OoooOooh North Cape 4000 . . . .

[adjustablewench]

Just added this to the calendar

http://www.northcape4000.com

More details to be released soon apparently:)

[whitestone]

Wow!

So where's Pie Town going to be?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm assuming by the website header that this is a road based event?

[Ian]

I think so, and being European, it's 4000 km?

[Ian]

The cool thing will be the midnight sun thing once you get inside the arctic circle.

[pistonbroke]

Did a motorbike trip to the North Cape about 10 years ago, 2 of us on similar Aprilia Caponords(see the connection?) We took the ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, sadly no longer running, and rode 1500m up the Norwegian coast which is spectacular, arriving there was a massive anticlimax as the whole place was shrouded in fog. Didn't pay the £20 entry fee for the visitor centre as there was nothing to see. Wonder how they will overcome the 10km tunnel onto Magaroya island on which the cape is situated? When you get onto the island, you think it's done but there's another 60miles to go, the distances are vast up there and 24 hour daylight takes some getting used to. Returned on a similar route to the race, across Lapland and the Gulf of Bothnia, the whole trip was 4500 miles and we did it in 2 weeks, definitely not enough to see the sights properly. Given the miles of forest roads with little choice in Lapland, I'd guess some sort of gravel bike would be needed. Spotted an elk whilst riding along said forest roads, they're massive!

[gairym]

We drove a similar(ish) route up to northern Sweden for our honeymoon.

It's fairly epic up there!

The lower half would be very different but amazing riding terrain also.

Less climbing as the route progresses too (which would be welcome).

That's a once in a lifetime route - now to get spousal permission.....

[adjustablewench]

May be just the kind of gentle road ride I need to get back into things when I'm fixed

[Wotsits]

I've also been to North Cape on the way to Spitsbergen, but like pistonbroke couldn't see a thing because of the fog!!

Fair trek from Florence on a bike though!

[adjustablewench]

Yes it would be brilliant. . . Not sure how work would take it though!

[ianfitz]

May be just the kind of gentle road ride I need to get back into things when I'm fixed

Hmmm.

[LSJ]

Apart from the the sheer number of kilometers.,depending on how they plan the route, it can be a challenge. The obvious climbing in the start. Further up Germany you have the Sächsische Schweiz. Then when you get close to the first ferry point (close being appx 150 200 km before), the tracks can be loose sand for kilometers (think dunes at a beach). Lower part of Sweden, gravel roads. When you get to Finland a lot of forest roads (the infrastructure sucks in Finland), often unmaintained. It's Enduro motorbike heaven up north in Finland. And same will go for Norway, apart for a lot more paved roads.

When you get to Sweden sometime mid/late August you get pestered with mosquitoes, which will be even worse in Finland. And as some mentioned, you will experience the long days (it won't go completely dark, but you'll experience the 3 levels of twilight and one of them would be as good as dark. but no nights) which really can mess up the mind and body.

Just my initial thoughts, I wouldn't have the stamina to take on that challenge. But like the idea.

And alternative could be the trans Germany. They rode the first one this year.

Lars

[cyclingtiger]

I didn't come across any gravel roads in lower Sweden while riding the Super Brevet Scandinavia and I know the Sverigetempot is on fully tarmaced roads. The only bit of gravel road we went down was in Denmark but it was avoidable.

This does look pretty tempting though, even if it is a fully road ride.

[numplumz]

Definitely peaked my interest, shame there's no more details than a route teaser, even if only they are only general initially; Fixed route or check points I wonder, looks like its not a race as as such?

Maybe let then iron out problems on version 1 and go for it if it repeats in 2018

[Richpips]

I've read a couple of accounts of people doing a similar route in reverse on the road.

Lots of danger traffic in the North.

[LSJ]

I didn't come across any gravel roads in lower Sweden while riding the Super Brevet Scandinavia and I know the Sverigetempot is on fully tarmaced roads. The only bit of gravel road we went down was in Denmark but it was avoidable.

This does look pretty tempting though, even if it is a fully road ride.

As I said depending on the planning of the route. We used to go to southern Sweden (from Copenhagen), and then just ride gravel and dirt roads days on end. So what I was trying to say, maybe a bit clumsy, is the organizers can easily make it dirt roads from Sweden and up. If the route planners will is another matter. And as numplumz say, fixed route or check points?

They might take some from this route. That could actually also be interesting
http://rolandsturm.blogspot.dk/2016/07/ ... y.html?m=1

[jameso]

I like the route ... so I asked about the event format. Not sure if it's checkpoint only or a fixed route -guessing a checkpointer- but it isn't pitched as a race. I'm sure some will treat it as a race but the organiser says it's not.

[Steezysix]

Very interested in this - had a rough plan to try the transam bike race this summer, but this looks a lot more doable, both in terms of distance and logistics/travel!

[Richpips]

So, today an update from them saying.

That there's no time constraint, but there will be "gates" which I take to be the CPs - Brenner, Nuremberg, Stockholm, Rovaniemi and NordKapp.

I think that's defo going to be our big trip next year. Though probably not taking a record breaking route.

Oh and having had a quick look, 4000 kms is very optimistic.

[Pirahna]

Oh and having had a quick look, 4000 kms is very optimistic.

Google maps says 4003 using motorways, so it could be about right.

Polar bears!!!!

[Richpips]

Google maps says 4003 using motorways

Motorways yes. I reckon you could add between 5 and 10 percent to that.

[Richpips]

More details -

Event Date and departure place: 29th July, 2017, Florence, Italy.

Available places: 200

Subscriptions open: 15 January, 2017, from 21:00 GMT

Subscriptions close: 15 March, 2017, or the achievement of the available places.

http://www.northcape4000.com/en/registr ... -cape-2017

[jameso]

196 Euros .. wow.

[Richpips]

196 Euros .. wow.

Yep, can't work out yet quite what that includes or if we'll sign up for the official thing.

[numplumz]

Seems the way with a lot of these new events. pay me some cash for the idea and the kudos of being part of it, but oh we still do it.
Tracking pages cost to setup, then what,
Interesting it says includes insurance, surely that can only be third party liability at best, not full personal medical insurance.

Finding the slow dribble of information off putting, Ok there are four gates, do you have to enter to get specific locations, surely the point is to sell the event more by choosing and highlighting interesting checkpoints on the way. Can see lots of Italians doing it though.

Really interested but keep thinking lets see the feedback from the first year, otherwise might as well do your own tour.