Uploaded September 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Cycle touring with 24 hour daylight in the Norway was breathtaking. The scenery was stunning, and the constant light meant we never had to worry about getting caught out in the dark. We often cycled until 1am, since the day felt endless! But, with absolutely no cycle touring experience, the physical challenge of the cycle tour was overwhelming. My body has never felt so strained and exhausted as it did in the first few weeks of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour. We'd done no training and figured we'd just learn how to cycle tour while on the road. That meant that we were totally unprepared for the test of endurance that lay ahead.
But cycling through Norway was beautiful, regardless of how much my body ached, and cycle touring in Norway is an unforgettable experience. We wild camped a lot, and ended up cycle camping through much of the Norwegian Arctic. We stayed in the occasional hotel, but the eye-watering Norwegian prices meant that most of the time we slept in the tent after each day on the bikes.
So, please enjoy our first few weeks of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, when we endured wind, hail, rain and snow as we traversed the North Norwegian Coast.
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BACKGROUND:
For the last 1.5 years, I've been on a cycle tour from Tromsø in Northern Norway to Baku, Azerbaijan, while interviewing locals along the way for my blog. Solo cycle touring for beginners like me can be intimidating; I'd ridden a bike 4 times in the previous 10 years before this journey, but I decided to jump in at the deep end and learn about bikepacking and touring while I was on the road. After watching a few videos on "how to cycle tour", I set off, and covered 11 countries by bike (and took detours to another 2).
Long distance cycle touring alone was always going to be a challenge, but I got used to it after a month, and eventually started to truly appreciate it. I didn't have much cycling gear or expertise, and I resorted to using an old Trek mountain bike that I got for free, which was frustrating at times, but I found motivation in the locals I met along the way, and the far-flung places I reached off the beaten track.
The adventure by bike introduced me to a new side of travel. I'd never interacted so much with local people and my surroundings, when I'd been abroad or been so exposed to the kindness of strangers. Travelling so slowly as I pedalled made me feel immersed in the countries and cultures I cycled through, and it forced me to stop in some of the more obscure places the world has to offer. All in all, cycling the world shows you a side of some countries that most travellers never get to appreciate.
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Website: placepersonplate.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/tieranfreedman.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/tieranfreedman
Cycle touring with 24 hour daylight in the Norway was breathtaking. The scenery was stunning, and the constant light meant we never had to worry about getting caught out in the dark. We often cycled until 1am, since the day felt endless! But, with absolutely no cycle touring experience, the physical challenge of the cycle tour was overwhelming. My body has never felt so strained and exhausted as it did in the first few weeks of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour. We'd done no training and figured we'd just learn how to cycle tour while on the road. That meant that we were totally unprepared for the test of endurance that lay ahead.
But cycling through Norway was beautiful, regardless of how much my body ached, and cycle touring in Norway is an unforgettable experience. We wild camped a lot, and ended up cycle camping through much of the Norwegian Arctic. We stayed in the occasional hotel, but the eye-watering Norwegian prices meant that most of the time we slept in the tent after each day on the bikes.
So, please enjoy our first few weeks of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, when we endured wind, hail, rain and snow as we traversed the North Norwegian Coast.
--------------
BACKGROUND:
For the last 1.5 years, I've been on a cycle tour from Tromsø in Northern Norway to Baku, Azerbaijan, while interviewing locals along the way for my blog. Solo cycle touring for beginners like me can be intimidating; I'd ridden a bike 4 times in the previous 10 years before this journey, but I decided to jump in at the deep end and learn about bikepacking and touring while I was on the road. After watching a few videos on "how to cycle tour", I set off, and covered 11 countries by bike (and took detours to another 2).
Long distance cycle touring alone was always going to be a challenge, but I got used to it after a month, and eventually started to truly appreciate it. I didn't have much cycling gear or expertise, and I resorted to using an old Trek mountain bike that I got for free, which was frustrating at times, but I found motivation in the locals I met along the way, and the far-flung places I reached off the beaten track.
The adventure by bike introduced me to a new side of travel. I'd never interacted so much with local people and my surroundings, when I'd been abroad or been so exposed to the kindness of strangers. Travelling so slowly as I pedalled made me feel immersed in the countries and cultures I cycled through, and it forced me to stop in some of the more obscure places the world has to offer. All in all, cycling the world shows you a side of some countries that most travellers never get to appreciate.
-------------------------------------------
Website: placepersonplate.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/tieranfreedman.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/tieranfreedman
