Molly and I are bike touring in the Norwegian Arctic. After 13 days and 289 miles behind us we finally get a rest day, and just by dumb luck find ourselves watching the Arctic Race of Norway’s 1st Stage near Reine in the Lofoten Islands. In the second image the motorcyclist is looking back towards the Peloton. The motorcyclist is just ahead of the lead rider.

Also seen this morning!

No birds today, but instead a visual representation of 35 miles of idyllic bicycle touring in the Norwegian Arctic. The traffic was light, and the scenery was awesome! Please also browse to my wife’s blog. While I am a photographer, she is a writer. Molly writes about our experiences. Read about our entire ride including road reports.

Getting ready to start the day’s ride

Classic early morning fjords and mountain vistas

Houses and sheds with sod roofs are common

Taking a break about 20 miles into the ride

The only establishment during today’s ride. Might this cafe sell Diet Coke?

Arrrgh … only Pepsi

Finishing up the day’s ride … the vista, but with one BIG climb is yet to come

Molly put up with my chasing birds for about five minutes this morning. We had stopped briefly at a highway wayside during the day’s ride.  Picture if you can me hiking across the tundra in pursuit of this Eurasian Magpie family … mountains beside me on one side … fjord on the other. Not a bad birding locale?! Actually it would appear many, many species of birds have already flown south from this area … thus my pursuit of magpies.

With today’s ride completed, we have bicycled 241 miles. While this is way below our normal daily average from other tours, the land demands a more leisurely pace!

Eurasian Magpies

Molly in the small fishing village of Henningsvaer … our lunch stop yesterday.