In the meantime, my second season is over and I arrived in Bergen on Wednesday 20 July 2022. The last three rides took me with my bike from Oslo across Norway to Bergen. What a wonderful and special experience.
During this second season, Incar Dansspektakel was put in the spotlight. Anyone who took part in the competition for the benefit of the dance group Incar and took a chance on how many kilometers I traveled in total, will find the answer in the video below.
Cycling Adventure 15 (CA15) is my path of personal growth with which I want to inspire people to develop their own path of personal growth in this rapidly changing world.
I had heard many stories about how beautiful Norway was, but I couldn't imagine it well
On Monday, after my last rest day, I left Oslo for three tough mountain rides. It rained but it didn't last long. I had heard many stories about how beautiful Norway was, but I couldn't quite picture it. The first 100 kilometers from Oslo, the area is very similar to what I have seen in Sweden. There are large open plains interspersed with wooded areas. As you cycle further away, the landscape changes into a spectacular mountain landscape.
Along the way I ran into 32-year-old Austrian bikepacker Christopher. Christopher cycled through Norway from Oslo for 4 weeks. He was well rested and had decided to go with the tent. I myself will only bring a tent in countries where I can't find a place to sleep because otherwise it will be difficult to cycle so many kilometers per day. Christopher and I rode together for a while and then each continued on our way.
In Norway, just like in Sweden, I have cycled a lot on gravel roads. My bike has 28 mm tires and then it is not so bad but it is not ideal. Fortunately I haven't had a flat tire anymore, so the grand total remains at 'only' 1 flat tyre.
On Monday I spent the night in the Uvdal region in a typical holiday home on a beautiful lake. Uvdal is located on the border east of the Hardangervidda, the largest highland plateau in Northern Europe. It includes both the craggy mountains of the Hardanger and the gently rolling moors to the east. The Hardangervidda Plateau resembles an infinitely vast, untouched landscape.
At 5 am I got up to start the queen stage as early as possible. After a few kilometers the serious climbing started immediately to an altitude of 1100 meters. Here you have a beautiful view. You will find many houses that are set back from the road and are only accessible on foot. I still wonder how they were built.
From the Hardangervidda plateau I cycled towards the beautiful Hardanger fjord. Since I was not allowed to cycle through the tunnels there and bikepackers have already been escorted out of the tunnels in the past, I was forced to take the old cycle path that runs along the water. Driving along the trail is at your own risk as rocks may fall at unexpected times. I had checked beforehand whether there was a detour possible, but that was not the case.
I spent the evening in beautiful Granvin in a restored hotel. In the evening the owner cooks a typical Norwegian dish for the guests. The next day was my last bike ride of 16 rides in total. It was a 'short' ride of just under 130 kilometers but with a lot of climbing. The sun was shining in the beginning, but after crossing the mountain towards Bergen I drove through a heavy shower. But that's part of it and eventually you get used to it.
This was my last story of the second season of CA15. It was a very enriching experience in all areas that I will never forget. Thank you to everyone for all the support I've received. A special thanks to Bo Andre, owner of a large Trek bike shop in Mons and his co-worker Kuba who helped me pack and ship my bike to Belgium. Bo Andre is a former professional cyclist who cycled in Belgium with Eddy Planckaert in the XNUMXs. Be sure to visit his bike shop when you are in Bergen.
Some figures from rides 14-16/16:
| Rith | trip from | #km | #Altimeters | #Hours by bike | #Hours en route | #Calories burned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/16 | Norway – Oslo | 179,8 | 2244 | 9u01 | 10u50 | 5935 |
| 15/16 | Norway- Uvdal | 201,8 | 2587 | 9u53 | 11u47 | 6428 |
| 16/16 | Norway – Granvin Norway – Bergen | 128,7 | 1955 | 6u53 | 8u13 | 3978 |