Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Mid road trip in Norway but had to post this pic. Next time the UK grinds to a halt after 3 inches of snow I'll be thinking of this place! I'll do a proper write up with decent pics when I get back but I've been blown away by their ability to keep mountain roads open, despite 2 metres of snow and also that the whole place has 3G! We're in the back of beyond and my download speed is 15 meg! My mate who lives in the Lake District gets 0.5 over his landline Loving the trip so far, despite being shopped to the local Fedz today by a truck driver for overtaking. To be fair they were very decent and sent us on our way. Most of the country is 50mph and you can do time for being as little as 15 KMH (not mph) over the limit. So we're being very careful. Great country so far, Sweden tomorrow. The x-drive BMW X3 3L oil burner has been superb so far! PS - also made it to the Arctic Circle. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Couple more. Been to Hell and back as well as the Circle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Very cool. Look forward to more pics mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev T Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Nice, i went skiing in Finnish Lapland a long time ago also inside the Arctic circle and it was the coldest place i have ever encountered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Up on top it was 1C Kev but down here in Rognan it's a sweltering 8C none of it has been really, really cold yet but it is Early Spring. Just watched a mate demolish a reindeer for tea and having a drink with a none too shabby view across the table (that's without mentioning the drop dead gorgeous Swedish bar lady ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Certainly look forward to more pics and hearing about this trip. Been a fair few times now - usually in mid winter, love it up there. Yes, desperatly cold, but also so fresh and quiet. Better than a hot beach holiday all day long for me. Spitsburgen a leap North from Norway is well worth a visit too. Ferry needed though !!! It's over 12 months since I did a cold holiday and missing it badly. Enjoy the rest of your trip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 The men are pretty cool too !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 (that's without mentioning the drop dead gorgeous Swedish bar lady ) And you provide us with pictures of the view from the window? Poor show, Stu, poor show! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Total whiteout! It's like being in an episode of Fortitude but with more cops You're dead right Wendy, snow FTW, beach sucks Matt - wait 'til you see the road/salt grime after 2000km. You need to book a flight and bring three buckets. I was tempted to drive through an automatic car wash today, just as a guilty pleasure 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 (that's without mentioning the drop dead gorgeous Swedish bar lady ) And you provide us with pictures of the view from the window? Poor show, Stu, poor show! I'll see if she's up for a selfie in two more beers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I'll see if she's up for a selfie in two more beers. Are the beers for you or for her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Disappointed you're not doing it in a Z! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Disappointed you're not doing it in a Z! I was tempted but it meant 4 more days off work, the winter rubber came off in March and I would have been hugely frustrated by the 50mph limits all round Norway. TBF I've enjoyed the X3's softer ride and high up view for touring around doing 4-8 hour driving days and it's much easier to load and unload and it doesn't seem to mind the bits of snow and ice at all so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 I'll see if she's up for a selfie in two more beers. Are the beers for you or for her? That's for my courage, for her, she'll need at least half a dozen shots 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Any lingering regrets I had about not bringing the Zed have evaporated this morning! Got 6 hours to do today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 ( the drop dead gorgeous Swedish bar lady ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Any pics of the Northern Lights?.......and of course any Scandinavian ladies in their natural habitat would be a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangzoom Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Looks amazing....and also very We went to Iceland to see the northern lights a few years ago, but the 4 days we were they it was just a constant blizzard....Day of leaving, clear blue sky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 spent 4 winters in Norway with the mob Don't forget you need to pay your respects to King Neptune for crossing the Arctic Circle - well the road equivalent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 ( the drop dead gorgeous Swedish bar lady ) Just what I was thinking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Well the Swedish Bar Lady is now a distant, warm memory for when I get some alone time. However, good news is that we are now in Sweden Driven 300 Ks and not been through a town with a cash point yet and need to have £300 in cash each for tomorrow AM for skidoo razzing. Sadly the nearest cash machine is 4 hours round trip away - yes 4 HOURS!!! The decision to leave the Zed behind paid off today, although the pic in the post above shows some light flake down by the sea, once we ascended 300 metres it all went a bit turbo. The friendly policeman yesterday warned us about our tyres, and we're running winters, now I know why everyone had studs in the towns - even when the roads were spotless. This is the only pic I could manage before I was too scared to drive and hold a phone together. Got some gopro for when we get back. It actually totally whited out on 3 occasions, as in, you can't see past the end of your bonnet - not the fog lights in front, not the helpful ski poles along the side demarking the road. Fully bricked it, particularly when a snow plough came barreling towards us at an insane speed Car pulled fine but brakes were simply a token gesture :scare: We foolishly pulled in to let some mental locals through that we were holding up and that was the 640D stuck, rubbish Pirellis. Fortunately, not so stuck that we couldn't rock it out. Crept down in the end and was glad to finally see bits of tarmac, albeit on the wrong side of the road, but that didn't stop me using it once visibility went up Just got time for a sauna before tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 .......and a change of underpants by the sounds of it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 (edited) I was wondering if you had some time for some Ice Driving yesterday, so glad you have. I have always been on the opposite side of the country to where they are located and to take a trip especially is horrendously expensive. I have always been amazed at the driving speeds in the conditions. I presume you have already checked the differing tyres they use. Have to admit now we have blue skies and some warm here it is nice, but still envious of your travels. Be safe and enjoy Edited April 22, 2015 by Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Looks like you are having a good time. enjoy and stay safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) So today has been absolutely epic. 6 hours on skidoos bashing the shizzle out of snow. 600cc of goodness, which is good for about 65 mph in prime conditions, plenty fast enough for a noob like me. Nothing makes you feel more James Bond than blasting over a frozen lake at 50 into a blizzard, phenomenal! We had big problems finding a skiddo tour that was still open, spring has sprung and the lakes are starting to thaw. Fortunately one local stunt bike rider was brave enough to take us out there. Up mountains, down ski slopes, along forest fire breaks, across valleys and over said lakes. The problem with a thawing iake is that there are wet bits and you can @*!# yourself if you're not careful when you see the water you naturally want to slow down, this is incorrect! Today I learnt two things: 1) if the guide does a u-turn and burns off the lake, you forget the safety briefing and proceed as fast as you can back the way you came 2) nailing the throttle is the emergency procedure for nearly all "moments" on a snowmobile. Edited April 23, 2015 by SuperStu 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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