July 17: Left My Heart in Lofoten
I am in love! Fantastic food, hundreds of million-dollar views, well-paved roads that twist and turn and dip and soar – what more could a girl ask for? Today’s ride in the Lofoten Islands was one of the most pleasant, enjoyable, and visually appealing of my life. Wow!
Although it was raining and cold when I woke up this morning, I couldn’t help but be excited by the enormous mountains rising out of the bay just a few blocks from my hostel on the southern tip of the archipelago. Looming above the little fishing boats clustered at their docks, the rocky, green-covered peaks rose dramatically up into the cloud cover above.
Heading north on route 10, the open sea was to my right and dozens of little bays, coves, and lakes to my left. The various bodies of water came in so many different colors of blue, I couldn’t keep track of them – light green, light blue, purple-blue, green-blue, and grey blue. The water shimmered and sparkled, much of it smooth like a wet mirror, glistening under the now cloud-dotted but sunny sky.
Beautiful rocky outcroppings were everywhere – sheer cliffs covered in trees rising out of the edges of the bays, mounds of rock covered dirt creating little islands in the coves, and smaller collections of rocks lurking just below the surface in the almost clear water of various sheltered inlets.
The road itself was also a visual delight – a virtual slew of variety as the often orange or green colored pavement curved around bodies of water, dipped under the sea in more than one underground tunnel, and rose into the sky on multiple suspension bridges, one of which seemed taller than any bridge I’ve ridden on.
Rather than stop anywhere for lunch and miss out on any of the amazing views, I pulled my bike over to the side of the road and smeared brie cheese on leftover bread from last night’s dinner, soaking in the sun and staring out at the water. I couldn’t help thinking how grateful I was to be able to experience such beauty given that I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to go on this summer’s trip until a few days before I left.
Reluctantly leaving the Lofoten Islands, I headed east to Narvik for dinner and lodging for the evening. My meal at Furu Gastropub was the perfect end to the perfect day. My cold yogurt soup with poached egg, beetroot, cucumber, and onion was one of the best soups I’ve ever had – light and flavorful but still enough to take the edge off my hunger. The steak I ordered was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful. I am so grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received to help make this trip possible.
