Thursday 22nd July
88.48km covered in 5hr02 (max speed 48kmph, average speed 17.5kmph)
Weather - Torrential Rain and strong wind 8 degrees celsius
Terrain - mountainous, exposed plateau, max gradient 9%
I awoke with a start as I do everyday, at exactly 5.30 uk time, a mild wave of panic washing through me at the fear I may have be late for my seven am start at Darwins Deli. As I am always late, this panic is something I have learned to deal with. Today however, on closer inspection of my surroundings, I discover I am in a hotel room in the arctic circle, it s bright outside as in fact it did never get dark, leaving my circadian rhythm in complete disarray. The fear of being late for work is of course immediately allayed, but replace by a slight fear of cycling further north into the arctic in heavy wind and rain. After a big breakfast and a slow start we wobble off, loaded down with supplies discreetly slipped into panniers a breakfast. As the rain is not too heavy we decide not to wear waterproof trousers. Oh with hindsight how differently we would have dressed! Things go well and we progress through our first 10km or so happily, climbing steadily from beautiful seaside roads up the mountains to about 400m above sea level. We are in the granny gears and the bikes and us are happy. As we climb higher away from civilization the rain and wind decided to play wih us a little bit, hail hits the eyes and a strong head and sidewinds try to push us off the road, as do he huge arctic lorries and warm coaches of beady eyed tourists, our only companions on these lonely roads. We stop for a flapjack break at a "service-station" which only sells reindeer antlers and furs. Perhaps we should have invested. At his point we are soaked through, waterproof jackets and socks will only put up with so much. The only way to keep remotely warm is to keep cycling, there is nothing in sight, not a building, tree nor human. You would not know isolation like this existed in Europe. We were hoping and praying for some sort of roadside cafe in which to shelter, but we had make do with half a pasty on the side of the road. We have cycled 40km without a shred of civilization. We are within walking distance of snow. This really is the arctic. When soaring high in the sky over Norway on Wednesday I had spotted the patches of white on the empty barrenlands, but reassured myself they were just rocks. Still, we will not go thirsty. After the pasty we realise we are actually in danger of hypothermia and must not stop moving again! We slog on, praying for a town. After 40 long slow km more, we are rewarded wih the small town of Skaidi. As we begin the beautiful long descent toward the ski(!) resort, a smile on my face as I get above 20mph for he first time in 80km and I spot a glorious chalet hotel, shining like a beacon on the hillside. Safety and warmth beckon, the feeling of relief and joy worth every bloody mile. We are given a discount and peel off our sodden thermals (he best £7 I ever spent in Sports Direct Colliers Wood!). Dinner is of course, sandwiches. Battered by their long journey from our breakfast table, but the most satisfying meal ever. When we were at the top of that mountain, and we thought we would have to put up the tent just to shelter and survive, I never thought I would feel this warm, and this dry again. Magnificent. I'll never again complain about dragging a trailer of sandwiches through the snow up Morden Rd.
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