Norway!

[girls.ride.harder]

I kinda forgot to make any posts about this but I spent alot of my summer riding and alot of it was in Norway at a glacier called Folgefonna. I was there for 18 days and fell in love with the country! We started off in Oslo, the capital, in southeastern norway. Then made our way across country by train to the city of Bergen which is on the western coast of the country. Finally on our 4th day in Norway we took busses, ferries, and hitch hiked to our final destination in Jondal which is a super tiny fishing village about an hour south west of bergen. This was the only town remotely close to the glacier. But about the glacier..it was gorgeous and the jumps were amazinggg but they were seriously lacking in the rail/box department. It was probably the best time of my life. I thought everyone wouldd enjoy some pictures and a little play by play =] I also want everyone to know that NONE of these pictures have been edited. This place just really is that gorgeous.

 

This is at port in Oslo city where we stayed 3 days and 2 nights. This city is the biggest city in Norway and its only about the size of bethlehem. Its soo pretty with so much to do and lots of shopping (norway is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and a tee shirt cost about 60 american dollars so I dont suggest actually shopping haha).. These ships were crazy and everywhere you looked.

This is just some of the city as a storm was coming in. The weather here is seriously bi polar. Normally norway gets rain 4 out of 5 days but luckily out of our whole stay, this was the only substantial rain we got, lasting only 20 minutes. I`ve never seen such evil looking clouds in my life.

We got lucky and got a free place to stay while in Oslo thanks to a friend of ours.. It was a flat in a tennis club. One room, and a bathroom, that had no shower.. Just a spicket above a washing machine. We were all actually scared to shower and played rock paper scissors to see who had to go first. We learned that appearently this is normal in Norway.

This is 11pm. Confused? We were too. around mid june, the sun never completely sets and there are a couple days of 24 hour daylight. Its called the Midnight sun and they even have a holiday for it called Midsummers. Lots of GREAT parties for that let me tell you. I`m still exhausted. OH and this messes with your sleeping habits to say the least.

On this night, we never went to bed thanks to bar hopping till 3 am, and having a 6am train to catch. Only in Oslo norway will you find a man running in no shoes and boxers at 4 in the morning. We had to take a picture.

This is what we saw on the train ride to Bergen. I fell asleep in a city where it was 80 out everyday, and woke up 3 hours later to this.

Next we were in Bergen, which I can honestly say it the prettiest city Ive ever seen. Smaller than oslo but still one of the biggest cities in the country. Its located off of a fjord on a mountain side. This picture is "historic Bergen". Soooo cute. We spent only two days and one night here but we made our time well worth it. Even slept in a youth hostel with 30 bunk beds in one room. sooo sick

This is just the girls I went with and myself on the ferry ride over to jondal.

Snow walls on the sketchiest access road ive ever seen, that leads up to the glacier. Traffic jams were very normal on this road thanks to Norways crazy screaming cows that are violent and stubborn. Nothing will make them move out of the road.

This is a view from the base of some of the park.. I took it from the website of the snowboard camp because we didnt have any full shots =[..Oh yeah, we went to a snowboarding camp for a week while there then tented for the last 5 days and hitchhiked to the mountain everyday where we poached once our camp passes stopped working =x

goood ol norwegian summer back country

Norways all about Tbars.. non of us had EVER used one and some Norwegians got quite a few good laughs out of our "accidents".. like me falling off wildly at least 3 times a day. woooops

my girl Elin Tortorice killin it on the medium jumpline

snowwwsnowsnowww

Fonna is known for its sunset shoots which are normally around 12 am haha, soo pretty, killer hike tho since the mountain closes at 4.

 

Soo then I came home for a day of reality before my next snowboarding adventure started but thats a whole other story. I came home with tons of new facebook friends, some lifetime friends even, a couple new tricks, a never ending hangover (18yr drinking age), an over drawn bank account thanks to the $30 six packs of cheap norwegian beer, so many memories, and even a cute Norwegian boyfriend ;]. I`d say it was a good time.

Hope everyone enjoys =D

Im going back next summer for a month and a half and might even be working park crew. soooo excited.

[toast21602]

awesome. i'm stoked for you to have experienced that... and very jealous.

[rgrwilco]

awesome pictures. i have seen glacier riding in Europe but never anything out of Norway. Bergen looks like an incredible place!

[TT C6]

Have a fun and safe trip.

 

My aunt lives in Norway and I wonder how close she is to the snowboard camp.

How was the camp and would you recommend it? Links?

Edited August 26, 2009 by TT C6

[girls.ride.harder]

Thanks Toast =] it was def something I recommend to everyone who likes to travel.

 

The camp was a waste of money but we didnt know any better until we were there.. Super cheap compared to american camps at only 600 american, but coaching is minimal, not any celebrities, minus all the pro skiers at the glacier, and the food SUCKED. The only pro was the use of facilities like skate ramps and tramps..but they let all the people staying in the glacier village use it. its good for younger kids..as for everyone else there is a camp ground 50ft from the camp itself (this is where everyone older spent their time and partied) its a huge camping colony of skiers and snowboarders of all ages. soo fun. there is also a public bus to and from the glacier that is cheap for people not at the snowboard camp. as far as lift tickets and season passes, they are the price of normal winter rates here in the U.S.. I`d recomend the camp for people 16 and under.. website is www.folgefonna.no

[RootDKJ]

awesome. i'm stoked for you to have experienced that... and very jealous.

 

What he said. Looks like an amazing time.

[mbike-ski]

very cool, great tr and pics!

[Tyler]

wow thats awesome. the pictures are amazing as well. jealous for sure

[Johnny Law]

SICK BIRD

[phillycore]

OK that's something the you will never forget in your lifetime... way to go living the dream...

 

On a personal note, as someone from scandinavian descent, I'm truly envious...

[Melissa]

Um, wow, who knew Norway was so gorgeous!?!?! Glad you had a blast!!

[Johnny Style]

[Glenn]

Sick. I'm very jealous.

[mollyskeez]

thats soo awesome looks like a great time. the picture from the train is beautiful

[Barb]

I wish my pictures looked like that! Very nice, I love the one of the guy running in his boxers.

[nick malozzi]

Wow, that is awesome. Stoked you had the chance to do that. Way to live up to you screen name girl. Killin it!

[snorovr]

Sooooo sick. Didn't even know that was available there. I went to Norway when I was about 9 yrs old but still remember a pretty good portion of the trip. After seeing your pics I would love to get back. Thanks for sharing!

[CaptDave]

very nice

[girls.ride.harder]

Haha thanks for all the stoke guys!

[gdthomas]

sick trip, the pic from the train looks so unreal