July 12: Bergen Camping – Nautesund Camping (82 km)
Our first “real” day of cycling can be described as wet,
hilly, and pretty. We had a fairly slow start, but had the good fortune of dry
skies as we packed up our things and ate breakfast. As soon as we started
cycling, though, we were back in drizzling rain. The first part of the ride
wasn’t particularly exciting – we were mostly on a cycling path next to the highway.
There were two big suspension bridges which we crossed, and I think that they
can give beautiful views of the water and islands, but we couldn’t see much in
the weather conditions as they were. The day got slightly better as we passed
Alvesund and we could actually see a bit more of the sound (and the islands in
the sound) as we passed there.
As we headed up via Radøy, Manger, and Bøvågen, we followed
the indicated cycling route. We
didn’t seem to be making very fast progress, and I think that the marked route
has a few hilly detours from the road that were taking a toll on our legs. Despite
the extra hills, the proposed route was extremely beautiful. There was a lot of
idyllic pastureland, with goats, sheep, and cows dotting the steep slopes, as well
as a bit of “rainforest,” and some coastal sections with fishermen’s cabins
along the water. At one point, we were almost dry! That was, of course, too
good to be true, and the rain picked up again and again, especially after the
ferry. We picked up some groceries and made our way to the campsite in heavy
rain, with a brief respite which was almost long enough to pitch the tent.
Fortunately, there was a shelter where we could make and eat our dinner during
the continuous showers. Unfortunately, the entrance to said shelter was very
slippery and Dražen suffered a fall. He’ll have some bruises tomorrow…
(Along the road near Alversund)
Nautesund Camping
July 13: Nautesund Camping – Askvoll (91 km)
We woke up early to cloudy skies and fog, with everything
still soaked from the previous day (though the inside of the tent was still
dry) and were extremely inefficient getting started. We made some back-up plans
(cycling 150 km to Førde) in case of really bad weather, and Dražen was
extremely cranky with wet feet and wet clothes. It was my turn to take the
trailer, and I was lucky to have a flat start on coastal roads. The skies were
cloudy, but not rain fell as we made our way toward the first ferry. We had to
cross over one big (at least, it felt steep!) hill on the way to Rutledal, but
we made generally good progress and got there around 10:15. Unfortunately, the
ferry didn’t actually go until 12:10, so we had a long break to eat, warm up,
and try to dry out our wet gear.
While waiting for the ferry, a Dutch couple (who had stayed
at the same campsite) arrived by bicycle and we were able to chat a bit with
them. They are headed from Bergen to Nordkapp and are therefore required to
cover a bit more distance per day. As we chatted, the first few hints of blue
sky also showed themselves. With full bellies and promising weather, we cruised
along the lovely coastal road for 15 km or so before heading inland (and
uphill) into the forest. Across the water, we could see steep mountains with
rocky cliffs. As with all uphills when I tow the trailer, this one was slow,
but I made up for it on the flat section around a pristine lake. Eventually, we
got back to coastal surroundings, and I was running out of gas but determined
not to stop before reaching the next ferry (options: 15:50 or 20:15). We made
it there in good time, so I was able to binge on PB&J while waiting. We
were in Askvoll a bit early, but having found no better lodging options at
Stongfjord, we decided to get groceries, make camp, dry out the tent, and enjoy
some showers. It’s a lovely evening in Askvoll, and the campsite is slug-free!
Camping at the small boat harbor in Askvoll.
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