Midzomernacht

We gingen dit jaar wat eerder naar het noorden zodat we op 21 juni boven de poolcirkel zijn om de midzomernacht mee te maken!

Onderstaand vinden jullie een reisverslag. De gehele route is terug te vinden op polarsteps.

Klaar voor vertrek naar Hirtshals (DK)! Vanaf daar nemen we morgenochtend de boot naar Kristiansand (N).

Aangekomen op onze eerste overnachtingsplek in Denemarken! In een recordtijd. Weinig file bij Hamburg en geen controle bij de grens. Dat scheelt samen al snel 2,5 uur. Morgen om 11:45 uur de boot naar Kristiansand (Noorwegen).

Eerst naar het strand!

Onderweg naar Kristiansand!

Aangekomen op de Egenes camping in Flekkefjord. Met leuk bezoek tijdens het ontbijt….

Deze lieve poes kwam tijdens het ontbijt gezellig even langs....

Dit is Hollenderbyen (Hollandse stad) in Flekkefjord waar we veel bekijks hadden met onze Hollandse bus!

We rijden naar het westen richting Sokndal.

Prachtige rit over de 44 gemaakt.

Nu aangekomen op de Camping waar we 2 nachten verblijven. Morgenochtend maken we de klim naar de Preikestolen! De vorige keer was 13 jaar geleden.....

Met de boot naar Roldal.

Prachtige route langs de E33

20 minuten verplichte pauze wegens boomkappen….

Aangekomen op de Lofthus Camping.

Ook nog even bij onze vriend Marco Robeerst langs geweest. Helaas, niet thuis…..

Vandaag aardig wat kilometers gemaakt en staan nu op grote hoogte op de camping in Høvringen.

Onderweg op de E6 heel veel wielrenners gezien.

We ‘kruipen’ langzaam omhoog richting de poolcirkel! Bijna (op het laatste stukje na) prachtig weer gehad onderweg!

Lunchpauze!

Waren het gister wielrenners, vandaag kwamen we de Nederlandse Volvo club tegen…

We rijden Noord Noorwegen binnen!

Timelapse van 22:00 - 08:00.... het blijft de hele nacht al licht!

In verband met het wat minder goede weer in Noorwegen besloten we vanochtend om in Zweden wat naar beneden af te zakken. Morgen zou het in deze omgeving mooi weer moeten zijn. We gaan morgen de Vildmarksvägen rijden, van Vilhelmina, linksom naar Strömsund.

Elanden gespot!

Hier is onze allerliefste DJI Drone van ons heengegaan. Een kompas error werd je fataal. RIP. Het waren mooie tijden…. Paar uurtjes na de verdwijning al gelijk een advertentie voor een nieuwe in de mail.

Update 5 januari 2024: Onze drone is weer terug! Hij is gevonden door iemand en bij het politiebureau ingeleverd. Daarvandaan per DHL naar Nederland verstuurd.

Hij mocht helaas niet mee met ons….

Aangekomen op de camping!

Heerlijk een paar uurtjes op het water!

Once upon a time there was a magnificent waterfall in Sweden called Storforsen (The grand rapids). It was as admired for its beauty as it was dreaded by the log floaters. One night unlike any other the noise from the rapids where silenced forever. The work of one man and nature together created the heritage site Döda fallet – the dead falls.

A disastrous event created the site It has been called the largest natural disaster facilitated by a man in modern times. Where the grand rapids once created an enormous audio mass there is now a desolate landscape, only a few birds are heard. As a visitor you feel really small amongst the large boulders and giant potholes caused by swirling stones caught for ages in pockets of rock in the rapids. Some surfaces are made smooth from all the years in water. The emptied waterfall is bordered by green forest on both sides. A visit to the dead fall gives you a strange, calm, yet loaded feeling. It´s a disaster that resembles an art exhibition, a giant installation if you like.

The bypass was meant to make floating timber easier The story is dramatic. The grand rapids connected Lake Ragunda to the Indalsälven river and was dreaded by the timber workers trying to get loads of timber undamaged to the Swedish coast for further shipments. The plan in 1796 was to dig a bypass canal for floating the timber securely, instead of having them break and get stuck in the 30 meter high waterfall (the Niagara falls is 51 metres high to give you some perspective).

The daring man who got himself into trouble

A daring work was led by merchant Magnus Huss. He used water from a stream and created ponds to let the overflow water create its own path around the rapids. Slowly, the water began to take a new direction. As spring progressed the melting snow helped in the process and from one day to the other the Grand Rapids literally became the Dead Falls overnight on June 6th in 1796.

The rising water pushed through the dam, and drained Lake Ragunda completely as the entire river was redirected straight through the forest. The total devastation was a fact. Farms, livestocks and sawmills miles along the shores of the river where lost in a process that lasted less than 4 hours. Miraculously no human lives were taken by the gigantic flood wave.

The geology of the site came into the open Now Magnus Huss got his nickname the “Crazy Huss” and a mob of angry farmers eagerly sought for him leaving him running for his life. One year later he was found drowned in the river. In the following trial after the disaster no one was found guilty. Experts claimed the water would have broken through sooner or later because of the geological structure of the area. It is peaceful today when one is visiting the Dead Falls and it is easy to imagine the grandeur of the once roaming falls. On rustic and impressive wooden walkways you can take a comfortable tour to see the boulders and potholes up close. There are some deep dark green holes filled with water in some places mirroring the surrounding pines. Information boards tells the story of that unlikely night some 200 years ago when the water took another way. There is a nature path leading into the forest with information on flora and fauna. Do not be surprised if you happen to see the bats of the nature reserve encompassing the dead falls area. The large rotatable platform was made for musical and theatrical shows with the dead falls as a magical backdrop. Over the years there has been performances here like the story of the Crazy Huss and Shakespeare´s A Midsummer Night´s dream.

Koffie break!

On June 9, 1939, the Swedish government granted funds for the construction of the first 20 war airports, including the Brattforsheden. Following the tender procedure, a contract was signed on August 26, 1939 between the Royal. Aviation Administration and Aktiebolaget Road Improvements in Karlstad. According to the contract, the contractor undertook to carry out clearing, planning and cultural work for airfields at Brattforsheden. The work was to be started "immediately" and conducted so that the entire area was completed on October 1, 1940. Now about 80 years later, the area is still well preserved and here, in addition to wandering around and seeing the place, you can also book a guided tour and a time in the flight simulator.