Day #6 Straumfjord / Svensby
Maps, Charts and Key figures
Fresh powder
After a good night, in a lovely cabin, it was the time to go. This stage was supposed to be an easy one... It began with an easy route and a stop to the grocery shop (Coop). Then, I found the Euro bike route signs and followed them across this charming town named Storslett. It seems like life is coming back. And I truly enjoy it!
But, after leaving this city, things began to change, no more flat, just a long uphill, that finished on a dead-end... At first glance... I looked closely... and I saw an amount of snow with a car sign behind.
It was another route to avoid a tunnel, fully covered of snow. But this time, about 50cm of snow, plus 15cm of fresh powder fell last night.
As you know now, I can’t resist and I hadn’t other option, so here am i, trying to ride my bike on this piece of route. I didn’t manage this time, so I walked pushing the bike.
After a long straight line, the route turned to the left, and this was where the nightmare has begun. I sank at every step in the snow, sometime the bike also, and I had to lift it to continue. After a while, I started to have snow inside my shoes, my feet started to be completely frozen, to the extend that I lost my shoes into the snow and realized it after few steps more. At this point, I saw the route i had to reach wasn’t far... but in this conditions it wasn’t so close. It wasn’t a game anymore. I had to extract myself as fast as possible. I finally managed to exit from those 6km of snowy route... It took me about an hour.
A little further, I saw toilets on the side of the road, they were all closed except one door that opened a warm small room. I stayed there about one hour, to regain my senses, dry my clothes, and eat my lunch...
I also checked my final destination of the day, it remained about 55km and I had to take my first ferry.
No time to lose, got back on saddle. and I rode under a nice weather condition and beautiful landscape, a taste of summer. I reached my campsite and everything is fine, hot shower, etc. There are some people in here, I spent my diner chating with another french guy.
A very tough day as we like them.