TRAVERSE Issue 05 - April 2018 | Page 64

and I had no need to worry in middle of the summer - July! I spent time in the small village of Honningsvåg, Norway so I would not have to rush the whole Nordkapp experience and was glad that I did. Spending time on the plateau over- looking the Barents Sea, taking the obligatory pictures of Nordkapp was part of the full experience, but meet- ing fellow travellers was the high- light – they all had a unique story. It seemed like every mode of travel was represented in this small park- ing lot: cars, trucks, motorhomes, motorcycles, bicycles, and even peo- ple on foot! One young man, around 18 years old, was hiking on foot the enire distance of Norway – over 3,000 kilometers. When we met, it was his first steps and I neglected to ask how long he would be on the road. I can image a very long time! Maybe he is still hiking? After leaving Nordkapp, the fun began! I watched my thermometer going from 10C to 8 to 6 and decreasing very rapidly until it was freezing and below zero at minus 2C, (28F). I still TRAVERSE 64 felt everything was going well un- til I crested a ridge to notice it was all white – at first, I thought my face shield was steamed up. I was not go- ing to be so lucky – after about anoth- er 8 hours of snow, rain, sleet, hail, and all other forms of precipitation known by modern science, alternat- ing at unpredictable intervals, I final- ly arrived to the lodge I had booked and promptly put all my riding gear in their hot room in hopes that I would not need to put on wet clothes in the- tire distance of Norway – over 3,000 kilometers. When we met, it was his