In my efforts to meet the pow season in shape and well prepared, like a professional Swedish ski-model, I am trying out a numer of alternative training methods this year since the gym is a pretty boring place to be. Last out was ice-skating which proved to be a pretty good excercise, at least from the cramps in my lower legs to judge.
Me and my skate-buddy Oddis. Mind the golden skates, olympic champ special limited edition. And my custom made Norrøna speed skating cap prototype.
Hooked up with the dude of the dudes when it comes to ice and speed and tights and stuff, Ådne Søndrål, or Oddis as we dudes on the ice call him, Olympic Champion and world record setter on 1500 meters of this stuff. Got some expert tips that did not make me set any records on that track, but at least got me out of there without any serious injuries brought upon myself nor any others.
Rippin! Free ride ice skating is the shizzles!
Next is hopefully a shitload of cross country ski-skating up in Hemsedal with Skævvern, and some laps at the hill. Then I'll be all set. This season is gonna be full on pretty early this year!
Went to Hemsedal for the pre-opening weekend and kicked off the season with pow up to the..... ancles at least. Expecting to start off the season with piste-cruising on man made surface I was surprised by beeing able to cruise all over the mountain on about 60 cm of snow.
The Hygge factor was definitely present, with all the redular happy pow campin dudes and dudettes of Hemsedal poppin out of their winter hiding. Thanx to Skævvern for the hookup in House of Hygge, to David for the riding, to Tut for smiling, to Camilla for the hot dogs and cakes, not to Jonas Hjelme for the guiding and to Skjalg for the ride back to the Oslo.
It got warmer on Sunday but the snow is still there, meaning Hemsedal has got an excellent snow base already and it's looking good for the rest of the season there. Will be going back for some more cruising and getting in shape before winter kicks off in the rest of the world and it's time to go out there and chase it. Tickets to Japan for example, are already bought. Bring on the pow!
Went to Lofoten for a quick surfout with Nico and Vegard from the Looped crew out of the Tromsø hood. Shitty forecast could not stop the young looped spirits so we boarded the surfcruise wessle with fat smiles despite knowing that the journey would never end with epic surf.
Droppin in on Nico and going for the magic seaweed grab
Takeoffs were all we got as the swell dropped even faster than we'd thought, but still spirits were high and we were happy lopping takeoffs and 2 secconds of fame literarely on the rocks. The fierce crowds of course were as hostile as ever in the bay and we shared the leftovers and worked on some special skills, like reversed duckdiving and magic seaweed doublegrabs to keep a minimum distance between bords and rocks.
Lofoten new local senseless L to the K hooked up with our crew, joined the sightseeing and snapped some shots azz usual, thanx! Not to mention that we ended up crashing in the senseless crib after celebrating Vegard's 18 years of chasing barrels with legally bought and drunk 50's and senseless burito specials. A reason good enough to go to Lofoten no matter what forecast. Through hotdog party at Narvesen on top of that and you've got the #1 hygge destination in the world.
Went to the Dolomites in February last season and had some of the best skiing ever, until we just had to get out of there before everything closed and the mid-station even got blown out by an avalanche. Here is what I blogged then: cushinos and cappuccinos.
Had an awesome weekend up by the deep fjords of north west Norway, riding some of the most scenic and steepest bike-terrain there is, at least what I've seen. The local rippers Veronica, Bjørnar, Helge, Arild and Håvard with friends threw a camp, got nearly 50 stoked big city bikers up there and showed them the best singletracks between peak and fjord.
On top of a peak on the west coast of Norway and only one way to go from there. Down. Fast.This is mountainbiking really close to ski touring with 6 inch suspension like big fat planks that are ready for good times going down. As good as it gets, at least without snow.
VIDEO: The minestry of stash has put together a feel good film that pretty much says all there is to say: MORE SHOTS: Perfect shuttle setup by the locals give you 750 vertical for free.
Veronica and Bjørnar takin a break on the long way down from mefjellet at 1100 meters above barbeque-and-beer-level.
Bjørnar whippin some tail for the cameras; fjords in the background, fiddlers in bunad playing folk songs on the side, blond cow girls milkin fresh organic strawberry milkshakes straight outa freeridin eco mountain cows and smilin' german campers throwin smuggled bratwurst and beer parties for the bikers, and snow coverd mountain peaks and glaciers hangin above the fjord and total bluebird and giant blueberries all over the place and singletracks paved with nothin but golden brown dirt. Just another ordinary day of ridin at the North West Shore of Norwegian mountainbiking, no wonder I get carried away...
Whæææææææææm! Bruuuuuhhm!
Ground zero, bbq, fjord, campin and beer equals good times.
Had an awesome weekend of singletrack mountainbiking at Terrengsykkel (NO) mag's event Utflukt 2009 in Kongsberg. For four days there was good, dry weather, good times and happy people. The terrain... pretty close to perfect. Well, words are not really necessary, just watch the movie clip.
Just recieved some shots from my mountainbike touring adventures in Folldal earlier this summer. We had a good week staying at our family's getaway, an small summer farm in Folldal, right between the great Norwegian mountain areas of Rondane and Dovre.
Top of the world. With wheels for going back down.
Up there the round peaks at right above 1500 meters are great for self earned freeriding on two wheels. From around 1000 meters and up the surface is super smooth with small flat rocks, gravel and very little vegetation, meaning you can ride anywhere, like skiing or snowboarding, without having to follow any paths and tracks.
Takin air on a natural little kicker and landing in soft moss above the valley.
Earn your turns.
Pedalling in to where it starts getting steep and then strapping up is the way to go in the Folldal hood. No lift around and fresh tracks everywhere. A singletrack bike with a good bit of suspension does not weigh more than what you can carry on your back, but is still tough enough to handle some beatings going down the mountain full speed. I got to borrow an excellent all-mountain Commencal Meta 5.5 from Bikes&Boards and it totally got the job done.
This is the true meaning of MTB freeriding. All free, all natural.
Hans Magnus relaxing in the bushes after a good ride down from Fatfjellet. Still a bit of fine singletrack is in front of us before we return to the cabin.
www.bigtrix.com is an outdoor sport and hygge blog by Torkel Karoliussen. Spontaniously updated with new stories, pictures and videos from pow, surf and good times around the world.
