BL #3: Ascend Pulpit Rock

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Geo: 58.9895, 6.18805

Six years ago, I fell in love with Norway but returned home with one regret - shortly after the trip, I saw pictures circulating on the Internet of the most amazing cliff overlooking the water. It turned out that it was found in Norway, near Stavanger - had I known of this place in advance and planned it properly, this could've easily been added to the itinerary, as it is only a relatively short bus ride from Bergen, which was the starting point for that first Scandinavian adventure. With a return trip to Scandinavia, it would be unthinkable to miss out on it again, so here I am!

If you Google Pulpit Rock, the photos that fill up your screen are unreal, but of course, the real thing simply can't meet the incredibly-high expectations set by professional photographers who know of the perfect spot from which to capture the photo, and who have also mastered the art of Photoshop to enhance it beyond any possible reality. The professional photos are invariably snapped under perfect conditions, but today was grey, rainy, and drab, so it simply would be impossible for Pulpit Rock to be as photogenic in person.

However, no matter what my preconceived idea was of what Pulpit Rock would look like, it still was an unbelievable bucket list experience, despite being soaked with rain for a good chunk of the day after getting pummelled by the elements. In addition, the winds up top were fierce today, so it simply wasn't safe to venture out close enough to the edge to properly frame and snap that postcard-perfect picture. Nor was it possible to pose for the iconic shot that everybody wants taken of themselves, seated with their legs dangling over the edge, for what would be the ultimate Facebook profile pic!

Of course, I must admit that even had the day been without any wind at all, it's still doubtful that I would have dared to venture out to the edge. It wouldn't be because I would be afraid of falling off, while I sat with my legs hanging out over the edge of the precipice - it would be because I would surely piss my pants as I got close to the edge, and very likely slip on the puddle, falling off of Pulpit Rock, tumbling end over end, and killing dozens of tourists on the tour boat below, as I crash into them while they film me on their cameras - it would end up being pure tragedy on YouTube!

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Photos

Send Me Her Contact Info ...
... if you recognize this random girl, send me her number! But it's not to hit on her, it's so I can sell her this picture, all for the low, low price of a ham sandwich!

Not Me ...
... but my plan is to take this picture and Photoshop my face over top of his!

Moments Before Something Comical Happened ...
... the wind gusts were brutal on top of Pulpit Rock, and one member of our hiking group had taken one more picture of me mere seconds after this one - it's a shot of me stumbling forward, as a gust caught me flat footed, nearly knocking me on my face. Who knows if it's true, but there was talk by others up top that the gusts were up to 90 mph. The scary thing? While in some spots the wind gusted toward the rock, effectively pushing you to safety, in others, the gusts would've pushed you closer to the edge ...

Toughest Stretch of the Hike ...
... overall, Pulpit Rock is a moderate hike, but there are some tricky and more intense stretches, such as this long series of rock steps. This is only a small portion of the steps, which really beat us up - two hikers in our group of four took a nasty spill, as the rain left the trail quite slick in certain places.

Fallen Cherries ...
... normally, the idea of eating food that had fallen on the floor would disgust me - but not in Norway! Rather than spend the $50 it would probably cost in Scandinavia for these two cherries, I was more than happy to have scored these freebies!

Making Tea ...
... a bonus - with these cherry pits and stems left behind by others, I was able to make some delicious cherry tea. Another $25 saved, and an even better bonus - I think they had eaten steak prior to the cherries, as I could detect a hint of the taste of beef. That's a luxury I simply can't afford here in Scandinavia!