i have rented a bike three times here in norway and each trip was very different. in balstrande i rode along the beautiful fjords on a narrow european highway and ended up having to turn back after about 10 kl due to my fear of getting ran over by the speeding drivers. it is true that everyone in europe drives like a very skilled mad man and a girl on a bicycle would have no chance, although i suppose i could have trusted them since they know what they are doing. i am just not used to it. i rode along orchards and pastures with sheep. each of the individual farm houses had a subtle detail which seemed to identify them from one another but was still among the traditional norwegian style.
the second trip was in bergen which is one of the major cities and it was fun bumping around on the cobblestones and finding little shops and cafes behind twisted alley ways. once again this expierience justified to me why traveling via bicycle is truly the best option. its all about the ground you can cover and the details that you can observe. in the city the drivers are very aware of cyclists but like in portland i found myself being too passive with them. another "i am used to seattle drivers" advancement issue.
in voss (like that fancy water!) there is a lake with lots of lovely trails but unfortunately i did not have the time to ride around the whole thing. my trip to voss was by mistake because i messed up my dates, etc., etc. but regardless, it is a really nice little town and was a pleasure to see on two wheels. i even got to visit a family owned farm and lodging house called skjelde gard which my great aunt bitten has been running for years and has been in the family for even longer. definitely a bonus and worth the extra day that i unknowingly already had in norway.
here are some bikes i saw in bergen:
flat thirty three appropriately.
