August 7, 2024
Day 37: Solvang to Airstrip Free Camping Spot
Oh man are we lucky, Oh man are we unlucky
“The tailwind helped us up that second 200 meter climb,” Patrick says as are free camping at an airfield landing strip. The original plan was to go a few more kilometers to a rest area that looked promising on googlemaps. With the volume of traffic we’ve had today, we decide to start looking for a good spot before reaching the rest area to be further away from the road.
This morning we are off a bit later than usual. There is a store in the next small town that opens at 0900 so we don’t want to be too early. The tent camping area is full but the night was quiet. Patrick got up around midnight and took a nice picture of the setting sun behind the northern hills.
We reach the store and from the bikepath across from it, the store looked closed but we are lucky: it is open. No coffee here, but a liter of chocolate milk to help us up the hill. This marks the start of the first 200 meter climb. Today we also for the first time leap frogged with other cyclists going in our direction. First, a Frenchman then Emily, a Swiss girl who we chatted with in the campground caught up with us. As we were at the side of the road, a couple rode quickly by. We saw them off and on throughout the day.
Just before reaching the high point, Patrick is unlucky with a back flat tire, the first of the tour. Rachel is a little ahead, but hears him calling and comes back to the spot, just as Emily has caught up and she continues going. Then the couple passes by, checking that all is good. We change the tube and keep going.
We are now on the plateau and man oh man are we lucky we have a tail wind and a gradual downhill. This would be a bear of ride with a headwind. The rolling plains are covered in green grass, some small birch scrub and marshy areas. We pass a few poor or abandoned Sami villages. While generally losing altitude, there are a few short steep climbs still. At the end of the plateau we start following a river downstream. As we are nearing the end of the day, Patrick is unlucky again with a front flat tire. After fixing the flat, just down the road are two reindeer crossing and blocking traffic.
Patrick checks the tablet for possible spots to free camp and sees and old airstrip area. When we reach the area, Patrick checks it out and thinks it very acceptable. There is a parking area, and a few paths down to the river. We pitch the tent in a cluster of arctic birch trees. Patrick takes a bath in the river, Rachel uses wet wipes. He says the water isn’t very cold, but Rachel doesn’t believe him.
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We enjoy the rest of the afternoon, a few reindeer walk through a field near our tent. While Rachel filters water, Patrick takes more pictures, and then heats up water for coffee and soup. When Patrick fixes the flat tubes he discovers the flats were caused by “Mr. Tuffy” liners. This was a philosophical discussion when Rachel met Patrick in NZ. She had tire liners and Patrick was strongly opposed. But when we were going to ride the Great Divide Route, he’d placed liners in the tire. Now we’ll see if Rachel starts getting flats.
We relax until dinner.
Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 1,841 km (1,143 miles)
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