Cycle through Estonia on the way to the North Cape

[arctic-cycler]

Day 33. Silence in the forest. Silence at the lake. Just the wind. Beautiful. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/10/day ... lea-kalix/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 34. I passed the 4000km mark and crossed the Arctic Circle. All that cycling on magic forest roads and passing the finest lakes. Perfect weather. Perfect day. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/11/day ... lix-pello/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 35. Long and straight through the eternal forests. Today I'm switching to night cycling - under the midnight sun. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/12/day ... lo-anttis/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 36. Night cycling in the Arctic. Beautiful, but, my goodness, these mosquitos are bad. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/13/day ... aresuando/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 37. Cloud watching over the spectacular Finnish arctic landscape. The North Cape campervan pilgrim traffic is increasing. Time for night cycling. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/14/day ... eppajarvi/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 38. Amazing night cycling alone in the beautiful expanse of the Finnmarksvidda. Then dropping down and down a spectacular canyon into Alta. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/15/day ... arvi-alta/

[veloson]

Now this is where we really start getting jealous - 38 vacation days and the end is not yet on the horizon (a normal lad takes 30, which includes spending 23 of them watching le Tour), actual mountainous areas, mileage starting to exceed the average annual dose.. Add some more and not even a bad mischief can cast any shadows to this trip.

For the tyre purchase - did you manage to wear the old one out? Hope there's something available there. Sorry if I managed to miss this, but what was the tyre brand and model of your choice?

[arctic-cycler]

Now this is where we really start getting jealous - 38 vacation days and the end is not yet on the horizon (a normal lad takes 30, which includes spending 23 of them watching le Tour), actual mountainous areas, mileage starting to exceed the average annual dose.. Add some more and not even a bad mischief can cast any shadows to this trip.

For the tyre purchase - did you manage to wear the old one out? Hope there's something available there. Sorry if I managed to miss this, but what was the tyre brand and model of your choice?

Indeed, the end is not in sight. I wore the old one out. Still, it had taken me 6600km with luggage. Not bad. A Schwalbe Marathon. I wasn't able to find a replacement. Still, the replacement I had with me should last a few thousand kilometres.

[arctic-cycler]

Day 39 was meant to be a rest day. None of that. Instead a spectacular road through the tundra. One of my favourite roads to date. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/16/day ... ta-canyon/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 40 was bleek and cold as I climbed up and over the Alta plateau. Tomorrow night cycling.
http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/17/day ... ldenfjord/

[arctic-cycler]

I've made it to the North Cape. 5057km and 41 days from Eindhoven, the Netherlands. I was interviewed on norwegian tv. Watch it live at 21:30 tonight. http://www.nrk.no. NRK1-direkt

[arctic-cycler]

Day 41. Night cycling in the orange light. 5000km passed in the North Cape tunnel. Interview with norwegian tv at the North Cape.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/18/day ... -nordkapp/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 42. A power drive in a Maserati, taking 4 minutes to do what I took an hour to do with the bike. Then a walk through the Arctic tundra to Knivsjelodden - the most northern point of Europe.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/19/day ... nningsvag/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 43. Wind. Freezing. Grey. Tired. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/20/day ... lderfjord/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 44. Cycling in the rain. Yuck. Sun is forecast for midnight. Yet another midnight start. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/21/day ... d-lakselv/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 45. Coffee and cake with a friendly lady. Lunch with a breathtaking view over a tundra plateau. Organising a boat in the Veidnes community house. Crabbing in the fjord and camping in the 3rd most northern dairy in the world.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/22/day ... kkarfjord/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 46. Prefect day. Sun. Tundra. Tailwind. Perfect. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/23/day ... rd-mehamn/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 47. A walk from Kinnerodden (the northern most point of mainland Europe) to Mehamn. Sun. Rocks. Swims in tundra lakes. Great company. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/24/day ... nnerodden/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 48. An overdose of tundra. All I want are 4 walls and a warm bed. It's all in the mind.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/25/day ... batsfjord/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 49. Cycle, boat and cycle - to the end of the earth. And it is beautiful here! http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/27/day ... tevikmyra/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 50. Beautiful hike in the sun. My own private valley. My own private fjord. Sun in my heart. The smell of cloudberries on my fingers. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/27/day ... yra-vardo/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 51. I could have been cycling in Australia. Desolate plains - the mid north in South Australia. Then with trees - somewhere in New South Wales.
What was a sunny and warm day became exciting as the black clouds drew in.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/28/day ... jakobselv/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 52. A cloudy, slow day, ending at the most northern point in the EU. Hello Finland! http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/29/day ... v-nuorgam/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 53. Today was wet, and warm. Grey and uninspiring until the weather really got erratic. On the back road to Bugøynes, I had a downpour and a beautiful rainbow. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/30/day ... -bugoynes/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 54. Vast open spaces. Sun. Heat. Flying salmon. Cheap groceries. Military zone.  A lovely day's cycling.http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/07/31/day ... -kirkenes/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 55. Up and down under the warm sun through wooded steep terrain to a beach at the edge of Europe. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/08/01/day ... jakobselv/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 56. My bike trip started with heat, and now, in the Arctic, it is ending with heat. Cycling and swimming in the bright sun, exploring the Russian border. Cycling along Pasvikdaken. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/08/02/day ... -holmfoss/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 57. Today was my last day cycling. A small stint in the sun to Kirkenes - where they are partying in the warm sun. It's the city festival - to say goodbye to a tired and contented cycler. http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/08/03/day ... -kirkenes/

[arctic-cycler]

Day 58. I cried. Cycling leaving Kirkenes. It's over. And the next adventure is in the planning.
Greeted at the airport by my wonderful friends. Welcome home to real summer. It's hot here. Now night has fallen, and it's dark! http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/08/04/day-58-eindhoven/

[arctic-cycler]

After cycling 6315km, I have had my first week of ‘normal life’. I miss the road, and its good to be back. Both at the same time.

Thinking about my trip, I am collecting and collating material from the trip. You will see some of the results of this in the coming weeks.

Today I have my final route for my cycle trip from 2013.

http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/08/10/fin ... ling-2013/

[veloson]

Thanks for sharing!

Since were quite biased towards competitiveness in this forum (you'd often see seamingly regular people competing for the 200th or even 700th place on events commented here if you'd be able read the local fairy language), I have to ask - what's your opinion on the general effect in regards aerobic performance of trips similar to the one you just had - more gaining or straining?

[arctic-cycler]

Thanks for sharing!

Since were quite biased towards competitiveness in this forum (you'd often see seamingly regular people competing for the 200th or even 700th place on events commented here if you'd be able read the local fairy language), I have to ask - what's your opinion on the general effect in regards aerobic performance of trips similar to the one you just had - more gaining or straining?

Hi there. Sorry. I missed your post, so I am replying quite late.. I certainly got fitter during the trip. There were times when I went out for speed between towns (say 30-40km), and times (most of the time) when speed was completely irrelevant. At the beginning of my trip, until I reached the North Cape, I wanted to keep up a tempo of 120+ km per day. After reaching the North Cape, this need evaporated. There were not many kilometres left to do, and I still had 2 weeks.

The trip made me fitter. The fitness was more long distance stamina. I am not, and never was, a fast cycler. I just stay on the road for many hours and slowly eat away the kilometres. This is what I did, and this is what I got better at doing.

On returning, I have discovered that my fitness for jogging is gone. Where I could do 35+km without killing myself, and I could run marathons, now, 10km is quite hard..

I don't know if that answered the question..

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer..

[arctic-cycler]

Now that my cycle trip from Holland to the North Cape has finished, I am putting together some nice material to remind me of the trip. Here is the first of 3 videos I am preparing of the trip - this one from Holland to Tallinn. This is where I cycled through Estonia, and met with Raimo from the forum! It was nice meeting him!

https://vimeo.com/73643927

[veloson]

Not quite an editorial tip, but I did notice that the video does not really seem to unveil any challenging parts (something like in the beginning of this one http://vimeo.com/73174869). Too experienced, lucky with the weather, and guarded with a generally high road safety? Or you just cut the darn mishaps out?

[arctic-cycler]

Not quite an editorial tip, but I did notice that the video does not really seem to unveil any challenging parts (something like in the beginning of this one http://vimeo.com/73174869). Too experienced, lucky with the weather, and guarded with a generally high road safety? Or you just cut the darn mishaps out?

Hi there. Well, I had amazing weather most of the time. I was very lucky there. There were a few days of rain, and quite a lot of wind (probably 70% tail wind). I didn't take many photos or videos on the bad weather days. Grey, wet and cold weather does not lead to nice videos or photos - not the right light. No mishaps with the bike. I made sure I had a good bike and good equipment. I was already fit and trained when I left. Most of the trip was on safe, small side roads. I had a good route planned, thanks to all your help in this and other cycling forums.

So, some was planning, and some was luck. I had enough time up my sleeve to be able to stop and sit out bad weather. Several times I stopped early if it was bad weather, and cycled at night when the weather was better..

You'll see a bit more challenging weather, challenging mosquitos and challenging road works in segment 2 of the trip. That will be ready in a few weeks..

Matthew

[arctic-cycler]

Hi all. The second video of my cycle trip from Eindhoven in Holland to the North Cape is now ready. This is the segment where I pass through Scandinavia, ending at the North Cape in Norway. I'm interested in hearing what you think!

http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/09/18/new ... i-nordkapp

[arctic-cycler]

Hi all. The third and final video from my summer cycle trip is ready. In this segment of the trip, I explore the far north peninsulas of Norway's coast. It it a spectacular coastline, and I have fabulous weather. I hope you like the video!
http://arctic-cycler.com/2013/09/23/new ... -kirkenes/

Matthew

[arctic-cycler]

I've made a summary of my 6315km bike trip from Eindhoven to Nordkapp and Kirkenes through Estonia.. Take a look..
http://arctic-cycler.com/biking/eindhov ... enes-2013/

Here is the summary of the estonian part:
http://arctic-cycler.com/biking/eindhov ... 3-estonia/

[arctic-cycler]

Hey, my cycling friends in the Estonian cycling forum.
Thanks for all your advice last year with my cycle trip to the North Cape (via Estonia) http://arctic-cycler.com/biking/eindhov ... enes-2013/. It was also great to meet some of you.

I am really excited (and also quite scared) on what I am about to do. I will be giving up my job of 16 years, and cycling from Holland, where I now live, to my birthplace in Australia http://arctic-cycler.com/2014/01/07/lif ... australia/.
This time I won't be cycling through Estonia, but I will look back on my time in Estonia. That bike trip gave me the inspiration to embark on this more adventurous trip..

[riho]

Looks all the way downhill to me. On the map at least:-). Have a nice ride!

[arctic-cycler]

Looks all the way downhill to me. On the map at least:-). Have a nice ride!

Yes. That's the advantage of cycling south.. Thanks for the best wishes!

[Tonis_T]

I found your last ride very interesting and I'm going to follow your next trip too. Hope everything goes well.

[arctic-cycler]

I found your last ride very interesting and I'm going to follow your next trip too. Hope everything goes well.

Thanks, Tonis. I hope it goes well too! I'll be doing my best now in the preparation to make sure that it does..

[arctic-cycler]

Hi all,
After a really great trip through Estonia last year on the way from Holland to the North Cape (http://arctic-cycler.com/biking/eindhov ... enes-2013/), I am cycling this year from Holland to Australia (http://arctic-cycler.com/world-cycle-2014/).

I'll be meeting people. I will observe, and I will write. What are the sustainability issues people face across my path, and how do they deal with them? Who are the people? What are their stories? I will also support Green Pedals (http://www.facebook.com/greenpedalsforschools) to promote this dialogue, and use to realise sustainable infrastructure in selected schools on my route.

Take a look at my blog entry on Green Pedals: http://arctic-cycler.com/2014/08/18/green-pedals/