North Cape by GTL

Having watched Charlie and Ewan pass round that area last year on their docu, it atleast gives me more of an idea to the sort of terrain your riding through. And as it has already been said the wild life take no prisoners if they get the chance of a wee nibble. Love the road trip reports, have goodin.
 
4 friends did the North Cape a few years back, in January. 2 scooters, an R80 GS and a Gold Wing with chair.
Quite and adventure.
Paul
 
Taking a days rest in Vossevangen proved to be a good decision, apparently it rained all day in most of Norway!

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Left Vossevangen this morning in a light drizzle which petered out after about 10 minutes riding. Headed north on the E16 and turned off on the 13 to Myrkdalen, along a raging river and passing waterfalls every few km. Sorry, no pics, we were still in rain gear and stopping was a pita... buy yourselves a postcard! ;) Up the pass at Myrkdalen and into the fog. Pretty spectacular, like a mini Stelvio.

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The descent was equally spectacular, wide streams sometimes right, sometimes left, too many waterfalls to mention. On to the ferry at Vangsnes to Dragsvik. Ferry payment was done by Autopass Ferje, valid on most norwegian ferries, quick and hassle-free. Ferry services are very efficient with boats generally running every 15-20 minutes. This ferry proved to be quite special, electro-powered! No throbbing decks, no diesel fumes... almost eerie, silent gliding through the fjord, sign of things to come!? You all know what a ferry looks like...;)
Then the sun came out! We stripped off the rain gear and the roads became drier and drier and a definite groove set in, swinging from one bend to the next. Almost no traffic, at times it seemed we were alone on the planet! Magic!

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I had been on the lookout for a petrol station for quite while by now, the odo showed 160-odd km, reserve would be needed at 200. No service station to be seen, odo turned over 200, 210, 218... reserve. The climb up the next pass (Gaularfjellet) began shortly after. OK, another 30, maybe 40km left, next larger town that the GPS showed that had a station was 52km away. No way to save fuel uphill, but I coasted as far as I could once over the crest. Rolled about 5km before I started the engine again, rolling along in 5th at 60kmh. Splutter, splutter, with 16km to go, the GTL ran out of fuel at Holsen. As Wokis QJ is fuel-injected, trying to sap fuel from his tank would be a pita, so he took off in search of fuel. I'm now the proud owner of a bright red 5l (bit over a gallon for the Poms, 10.566 US pints for the Yanks;)) fuel canister that I must cherish for the rest of my life, now that I know how much it cost!!:ROFLMAO:

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Anyway, on to Forde, Nautedal, Svelgen, Alfoten to Isane. A quick ferry hop to Starheim for the final 50km of the day.

Off for a bite...

piet
 
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Excellent write ups Piet and don’t forget to refill the petrol carrier before you set off! 😁
As aside, I too have a nice new 5ltr petrol can as a result of a non-working fuel warning light on the Formula, but I bet mine was cheaper.
If you are heading near Lofoten, I think my Viking chum Rune Vangen is visiting his place up there at the moment. He might offer to catch you some fish for supper.
 
Great read Piet, thanks for sharing, fantastic that you’re taking the Lav on this trip, and a (fine looking) GTL as well :). Have always fancied that trip myself.
I just got back from a 10 day loop of the Pyrenees on a Suzuki 650 VStrom. 500km from a tank of fuel. Can squeeze another 50 if essential.
 
Breakfast was great! Everything fresh and tasty and a charming host. The Moens Motell in Fiska cannot be recommended highly enough!

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Filling station adjacent and...

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a 24h pressure washer facility! ;)Sadly, it wouldn't accept my debit card, so the GTL had to remain grimey.

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The weather gods smiled on us while we set off around 9:00, we just cannot seem to get away any earlier.:rolleyes: What followed was the finest Grand Touring I could have wished for! From roller coaster mountain roads, gentle sweepers along the flord shores to the wind-swept coastal road which culminated in the final part of the fabled Atlanterhavsveien from Vevang to Karvang. Lots of pics of that online, far better than any I could take.

4 ferries in total today, 8 minutes was the longest we had to wait. Can't knock that sort of efficiency! The slog through Kristiansund wasn't very pleasant, normal for any larger city with loads of through traffic. After that, biking heaven, first following the E39 and then 65, ending the day in Surnadalsora.

Start of the Atlanterhavsveien/Atlantic Road near Bug:

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Along the way...

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Looking forward to dinner, all for now.

piet
 
Great write-up and fascinating pictures Piet – those are truly special landscapes! I'm just imagining how you've kind of "arrived" in the tour now. Everything is running smoothly, every move during the morning packing is perfect. You've everything you need, anything missing needs to be organized or isn't that important. At least, that's how I've experienced it on my own tours; it always creates a unique kind of flow. Looking forward on how your trip will further develop!
 
Mosquitoes, ha-ha, not a problem. I have 2 methods to prevent me from being the victim of Mozzie bites.
1) It is easy for me, not so for you. If the wife travels with me to any place that has mosquitoes, she is a natural attraction for them, like moths to a light. The poor woman requires a blood transfusion after a night in mosquito-infested country, but I do not get bitten, thank you, Aviva.
2) This one always works, but you have to do it every morning and evening. Take/eat chopped up garlic cloves,1 or 2 will do it, an alternative is to swallow three or 4 capsules of over-the-counter (OTC) ground garlic. It works, it is better than spraying or wiping on unknown chemical substances.
Of interest, are you camping overnight at any of your stops, or strictly seeking lodging? Are there animals on your route that would consider you food?
Why could you not siphon fuel out of your friend's bike?
Great write-up of your adventure, keep the Laverda flag flying. Looking for your next report, safe travels.
 
Great write-up and fascinating pictures Piet – those are truly special landscapes! I'm just imagining how you've kind of "arrived" in the tour now. Everything is running smoothly, every move during the morning packing is perfect. You've everything you need, anything missing needs to be organized or isn't that important. At least, that's how I've experienced it on my own tours; it always creates a unique kind of flow. Looking forward on how your trip will further develop!
Ha-ha... packing is always a challenge, different every morning! Making the search for stuff in the evenings all the more surprising/entertaining!

But yes, we're in a sort of groove, working out well.

Mosquitoes, ha-ha, not a problem. I have 2 methods to prevent me from being the victim of Mozzie bites.
1) It is easy for me, not so for you. If the wife travels with me to any place that has mosquitoes, she is a natural attraction for them, like moths to a light. The poor woman requires a blood transfusion after a night in mosquito-infested country, but I do not get bitten, thank you, Aviva.
2) This one always works, but you have to do it every morning and evening. Take/eat chopped up garlic cloves,1 or 2 will do it, an alternative is to swallow three or 4 capsules of over-the-counter (OTC) ground garlic. It works, it is better than spraying or wiping on unknown chemical substances.
Of interest, are you camping overnight at any of your stops, or strictly seeking lodging? Are there animals on your route that would consider you food?
Why could you not siphon fuel out of your friend's bike?
Great write-up of your adventure, keep the Laverda flag flying. Looking for your next report, safe travels.
Lack of any type of hose of suitable length made it impossible to siphon fuel. FI bikes don't have a regular pet cock, getting at the fuel exit is a pita, picking up fuel in a brand-new, overly expensive canister was the easiest/quickest option.

Up till now, mozzies haven't been a problem, pretty glad about that! Only mosquito that found its way into our room ended as a big splat on the wall...

(Affordable) accomodation is getting thin on the ground up here, preferred are hotels, B&B, etc. We do have a tent, sleeping bags and air matresses on board for an emergency, but, as a friend of mine puts it, camping is for kids... if we can find a bed with a roof over it, the tent will remain packed away.

No wild animals to be seen at all up to now, also very little road-kill, maybe the occasional squashed hedge-hog.

What tools and parts have you packed for your GTL?
Paul

?

Seriously though, next to the spanners required for rear wheel removal/adjustment, I have an assortment of control cables, 2l of motor oil, an inner tube, tyre levers and CO2 cartridges, a set of springs and rollers for the starter clutch as well as the puller and necessary socket, tommy bar and hammer and a spare DMC unit. A mid-sized shifter spanner. 11mm ring spanner and feeler guage. Screwdriver. A roll of tape. An assortment of fuses and a test lamp for chasing elusive current. Spare toothed belt for generator drive (my own design, remember?). For the cosmetics, I have an aerosol can of Motul Wash&Wax and a couple of fresh, clean shop towels... can now almost empty, towels grubby and disposed of, I do like a clean machine.;)

Woki has an assortment of basic tools, has to suffice. Anything worse, I'll McGyver it somehow. ;) Then there's always the ADAC (Autoclub) card if all else fails.

Only sacrifice up to now is a rear indicator that has loosened itself within the threaded fixing lug, nothing much to do about it other than wrap a bit of tape around it so it won't fall off completely. Bit pissed about that actually, I don't have many good original CEV indicators any more! The rain played a little havoc with the ignition switch, seems to be quite OK now it's dried out.

piet
 
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