After the arrival of the little man, we headed for a west coast road trip in the van. In September high on the fjell, the autumn colours come fast. We went from Øyer, through Sjoa and over the Strynefjellsvegen to Hoddevik. In Sjoa we visited the raspberry patches at the Sjoa Kayak Camp, a perfect spot for the little lady to have a mini adventure on here bike and an easy picking prizes or 10 for her efforts. The Strynefjellsvegen, is one of the Norway National Route’s, the historical way from interior to the coast. Well above the tree line, and pass the summer ski hill of Stryn. In September there was absolutely no snow left, in fact there was no snow at all. Later I found out that the hip closed in June, which for a summer location is very early. Th glacier is retreating a some pace in recent years.
Out along the fjords and some, we finally ended at Hoddevik, the end of the road, literally, with a surf beach, with no surf awaited. Still we found some fun with the little lady’s new bike and long boards from the surf school accommodation. We did a night of car camping too, fresh crabs and an autumn storm to keep the Äiti (Finnish for mother) concerned the high sided van would be blown over. All good fun. A short trip, but a trial experiment with the kids for the October mission to Ireland.
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
After the wets coast, I headed to Paddle Expo, but first Slovenia to closed down the season for Gene17. A few days on the river, and the train to Nürnberg across the Alps. I like that trip, on the German ICE train feeling like high speed easy travelling. At Paddle Expo, working for Palm, lots of new stuff on their stand, little else where, a quiet year of few new releases. The Pyranha Burn III looks a fine improvement, a cool drysuit from Sweet and interesting new paddles from AT. I picked up the Werner Ovation, a touring paddle, it was the most perfect paddle I have ever seen, when air paddling, you can feel the air resistance, no other paddle, I have touched offers that experience, as the material swing weight is more significant. After Paddle Expo, I dropped into the Sickline in Ötztal, I had not been back since the first event, and what progress, excellent stuff, a great atmosphere in town too. I got to paddle with Olli Grau & Matze, with all borrowed gear on the Middle Ötz, great fun, I wish I could paddle more often these days with these boys, next year, next year.
From Sickline, I flew to Dublin to meet the family android trio to northern Ireland and around to Galway. I had never been north of the border in Ireland, the frontier did not exist, in fact there was not even a sign, to mark the location. We headed to County Antrim, home to Dark Hedges and the Giant’s Causeway. For my lady’s rocketing side job as a travel blogger, we enjoyed the off season e=delights of these tourist attractions, along with see some Game of Thrones filming too. This part of the world, like so many parts on that land mass, is wonderful. It was certainly odd when driving through a few spots with curb stones painted red, white and blue, but those signs aside, it was not at all easy to tell much difference between the two parts of the island.
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
On from County Antrim, we went to Sligo Strand, and stayed near the beach. I got to do some biking, as the surf was not inviting, and Satu did some SUP on a river near by. We meet friends along the way near Easkey and in Galway, and simply enjoyed having the new addition and letting the autumn roll by. It was certainly ace to lessen the pace after what had been a go go go kind of year.
Image Satu Vänskä-Westgarth – http://www.todestinationunknown.com
the life and times of Simon Westgarth 