Hey Ian,
Funny that you leave a note today, because I was on your website today. I wanted to show someone some pictures of Norway (the silly buggers didn't understand why I wanted to go!) and I remember your website had some great pics!
Yep, these scandinavians sure are friendly and helpful!
I;ve been studying maps and planning what I want to see, but my trip is still months away http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/frown.gif
Your's is getting pretty close now, hope the politics doesn't cock it up for you...keep us updated on your plans

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Hey Paul and Ian,

Paul just went to have a look at your website. Nice one, it's fun how somebody gets the impression he is following a proces instead of just watching pictures.

How is preparing for my trip going... Well, I started to work very detailed on the route.
I will be buying maps via Genimaps in Helsinki. But they just have to tell me how much shipment will cost.
Planning on ordering map of Finland, 1:800.000 with indications of paved and unpaved roads.
And more detailed (I think 1/400.000) of the North part of Finland.
For Norway I am considering 2 Capellen maps. Don't know wich sections by hard.
Don't know yet wich maps for Sweden.

Tomorrow I am receiving the software to hook the GPS up to the labtop. The I can really start making the route.

I decided I wonna take my labtop with me: love to write stuff (and I can type quicker then write), helps me to keep track of my route (upload and download routes), storage for digital pictures,...
But this also means I gonna redo the extra electrical wiring. (thermometer, GPS, 12V socket for charging lab top,...)

Lots of work to do still. Lucky I have still a couple of months.
If you guys are interested I can mail you the roadbook I am working on when it is a bit more done.

Paul, when are you going? If you want I'll let you know how I find the maps. And if you want, why don't you use them? I'll mail them down to you and you simply mail them back after the trip. Let me know what you think.

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

Had a quick look at your site, PaulJ, going to have a proper look later after work - looks good though!

fireboomer - I've tried a few GPS/computer mapping options, and I've got to say I think I've now found the ultimate! It's at www.memory-map.co.uk or www.memory-map.com (US), and the beauty of it is it uses raster maps rather than vector maps, i.e. _real_ maps! In fact I bought the whole of south of UK in true Ordanace Survey (UK govt. mapping agency) 1:50,000, identical to the paper versions, for GBP 160 (a bargain in itself!) with the software, and they chucked in a 1:1,000,000 Europe atlas with it!

You can also scan and geo-reference your own paper maps (if you've got plenty of patience!), in fact I've done so with my Michelin 953 (only joking, Michelin!), as I couldn't find any digital Africa maps. It's uncanny how accurate it is - you view your location according to the programme at grid intersections and there's only a very small error. This enables you to then plot waypoints, routes, and as simply as right-clicking upload them to your GPS (or download). Your maps at different scales are loaded at the same time as a background, so you plot things and instantly view them on different maps, including even satellite photos (available for UK at GBP 60 for 1/12 of country). You can also track your progress in real-time.

I might sound a Memory-Map salesman, but it really is impressive! I've used Garmin's programme and Autoroute, but they're basic in comparison. I think they might do a trial version for download. The only thing it won't do is routing (i.e. shortest, quickest, etc.).

Hi Ian,

Looks good, but there is no Mac version. So wont buy your salemans-talk ;-))))

Ah yeah, mayby the info above should go in the 'navigation'-forum. Moderator?

Pieter.



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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

fireboomer - I've copied the above there onto the thread asking whether Fugawi is any good.

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ichapp.users.btopenworld.com

fireboomer, thanks for the offer of the maps, yes please let me know what your maps were like. I have bought one for Norway, it's a map book at scale 1:300 000 called Veiatlas Norge and looks pretty good, but I will need maps for Sweden and Finland. I can't comment on all the GPS stuff you chaps have been discussing...far too high tech for me!

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Paul,

What's your plan with the roadbook? Take it apart and only take the parts you need?
I have considered the same thing for Sweden and Finland. Downside is you can't laminate every page I guess. Also switching pages all the time...
Pricewise I think it might be cheaper. Not sure though.
I'll keep you informed on the maps. Extremely busy at work. Can't think about planning for a couple days.

[This message has been edited by fireboomer (edited 12 February 2003).]

I guess I will be turning pages alot, but it fits nicely into my mapcase on my tank so no need to take it apart. I chose it for two reasons, 1 the scale and 2 it was highly recommended to me.
I have booked my ferry tickets now, so it's just plan and wait for me now. Still need to buy some kit though, e.g. sleeping bags, bigger cooking set (mine from my Morocco trip is only big enough for 1 person), bike to bike radios and I'm also thinking about getting one of those chala lamps from Touratech, they look really useful but are pretty expensive! From the information we've been getting you can camp just about anywhere in Norway so one of those lamps will prove very useful!
I also want to get a couple of jerry cans and attach them to my passenger footpegs like you said. I don't think they will be really necessary in Scandanavia but if I take them with me (empty) I can experiment with how to attach them, then when I do THE BIG TRIP I should have a good idea of how to pack things. Did you use 10L or 5L cans?

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Think I mentioned 10l cans in an other post. But that was a mistake. I used 2 5l cans.
I simply attached them with two straps each. One for vertical movement and one for horizontal movement. Worked fine, didn't manage to throw them of.
You should pay attention for the fact that they do pose a little more danger to your lower legs though. If for some reason you set you foot on the ground while still moving then there is a change you legs gets hurt when it meets the jerrycan.

For the rest looking forward to read about your trip. Can't wait to see pictures and match them with your route and then start puzzling some more on my route again.

Just caught this thread, and thought I'd mention that I'm off to the Nordkapp next month as well. Going with a mate (from Guildford wouldn't you know!) on two Africa Twins. Doing the Fjordline ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, a couple of days in the fjords, then up the coast. We're leaving the weekend before mid-summers day, with the intention of being in Hammerfest for the weekend of the 21/22nd June.

In terms of planning we're doing the minimal thing; got the ferry booked, bought a map, and that's about it.

For accomodation we'll be looking for those log cabins at campsites, with a tent as backup. We'll probably stick to the E6 on the way north, but after the mid-summer weekend we'll decide wether to head south through Sweden, or take in a few places we didn't see on the way north.

Does anyone know what the cost of unleaded petrol is in Norway and Sweden at the moment?

Iain

ps Looks like most European bikers do the same trips. Here's my Morocco photos: http://www.geocities.com/is_woolley/Maroc2001

Hi, unleaded costs 9.17 SEK (0.98 EUR) per liter in Sweden, 9.01 (1.11 EUR) in Norway, so fill up gas (and groceries and anything else you'll need) before entering Norway.

Hi Iain,

Could you tell me where you bought the windshield on your XT? I've been looking for a simialar one for my girfriends xt 350

Cheers, Aubrey.

Hmmm, it would appear that fuel is pretty much the same cost in the UK as in Scandinavia. Currently we're paying about 0.75GBP for unleaded, which is about 1.05EUR.

The windscreen on my old XT6E came from Dave Lambeth in the UK. It was a generic screen made of thermoset plastic, which I cut to fit the XT headlamp and then sprayed green to match the bike. It was a right pain to fit to the bike though. But it did keep the wind off me during the long motorway blast across Spain. Since then I've seen a few different screens on rally prepared XR650s, and these look to be much tougher items.

Iain

Hey Iain,
You're right...we all seem to be doing the same trips haha! Liked your Morocco pics, nice bikes too. So you're doing this one on a AT, yep Honda is the way to go!
I am leaving end of July now, got ferry tickets booked and thats it. Hoping to plan some dirt track routes before we go, nothing too difficult thought as it's the girlfriends first big trip on her Transalp.
Good question about the cost of petrol, I was expecting it to be more.

Does anyone know the cost of petrol in Sweden and Finland?

Let me know how your trip goes, any tips and photos when you get back ok. So your mates in Guildford as well...not seen a AT around here, but I'll keep my eyes open.

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Do go to the Bukkeritet ?
aug.14-17
http://www.otc-mc.org/english/bukkerittet.html

I'll be there

Freek