Trondheimfjord - Dry spell

1,400 meters of elevation gain over 110 kilometers—that sounds like a pass. But it isn't. No summit sign, no proud moment, just constant ups and downs, like the mood of a wet Labrador. The road doesn't wind heroically up the mountain, but rather zigzags through the terrain, as if it personally had something against legs.

And as you roll from hilltop to hilltop—always in the twilight between hope and sweat—a completely different problem arises: thirst. In a land overflowing with water, drinkables are rare. Gas stations? Maybe three valleys away. Supermarkets? In the next life.

But at least: the ferries – majestic, efficient, and free for cyclists. A small miracle when you're close to dying of thirst. Norway – where you see a lot of water but don't get any. And where you climb 1,400 meters without ever having been to the top.