After one of the brightest nights so far of this bike tour I hung out at the campsite talking to the other cyclists there for most of the day. Apart from a trip to the Honningsvag supermarket I didn't do any cycling today before 8 p. m. when I embarked on the northernmost part of my trip to see the sun set over the Nordkapp.

Mageroya is a magical place with some of the most stunning corners of all of Norway with its treeless mountains and barren high plateaus. Two plateaus are on the road to Nordkapp and they're not the easiest of climbs so I was glad I could leave most of my stuff in the tent. The bike rides so differently without most of the luggage, it felt like starting out completely fresh with rested legs. Up on the plateaus the low sun colored the scarce vegetation with an golden light that enhanced the already fascinating scenery even more. Dispassionate reindeer, of which there is a lot on the island, cast magnificent shadows on the orange rocks. That ubiquitous plant with the white fluffy seeds glowed on the bogs like simbelmyne.

The closer I got to Nordkapp the more atmospheric it got. In the clear sky I saw the sun describe its path piecemeal whenever I had climbed out of a valley until it almost dipped into the water. I arrived at the Kapp right on time for the sunset. Crowds were gathered around the globe sculpture and the fences, including a few cyclists. The spectacle lasted maybe twenty minutes before the sun had sunk below the horizon in its entirety but the bright red glow remained throughout the short "night".

The visitor center closed at 1 a. m. and as customary that marks the beginning of a long motorcycle photoshooting session. Moto after moto kept rolling in until there was a congregation of about ten of them gathered around the globe sculpture. A reduced crowd of maybe twenty or thirthy people stayed at the Kapp "all night", i. e. until the sun rose two hours later.

Riding back to the camp site was every bit as demanding as getting to the Kapp and in the end I had climbed more than 1200 vertical meters during this short, 60-something kilometers day. When I arrived around four in the morning, several other riders already prepared for the southbound Hurtigruten boat which calls at Honningsvag at six. I was glad my northbound boat sails only in the afternoon so I hope to grab a few hours of sleep before I leave Mageroya.

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