NoWay

And by that I mean all of Norway, from north to south for about 21 days,
covering aprox 2000 miles, along the coast, over mountains, experiencing most of Norways beautiful nature.

I have dreamt about doing this tour for 6 years, since I went on my first long tour. Now I'm planning to make this trip
in June 2013, and I'm looking for tour mates.

Unfortunately, this doesn't come for free, and you have to pay your own way. I'm planning to try to arrange some
sponsorship for the trip, to get free lodging, some gear and other support, but nothing guaranteed.
if nothing else, I will use tent and camp most nights.

It will be a challenging trip. Steep and long uphills, rain, cold and windy. But it will also be the most scenic trip you can imagine.
You'll meet interesting people. experience the midnight sun. Mountains, sea, fjords. Starting at North cape,
we'll cycle over Lofoten, further south over Jotunheimen, ending at Norway's most suthern point, Lindesnes.





If this sounds interesting, and you feel your heart go Yes! Leave me a message here, and I'll get in touch with you

aenlaasu

That sounds like an incredible ride. I've ridden a little in the Nordkapp area though not as a tour, just a day's outing when we vacationed there. A lot of work, but worth it for the stunning scenery. Maybe one day I'll go back to ride that far northern leg of the Sverigeleden.

I hope when you're finished with your adventure you'll share photos here!

MichaelW

Norway is a fantastic destination.
I've ridden the South from Oslo to Bergen. It was surprisingly gentle country until I got around to the west coast.
Wild camping is free but hard to find in the heavily farmed south. Unfarmed land is steep, rocky or wooded and hard to camp on. I often managed to find small areas of flat land hidden away. Locals are always helpful in advising good places to camp. Commercial campsites are pretty good and not too expensive.
Food and drink are expensive, so develop a taste for smoked mackerel.
Thursday is food-tasting day at many of the better supermarkets so make sure you take advantage to widen your diet.

Burton

I'm curious - do StVZO regulations for bicycles apply to tourists bringing their own bicycles as well?

NoWay

You must have lights on your bike, head and tail, but as far as I know, it's not as strict as the stvzo. There's also a lot of tunnels, so even if it seems unnecessary to have lights in the land of the midnight sun, it does come in handy in the very dark tunnels

NoWay

It is a lot of work, but as you say, well worth it I will be sharing photos and keep a blog on the tour

NoWay

I've never ridden in the south of Norway, only north, where camping possibilities seems endless from Trondheim and south, I'll ride trough the mountains, so not too much settlements there, but enough to have decent camping sites and stores.

Going to shopping on food tasting days is a really good idea, and also to go shopping just before closing time, you can get bread, fresh food and stuff that expires on the day for free, which comes in handy, since food is going to be the greatest expense a fishing rod will also find its way to my bike

SortaGrey

I've never toured.. but around a 100 miles a day sounds like too much.. for that time duration. [?].

ak08820

What are the starting and ending airports?
Have you checked how much the airfare from US would be?

Burton

You're already in Norway so is it safe to assume you you've done at least part of this trip previously? It would also help if you posted your own anticipated daily expenditures and goals for the trip. Different people have different comfort levels they are interested in travelling to and it all impacts required gear, level of effort and overall cost.

Not interested myself, but only because I'd much rather spend a couple months on a trip like that then a couple weeks. I'd get to see a lot more.

NoWay

The longest day trip is the last one, 128 miles, the shortest 33, but on that day going from 1100 to 3300 feet.
average distance a day will be 90 miles. Planning on keeping an average speed of 12 mph, riding aprox 8 hours a day.
Some days will be longer, because it will be impossible to keep that pace if the weather turns wild but hey, that's just the way it is

NoWay

In and out from Norway will be Oslo. Then plane to Kirkenes and boat to Noth cape.

fares from the US depends of course on where you are, but from New York it's about 800$ and then what ever the airline charges for your gear. The traveling in Norway I'll try to get sponsored

NoWay

I have done 700 miles of the trip. I didn't put too much details here, thought it would be better to answer questions as they come I will calculate daily cost, haven't looked into that too much yet, but on previous tours I've spent about 1000$ for two weeks.

as mentioned I'll try to get sponsors, and that will of course reduce the cost

It would be great to spend a couple of months on a trip like this, but works make that impossible. But there will be time for some adventures, like whale watching, kayaking in Lofoten, hiking besseggen, and a few other things a long the way

NoWay

Just to mention. If anybody is seriously interested, but feel the daily trips are too long, I can lengthen the trip with aprox 10 days. Nothing is written in stone yet, and everything is flexible, at this point

Burton

Wow! Did this thread die that soon? If I wasn't arleady booked for the summer - I would've looked atvthat myself! Course I probably would've spent an extra month or so too - buy hey - once you're there - no rush going home!

NoWay

Lol, yeah, seems like it did. Of course, if Yuo take the trip, why go home, and there's lots of other places to go biking and hiking, or, if we're blessed with the weather, just lay on the beach XD

fietsbob

22 years ago, I just rode the southern most coast , a few days . Stavanger to Krisitansand
the Ferry Fares to cross the fjords needed me to have had a fat Trust Fund to afford that..
so I went across to Denmark.

becnal

90 miles a day? WITH camping gear?

djb

I know....too much for these legs.

becnal

I wouldn't do 90 miles a day on a stationary bike in my living room.

NoWay

90 miles isn't that far, will be aprox 10 hours on the road a day, and yes, with camping gear XD

fietsbob

yea .. but it's mountainous between Fjords you done a lot of mountain road ascents
with the gear you propose to haul?

what was the rate of ground covered spinning the sub 1:1 gear ratios up those Mountains?

NoWay

yes i have. I wouldn't plan on such long days if I hadn't done it before. previous tours I have kept average speed of 9 mph in montainous terrain, with hills up to 13% and between 5 and 15 miles long. I've carried about 45 lbs of gear. I'm also much fitter now, so i think its very doable. I know the road, and the hardest part is jotunheimen, and i taken that into consideration, and have shorter days there

fietsbob

Well have fun , warn your tour mate prospects you may drop them off the back quickly..

Realistically, If you want to ride fast, might as well make plans for a solo tour..

I averaged about 8 mph , on my Irish, Scottish west coast tour.. but I was 50 at the time,

15 years ago..

becnal

Absolutely. Those aren't touring speeds, those are racing speeds.