Somewhere out there -  Eikesdalen - Fjords and the Midnight Sun - CycleBlaze

June 16, 2009

Somewhere out there -  Eikesdalen

It's trying to rain as I pop to the local supermarket for my usual breakfast stuff, so afterwards I opt to hang out in the cultural center again using the wi-fi and have a couple of super coffees. By late morning I am off, slightly buzzing and riding in light showers as the road climbs a low peak and then drops to the ferry at Kvenna, where I wait 20 minutes for the boat to arrive to float me across to Rykkjem (27 krone). 

Looking through the drizzle towards Surnndal and the U-valley I'll ride up
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Once across I pedal towards Surnndal, through a long tunnel from which I emerge to peer through the bleak blanket of rain at a huge U-valley with the small town below, spread along the fjord's distant shoreline like a miniature model and I get there at around 5pm to find the tourism office has already closed. As luck would have it across the street is Surnndal Cultural Centre and I go in to shelter and sit and use the free wifi and Skype my wife while the rain comes drizzling down.

There's a kebab place nearby so I dine there before heading out to the Youth Hostel, which is a few kilometers west of the centre; not that Surnndal really has one to talk about. 

The hostel manager is a friendly guy and I use his computer while he chats and produces from somewhere a profile of the ride I plan to do; the track to Litldalen and over to Eikesdalen starts right outside the hostel and runs up a large U-valley, one that I had gazed at yesterday from across the fjord in the rain. It goes up, levels out and then drops down. Around 100km total. There's not much up there, but I have a bit of food left. 

The online forecast is for good sunny weather tomorrow. While all this is happening my dirty laundry is getting hot-washed and I'm enjoying a couple of cold Norwegian beers. Pricey, but good.

Today's ride: 65 km (40 miles)
Total: 392 km (243 miles)

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