What a great Norwegian welcome! Today’s ride from my host home in Nodeland to my little motel room several hundred miles north in Vinstra gave me an opportunity to see some beautiful countryside as well as to experience the kindness and helpfulness of locals from beginning to end.

After arriving by ferry in Kristiansand last night, I stopped for gas and snacks before heading to the home Erling and Ingunn, my Bunk a Biker hosts just a half hour west from the terminal. This young couple offered me a home-cooked meal, gave me excellent advice about navigating by bike in this country, and shared a little bit about their lives.

Although I was tempted to travel north along the coast today, I made the call to take a more efficient route inland through the Oslo area, allowing me to have more time later this week to do some spectacular side trips.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the ride both scenic and fun as I travelled through beautiful rolling farmland with multi-colored patchwork quilt crops, small little villages with ships in the harbor, lakes and rivers framed by rolling hills, and what seemed like dozens of mountain tunnels.

I couldn’t help noticing the differences between the roads and tunnels in Norway and those I have travelled through the last few weeks. Although I would not trade the majesty and grandeur of Iceland or the Faroes for anything, I must say I was relieved to see paved shoulders and pullouts and well-lit passageways with room for traffic going both directions.

At every stop along my way today I was struck by the helpfulness of the locals I interacted with. Feeling a little hungry at my first gas break, I asked the cash register lady about the options for hamburgers, expecting to see a microwaveable patty of some kind. She proceeded to offer me three different sizes and a plethora of toppings and sauces, grilled up the patty fresh for me on the spot, and served it to me with a smile. I felt like I was at my favorite burger joint, not the gas station!

When I arrived at my lodging for the night, an elderly gentleman staying in the room next door noticed me pulling out my bike cover and insisted on helping me put it on the Adventure Baby. Then, when I was eating dinner in the establishment’s diner, a local heard me talking with a friend about some of my stops up the road and came over to introduce himself and give some helpful tips.

It may have been cloudy and rainy today, but the people of Norway have been a beacon of sunlight!

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