Narkaus - Maijanen ~115 km


As he promised yesterday the owner of the camping brought a thermo-bottle with some coffe and a sandwich and put it right next to my tent. I was sleeping so fine, I didn't hear it...

After having mygga, breakfast und putting together all my things I started with a new speed record to Rovaniemi: The first ~30 km I did with an average of 23... How do I do that? At Rovaniemi I asked at the Tourist Information if there is any possibility to go back from Northcape to somewhere here in Finland - and - yes, there is every day a bus going from Northcape to Rovaniemi. They printed me the page, and there was written:
"Northcape - Rovaniemi, 01:00 - 17.35 pm, duration: 16.35"
Strange.... 16 hours for this distance? couldn't imagine that... even stranger: 17.35 minus 01.00 equals 16.35.. yes, but there is one hour difference between Norway and Finland, so duration would be 17.35... *hein?*
However, after that I went to the supermarket and bought foodstuff for at least 5 days... *panic* (some of those things I carried with me for a very long time... I just was afraid of not finding any supermarket on the road)

Starting at Rovaniemi I followed a river for the next 1,5 days. And starting at Rovaniemi there was one street on each side of that river for about 50 km. My brand-new special bike-map told me, that I should take the street no. 79 on the one side.... I decided to take the street no. 934 on the other side, because three digits mean less traffic than two digits. No idea why they wanted me to go over there... even stranger: some kilometers later the marked cycle route leaves the main road and takes an unsurfaced road for some additional kilometers... So... is there anybody who can explain this kind of logic to me?!?

Next 35 km were fine as well, an then, suddenly, if they had had a little agreement, wind started to blow, knees started to hurt, and my shoulders tensed up (?) (verspannen)... And for giving me the rest at Meltaus it was raining cats and dogs, so I was wet, wet, wet arriving at the camping...

But the evening reimbursed me: bright sunshine, nearly no mosquitos, beautiful view of the river, and - once more - the camping all for me... noone is going to disturb me ... not even the owners, because they didn't speak english as well...

In that evening, beeing all alone, sun shining, mosquitos buzzing, beeing early I just start to write down some thoughts that were gathering around in my head, about 4 whole pages in my note book. There is every day another possibility of passing time. As I told you, I'm never bored on my bike (and in my tent...) ;o)

Click: Breakfast...
Click: Rovaniemi welcomed me with the Moomins - Characters of finnish books for children


Having lunch at a finnish open grilli: Somewhere, right next to the river, there was a fire place, table & benches, toilet and waste bin - things, that you find sometimes in some beautiful places...
Click: Camping on my own
Click: The view right out of my tent


I love colorful pictures...

Click: A grilli, that you also can find at nearly every finnish camping

Oijärvi - Narkaus ~110 km


Although I stayed up tonight I stood up in the morning at 7 and started the tour at 9 am. And - as every day (at least it seems to me...) - wind in the face...

during the whole day I didn't pass one shop... and I didn't take very small roads. Would that be even worse more northern?

It was this the day in which I cursed myself doing that trip.
The whole forenoon thoughts like "I just want to fly back to Austria. Now!" I damned myself for having this idea going to the northcape by bike. I hated the wind, the rain, the streets, just everything. But a little chocolate and life is much better... In the evening I reached "this damned camping site" that seemed to not come closer (even after the sign: "4 km to Camping"). It was definitively the worst day of the whole trip.

But then, at the "damned camping site" my mood changed very soon. The owner of the bar and camping didn't speak one word english, only little swedish (and I even less...), no italian ;o), but finnish. He was very astounded: a girl going alone by bike through finnland. As I didn't find a shop today, and I didn't want to use my "emergency meal", because I didn't know what the next day will bring along, i decided to ask if there was something to eat. A thing that was quite difficult. but with a little swedish and a little Langenscheidt (small dictionary) he understood my needs. I managed to understand, that he is going to prepare something to eat, I just didn't know what it would be...

Later, after having dinner and a beer, he offered me his computer with internet, some more later he sat down at my table, took the phone, called somebody, talked to somebody, gave me the cell phone, and someone told me in english, that the owner has to go to Rovaniemi tomorrow early in the morning, and he will offer me some coffee for breakfast. Nice, isn't it?

A little later arrived a couple (She was hungarian, he german) with three children, traveling around through whole Scandinavia for about 2 month. We made an appointment for a little later to meet at their tent.

In the meanwhile the man from the camping offered me some ruisleipä (rye bread) and a beer, just for sitting next to each other and try to "talk"...

With the german couple I spent a nice evening, talking about this and that, and I really enjoyed it for the first time beeing here talking to someone in german. It's easier to express what you feel and think in your mother tongue...






I woke up because of the beautiful sunshine this morning

Click: Last photo of camping
Click: Can you see the dragonfly (Libelle)?
Click: The crest of Lappland: No, people there are NOT like this...


Did I ever tell I LOVE those finnish clouds?

Click: Did I ever tell I LOVE those finnish rivers?
Click: Me, Myself, and Angelika
Click: Can you see the toilet?


Even finnish toilets are picturesque...
Click: Zahnpflege einmal anders... /Take care of your teeth! ("Cogwheel" in german can be translated with "wheel with teeth" - Zahnrad)


Sunset at Narkaus I
Click: Sunset at Narkaus II
Click: Sunset at Narkaus III - through the mosquito net of my tent...
Click: They are waiting....

Oulu - Oijärvi ~85 km


Today only a short stage, because the next camping after that one at Oijärvi is at Narkaus, 195 km... well...

The heavy rain from yesterday stopped, I started early in the morning. Also in that day wind in my face. But the streets were easy to find and easy to ride, they were all surfaced.

Today I saw my first reindeers! First I saw two, then one more (I don't know who was more frightened: It stood right next to the street but well hidden in the trench (Graben), so I couldn't see it. The reindeer couldn't see or smell me, because the wind was in the wrong direction. So when I was at a distance of only 5 m it suddenly jumped out and ran away.)

In the evening I got off my bike and few minutes later the wind stopped. Haha... And the mosquitos were even more delighted: No wind, so they are able to fly... *njam* for them means *ouch* for me... It was the first day, when there were REALLY lots of them... Did I ever complain about mitches? Now I have to laugh about that. It was for the first time, that I used my Mygga (swedish anti-mosquito, that I bought two years ago in Sweden but had no need to use it...). So my daily routine changed: It was not longer: Getting off the bike - put up my tent - shower - cooking - bed. No, from now until Karasjok there was a little addition: Getting off the bike - mygga - put up my tent - shower ...

And even if there were clouds all the day, in the evening the sun came out, it was soooo nice! I had the whole camping site for me (and the mosquitos), there was absolutely nobody!

Sadly at about 8 pm it re-started to rain... So I got into my tent. As it's not possible to sit in my tent I layed down, and a few minutes later I fell asleep... At 8 pm! And then I woke up at 2 am, and couldn't sleep anymore... So I got out of my tent, took the bottle of wine (no, I'm not a alcohol addict, it was only 0,25 l...) that I bought at Oulu for drinking that evening, sat in the grass, looked at the sunrise. *sigh* Couldn't things like that happen more often?


Today in the morning I had a look at my wheels... This is the rear wheel - I hope it does it until the northcape: nearly no more profile, and cracks in the side...
Click: The front wheel - that's what it should look like...


That is as well a finnish cycle path... no, just kidding, under construction


reindeers

Click: At the camping site
Click: A whole niemi (semi island) for me!
Click: Nice view


Unusable, but nice to look at...

Click: One more picture
Click: My bike as frame...


Sun rise at 2 am

Oulu - about 4 km: Camping - City Centre - Camping


Today I spent the whole day at Oulu, regenerating. And taking photos. I won't show you all today, because that would be 101 photos... I'm so glad I have my digital Camera with me... ;o) that would be 3 films...

Besides, I'm keen on making photos of arcitectural details and market halls. And there were lots of... - as you are going to see soon.


Click: Raindrops keep falling on my tent...
Click: Those ducks snapped even at my fingers!
Click: What the hell is this for a sign?!?
(The solution - Link to Wikipedia - finnish)
Click: Market Hall Outside I
Click: Market Hall Inside I
Click: Market Hall Inside II
Click: Market Hall Inside III
Click: Market Hall Outside II - Detail
Click: Detail at a House (if just the sky was blue...)
Click: Ship at the harbour
Click: Ship at the harbour - Detail
Click: Houses at the harbour
Click: Market Place
Click: That's me at Oulu in the rain...
Click: Detail of entrance door with Reflection
Click: Detail of entrance door
Click: Church at great light
Click: Front of a House
Click: An anchor in the park?!?
Click: An anchor in the park?!? Yes, as a fence...
Click: The Oulu river on its way to the sea
Click: I hope they won't open the watergates now...
Click: Little piece of blue sky
Click: Lying in the tent
Click: My chaos and I...

Pyhäntä - Oulu ~130 km


This day was absolutely not spectacular. Even in my real notebook there are only 13 lines...

It was raining, so I just put down my head and cycled along. 90 km with an average of nearly 20, then restarted the finnish cycle pathes, how I start to hate them! Sign in this direction: "Oulu". Happy to find those things you follow this sign to a small path, far away from the main road. Another sign in that direction: "Oulu". Next cross: Nothing. Even no idea where I am. So in the evening my average was at 17...

However: I DID IT! I reached Oulu! I'm in time again! Yippie!
And therefore I will stay one whole day at Oulu tomorrow ;o) My knees will be happy, and I have the time for doing that. Feel great! But at the same time this means: No other possibilities to take a day off... Otherwise I won't reach the solar eclipse at the north cape...

And now I proudly present ALL pictures that I made in that day...


Having lunch in the middle of nowhere, Part 7


I guess my bike is happy to be here with me ;o)


I love those unregulated and natural rivers


Cycle path to Oulu in strange lights