The Challenge
The Norwegian Randonneur series (Norsk Randonneur) was released early spring of 2020. The series consists of 5 different permanent rides scattered across the rugged Norwegian terrain and represents a challenge for any randonneur willing to take it on. The rides represents different parts of Norway, they are chosen due to their “scenic-ness” and consists of 3 different World Heritage Sites and beautiful sceneries. You know… the Fjords…

The Rules
The 5 different rides are all connected to brevet or Audax cycling and the rider will probably recognize how it is being organized. The distances are familiar as the series consists of a 200km, a 300km, a 400km a 600km and a 1000km. They all follow the rules and regulations of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) apart from some minor changes due to the fact that these are permanents and not brevets.

• They cannot be used as a part of any medal from the ACP.
• The starting time is flexible, but we do follow the regulations for opening and closing hours of the checkpoints given by the ACP. You will find the schedule and checkpoints at the Norwegian sites describing the different permanents. The schedule is marked at each ride by STP (starting time) + the number of hours you have in order to be there. (If you start at midnight 00:00 and has 6 hours 23 minutes to reach the checkpoint this is marked by “STP + 06:23”). It is the rider who is asked to complete the card based on the chosen starting time. The opening and closing hours of the checkpoints are more for a reminder for the rider how you are doing compared to the finishing time. The finishing time is not flexible and has to be respected. This however means the rider has the choice of planning sleep and stops as he or she wishes as long as the distance is covered within the given time.
• There will be a medal for the completed series, not for the individual rides.
• It is not possible to choose to ride one or more of the 5 distances more than once at the expense of one of the other. All 5 distances must be covered to obtain the Norwegian Randonneur medal. If a rider wishes to ride one or a couple of them without completing the Norwegian Randonneur Series, it is of course okay, but the rider must register his interest for the permanent in advance to Randonneurs Norge for it to be counted as a part of the series. Please contact sekretar(at)randonneurs.no if you wish to do so.
• The rider can finish the series in any order he or she wants as long as it is completed within a span of maximum 5 – five – years. If you start your first permanent in the year 2020, you will have to complete the series by the year 2024. It also means you could do all five in one year if you want to. 
• The rides are 2-way rides, meaning it is possible to ride in the direction the rider wants to do it.
• The fee is the same as for our regular brevets. As of 2020, that means NOK 100 for non-members of Randonneurs Norge and NOK 50 for members.

The Rides

200km Permanent
The ride takes place in the historic region of Trøndelag. This was one of the strongholds in Norway of the powerful Norwegian Viking kings a thousand years ago. This ride can also be thought of as the “Heaven and Hell-tour” as the rider might start at a place actually called “Hell” (just google it if you do not believe us!). We could not resist starting the ride at the train station where you will find a sign saying “gods ekspedisjon”. The ride then continue through the historic city of Trondheim, the third largest city in Norway, then crossing the Trondheim fjord by ferry. The rider then continues the circle around the fjord back to the historic site of Stiklestad where it is said Christianity was brought to our country. Therefore, the rider can go from “Gods expedition in Hell” to Stiklestad. If you choose to go the other way and end up in Hell, well that’s your choice…

The ride is in itself no hellish experience as it is mostly quite flat compared to Norwegian standards. If you look at the weather, you can probably expect all kinds within a day, rain, sun, wind and fog.

300km Permanent
The ride is relatively short, but a tough one, rewarded with some breathtaking experiences. You go from the coastal town of Ålesund to the world heritage site of Geiranger, do the Trollstigen road and the Atlantic Ocean Road between Molde and Kristiansund.

If you found the 200km flat, you will probably find this one a little bit… hilly.

There are also some logistical challenges as the ride does not start and stop at the same place. The number of beds at Averøy is limited and booking in advance is a wise choice. But hey.. Planning and looking forward to the experience is half the fun, isn’t it?

400km Permanent
After two permanents in the middle of the country, it is time to head south. The 400km goes between the cities of Kristiansand and Stavanger. The landscape spans from the flat farmlands at Jæren and Lista to the bumpier terrain between Egersund and Flekkefjord. The lighthouses of Lista and Lindesnes forms two of the checkpoints and at Lindesnes the rider also will hit the southernmost point of Norway. The landscape in this part of the country is completely different from the 200km and the 300km and changes as the rider goes from the south to the southwest.

Here there will also be a logistical challenge to go from one city to another, but in this ride the start and the finish is as close to the railway stations as it is almost possible to be.

600km Permanent
Now we are starting to get down to some serious cycling. The 600km crosses the highest point on all the 5 permanents at over 1300 meters above sea level on the way from the east to the west or vice versa. On the western side of the mountain range, we have the city of Bergen, the Fjords and steep climbs. On the western side of the range, we have beautiful lakes and a couple of hundred years old small picturesque industrial cities. Among them the city of Rjukan where saboteurs did crush Hitler’s plans for a nuclear bomb during the second world war by blowing up the factory producing heavy water. The ride starts or ends in the capital Oslo.

The first permanent where booking a room for the night might be an option. This is a quite challenging ride with long ascents and descents, mountainous crossings, desolated areas and crowded cities. Especially to and from the start/finish in Bergen/Oslo; Norway’s two largest cities.

Please do not make the serious mistake of comparing the 1300 meter altitude to the altitudes further south in Europe. At 1300 meters in Norway, you can get snow in the summer time or sudden weather changes from sun and 15-20 degrees Celsius to around 0 wind, rain and fog. Please do prepare yourself as you might suffer hypothermia and die if you do not have the equipment to deal with the elements. We do have a track record of no dead randonneurs so far and intends to keep it that way.

1000km permanent
Our longest, but also considered by many to be the most spectacular of them all. The ride through the Lofoten Peninsula and The Vesterålen Islands. Blue lagoons, small fishing villages, steep mountains and whales in the crystal clear water of the north. This is northernmost 1000km in the world as far as we know it. Situated north of the Arctic Circle. Compared to the American continent, we are talking about the northern coast of Alaska. You’ll have to see it to believe it!

This ride has definitively its challenges. The north of Norway is not exactly dense populated, meaning it might be a long distance to the nearest house, rental bed, restaurant or shop. Planning is essential and so is your physical and mental preparations and the choosing of equipment. Be prepared to bring your own spare parts and be able to fix your own bike.

For the 1000km it is for rides SUMMER ONLY! There are several ferry crossings and one of them, the 38km ferry ride from Andenes to the mainland has a service which only runs late spring to early august.

The Logistics
All the 5 permanents in the series do have their logistical challenges. It could be weather, planning for food and drinking, sleep and transportation before, during and after the ride. All of the rides are made with a close connection to major traffic connection points. Railroads, airports, buses and ferries are well within range. Some  links to useful webpages are listed below.

• Trains: www.vy.no
• Planes: www.sas.no – www.norwegian.no – www.wideroe.no
• Buses: www.nor-way.no/en#/show
• The Coastal steamer: www.hurtigruten.no
• Weather service: www.yr.no
• General information: www.visitnorway.com

The checkpoints are usually placed where you can find food or sleeping facilities. All costs, insurances etc connected to what the rider does before, during or after the ride is the sole responsibility of the rider.  

The rides are strongly recommended done during the summer. They are technically open all year around, but riding the 600km in the winter during a blizzard in the mountains is not our idea of fun. Spring and autumn might also include subzero temperatures, snow and strong winds and the organizer, Randonneurs Norge can close the rides and deny issuing a brevet card due to safety reasons.