Pilgrimage on a motorcycle to Nidaros Cathedral

[Erik_G]

Background

I already read a few years ago on SMC-Travel about an organized pilgrimage on motorcycle from Uppsala, Sweden to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. I sketched out my own alternative for a similar trip in 2019. But I did not made, due to weather and private commitments. However, I made a pilgrimage on a motorcycle to Santiago de Compostela. But this year, it was time for Trondheim - Nidaros Cathedral. The journey started in Säl, just outside Borlänge, Sweden.

Since I returned,it has been raining for 7 days. So I have some time to prepare this, instead of doing useful things. I start with day. And plan to add 4 more days. I wrote it in Swedish, for some swedish friends. But here comes a translation.

I hope it will give you some view of this part of Sweden and Norway.

Approximate itinerary on Google Maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/1bpVceMPmTCM5PCh8

I have stored the selected pictures separate, and I also uploaded two of them per day. If you want to see the complete album, you can open them separate, using the link below.
Click the first picture. And then click the double arrow in the top right corner.

The pictures are processed in terms of resolution and coding quality. (1800x ... pixels and medium jpg coding). That reduced the file sizes by a factor around 10.
Pictures:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/191636466@N04/049X28

Videos... Yes I have some. But I work with the pictures.
I have not passed the threshold to edit videos.

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I am more used to technical English, so.....there are faults but...
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Vaya con Dios

[Erik_G]

Today's goal was camping somewhere in the area of Funäsdalen. I choose that route instead of going via Östersund. Nicer roads. I choose not to travel via Mora. But over Venjan and Idre. From Säl, I follow Västerdalälven west. I soon pass Dala Järna, and signs to Hulån and Skamhed. What a ski Mecca! Gunde Svan, Gunnar Larsson, Sven-Erik Danielsson. And many more. It's tradition. A sign for Vansbro appears. Then my thoughts return to Mellstaträffen 2015. Where Svenne Rubins performed during Woodstock for mopeds. The concert ended with Ruben Svensson looking out over the crowd. And talked about that it was time to go home to Vansbro. And then they performed the song "Take me home to Vansbro" That song spins around in my head during the trip to Vansbro. But a little thought also of Björn Skifs. Once in Vansbro, I see the bridge with the text "Start of he Vansbro swimming ". Nothing for me. But impressive to swim that distance in the cold water.

The journey continues north, towards Vasaloppet areas. I arrive at Vasaloppsvägen / the track in Risberg. What could be better than to pick up the thermos and take a coffee break at that place. And then I drive Vasaloppsvägen towards Evertsberg. It is a road that is totally packed on the first Sunday in March. With support team and transports from Sälen to Mora. It is an incredible logistics, to move equipment for 12-14 thousand skiers from Berga village to Mora. “Vasaloppet” during the winter has been extended to over a week with an open track, short Vasa, girl Vasa, night Vasa etc. The next stop will be in Evertsberg. There you have done half of Vasaloppet. You drink, eat and take a pee break. Before embarking on the second half, starting of the most nice part of the race. Easy ride down from Evertsberg, which feels good with over 45 km in the legs. Now in the summer, the Vasaloppet track is used by cyclists and hikers. Good tourism has been achieved all year round. And the regular Vasaloppet has been supplemented with Rullvasan (roller skis along Vasaloppsvägen), Cykelvasan (mountain bike along the Vasaloppet track). So there are activities going on all year round.

The journey continues to Älvdalen. With its own language and known for its Porphyry. I make a stop at the church. Nearby is Rot Skans. Which was once built for defence against Norway. Shortly after Älvdalen, I stop for lunch at a nice rest area by the shore of Österdalälven. The lunch consists of a home made salad based on casseroles and pasta. I take the opportunity to stretch my back on the bench in the pavilion. The river/Älv now flows calmly and in a controlled manner, after the dam in Trängslet was built. I make a detour up to Trängslet. To once again see the dam (Sweden's highest at 120 m) and resurrect some memories. The dam was built in 1955-60. Then an entire community was built for those who worked with the dam. The buildings remain, and are used by the Armed Forces. You can clearly see the hierarchy that existed among those who worked during that time, by looking at the buildings. Large house with room for the usual workers. Small wooden houses for those a little higher in the hierarchy. And large brick houses for those at the top. But that was a long time ago. At the time when there were still workers, foremen, engineers and directors.

I refuel the motorcycle in Särna and continue north. I see fantastic campsites between the river and the road. Something to remember for the future. It's a little too early to stop now. I turn off and drive road 311 towards Funäsdalen. A very nice motorcycle road. But you have to watch out for reindeers. They roam free. They stand in the middle of the road and cross when you least expect it. I stop at a pond in the middle of the reindeer's land, and take out the thermos. Along road 311 is Sweden's highest village. Högvålen, south of Tännäs. 830 meters above sea level. I end the day at Fjällnäs camping. The campsite is located at 794 m. There it is very windy and a bit damp and cold. I meet a Belgian at BMW, who has been out for 40 days on his motorcycle. He has a proper tent. Redverz Atacama expedition. Big to take with you and set up. But nice to be able to sit in the tent with plenty of space, when it rains. There is also a man from Gothenburg, who is a motorcyclist. But for this trip he rides a car with a mountain bike on the roof. And bike hard rides in the mountains. I myself have a small (2-person) and cheap tent. (I have my normal tent elsewhere) Unfortunately it has no inner tent. And it gets wet on the inside, from condensation. It is not nice, with a small tent where it is difficult to avoid touching the inside. But it was cheap !! You get what you pay for. I thought it would be OK for camping during the summer. But it is not. It is cold (5 degrees) and very windy. But the tent can withstand the wind and the sleeping bag keeps me warm.

[Erik_G]

It's time to head towards Norway. It's a chilly and humid morning. With fog and light rain in the air. So it is Helly Hansen on. Along the way, I stop at an altitude of 925, to take pictures of the mountains. At the Norwegian border, the military is on duty. I first hand over my EU-Covid19 certificate, issued in Portugal. It is Portuguese, because I live there and stayed there until the vaccination was complete, before I went to Sweden during the summer. No problem. They scan in the code and check. Then the driver's license to check my identity. Then just a little friendly conversation about my destination. After a fairly short drive, I stop at Storsand Gård Camping. About 15 minutes from Trondheim city centre. If you drive through the tunnel with toll. Otherwise 40 minutes.

It is a nice campsite, by the fjord. Time for a shower. So I pick up my stuff and go to the service house. But once there, token is needed to get hot water. Tokens are bought at the reception. So I have to turn around with an unresolved matter. I'm going up to the front desk. But there is a rush hour. So I'll come back later. Guests stream into the campsite. Unusually many tents. And big tents. Unlike Sweden. Where there are hardly any tents any more. The campsite becomes full. So it was good that I arrived early, and got a (good) place, by the water. People drive around until 10 pm, looking for a place is a fairly noisy evening. With people who arrive late and are quite loud. A little unusual, after being used to camping in the woods, sleeping in shelters or on empty lawns at camping.

[Erik_G]

Time for the highlight of the trip. Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. It's Saturday, and it's open 9-13 for visitors. I avoid roads with tools, so it takes about 45 minutes on nice roads. I arrive around 9:15. The motorcycle clothes go into the panniers, so that I can walk around in ordinary clothes. It's warm and nice There are few people at this time. The cathedral is a fantastic experience. Both the facades outside and the internal. With a lot to see. A tour, some photos, prayer and meditation. I put 2 notes in the basket with prayers. And the time has become 11:30. People are starting to flow in. And there are queues and crowding. But I'm done. I see on the program that they have a pilgrimage service just tonight. So I plan a return visit for the evening, and take a coffee break in the park outside. I think a little further. On how it is and how it could have been. The song by Björn Afzelius "When you compare how it is with how it could have been" spins in my head. The song was performed by Totta Näslund at Björn's memorial concert, which was a very nice interpretation. I seek peace of mind to accept what I cannot change. I surf the net and buy a ticket for SEK 0, for tonight's pilgrimage service. It is a procedure used to register bookings, for the event that has a limited number of participants.

After lunch and a siesta at the campsite, I take the shower, which I did not get the day before. I then read Fjodor Dostojevsky's "An Uncle's Dream". An author who discusses many difficult issues. I spend the afternoon reading in the sun. The pilgrim service begins at 6 pm. A nice ceremony, with prayer, meditation and blessing. It takes about ½ h. When I return to the campsite, I have new neighbours. An older Danish couple on two motorcycles. A BMW GS and a Suzuki Bandit. They have travelled Copenhagen-Stockholm-Helsinki-North Cape-Trondheim, in 10 days. They have had a lot of rain, which forced them into hotels. Now they can finally enjoy life in tents.

[Erik_G]

Today it's time to turn around. And drive south, without a definite goal. But when it's time, I'm looking for an overnight stay. A shelter would be OK, after a full camping. I start by going to Röros. A fantastic old town that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. South of Trondheim I drive to road 30. It is a fantastically nice motorcycle road to Röros .. It is a road with nice asphalt that winds along a valley. At the bottom of the valley, there is a river flowing. And a railway runs along the river.

Road 28 towards the border is also nice in the beginning . But changes to more transport part. I stop just before the border at a rest stop, for lunch. The lunch consists of coffee from a thermos and sandwiches. A Norwegian family has been and bought ice cream. A box with cones. There is an ice cream more than people in the family. So they donate an ice cream to me. A nice dessert for me. I drive into Sweden. The border crossing is not manned and closed in the direction Sweden-Norway, but open into Sweden. I continue in the direction of Särna. Just before Särna I come to the nice campsites that I saw on the way in the other direction. I'm looking into some of them On the third there is a nice free space.

Älvdalen municipality have put these places in very good order. With numbered places. Such a place costs only SEK 60 (6 €) per night. Then you have a nice place, with fantastic view of the river. And access to an outdoor toilet and your own fire a place. At the same time, camping in the area, outside these places, has been banned. After I booked the sixth and last place early in the day, many people come and look for a place. But they have to move on and look. The neighbours have motorhomes, with inflatable boat, kayak, bicycles etc. It's fun with tourists who appreciate nature. I have an absolutely wonderful evening by the river bank. You can not imagine a better view. Coffee is never better than when it is boiled in a pot, using natural water.

[Erik_G]

The last morning of the trip I wake up by the river. I open the tent and enjoy the view. Am I really going home? Well, the fine weather is coming to an end. Rain and thunder are on their way. I have alternative paths.
1) via Vansbro (same as I drove in the other direction) Beautiful road.
2) via Mora and then via Siljansnäs. Beautiful too.
3) via Mora and then via Rättvik. Shortest. But then I have to go through Mora. Where there is traffic chaos due to halted road construction.

I choose option 2. I make a stop inside Mora. At the Vasaloppet finish. My DL 650 has to finish under the famous motto. "In the footsteps of fathers for future victories" Just outside Mora, the Red Wings Mora MC club has its own clubhouse. There, motorcyclists can spend the night, easily and cheaply. There are a number of options. Tent in the woods behind the clubhouse. If you can handle the amount of mosquitoes. Bed in dormitory, upstairs in the house. Or in a cabin for 2 or 3-4 people. I have no plans to spend the night there. But I go to the clubhouse for a coffee and a sandwich. It will be the last stop before home.

On the way to Siljansnäs, there is a burning car. The driver and a person from the rescue service are standing a good distance away and watching, and they can do nothing but watch the car burn up. Shortly after, I meet 2 fire trucks. I later find out that the fire trucks closed the road during the extinguishing work. So I just passed by, before the road was closed. In the afternoon I arrive at the cottage in Säl. After a journey that has given mental rest and charge. A journey of 1 320 km, which was successful, and which I appreciate very much.

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"We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection"