OK, we should have internet on Tuesday. Also, it never stops raining- well, it sort of stopped today, for a few hours. I actually saw the sun. It was almost enough to make me cry. Yesterday I`d had enough, and simply rode in the rain-- everyone else was. Around here, I see day care kids playing out in the rain. I remember having recess in the gym whenever it rained. Rain stops no one around here. So yesterday I rode downtown. It was probably a half hour ride- much like living in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, it was really raining hard by the sea, and my waterproof rain pants were soaked, as were my feet. Fortunately I have my rain bike. Frankly, I see no need for any other bike. I am seriously contemplating leaving my other bikes boxed up- at least until we purchase a house. All you need is a rain bike here.
Today I was up relatively early, considering how little sleep I had last night. I took a ride down past Forus to Sandnes. Nothing is open on Sunday, so I had the entire road to myself. Actually, I live in an excellent biking area. We actually have bike lanes on the road, rather than the ubiquitous MUTs. Actually we have both, but there is less hostility while riding on the road when it is wide enough and there is a bike lane. Otherwise, roads around here have no shoulders. Everthing is smaller, so lanes are narrower. That also means the bike lane can be between one and two feet wide. Fortunately, speeds are also slower- and speed limits actually receive compliance. Sandnes is set around a fjord. I rode around the fjord and back. There is a former insane asylum at the end of the road that I reconned yesterday, but I did not have time to ride that far, since we had a ferry to catch. It is a frightening looking place that apparently is used to house refugees awaiting political asylum. There is that `asylum` word again.
I had a dry ride, except the roads were still wet. I think the wetness is permanent. I pray for my steel ride. I fear that rust never sleeps. Anyway, here are the images. By the way, we live at the top of a big hill. I mean a real leg-breaker. We face the fjord pictured. If we went all the way up the hill and back down the other side, we would approach the actual North Sea. In other words, we are on some sort of penninsula.
The forecast for the next several days includes rain... daily. The upside to all this is that there is very little temperature difference between the highs and lows- less than 10 degrees celsius. Back in Minnesota, there would be nothing unusual about a 30 degree F range between the daily high and low.
Did I mention it is raining now? Again?
BTW- click any of the images to enlarge... somehow the thumbs ended up being a bit small.
The view from our driveway. We are at present, subterranean dwellers. Downtown Stavanger is off in the distance.
Two housing developments near Sandnes built into the hill. Photo taken from across the fjord.
Sandnes from the other side.
We live near that hill.
Norwegian bike lane... wide version.
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