Following my recent 2 week trip to the land of expensive , there's some detailed info on the website. Surf to:

http://iain.woolley.net/Trips/Norge2003

for the low down. Have fun all you others headed there over the next couple of months.

Iain

Nice photos AFrear and Iain.
Leaving in 2 weeks! can't f*cking wait!!
Good route discription on your site Iain, I will study it more carefully this weekend.

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Paul,
I think you are leaving on your trip today, good luck! Was good to meet you both at HU2003 and look forward to catching up with you upon your return & hearing your stories.
Have a blast

Cheers
Simon & Mel

Well we did it, a most enjoyable holiday from Kristiansand to Northcape. We mainly followed the E6
The first part of the ride to Lillehammer (YHA 200nok/pp) was a right pain, connect wheels into tracks on road and be prepared to get gassed following the nose to tail cars in front of you, speed cameras are as common as lamp posts. Not really as much of a problem as soon as soon as you find out speed taken from the front.
Our next stop was at Grong, camping 110nok/tent and breakfast from supermarket. Leaving Grong was very overcast and it was not long before it started raining,we passed the POLAR CIRCLE visitors centre with no thoughts on stopping and by this time the road looked as if there were fish swimming in the small ponds. Oh and did I mention the wind almost putting a 45 degree angle on the Pan European? Can you tell this was the worst day? When we reached Narvik, the Frank Thomas over suit had let in water,the Hein Gericke all season paddock was leaking and leather trousers were starting to soak up water ment for the fjord,just as well skin is waterproof.
The next morning saw brilliant sunshine for our run to Alta, a quick look at a map and a look at the latest new toy, garmin gps, sugested it was not far, in fact there was probably another 500km to do leaving only a short hop to the North Cape. Watch out if there is a cruise ship in port at Mageroya as there is a fleet of yellow busses taking passengers to the North cape
We arrived at North cape and looked at the ticket booths and thought why pay £17 each to look over a cliff, hope it does not catch on at Land's End or John O'Groats, and turned around and headed for a campsite near Skarsvag after being asked to move the bikes from the side of the 6 lane width road as there was buses coming in.
The midnight sun did nothing for Niki's sleeping pattern, more of an early to bed early to rise person but she apparently enjoyed the 5am walk and skinny dip in the lake.
The return journey was at a more sedate pace with overnight stops at Mo i Rana (American tourist asks at tourist info, "how many people live here"? Answer - "25000". "how many pubs"? Answer - "1". We camped just south of Mo I Rana and went on to Trondheim turning onto hwy 3 to Elverum (good road with less traffic than E6) ---Kongsberg (hwy 41 is probably a better road for going North from Kristiansand, a good introduction to riding in Norway with a lot less traffic and more the type of road to expect up North)
A few nights before the ferry at Kristiansand gave us a better chance to look around. Niki's bike needed a new rear tyre, the three bike shops we found quoted about £400 for a pair Got one today in Newcastle for £100
Generally riding through Norway gave the feeling of riding thru the USA with single street towns and log cabins and a strong American car fraternity. Not much in the way of a British holiday destination but a worthy challenge to do by bike. Speed limits are strict but a lot more relaxed the further North you go--90km.
I did take Iains advice and took a spare set of brake pads and did have to change the rears
In all we covered 3400 miles


Gary & Niki

we're back!! and what a great time we had!!
I can't really add much more than what everyone else has already added to this thread. I will be updating my website when the photos are developed and add some hints tips and opiniions about my trip then!

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Haven't written something a long time. Been incredibly busy with a lot of things beside prepping for my trip in next September.

Plans have changed a bit. We are not going to ride all the way to North Cap and won't come back down through Russia. Mainly because of limitations in time.

Plan is to take the ferry from Kiel to Frederikshaven. Then ride up through Norway. Turn Eastwards a little above the Polar Circle and ride into Finland. Head South through Finland and take the ferry from Helsinki to Talinn. Then head back to Belgium through the Baltic States and Poland.

Pieter Maes.


PS: can't remember the name of the person that mailed me the maps of Karelia. But I found them back when I pulled out the box with all the documentation I gathered. I'll wire the money to you asap. Sorry for the delay.

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I have finally put my photos on my website so feel free to go and have a look.
Taking into consideration all the other brilliant advice and tips already mentioned in this thread, my tips would be: -
- if you rush up to the north like we did, then really try to appreciate the vast wilderness while you’re there. I feel I only really grasped how special it was once I was further south again and it got more mountainous and populated.
- We intended to camp the whole time but riding in the rain followed by camping in the rain can get a bit soul destroying so be prepared to stay in the cabins every now and again (that’s not to say it rains all the time!)
- Try to go off the main routes and do some exploring of your own – that’s when we had some of our best rides.
- There are lots of beautiful picnic spots that are sign posted. These can sometimes feel a bit busy but as often as not you have it all to yourself. Make sure you’ve got the facilities to make a cup of tea/coffee – there is nothing more satisfying than stopping for a break by a beautiful lake/fjord/glacier/mountain pass and cooking up a nice hot cup of coffee!!!
- Keep reminding yourself where you are and what you are doing and the thrill never goes away!


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I live in the north east of england and I to am planning a trip to Nordkapp with my wife on our St.1100,if anyone wants to email me with routes, tips,what not to take etc please email me