Russia-Scandinavia - solo riding for beginners

Great RR! I have similar plans this summer for a Northcap ride!

Well we're waiting....

Loving the RR! :

Verstuurd van mijn GT-P7510 met Tapatalk

I enjoy your ride report a lot,so far....!Keep up....!

I'm in...!

This is great! I really love this story I would like to do the same asap. keep writing

What a great RR

Looking forward to the part when you will be in Norway. 2011 is was a the NorthCape too. A slighty different tour but maybe we used some same tracks....

regards
Christian


P.S: I'm in

Seem like a nice enough couple of blokes. Good RR

The magic of Adventure Rider is that it brings diverse people together To add to this subject of the Winter War, my grandfather was one of 3 Norwegian federal policemen who was tasked to investigate and report on any action related to the war on the Norwegian side in the Kirkenes area. I am sure our forefathers would have been pleased to know we would all share the campsite with one another today

Great ride report. Nordkapp is a must do for the sticker. Lofoten Islands are a must do for the scenery. The fjords are a must do for the roads.

Great report! My grandfather was born in Vadso, Norway and I was thinking about riding in Norway next year. So this is not only interesting in a riding kind of way but also personally for my potential ride next year!

Keep up the great work! Merci vilmal!
(I have adopted family in Zurich)

Awesome RR. I really enjoy reading your comments and thoughts on traveling. And I love your pictures of water.
I hope you change your mind about the route through Denmark on your way back. We would love to host you here in Copenhagen.

Henriette

Alaska to Argentina - N69S54A

Thanks for all your responses, will post another update later today.

Judging from your blog, it seems you took a lot more gravel and dirt roads, which I would have loved to be able to. But there are some routes we have in common. Lucky you, having dry roads on Trollstigen.

Let's hope our grandchildren will still be able to do the same. I recently saw a documentary about Christmas truce during World War 1. On Christmas 1914, french and german soldiers along the Western Front stopped fighting each other, some starting to play football or sing carols together. Of course, after realizing how little differences they had, many soldiers refused to pick up fighting again next day. War went on of course after penalties being enforced by officers, but there is some deep truth in this story, I think.

Being on the other side of some seemingly random line doesn't feel that different so far, the most obvious differences are probably the road signs. I decide to take the dead-end road heading north along the russian border to Grense Jakobselv.

The border runs right through the river.



The Russians are very serious about staying away from borders, but in Norway, there's a road along the border. Still, it's heavily guarded and I wouldn't risk going anywhere too close to it.



Very beautiful scenery at the Barents Sea.



Heading back to Kirkenes, I go to the gas station to get some fuel and food. Unfortunately, no Euros are accepted, so I look for an ATM. The bank doesn't want to exchange my Rubels, since you're not allowed to take them outside of Russia. Nobody told me. Ok, at least I have a reason to go back to Russia now.

Advertisement for proper insect spray at the gas station. Would be great if it worked that good, the mosquitoes are insane!





Only the sign is allowed to smoke. Old times vs. modern times.



I awake to rain and coldness. Temperatures dropped from 26°C to 8°C (79°F to 46°F) over night. Not very cold, but if you're used to summer temperatures, that's a big drop.

My russian black tea pays off.



My destination today is Hamningberg, another dead-end road on the northern tip of Norway. A lonesome and narrow road brings me there.

In winter, this is a ghost town. Only few people have summer houses here. Very rough climate, but beautiful cliffs and colourful water.



I take a small gravel road up the hill in the picture above and explore.



Old WW2 bunkers, a handful of underground entrances and dismounted war machinery. Interesting place.









Tired, cold and with a painful back from the cramped ride, I seek shelter in this Coffee house in the middle of nowhere.



An old women keeps my company while warming up. Or was I the one giving company?



My bags are not entirely waterproof, contrary to my former belief. Drying the stuff in the most expensive motel I've ever been. They wanted 2000 NOK (350USD!!!!) at first, but I managed to negotiate it down to half of the price, giving up breakfast in the process.



Riding west towards Lakselv on road 98 over some cool mountain passes and along the coast. Very enjoyable road.






Now on the road towards Nordkapp, I am stopped by this sign.



Some local harley riders put up a tipi with a water cooker, some instant coffee and motorcycle magazines. Great stuff. I park my bike close to the street, hoping somebody would join me. I take a break for about half an hour and countless motorcycles ride past. I am a bit frustrated, that nobody would stop, not because of me, but I thought riders would hold together. Or something like that.





Honningsvåg, the last town before you reach the Nordkapp, of course lives around Nordkapp tourism. I have to laugh how much useless junk they sell, postcards ranging among the more useful, Nordkapp socks probably not.



The sun shows itself sometimes, delivering great views over the ocean.



I have to try a few times until I get this shot right. Can you imagine how exhausting it is, setting the self-timer, climbing up the globe and getting the right pose?



It is a bit strange being here. For almost two weeks now, I met fewer and fewer people everyday, riding through less and less populated regions. But suddenly, here are huge crowds, lots of tour-buses, cars, motorcycles, everything concentrated at such a small point. I feel a bit out of place and hum this song:

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Well. Been there, done that.







Even my sleeping bag got wet this day, so I test one of the famous norwegian "Hytter" - small cabins on camping places. Comfortable athmosphere, cheap for norwegian standards and equipped with everything I need (a bed, electricity to charge my cameras and a cooking plate).

I love the video. Very well done. A lot of work was put into this. Thanks!

This is the best video i have ever seen on a ride report......I enjoy every second...!Respect!

Excellant ride report. Would have loved to stay in one of those huts but the cheapest I was offered was £40 pounds so I wild camped instead. Keep up the report. Buy a Statoil cup which lets you get free coffee for the rest of the year.

Great RR and FANTASTIC video !! Always amazed at people that will ride into a country not knowing the language and have a great trip. Looking forwaed to more !!!

i see more people have this idea. i would like do similar trip but i would like go true ukraine, litvenia, latvia as well. but alone... i am not sure

great stuff

As has been said,very good report so far and the accompanying video is first class.

It is also good to see an alternative bike being used rather than the usual gs or dual sport.

Thanks for taking the time to put the report together.

Nice report I am in