Day 32: Steinkjer to Bodø via the Arctic Circle 600km 11hours

I have seen this quote two days  in a row.

But...

What is Happiness?

 

Happiness today is cooking my own omelette for breakfast. The first cooking in over a month. 

I saw the poster at Trixie's cafe where we had lunch made by two Turkish men. 

So far away from their home.

Yesterday two women from Somalia gave us directions to the Best western hotel

In Molde. The next morning we  discovered they knew where it was because they worked there.  

Today happiness is...

 

Huge Chicken salad  and hamburger at Trixies. 

Some workmen at the next table helped us out by accepting our  breadbasket.

 

We had another 350Km to ride

So fuelled up, 

Off we go.

 

Road works.

The roads are being hewn from solid  rock. We rode through a tunnel undergoing repairs lead in convoy by the 'flag man'.

Men with reflectorised hand signallers replace the flag ladies that Team Kiwi got so used to in  north Alaska.

It's ok for bikes to ride to the front of the queue here, too...

 

...  a relief really because we have been following zillions of  motor homes and cars towing caravans. 

Hyperbole intended.

It is 1 July and the country is migrating for the summer holidays.

 

There are no passing lanes and the winding roads make passing a challenge. It makes for slow riding.  

How wonderful when motohome drivers don't speed up on the straight sections of the road and allow us to pass.

Some truck drivers helpfully indicate when it is safe to pass. 

 

 

 

To Bimbo 

A cafe

Where roses grow.

 

 

Then up to about 600m where there are no trees.

Alpine scenes await at the Arctic circle.

What you'd expect really...

 

 

 

 

... But northward, 

chased by roiling water,

down into the valleys, we see

Potatoes being grown,

Hay being harvested,

Cows in the fields,

And strawberries growing.

This seems incongruous north of the Arctic Circle. 

The Gulf Stream brings life here.

 

 

 

We ride into Bodø which is a town of 50,000 people. It is the port for the Lofoten ferry.

The town was completely rebuilt after it was

bombed by Germans in 1940.

My driver has had a huge day,

Compounded by the Garmin navigatorV GPS going blank along the way.  

Brightness of the screen is something we need to fix. 

Brightness on the Harbourside

is no problem. 

We are back in the land of the midnight sun.

 

Happiness is being out in the late evening, around 10.30pm.

With people out enjoying enjoying the warm

evening in Bodø about 100km north of the Arctic Circle.

 

Happiness is...

Beautiful gladioli that welcome us in Bodø.

Happiness on the road is deep abiding joy and contentment. 

Today happiness is being surprised and delighted in the small things. 

We have had a long day on the bike.

Mostly nice weather, not cold, some

showers.

We are all set for a four hour 'cruise' from Bodø to Moskenes  in the southern Lofoten Islands.