NATURE
On Foot or by Bike for a Hike in the Mountains?
Reflections on a bike ride from Driva to Ryphusan, Trøndelag
Vinstradalen south of the village Driva in Oppdal, in Trøndelag county, is a parallel mountain valley to Drivdalen, where the E6 and the railway between the south and north of Norway run.
Vinstradalen is perhaps best known for the “Pilgrim Trail” running through this valley, but for local people in Oppdal, Vinstradalen is probably best known as a mountain valley with many farms with summer grazing for cows and sheep and as a hunting area. I have understood that local people who have a shooting license every autumn walk a lot in the terrain at Vinstradalen and Knutshøa and look for reindeer.
On an October day that was forecast with clouds and rain, it turned out later in the day that the sun shone from the blue sky and the degree showed completely up to 18 degrees. Then it became tempting, despite a hike to the mountain top Syndre Knutshøa the day before, to set out on a trip again.
I know Vinstradalen from ski trips in recent winters and from a couple of car trips a few years back. This October day I wanted to try the bike within the 16–17 kilometers to Ryphusan. The road is relatively easy to cycle, as there are mostly flat sections and light hills inwards, except at the start and the last stage before coming to Drotningsdalsvegen.
It still required some heavy pedal steps to get up the elongated valley to where the road rises steeper and turns east. It is not exactly easier to cycle than to go uphill. Both require long-term effort and the ability to persevere, and this is perhaps exactly what I see as one of the (many) positive aspects of walking or cycling on a trip in nature: I get to try myself, my ability to stand out the race, I walk or cycle on, until I reach the destination I have more or less explicitly seen me.
When I have finally reached where I wanted, after a rest at the top in the sun, it is good for the cyclist to be able to take the rest of the trip as a pure bonus: Rolling 16 km down the bike is much better than having to pull again, the many thousands of steps I went up.
But still — despite this great advantage for a cyclist in Vinstradalen, I am by far most fond of the trips on foot. It has something to do with speed. When I walk on the path, things go smoothly. I look ahead and put my foot down where it is good to believe. I walk smoothly, and I can think. This is the hiker’s privilege: I move calmly forward, over a long period of time, and I can let my thoughts wander and flow freely. Going for a walk is by far the best thing, in my eyes.
Norwegian version
Øivind H. Solheim is a novel author and a nature photographer from Norway who loves writing fiction, essays, and articles helping others understand life, other humans, and themselves. He has published five novels, two non-fiction books, and a poetry book.
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