Norway

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North of Steinkjer, we leave the fjords behind and the terrain turns to smaller but still respectable mountains and pine forests. After a full day’s ride from the fjords, we finally cross the Arctic Circle into the land of the midnight sun.

The main highway to the north is known as the Arctic Highway. Much like the Alaskan Highway, during the summer months it sees a plethora of motorhomes and motorcycles making the trek to the Nordkapp, the northernmost point on the European continent. Parts of the highway were built during World War II by the German occupying forces using slave labor. The road makes its way along glaciated rock formations, some of them resembling the domed rocks of Yosemite Park.
The road is an endless series of S-turns. There are very few passing lanes and with the constant curves, it can be difficult to find a safe place to pass. Fortunately, the farther north you go, the traffic decreases. Towns become fewer and farther between.

Norway is a long country. Oslo is closer to Rome than it is to the Nordkapp. From Oslo to the Nordkapp is about 2000 kilometers. Roughly the same as the distance between San Diego and Seattle or Miami and Boston.

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