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Category: Artic Living | Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:31 pm

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I want to ride my bicyle, i want to ride my bike! So I did. I took a nice ride on my bike and went to 2 very special places here on Vestvagøy. Not very far, but in the winter it seems like it. I bundled up in my winter clothes, when I was done I looked like Ralphies little brother in the movie, A Christmas Story. So off I went, the day was beautiful. We now have 4 hours of light, one hour is prelight, 2 hours of actual light, an one hour of light after the sun has set. Works for me, so off I go.

My first stop is a place at the bottom of my mountain that sits in front of the our house. The beast. This is a place that is at the west side of the mountain in the foothills of it. My house sits at the middle of this mountain, I headed towards the sea. Here is my first stop. This place is very very special, its called UrVatn. That is the old norwegian, the viking language for Ancient Waters. This place was so sacred to the Vikings of this area and the people of an era before them. Tourist pass this place an have no idea what they are looking at, and the local people here like to keep it that way. So the tourists never stop. Vikings came here to pray. They left token offerings, prayers and held ceramonies here at this water. Why is it so sacred you would think,, the reason is it is salt water, in a place salt water should not be. its an underground cavern of water fed from the ocean. Its surrounded by land. It should be fresh water, but its not. Here is UrVatn:



You can see my mountain here




The second special place that I went to, is the ocean. I live less than 1 mile from the ocean, so heading out from UrVatn i head straight for the North Sea.


Are you getting tired yet,, its just a little further up the road. Not far, see theres the sand flats already all frozen over. Do you see that big white mountain, that is Eggum, the next stop after Eggum is America.


Ahhhh here we go,,, Jump right in,,(if your a polar bear that is,,lol)


The mountains off in the distance here is the next island called Vesteralen


Well the sun is getting lower in the sky, an its starting to get a little to cold for me, so i better turn around an head home now.


And finally as I pass that bend in the road, I am greeted heading home by the best sight of all. The sun.


The magic of Lofoten, the rugged raw beauty of this one island in the North Sea. My island, of fairytales that have come true. I hope you enjoyed your bike ride!


This blog entry has been viewed 760 times

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glendann wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:46 pm:

Oh Biita thank you for taking me along on your bike ride.I think it really must have been very cold.The pictures are just wonderful and I could not live on a mountain.I'm so glad you love living there.

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Droopy wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:48 pm:

Nice ride! Thank you for remembering your camera Biita.

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eileen wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:53 pm:

Just wait until Toni sees your mountain Bita - she'll be in seventh heaven!! Such dramatic and wonderfully beautiful scenery. It reminds me soooo much of the highlands and lochs of Scotland. I'm glad you enjoyed your bike ride and took those magnificent photographs for us - thankyou.

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dooley wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:00 pm:

Thanks! It is so different from the pictures we took on our ride on Sunday. I'm not sure I would have started on a bike ride through the snow. No, I'm sure I would still be inside next to a fire. I'm cold when it's 40 degs. outside. It is beautiful country though. Thank you for living there so we can see it.
dooley

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Biita wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:15 pm:

Thank you, i hope you all enjoyed it, because it felt so good after being tied down by dark to just get out an ride. It was coooold,, an i mean cold,,lol. but i was well dressed for it. I take my camera everywhere i go. Thanks again for reading.

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kuntrygal wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:20 pm:

Biita, this is much better than taking history in school. Your pictures are beautiful and decriptions are captivating. The Stew with all is wonderful members from all over the world is so educational as well as fun. Thanks for taking us along on your bike ride.

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toni wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:17 pm:

Magnificent Mountains, the first picture is beautiful, heck I love them all.

Taking a ride alone, in winter like that, the aloneness is almost spiritual.

What is the population on your island? Seeing that much territory with no vehicles or other people is mind boggling to me.

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Biita wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:17 pm:

KuntryGal, i agree, i have learned so much from all the members world over from here on the Stew. and i'm glad i can contribute.

Toni, it is spiritual. the peacefullness, is mind boggling after living in america. I don't think i can ever live in a big city again. There is 10,000 people who live here on the island an in summer because of the tourism there is probably double that for at least 3 months. The whole place up here is very sparse. The childrens school that i passed on this ride has maybe 100 kids in it, an thats preschool thru 5h or 6th grades. very small. but very cosy here. (everybody knows all your business,,,lol)

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kaseylib wrote on Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:25 pm:

Thanks for the inspiration to get out and start moving. It's easy to get lazy during the winter months. You must have snow tires on your bike! Thanks for the historical insight...it must be a beautiful place to live. We too live in a rural area after living in the city, and it's great. How often do you see the Northern Lights? We see them rarely here, but my friends up in Alaska see them almost nightly at this time of year.

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Sjoerd wrote on Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:48 am:

Bitta... you just keep gettin' BETTAH. ;)
What a magnificent scenery you put on "film", and your commentary made it all seem like a journal entry. I enjoyed it no end.
You must do this more often for us...MUCH more often.
I'm thrilled for you that there's more sun these days. Do you think that your land-mate, Droopy has more sun than you even?

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cajunbelle wrote on Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:50 am:

What a wonderful ride Biita, thanks for taking me along.

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Palm Tree wrote on Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:59 am:

It is truly like a fairytale island. Thanks for taking us on your bike ride.

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Biita wrote on Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:37 am:

Usually after about 2 hours after sunset the Northern Lights come out, an dance all day an night long until about 2 hours before sunrise. we have them mostly if its really cold, which is all the time,,lol.

Sjoerd i'm trying to do differnt kinds of writing and experiementing more with my camera, so i'm having alot of fun with it all..lol. yes droopy gets more sun than we do now, but not for long, we are gaining 10-15 minutes more light/day. soon I'll have more than she does, then 24 hours a day, an she will have darkness for about 3-4 hours a night when i have none.

Thank you everyone for reading an going on my bike ride with me... see i wasn't alone out there,,lol.

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Sherry8 wrote on Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:06 pm:

Wow...beautiful scenery...I don't know if I could used to so much dark time though...thank you for the bike ride...

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bsewnsew wrote on Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:39 am:

very nice

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