Nordkapp
Leaving Stockholm, Heading North, Classic American Cars, Finland, Norway, Fog & Freezing Rain, The Nordkapp Goal!The Malibu Channel Islands Eurotrash boys made it as far north as you can go by road over here (but it wasn't pretty, literally).
Shellys friend, Bo came thru again and surprised us at breakfast by showing up to lead us out of town and make sure we got on the right road north (someone must have told him about some of our wrong turns) :=) We made it as far as Umea on Saturday evening where coincidentally they were the host city for a Classic Car Show. There were hundreds of classic American and foreign cars from all over Sweden parading up and down the streets all evening.
What serendipity! The next day we rode into Finland and crossed the Arctic Circle
(way north but not far enough).
On Monday, July 4th we rode into Norway and up to the most northerly road point over here. It is 71 degrees north, about 1 more than Prudhoe bay. The two previous days and this day (up to this point) had been sunshine, and warm or sunshine and cool. Scenery so spectacular it take your breath away on the way up.
We ran out of trees but it was still gorgeous. We thought we caught a break and arrived on the perfect day until about 10 miles before the Nordkapp Monument when mother nature showed us who was in charge. Freezing rain and fog so bad we were down to about 5 MPH. We couldnt even see the monument from the visitors center and it was only about 30 yards away. Took some pictures even though they did not come out very well at all but we still have proof that we made it.
Many more motorcycles here than Prudhoe Bay but still not a LOT of people have done the trip (if you dont count the 25,000 cruise boat passengers that come up here weekly in busses from the port in Honningsvag). ;+} Celebrated with a nice bottle of scotch (that we carried all the way up here) and a nice dinner of Cod Tongue (If it werent for all that scotch I probably would NEVER have ordered it). :=) It was actually very good (must be that scotch again). We are now heading south looking for warm (weather forecast indicates it might be liquid warm) across Finland and to Russia/Saint Petersburg. Sometimes (many) we have to share the road with a LOT of Rudolphs friends
but the scenery NEVER disappoints.
Many more pictures here starting on page 20 if you like.
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/15599906_8ri5r
Rick (from the Road)