74.61km –10H58’
Altitude : 395m
To be lucky or not!
Serge doesn’t feel lucky today, because o f a head wind which came up at km 10 and didn’t let up all day. “It‘s driving me crazy” he says. It’s a south wind which, luckily for the support team, is not as cold as yesterday. It’s a constant struggle for 65 km and refueling is not enjoyable because Serge continues to walk, has trouble drinking properly because the wind suffocates him and with his nose in his dish he inhales more food than he can carry to his mouth. He prefers to eat standing, rather than taking a break to sit in the van.
For the past two days, by the time he reaches km 30 he is ready to finish the stage. “It’s ok, I’m ahead and I could stop now and start tomorrow. But my average will take a beating and all the effort I have made up to now will be wiped out. Tomorrow I know that I will regret this decision and this short stage, so I blow up at myself: what difference does it make if you spend 11 hours on the road, get moving and shut up (yes, Serge is not always polite with himself!), go on, that’s what you’re here for”.
At km 30 we go through Kautokeino, a small town with 2 filling stations, 2 super markets, 2 hotels, 2 camping grounds, 1 school, and 1 beautiful church. It is the only place where we see some life and it’s an oasis that livens up the stage, as compared to yesterday when we crossed 2 or 3 hamlets, which were the only sign of human beings in this wild and deserted place.
Eliane and Rene make a great effort to feed Serge well, by varying the food as much as possible: pasta, rice, lentils, ham, chicken and sometimes bacon. Serge does not like reindeer, a dark red meat with a strong flavor, like game at home. René is the only one to have tried this meat, which he found very tasty. After having crossed 9 capital cities in the space of 6 weeks in April and May, since May 13 there has been a lull. We are even beginning to think that the return to civilization and crossing big cities will be difficult.
Serge finishes the stage with a gasp, then a smile. It’s the end of another stage and tomorrow we will start again.
Town : Frontière Norvège/Finlande
GPS : N 68.39’49.2° E 023.19’45.5°