The Road To Valhalla Cycling Tour Has Come To An End

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote, To travel is to live.“

– Hans Cristian Andersen

The inaugural Road to Valhalla bicycle tour that started in Helsinki, Finland has come to an end as scheduled in Trondheim, Norway. We have cycled over 3,000 km and climbed, let’s just say, enough to make my leg muscles tremble when I climb the stairs to a second-floor hotel room. How does one summarize such an adventure – after all – each one of us feels, sees and reacts differently to what they see and experience?

We have all heard about how unique these Nordic countries are, the way they differ from what seems like the rest of the world in their values, behaviour, approach to life and the natural world.

The British desert explorer, Sir Wilfred Thesiger, is quoted as saying “the harder the life, the finer the type.” I bring this up not because I think nowadays life in these countries is hard but rather that the essence of their character, their sense of community, their responsibility to each other, their utilitarian approach to problems, was formed by the land which they occupied, by the previous harsh conditions in which they were forced to eke out an existence.

A lone rider climbing through the dramatic mountain landscape of Trollstigen, one of Norway’s most iconic roads

By traveling during the most opportune time of the year, we were able to experience the sheer beauty of nature – some of it like the fjords in Norway are simply unreal – as well as the prosperous societies that the people have built but many of us were wondering how do they deal with the long winters, the lack of sun, the severe weather conditions? And that is in modern times, with easy communications, up to date transportation systems, mid-winter vacations in sunny places and easy access to what drives the modern world – energy supplies.

Opera House and saunas in Oslo, Norway

The changes and comforts brought by modern technology have happened in less than a century. Before that, life was harsh in Scandinavia and survival was never easy. It seems to me that it was these difficulties that formed the psyche of the Finns, the Swedes and the Norwegians. The Nordic nations are different from each other, yet they also share features that look oh, so attractive to us, travellers in these lands.

Hjalmar ‘Hjallis’ Andersen, who won- three gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympics

This tour provided the riders with insights into the Nordic character: resilience, self-sufficiency, collective fairness, an egalitarian tradition, individualism, strong links to, and respect for, nature. Much of it, without a doubt, goes back to the Vikings, their social norms and values and their exploits and mythology.

One thing that the tour didn’t do was to lead us to Valhalla – the paradise of the Norse gods. To find your heavenly kingdom – to be a little jocular – you may have to try another new tour, The Road to Shangri-La, that starts in January, 2027. Perhaps that road will lead you to utopia. I, for one, think I will try that. And let you know…or you can join me and find out for yourself.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...