Transit to Norway
The next morning staff at receiption tells me that all the trains are cancelled: the wind is so strong that its blowing snow on the tracks of Ofotbanen. I am worried as I have to make it across the mountain pass to Narvik today. The staff checks online and road is open but marked in red - I should drive very carefully.
I leave Björkliden and the view is stunning as the wind is blowing over the frozen Lake Torneträsk. Here I am shielded by the mountains and the car is equipped with spikes inside the tyres to have grip on icy roads.
The road is mainly cleared off snow, only the oncoming trucks are a problem as they go more than 90km/h even under these conditions. I stop if its safe to do.
It gets problematic in some places at the open lake. Then the wind blows snow onto the road like crazy. The snowdrifts are still not too bad, so that I do not need a snowmobile.
I see my first reindeer herd (though fenced)
And there is the odd rest station that is somehow non operational.....
When crossing the mountain pass near the town Riksgränsen (I guess that means "empire boarder") the temperature changes from -20° C to +2°C when at the fjord near Narvik.
Its amazing how the vegetation changes, too. From small arctic birch trees to no trees on the mountains (fjell) to tall pine trees in the fjord valley in Norway.
So I made it to Norway in one piece and the first thing that strikes me is concrete. I was driving on ice all the time. The Norwegians clear the main highway. The second thing that strikes me is the light. Its everywhere. The like to light up the highway a lot. Like here at a new roundabout with 140 lux.
I mount the SQM roadrunner on the roof. It is still very windy and I am sometimes worried it gets blown away but it works well until Tromsoe.
Strange thing near the place where I stopped to start the measurement: A graveyard under 1 m of snow - some gravestones just make it to the top. You cant walk there but at least its lit! Maybe its for safety: you can see the Zombies coming....
I leave Björkliden and the view is stunning as the wind is blowing over the frozen Lake Torneträsk. Here I am shielded by the mountains and the car is equipped with spikes inside the tyres to have grip on icy roads.
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| Studded winter tyres to drive on icy roads |
The road is mainly cleared off snow, only the oncoming trucks are a problem as they go more than 90km/h even under these conditions. I stop if its safe to do.
It gets problematic in some places at the open lake. Then the wind blows snow onto the road like crazy. The snowdrifts are still not too bad, so that I do not need a snowmobile.
I see my first reindeer herd (though fenced)
And there is the odd rest station that is somehow non operational.....
When crossing the mountain pass near the town Riksgränsen (I guess that means "empire boarder") the temperature changes from -20° C to +2°C when at the fjord near Narvik.
Its amazing how the vegetation changes, too. From small arctic birch trees to no trees on the mountains (fjell) to tall pine trees in the fjord valley in Norway.
So I made it to Norway in one piece and the first thing that strikes me is concrete. I was driving on ice all the time. The Norwegians clear the main highway. The second thing that strikes me is the light. Its everywhere. The like to light up the highway a lot. Like here at a new roundabout with 140 lux.
I mount the SQM roadrunner on the roof. It is still very windy and I am sometimes worried it gets blown away but it works well until Tromsoe.
Strange thing near the place where I stopped to start the measurement: A graveyard under 1 m of snow - some gravestones just make it to the top. You cant walk there but at least its lit! Maybe its for safety: you can see the Zombies coming....
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