Vossvangen, Norway to Ulvik, Norway (August 6, 2023)

August 6, 2023

Our Last Day of Good Weather for Awhile

The weather report predicted overcast but rain-free weather so we woke up determined to enjoy it. Our ride today included two climbs to Ulvik, a small village on the Ulvikfjord, which is a small arm of the Hardangerfjord. It was a lovely day of touring. There was an initial climb out of Vossvangen (we took a few wrong turns getting out of town), followed by a fun downhill and then some nice cruising until the big climb of the day, which was really a slog, but we cycled through a pretty forest with very little traffic. I was trying to improve my fitness, so rode in a lower battery level than usual. This meant I rode more slowly than usual but Dave graciously put up with the slower pace. (Dave here: Actually, I appreciated Jill's concerted effort to conserve electrons. In our previous rides she had been prolific in using higher boost levels but after nearly running out of juice the other day, I think she has a much more balanced appreciation of how to better manage her battery use.) Not surprisingly, we went past two beautiful waterfalls…..

We stopped for lunch at what looked like a private campground situated on a lovely lake, yet oddly the place was completely empty save for two cyclists.

The reward from the climbing was a fun descent into Ulvik; at that point the weather was still clear so it was fun and scenic! We stayed at the historic Brakanes Hotel, built in the 1860’s as a coaching inn. It was burnt to the ground in the 1940’s by the Nazis who destroyed Ulvik and drove out all the local farmers for their resistance activities.

This dock was used for launching the seaplane as well as boats used for fjord tours.

To be honest, the place is lovely, but needs a refurbishment; we got a room facing the fjord, which was great, and even better was being surprised to find a tub in the room! We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon out on the patio watching a seaplane come in and some folks playing around on various water apparatus.

Today's ride: 43 km (27 miles)
Total: 1,306 km (811 miles)

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Rachael AndersonChallenging terrain but it sure is beautiful!
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1 year ago