Cycle Tour to Lindesnes

Over fifty miles, or should I say over ninety kilometers, lie behind us and the Lindesnes Lighthouse. Our team of four included me, Roman, Will, and Wydse. The days leading up to our departure, we were on a backpacking trip so our planning and preparation for this trip had to happen over the weekend. Besides Wydse, who was in Oslo for the weekend, we all got together for the most comedically brutal planning session that this program has ever seen. Each one of us bounced between each task: meal preparation, route planning, and packing. The two-hour ordeal was utterly inefficient and ugly, but at least it entertained Will’s roommates. None of us are quite sure why it went so poorly, there was no reason for it to. I like to say, “Can’t win ‘em all” though.

Day 1

We aimed to reach a beach on an island called Unnerøy that the previous group slept on and highly recommended. This was a convenient part of the trip, every group planned to do the same one as those that went in the first half of the week. This made things simple, but undoubtedly there will be complications to deal with.

What was downright funny was that enough problems for an entire trip took place in the first ten minutes of us beginning. First off, we left an hour and a half late because of individual unpreparedness, but the group was adaptive and understanding so we did not let this set us back mentally. After departing Kaserneveien 10, we were stopped at building 18 because of panier bags rubbing. Roman and I fixed our bags which were not entirely attached. We then made it down the hill to the intersection of Kaserneveien and Gimlemoen when Wydse’s bike began making odd noises. I evaluated it and determined it was likely his gears skipping a bit, which I could fix with the barrel adjust while riding. On our fourth, maybe fifth attempt to depart, Roman began by going off a curb which ending in a clip on each of his panier bags breaking off, so both were hanging by one point. We were all baffled at how that impact could’ve resulted in both brand-new bags breaking. With all these setbacks, we refused to turn around and get new bags so Will took her rope and secured the bags to the rack and each other. Luckily, we managed each issue with our skills and got a very good laugh out of the whole situation to begin our trip smiling—even if not for a good reason.

We proceeded along the same route we took for our practice day tour the week prior. Familiar sites and hills were comforting, but also intimidating given I knew what was ahead for a while. Biking, for me, is a rollercoaster of emotions and mental games. There are stretches of pure euphoria that leapfrog with internal roadblocks. Another struggle I realized during this trip stems from that: I normally do this alone. I failed to realize this the entire semester, but every activity and task we were taking part in over the semester, I do alone back home. Apart from backpacking and leading mountain biking rides for work, I am a “lone wolf” so to speak. On my own whim, I decide to ride, ski, hike, or anything like that and am typically alone. I do not have secure community or group of friends that do the same things I do entirely, so I have learned to happily do what I love alone. Though that sounds outwardly sad, it is something I have come to terms with and is comfortable to me. I explained this to Wydse as he kept drifting to the back of our pack where I was, distancing myself. I had my music playing, thoughts streaming through my head, and I was perfectly fine—but I had to explain that to him. I did not realize it, but that characteristic of my outdoor life had been affecting me the entire semester.

Wydse, Will, and Roman were incredibly accommodating over the duration of the trip. Everyone was vocal and listened to the concerns and needs of one another. Each one of us had an evident desire to enjoy aesthetics of the trip but understood logistics like time. With the late start, we arrived at the beach around 19:00 which put us at a pace just slightly slower than the other two groups. Fortunately, the sun hadn’t set by then and we could start cooking at setting up camp without any problem. Right after we ate, Wydse and I opted to go straight to sleep because of the long day. I was content sleeping after over 50 miles of biking, though it would have been pleasant to have some relaxation time and enjoy a campfire like the other two groups managed.

Day 2

An early sunrise, a bruised rear-end, and drive to reach the lighthouse defined the morning. We shoveled the usual oats, oat milk, and fruit into our mouths and repacked our paniers. I do not know why I chose to not bring my padded biking shorts, but I have never wanted anything more at this point in time. I won’t lie, I was in so much pain it was not enjoyable a great deal of the time. I was a recreational mountain biker and when I used to race, I’d wear my padded shorts but also never faced a more than 15-mile course. This was a whole new challenge to my body, and I felt incredibly unprepared, but persisted. Seeing my last name around this area of the country was an added endorphin boost.

We reached the Lindesnes Lighthouse around 13:00 and were ecstatic. Kathrin and Luca were coming down from the hill the lighthouse sat on and told us it was terribly windy up top, so we chose to eat a well-deserved lunch in the sheltered areas before heading up. Both groups stopped to chat and bask in the sun—we had terrible headwind the whole way, but at least it was sunny. We proceeded to check out and climb the lighthouse. Will explored the tunnels and bunkers used in WWII and I sat in admiration of the vast ocean surrounding us at the most southern point of the country. A quick group picture was taken before heading back.

At this point, Wydse and I were outright running out of energy. During lunch he was checking the bus schedule from Vigeland back to Kristiansand. I was set on finishing the journey and did not considering joining him, but after we departed back for Kristiansand the realization hit: I would have to do that entire trek backwards and I was struggling immensely. I had to rest after each climb because of the pure fatigue felt in my quadriceps and calves. I felt terrible for Roman and Will and hated the fact that I was slowing them down. It took me a great deal of mental gymnastics to come to terms with the fact that I just have not done this kind of a sport before and was not going to be able to excel with the physical capabilities of my body at this point in time.

Regretfully, I decided to join Wydse on the bus back to Kristiansand from Vigeland. I capped out at 85.52 miles, 5,704 feet in elevation gain, and almost 10 hours of moving time. The other two were supportive of our decision but made the jokes about us almost being the only group to finish with all of our members. This was one of the most difficult experiences for me here, mentally and physically. However, I grew exponentially in how I understand my mind, body, and relation to others and for that I am incredibly grateful.