“For the last 50 km to the Nordkapp, I keep doubting if I went that high or if the clouds came down that low. I have never ridden a motorcycle in such thick fog before,” admits the traveler who has just overcome the challenge. There were more obstacles in his way – strong wind, herds of deer and… mosquitoes. Read more about the experiences on the road in the text and video.
It takes 12 hours to get to Rovaniemi
Having set himself a new challenge, K. Mieliauskas rode a motorcycle in Helsinki for a few days. The traveler says that he started at 8 o’clock. in the morning, the weather conditions were excellent – 20 degrees Celsius, sunny. “There are almost no highways in Finland – only a few sections around the capital. After they ended, despite the really high-quality road, I immediately felt the intense traffic of cars. Finns are very fond of polar days and nature, many of them have a homestead or a small house, a sauna, so there was a lot of traffic on the roads, and the first hours of driving were rather monotonous”, – says K. Mieliauskas about the beginning of the trip.
After traveling about 800 km in 12 hours, the traveler reached the halfway point in Rovaniemi, where the Arctic Circle stretches. As K. Mieliauskas likes to say, it is behind him that the true north begins. “On the way there was light rain, a few stops for fuel and rest, the last two hours on the road it was overcast so it looked like evening. As for my well-being – I feel good, I listened to one audio book on the way, which perfectly dispelled the monotony”, says the traveler. True, there was no lack of a “gift” from the north – mosquitoes that attacked so intensively that after stopping in Rovaniemi and taking off the helmet it was difficult to even get a drink, you had to constantly chase their swarms away from your face.
After reaching the arctic circle, the temperature also became northern, only 9 degrees, so K. Mieliauskas used the advantages of the CFMOTO 800 MT motorcycle – heated handles and seat. In the previous version of this motorcycle, the traveler drove India and the North Cape in winter, so he has complete confidence in the updated model as well – safety and vigilance are supported by electronic systems, convenient CarPlay connection and display of information on the motorcycle screen, blindspot sensors and visual and audio warnings, good in fog bright lights, autopilot. In addition, he notes, it is really comfortable for a 182 cm tall rider to sit even for a long time.
Beyond the Arctic Circle, the pace is slower
A few hours north of Rovaniemi it was overcast, so the traveler felt the approaching night: “Then I felt the need for rest. I stopped at a very nice Finnish stop and lay down without taking off my helmet, because the mosquitoes attacked a lot. In addition, the helmet replaced the pillow. I fell asleep for about 20 minutes, and during that time the clouds cleared and the sun began to shine. After a short nap, it looked like a sunrise, I felt refreshed, so I set off with the breeze towards Norway. The places there are especially beautiful – lakes, lush forests, deer, sun… and mosquitoes. The traffic was already significantly less, but there were herds of deer walking on the road and on the roadsides. Most of the deer are domestic, so they behave calmly and do not jump into the road. Of course, I have to slow down or even stop, but the behavior of these deer is quite predictable.”
K. Mieliauskas says that the pace of the trip slowed down beyond the Arctic Circle – he drove the 400 km distance for about 6 hours. Finally reached the junction to Nordkapp, with 343 km to go. This intersection is notable for leading to Europe’s northernmost point, Nordkapp in Norway, or to the EU’s northernmost point, Nuorgam in Finland. The traveler had already reached the last place by four-wheeler in the winter a few years ago.
“After entering Norway and approaching the fjords, the weather changed every half hour or more often. In the fjords, as in winter, as now, the wind blows so strongly that sometimes it is difficult to drive. The weather is completely fickle – it’s sunny, it’s raining. In such weather conditions, not only a reliable motorcycle is very important, but also especially good clothing. I wear clothing from the Finnish manufacturer Rukka, which is really waterproof no matter how long I ride in the rain, but also breathable, so no moisture accumulates. There is no need to wear additional rain gear on top, so the trip is more comfortable. In addition, riders know very well that if moisture gets through the collar or sleeves, everything will get wet. This spoils the driving pleasure and contributes significantly to fatigue. This does not happen with the clothes I wear,” K. Mieliauskas shares his experience.
Cloudy finish
The road to Nordkap led through a 7 km long tunnel under the strait connecting the Barents and Norwegian seas. After leaving it, K. Mieliauskas felt that he had entered a cloud – it was almost completely dark, it was raining, there was fog: “For the last 50 km to Nordkap, I keep doubting whether I went so high or the clouds descended so low. I have never ridden a motorcycle in such thick fog. There was one other camper and the traffic was very slow so I felt pretty safe. It’s true, Norwegians don’t clean the ice in winter, but carve it with a special machine, which is why the asphalt is scratched and slippery.”
Finally, after covering 1,588 km in 25 hours, the traveler found himself at the Nordkappe, next to the huge globe marking the northernmost point of Europe. In normal weather, the site is a spectacular panoramic site with views of the vast northern waters. After being in this place and immortalizing himself, he went to the hotel, and after resting he came back here again – to everyone’s surprise, the sun was shining, there were a lot of people watching whales through binoculars.
“The North is an experience, it’s a special feeling. You can feel the peace and goodness here, even if you can’t see the image. I love going up north and have been doing it for many years precisely because of this experience, because of the special feeling that comes with being in the north. Of course, riding a motorcycle is also fun, even if everything is covered in fog. People ride for different reasons, I enjoy gliding,” says K. Mieliauskas, who has overcome the challenge.
It is not uncommon to ask how to prepare physically for such intense trips. The traveler reveals that he likes such challenging trips and does not prepare for them separately, but he does not forget sports exercises in the morning and eats a balanced diet. When traveling, he avoids hamburgers or hot dogs, opting instead for fruit, nuts and protein bars. Also, for more than five years, he has been using food supplements on all trips – a complex of amino acids, vitamins and minerals for men, Wellman, which adds alertness, mental sharpness and strength both in everyday life and on a trip.
The traveler says that he went on the trip to see what one endless day in the north means: “It is a very interesting and beautiful experience that I really recommend to everyone. The road to the Nordkap is often reminiscent of a fairy tale in its beauty, the change of weather is surprising, and there is peace all around. The sun appears and disappears again, so at least 4-5 times during the whole trip it felt like it was dawning again and again. I wish everyone to discover the north and enjoy the experiences it offers.”
Watch the video of the trip, which reveals the beauty of the north and the challenges of changing weather even more impressively.
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2024-07-05 07:55:10