Yesterday was the first day this winter that was really freezing, but because it had been sunny and windy the day before, the roads were mostly dry. Finally, time to explore some of the gravel roads I haven’t ridden before!
This is the bridge over to Hå Gamle Prestegård, which incredibly, is an official part of the north sea cycling route (Eurovelo 12?), as seen by the signage near it: https://i.imgur.com/ky1yeJu.jpg
Crossing it and going up to Obrestad lighthouse, you really do get a sense you are at the edge of the world. The flat, coastal region is called “Jæren” and it’s said to come from old Norse which translates to “edge”. https://i.imgur.com/7deaxve.jpg
Whenever I ride in the region, I’m surprised at the quality of signage. I had the intention of testing it by only riding where signs point, and so I did. I only rode a portion of it, but it was great fun.
The coast here is very stirring to me. I always feel as if I’m experiencing something, not just doing something, when I ride on the gravel trails that go slightly beyond the main roads and towns. There’s something so evocative about trivial history, as compared to epic history, if that makes any sense. Obscure or “insignificant” history seems to be a little less staged, and as such, it feels a little bit more tangible to me. By the fact that no one is looking after, say a stone wall, it becomes more real.
This coastal area is great for low-stakes exploration, and there’s a few odd sights to see. If you head further north to where I live, you can cross another bridge which is less sketchy and which I always ride over: https://i.imgur.com/W0Qc6oL.jpg
… and then you can follow the road to a star-shaped grave from around 500 AD. It has never been excavated, so it is not known who is buried there. https://i.imgur.com/SCnVJgv.jpg
I live in the area and have ridden almost everywhere, but I tend to stick to road riding. I love that winter tends to make me ride slower and have more of an exploration mindset. I’m not complaining about my summer riding, but in the summer I tend to be more motivated to riding as far as possible.
When I look at my heatmap, all the roads I haven’t ridden are gravel and/or obscure. I’m looking forward to exploring more of these lost lanes in the months to come!
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Yesterday was the first day this winter that was really freezing, but because it had been sunny and windy the day before, the roads were mostly dry. Finally, time to explore some of the gravel roads I haven’t ridden before!
This is the bridge over to Hå Gamle Prestegård, which incredibly, is an official part of the north sea cycling route (Eurovelo 12?), as seen by the signage near it: https://i.imgur.com/ky1yeJu.jpg
Crossing it and going up to Obrestad lighthouse, you really do get a sense you are at the edge of the world. The flat, coastal region is called “Jæren” and it’s said to come from old Norse which translates to “edge”. https://i.imgur.com/7deaxve.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/O7M3Sse.jpg
Whenever I ride in the region, I’m surprised at the quality of signage. I had the intention of testing it by only riding where signs point, and so I did. I only rode a portion of it, but it was great fun.
The coast here is very stirring to me. I always feel as if I’m experiencing something, not just doing something, when I ride on the gravel trails that go slightly beyond the main roads and towns. There’s something so evocative about trivial history, as compared to epic history, if that makes any sense. Obscure or “insignificant” history seems to be a little less staged, and as such, it feels a little bit more tangible to me. By the fact that no one is looking after, say a stone wall, it becomes more real.
This coastal area is great for low-stakes exploration, and there’s a few odd sights to see. If you head further north to where I live, you can cross another bridge which is less sketchy and which I always ride over: https://i.imgur.com/W0Qc6oL.jpg
… and then you can follow the road to a star-shaped grave from around 500 AD. It has never been excavated, so it is not known who is buried there. https://i.imgur.com/SCnVJgv.jpg
Between April and October, I love to ride to the many beaches that make up the coast, and going for a swim. The water is so clear and refreshing. https://i.imgur.com/5omMtxr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9SBhHDU.jpg
I live in the area and have ridden almost everywhere, but I tend to stick to road riding. I love that winter tends to make me ride slower and have more of an exploration mindset. I’m not complaining about my summer riding, but in the summer I tend to be more motivated to riding as far as possible.
When I look at my heatmap, all the roads I haven’t ridden are gravel and/or obscure. I’m looking forward to exploring more of these lost lanes in the months to come!