Day 24: Valberg to Bodo

87 km and 810 m climbing

Yesterday evening I spent all my time and the local wifi band width on planning of the upcoming week. I had initially in my mind to start the 4 etappe of the Atlantic coast route in Bodo, with the idea to finish in Trondheim. However, the weather forecast is clear. As of monday, the weather will change strongly. Heavy rain for the more than a week. While the south of Norway and actually the rest of Europe turns to sunny weather. Ending a so far perfect cycle adventure with 1 week of heavy rain, doesn’t look attractive.

Now I need a new finish line for my trip.

I decided to aim for the Polar circle, which is crossing below Bodo. To make my trip a full artic trip in Norway from Russian border till the Polar circle in 4 weeks and 2000 km. I like a well defined scope and a good storyline, in the end i remain an engineer.

The consequence of this choice is a strict and heavy schedule for the next coming 3 days. As i also have to reach a train station to start my train trip back home.

Curious if i can make it before the bad weather starts on Monday.

Today I have to reach the end of the road in the Lofoten, a literally end of the world experience. And to support the ambition of the next coming days, I have to reach it before 14:15 as the onboarding of the last feasible ferry to Bodo will start.

So no time for slacking and an early start in the morning. A trip of 87 km is waiting.

At the entrance of Hamnoy, a board reminds all the ones which could not join are being missed.

When I enter Reine, i see again the same picture I made 15 years ago. I made later a painting of this view, which is still in my room at my parents place. Even the cloud om the mountain is still there.

The typical fishermen villages are a real eyecatcher.

And then I reach the village with the shortest name. A which is pronounced as O that’s why they put a o on it.

It is really the end of the road, the end of the Lofoten. And it feels like the end of the world. As the mountains disappear as lonely island at the horizon. It is also a milestone point of my trip, here ends the 3 etappe of the trip.

The French man who took the picture remains speechless when I responds on his question which route I followed. “I don’t know what to say… Euh…Good luck!”

There is not much time for lunch on this nice location. I have to go for my ferry connection, 5 km’s back down the road. 45 min before embarking I arrive at the ferry quai.

On the boat, i Learn that the camp site of Bodo is permanently closed. And the closest is 10 km in the wrong direction. In the correct direction,.it is 50 km further. Therefore I book a budget hotel in Bodo. Tomorrow every kilometer will count, I have to try to reach a campsite 122 km further. So I can use every hour of the day.