25th Anniversary Appeal Expedition: Day 37

25-anniversary-expedition-day037Meråker to Bellingstua. 53km 11 1/2hrs. Last night I checked the weather. Two good days, then significant snow forecast. So I made the decision to make the long leap to Bellingstua, effectively linking what I’d planned as two days. The groomed tracks around Meråker enabled this, giving me pressed classic tracks all the way out to what would have been my hut for the night at Ferslia, about the half way point. Two cars passed me on the road up to the ski centre, one stopped and offered me a lift. I politely say “Norge på langs” and smile and he laughs and gives me a thumbs up and drives on. Later I see him again and wave enthusiastically as he passes me- he’s the piste basher driver! My own personal freshly groomed trail… until I have to turn north onto the mountain trails. When the trails end at Ferslia I have a sit down break and eat my orange in the sunshine. It’s midday, bright sunshine but still cold enough to freeze my eyelashes. I don’t stop for long… the second half of the day is untracked. The snow varies, it’s very thin cover in places… my poor skis. At least the trail breaking is easy… until I hit the rock hard sastrugi! The views continue to entrance me, seemingly without end. It more than makes up for the difficult skiing… and then I’m onto a slightly different aspect of the mountain, more sheltered and the skiing becomes a dream again, fast and smooth and I can sweep down into Sandvika in long graceful curves. A few shenanigans later caused by a visit to the abandoned old hut before I reach my idyllic cabin home for the night at Bellingstua.