Tromsø - Å: Part 3

 July 22^nd: Stave – Sortland (89 km)

Despite a bit of rain in the morning as we got ready, the definite improvements in the weather were probably the highlight of the day! Most of the day was cloudy with wind, but sometimes we got a bit of help from the wind – and we got a brief glimpse of the sun behind the clouds at one point!

I started with the trailer for the flat stretch next to the sandy beaches and marshes. Andøya is great place to cycle – parts reminded us of Route 1 in California, but with more mountains, and the additional farms, marshes and sandy beaches. 

Andøya

It's actually flat, I'm just struggling to start...

Looking back toward Bleik

We took lots of breaks, despite few photo-ops due to the relatively low clouds, and it was a treat to be able to make some progress today. We supported local business by buying a waffle and some juice at Nordmela – but didn’t find many other opportunities for groceries, accommodation, or toilets before Sortland. The ride was pleasant but otherwise uneventful, except that we now find ourselves in the midst of a covid-19 outbreak. We were thus required to stay in an “apartment” (with its own bathroom) rather than a cabin or tent with shared facilities, but we are quite fine with another luxurious night!

July 23^rd: Sortland – Melbu (56 km)

We woke up to disappointingly drizzly weather, and another morning with no available appointments for Dražen to get his first vaccine dose. The beginning of the day followed the main road on the south (east) side of the island. There was a cycling path or side road to follow most of the time, and it’s very flat, so we made good progress despite the fact that I had the trailer. The farms and coastline were pleasant, but I can’t help but feel a bit cheated out of the mountain vistas on the other side of the water, which were covered by low clouds and rain. 

It's probably quite beautiful behind the clouds...

One of the better openings in the clouds!

We took a longer break before the big bridge, which was not too windy today (but I nonetheless relinquished the trailer). The guard rails on the bridges are low for Dražen, and the sidewalks are narrow, so we do hold up traffic a bit over the bridge, but it wasn’t too busy.

After Stokmarknes, with the glass-encased Hurtigruten museum, we followed the quiet cycling route the long way around the smaller island. The road was very quiet, flat, and pleasant, although the weather was a bit variable. Again, it felt like there were some great views just over the clouds… We decided to call it a day in Melbu, since Dražen’s knee was bothering him and my stomach still wasn’t cooperating.

We’ve booked another indoor night tomorrow and are planning another short day. Hopefully better weather in a few days will help, too!

July 24^th: Melbu-Fiskebøl by ferry, Fiskebøl – Sandsletta Camping (37 km)

What a wet day! We had a lazy start and enjoyed our dry hotel room until check-out, then did some grocery shopping prior to rolling right onto the ferry. The crew insisted on seafastening our bikes and a motorcycle, presumably expecting large roll motions (the route is north-south, and quite exposed to winds from the west). I’m not convinced it was really needed – in any case, it was a much smoother ride than we had a few days ago!

We then spent a half day cycling through the mist and rain. The road is quiet, flat – and probably really lovely on a day when you can actually see beyond the narrow stretch of farmland or beach between the road and the sea! We didn’t see much, though, and were thoroughly soaked despite the fact that it never really rained hard – just a constant mist. So, it’s another easy evening indoors, with the heat cranked up to try to dry out our gear…