Reminders of autumn on Rundfjellet.

Just another day with rain in the air, and plenty on the ground.

Being this far north and close to the ocean and the weather it brings, it is hard to find more than a couple of hundred meters of below treeline riding. We aimed for a short and mostly sheltered lap on Rundfjellet, a true jewel of a hill here on Kvaløja. We shouldered our bikes and hiked up the steep trail through the woods, and soon found ourselves in the alpine.

Being on the leeward side of the hill, we still enjoyed enough shelter from the wind to be able to enjoy the views.

We made it to the summit and took cover in a hole. It was windy but at least still not raining.

The ride down was just as slippery and fun as expected. We followed the slick ribbon of mud and heather the same way we came down ther northern route, from time to time taking breaks to regroup and shoot the odd picture.

Once down in the woods, the trail goes from good to magnificent. It is a perfect mix of tight corners and steep sections, surfaced with a web of roots just big enough to be exciting without being speed sapping, and covered in a damp blanket of fog and water that made greens and browns deeper and more saturated.

I had my hands full keeping the little bike rubber side down and pointing at least vaguely in the right direction, narrowly missing birch to body contact more than once. I think its somewhat unforgiving nature gives my bike handling skills a good workout that hopefully will transfer well once the big bike is up and running again.

We had such a good time that we had to go up for seconds, right here and right now is a great place and time to be a mountain biker!