North Cape
From a distance you could already see a big white dome. Because at the North Cape there’s not only the big metal globe but also a museum with a café. On a long road and the last few metres, there was then a small gatehouse. Here you could buy a ticket for the museum, or rather for the building. But someone had told me beforehand that you could drive onto the car park even without this ticket. So I just asked whether you’re allowed to and can camp here. The woman just nodded and pointed to a muddy patch next to the car park… well, better than nothing. I’ll have a look later… The really big car park was right in front of the building. For the time of day it was pretty busy! It was incredibly windy and quite cold! I rode as far forward as I could and parked next to a few other motorcyclists. The variety of people was really funny. Some looked as if they were here every day, and some, like me, were all excited and could hardly wait to arrive. A few families with motorhomes, some solo travellers with cars or campers, and then, now and then, small groups that looked like day trips. And then there were the frozen-through cyclists! I got off, secured my helmet on the handlebar, got my beanie and my scarf out of the case, grabbed my camera and walked the last few metres around the museum. At times the wind almost blew my beanie off my head, it was so windy! While walking I actually had to think again for a moment about how, 102 days ago, I’d ridden out of the driveway at home — everything I’d got to experience so far! How many people I’d met and what opportunities they’d offered me! It was truly a moment of gratitude. It’s nothing wild to ride to the North Cape. All doable, with a bit of time. But it’s the meaning that counts, and reaching a goal, that makes the whole thing so special. I was incredibly proud of myself for having made the way all the way here. Healthy, and apart from the things that broke. Once again it couldn’t have gone better! And then I saw the metal globe that I’d only known from photos so far. To put it nicely: kept minimalist and simple. I stood in front of it and had arrived at my goal. To ride to the North Cape by motorbike in 2022. On the way there, to do various jobs, meet lots of people and take the time to travel. To improve my English and live with only a few things. It worked!
The North Cape really gave me the feeling of standing at the end of the world. After it, there was nothing more for now. Many people came and went. Some alone or in pairs, whole families or groups from bus tours. People who stood there for a long time and took their time, and then again those who only quickly took a photo and then left. It’s really just a metal globe on a pedestal. A fence around it so you don’t fall off, but still somehow a special place.
I stayed for quite a while longer and walked around a bit. Slowly it also got a little darker — not because the sun was setting, but because more and more dark clouds were coming up. So I headed back to the bike. I’d really been looking forward to my sleeping bag too! So I rode to the „designated tent meadow“ next to the car park. It was a muddy meadow. Three or four other tents were still standing there. But all the others were by bike, and I was really unsure whether I should even ride onto it. I had to laugh: I’d had the same situation in Sweden with the motorcycle group on the TET when I got the tip „Let the bike be the bike!“ „The bike will manage!“ Back then it worked out too, after all. So I paddled with my feet while my rear wheel, in first gear at a decent rev, scarified the meadow. With a bit too much attention, I then arrived at a small free patch next to another tent. I quickly got everything to safety, because it was slowly starting to rain. I only very briefly greeted my tent neighbour with a: „Hello!“ and then went into the tent.
As I heated up my rice, I wondered how I could still take a photo of me and my motorbike in front of the globe. „Is it actually supposed to rain tomorrow? I don’t think you can really tell here…“ Officially, you’re not allowed to ride up to the globe by motorbike. That’s why you do it at night, or rather early in the morning. So I set my alarm for 5:15 and just let the next day surprise me. Even before the alarm rang, I woke up. I was totally puzzled. It was super bright in my tent. And also calm, no wind. When I pulled open the zip of the tent, the sun shone straight into my face. It was relatively warm. Bright blue sky and only a very light wind! How amazing is that, please?! When I came out of the tent, I only saw the zip on the neighbouring tent sliding open too. Again I said: „Hello!“ and the answer was very surprising, but typical: „You’re German too, right?“ My tent neighbour was Tim. He’d arrived here by bike yesterday afternoon and had also planned to take his North Cape photo now. Amazing! So I packed up my tent and we rode up to the globe together. There was no one there. I mean really no one. There were a few cars in the car park, but no one was walking around and you couldn’t hear a sound! Except the wind and the waves as they crashed against the coast. It was once again a very special moment! Again and again we talked and took a few photos:
And since I’m here anyway, I can also be at the highest point at the northernmost point:
After a good hour and a half the car park slowly woke up and every now and then people and motorcyclists came along:
Then a little chubby Frenchman came along on his adventure enduro. In hindsight I think that he, like all of us, was simply just excited. In any case, he didn’t fold out his side stand properly and his bike just fell over after he got off! But with a bright red face he very quickly stood it back up! Just quickly took a photo and then rode off again… After I’d talked with Tim and some other travellers for quite a while, we headed back to the „tent meadow“. At the North Cape, apart from the package tourists who arrive by bus, it’s really only people who’ve covered a fair few kilometres. I can definitely say that! My track from the day before was still there, so I just rode it again. Over breakfast in the sun, Tim told me he’d taken a year out. His first goal was the North Cape. He’d now reached it. „Now it’s over the winter, south to Gibraltar!“ He told me about his problems with travelling by bike and that it’s sometimes really dangerous to ride on the bigger main roads. Around 11 I then said goodbye. I wanted to make use of the still-sunny day to cover a few more kilometres! With my rear wheel spinning, I rode off the meadow. Looked back once more and was overjoyed to have reached my goal! On the map, though, I’d so far only ridden 50% of my route. The journey went on! And I was immediately looking forward again to not knowing where I’d pitch my tent tonight and what actually comes next. With „Hard Sun“ by Eddie Vedder in my ears, I twisted the throttle, shifted up and roared off southwards! I was really looking forward to the warmth!
