Nordkapp the Hard Way

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Karl
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Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

I'm setting off from home (SE Manchester) on 1st March and riding a fat bike all the way to Nordkapp, Norway arriving 25 days later. I've mapped the route out and it stands at 2871 miles :shock:

If you guys are interested the route I'll be taking is here. https://karlbooth.com/2017/02/14/nordkapp-the-hard-way/

I'm hoping to raise £2500 for Water Aid, any donations are much appreciated http://www.justgiving.com/wheelcrazy :-bd

I'll keep you posted on progress. I'll have a spotwalla page available soon.

Twitter updates here https://twitter.com/Wheel_Crazy
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Good luck fella - riding a fat bike 28.71 miles is enough :wink:
May the bridges you burn light your way
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

Wish I'd planned to use a Yorkshire fat bike aka e'fatbike :lol:
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Charliecres
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Charliecres »

That's bonkers. Good luck to you sir.
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GregMay
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by GregMay »

Most excellent :)
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fatbikephil
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by fatbikephil »

Nice one Karl, I'm jealous. Fat bike should be the tool for the job in the far north - good luck and look forward to the photos.
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

Thanks guys. Just getting to the north might take a little longer :-bd
ianfitz
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by ianfitz »

Should be fun Karl. Hope you enjoy
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Mark E
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Mark E »

Good luck Karl. It looks like a great trip and I look forward to the updates. Mark
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NorwayCalling
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by NorwayCalling »

When you said the hard way I thought you were going to be riding through Norway and not taking the easy way through Sweden... :wink:

2871 miles ... in 25 days... in winter.... 114 miles per day (no days off) do you think this is ummmm a bit unrealistic? I have been that way (in summer mind) and its a long way.

Looking out the window, its snow on the ground, so frozen ice roads. I cant see this changing over the next few weeks - hence the fat bike I suppose? Do you have studded tires on it? Going to need them - just not until you are in Sweden, so will be warn away to nothing if you are riding from Manchester to Stockholm! The roads are not always the soft loveliness in your picture(on your blog) but when the wind gets on the compacted snow, its just sheet ice.

You may have issues with the Nordkapp Tunnel (it has automatic "doors" in the winter... google it) but its also not a nice ride with 10% down and up (240 ish m subsea) makes an interesting, just not pleasant ride! I dislike riding in the tunnels over here, mostly (in Norway) you are banned and have to take a longer detour (the old road in many cases) but "up north" with the lack of traffic you can ride most of them anyway. Its an experience riding then I can assure you (if you haven't already done so).

Mostly thought, I hope you like trees... your route has lots of trees.... more trees than you can shake a stick at.... oh and some more trees. You may end up thinking Sweden is just trees... Then all of a sudden, no trees and a wind that can cut you in half as you hit the arctic proper.

All I can say is RESPECT for attempting to do this in the time limit you have set yourself and please do not underestimate the cold and how dehydrating it is.
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

Cheers NorwayCalling. It is a long way I know. I'm expecting very long days in the saddle at the start to give me some contingency, training has gone well though and the fat bike is pretty quick which is good. Thanks for the info about the tunnel. I was aware of the doors, hopefully me and the bike will trigger the door to open or I could be a while :lol:

It's a challenge. I've kept the route fairly flat(ish) to help get the distance in at the start. The lovely snowy pic was in the Jura mountains with Gian in January doing some "training". The snow was lovely but slow going in places.

I wanted a challenge which was a step up from the highland trail...I think this is it :-bd
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NorwayCalling
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by NorwayCalling »

Karl wrote:
I wanted a challenge which was a step up from the highland trail...I think this is it :-bd
As one of (possibly)the few on here to have been that way, i know what is ahead of you and I will say it again... RESPECT :-bd for doing it in March.

At least its getting lighter now, I think its around March 20th that we will be getting close to the equinox so at least 13 hours of "daylight" to ride by and more every day you go higher up.
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

Ive started my adventure. You can follow me here...
https://karlbooth.com/2017/02/28/follow-me-live/
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NorwayCalling
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by NorwayCalling »

Somethings not right... spotwalla suggests he is heading back towards Maidstone...

Not something you would do voluntarily in my book :wink:
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Borderer
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Borderer »

Back in the right direction again now.
icewiggi
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by icewiggi »

It was great meeting you this morning Karl, hope you got everything sorted in Maidstone. Look forward to following the rest of your adventure.

Sam
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

Hi Sam.

Thanks for helping us out. I ended up sat on a bench outside a pub with a gas soldering iron and my dyno to usb converter in bits....amazingly it worked. :-bd

Starting to make progress but I'm sure this bloody rain is following me!

Thanks for following me guys!
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PaulB
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by PaulB »

Good luck Karl.
I have experience of Northern Scandinavia in both winter and summer. As Norway Calling has said... respect. Lots of luck to you, will be watching closely.

All the best

Paul.
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yeha
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by yeha »

I thought this deserves to be bumped as he's nearly there. Only a few km to go.
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go - T.S.Eliot.
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Mart
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Mart »

Nearly there - well done lad :-bd
2924 miles per Gallon
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NorwayCalling
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by NorwayCalling »

Weathers not playing fair, to get so close and so quickly then to get snowed off, must be frustrating. Looking at the local cams and weather, its not looking great tomorrow either and the road to the tourist center at the Kapp itself does not look like it has been plowed, so maybe more fun and games ahead.

Either way, fantastic ride.
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Karl
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Karl »

I made it...at last. Like NorwayCalling said the road hadn't been plowed until this morning (and it was deep). I sneaked past the barrier and followed the plow to Nordkapp. Weather was good this morning, think I got lucky. I'll write a full report when I get home but I can promise you it was an adventure. Randomly off to a fatbike race tomorrow after meeting a nice bloke who was helping organise it on my way up to Nordkapp....happy days :-bd
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Well done fella, looking forward to hearing the stories first hand :-bd
May the bridges you burn light your way
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RIP
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by RIP »

Very easy for me to sit here in the pub and say 'oh jolly well done'.... and then I pause.. and I think a little harder... and I try to feel it.... then.... 'well done'??? What am I saying...Two and a half thousand miles to the North Cape... no words.... stunning....
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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fatbikephil
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Re: Nordkapp the Hard Way

Post by fatbikephil »

Well done Karl - ITI next? :wink:
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