandwich break at the end (thanks for the hummus Alta, it's a rarity here), & my heart sank when I realised I was only at mile 50!
Continuing on, over to 'Burfjord', I saw an open gas station - yay - so grabbed a coffee again. Met a lovely Norwegian dude, who gave me a free coffee (as the one I'd paid for was chocolate...confusingly looks like the word for espresso on the machine...).
A few hills & the sight of the most STUNNING mountains I had seen yet. Kvaenangs mountains.
Stopping recurrently, as if they would soon dissappear into thin air, I think someone was having a right laugh at me someehere... as I would soon end up going through them. Eh oh!
Mile 82, nearing 6pm (why did I have so many photo stops, dammit!), I'm trying to encourage myself by noting how relatively close I am now.
And then it hit me.
That damn Kvaenangsfjellet hill. Ahh!!
The gradient started so extremely steeply, that turning the pedals against the weight of my ~40kg bike, whilst staying sat on the saddle, was almost impossible. Unfortunately my clicking & painful knee meant I couldn't stand up either.
Slowly slowly, thinking it flattened out within eyesight, I pushed on. Knowing this would be bad for my knees. It didn't stop. Around every bend there was more.
What if I have hills like this every day? This isn't possible, especially not for my knee. Do I get off? But how much further would I have to walk? I'm miles away! Hmmm!
With the odd rest for the joints, I continued continuing, & saw a picnic spot/viewpoint sign - this HAS to be the top!
A German couple stood huddled by their car, "would you like some warm tea?!" The gentleman said.
Hell yes.
So I enjoyed a little brew with Peter & Connie from Dresden who, like many, had also lost their hearts to this place.
After a kind offer of warming up in their car, I politely refused knowing I couldn't face setting up a tent & eating dinner into the early hours!!
Off I went,.down a most rewarding, if utterly freezing descent.
I had a mental battle at mile 90 when I realised it was 20:30 already & I saw signs for a campsite...
But, no, must do the 100 & reevaluate my other days when I get there!!
Smoothly bending around a fjordal coastline in the golden evening sun, I finally saw my campsite. Thank God!
The chap charged me for camping, then kindly handed me a key for an unused cabin for the night (I must have looked pretty awful) ha. How awesome!
I realised that these days are long, if you expect to take pictures/pause a little, do 100 miles, then also plan to set up a tent, shower or even cook. Perhaps I need to alternate long with short!
Anyway, I planned to hammer through the next day on little sleep, then cut the following 90 mile day by getting a slightly longer ferry. That would give the knee a break too!
Day 4: Alta to Storslett - 101mi - 2066m
Um, this is quite difficult!
 |
| The ill-fated end to my day- Kvaenangsfjellet |
Right, all pumped up & ready for this first 'big' day. I headed out, at what I thought was an early time, meaning even if it took 10mph I'd be home & dry by 6pm - perfect!
Turns out 2 days' worth of food & 2L of water makes cycling extra difficult on any incline...pros & cons of survival eh!
I stuck on my secret weapon of the day (Taylor Swift - honestly, best cycle albums ever), & headed out along Altafjord.
A couple of minor inconveniences arose - a lot of tunnels in Norway are illegal for cyclists, but helpfully most have an alternative cycle route or 'old road' bypassing them.
The first one didn't actually rejoin the main E6 road - it was barriered. A little annoying to unpack my heavy beast of a bike to get it over to the road!
One alternative was helpfully blocked with no explanation.
 |
| Trying to do the legal thing here, geez! Do I continue & risk it? Always. |
Anyway, got to what I thought was the only real town of the day, Talvik, at mile 23. Only 1/4 down, but I grabbed a coffee in their little shop & some oreos & other snacks for the day. Learned my lesson from day 1 - extra food is always good!
So after that fjord, came another one, pronounced 'Longfjord', for 25 miles. It certainly did seem long. I had a 15min hummus sandwich break at the end (thanks for the hummus Alta, it's a rarity here), & my heart sank when I realised I was only at mile 50!
Continuing on, over to 'Burfjord', I saw an open gas station - yay - so grabbed a coffee again. Met a lovely Norwegian dude, who gave me a free coffee (as the one I'd paid for was chocolate...confusingly looks like the word for espresso on the machine...).
A few hills & the sight of the most STUNNING mountains I had seen yet. Kvaenangs mountains.
Stopping recurrently, as if they would soon dissappear into thin air, I think someone was having a right laugh at me someehere... as I would soon end up going through them. Eh oh!
Mile 82, nearing 6pm (why did I have so many photo stops, dammit!), I'm trying to encourage myself by noting how relatively close I am now.
And then it hit me.
That damn Kvaenangsfjellet hill. Ahh!!
 |
| Looking back down, probably only halfway |
 |
| Unimpressed. When will this end!? |
The gradient started so extremely steeply, that turning the pedals against the weight of my ~40kg bike, whilst staying sat on the saddle, was almost impossible. Unfortunately my clicking & painful knee meant I couldn't stand up either.
Slowly slowly, thinking it flattened out within eyesight, I pushed on. Knowing this would be bad for my knees. It didn't stop. Around every bend there was more.
What if I have hills like this every day? This isn't possible, especially not for my knee. Do I get off? But how much further would I have to walk? I'm miles away! Hmmm!
With the odd rest for the joints, I continued continuing, & saw a picnic spot/viewpoint sign - this HAS to be the top!
Hell yes.
So I enjoyed a little brew with Peter & Connie from Dresden who, like many, had also lost their hearts to this place.
After a kind offer of warming up in their car, I politely refused knowing I couldn't face setting up a tent & eating dinner into the early hours!!
 |
| The lovely Peter & Connie |
Off I went,.down a most rewarding, if utterly freezing descent.
I had a mental battle at mile 90 when I realised it was 20:30 already & I saw signs for a campsite...
But, no, must do the 100 & reevaluate my other days when I get there!!
Smoothly bending around a fjordal coastline in the golden evening sun, I finally saw my campsite. Thank God!
The chap charged me for camping, then kindly handed me a key for an unused cabin for the night (I must have looked pretty awful) ha. How awesome!
I realised that these days are long, if you expect to take pictures/pause a little, do 100 miles, then also plan to set up a tent, shower or even cook. Perhaps I need to alternate long with short!
Anyway, I planned to hammer through the next day on little sleep, then cut the following 90 mile day by getting a slightly longer ferry. That would give the knee a break too!
...and all that vegan food on board too! Keep in there, Alaina, sounds like you are making great inroads into this challenging and epic journey. I know photos really slow us down when we want to get somewhere; I try to take only shots that are too stunning to miss, or that others are unlikely to have taken, such as from a particular and unique viewpoint. Good luck for your strength, your food, your bike and your knees! Derek G.
ReplyDeleteNice tip, and thanks for your kind words Derek :).
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