We had a nice time this year, although slightly different than back in the old days when Easter would mean days of skiing in the mountains, a lovely panda face in the end and loads of Kvikk Lunsj, the staple diet of every Easter outing for generations here in Norway . With the recent increase in the family household, longer journeys were out of the question. I guess you could say that I have been through a transition from week-long trips, to weekend warrior, and now ultimately, to a day-trip trooper.
So day tripping is what I did. And I have eaten a lot of Kvikk Lunsj.
Since last Easter, two new toys have been aquired. A packraft and a Salsa Fargo. Both were put to use.
The packraft was brought along on a visit to my family and I could "sneak" off for a few hours, playing with the boat in windy conditions and down a slow-flowing river. The water level was really low, and my poor boat suffered a few scratches. I think I could see a few smiles on the faces of the locals, out for a sunday stroll, as they admired my elegant scootching down river...
Hardly epic by any standards, but at least I am getting out there :)
I also went for a quick overnighter with my Fargo. Mainly to try out my bikepackingbags, and get a feel for what goes where in the packing process. I was happy to see that the handling of the bike was not affected in any major way by the bags and their contents. I didn`t ride very far this time, just to a local forest where I planned on staying in a shelter. Quite a memorable night with a small bonfire, hot cocoa and finishing off a crime novel (compulsory during Easter, at least in Norway)
In fact I have been pouring over maps, and have found that there are lots of interesting places to ride in a 2 hour radius from my home. Once the kids have gone to bed, I can scoot off, ride for a few hours, camp outside in my tarp and come back home the next morning, refreshed and ready for a new day.
I will finish this post with a few images from previous winter trips. As our kids grow older we hope to instill the same love of the outdoors that we have, and I sincerely hope that they will join me and my wife on adventures to come.
Easter 2007, Narvik, Norway
Towards Skålatårnet, Stryn, Norway, 2008
Typical springtime skiing.. Bergsdalen, Norway, 2008
I don't know how you manage to juggle raising two small children with work and still get out to enjoy your toys but I am glad you are!
ReplyDeleteThose spring skiing conditions in Bergsdalen remind me of my last day ski guiding last year, watching all the kids grinding their skis over rocks, gravel and tarmac roads. I could imagine the poor parents crying as they said goodbye to yet another pair of skis that their children had ruined/grown out of!
With two kids, long term planning is out of the question. Now, I just have to seize the moment when it arises.
ReplyDeleteMy touringskis do look heavily battered, they have not always felt snow underneath them :)