Grieg Lodge Pilgrims Have Crossed Dovre Fjell

We have walked up and over the Dovrefjell now, with approximately 160 km to go to reach Trondheim. We were very fortunate with the weather crossing the high tundra plateau, where conditions can become unpleasant very quickly. It began to rain in earnest on the last day of our ascent and beginning of the descent, but fortunately we had covered most of the 22 km we needed to do before getting truly wet. At the end of that day we arrived in the evening at the one and only pilgrim refuge in the area with a roof and 4 walls, a very desirable alternative to pitching our tent in a cold downpour after 8 hours of climbing. The cabin was full to capacity with a German pilgrim group from Hamburg that we had caught up with 2 days earlier. They made room for us, however, and gave us hot coffee and tomato soup when we straggled in.

We thought we were finished being celebrities after our encounter with some kids a week or so back who were thrilled to discover real live pilgrims, but as it turns out we have become known by others on the trail as the 2 Americans who are walking the entire route. We are apparently the only Americans on the Pilgrim's Way so far this year, and among only a handful of people of all nationalities attempting the whole 640 km. A German TV crew interviewed and filmed us the other day, and a Norwegian documentary team did the same yesterday. So apparently we will be on German and Norwegian TV and DVDs, and a couple of photo books to be published in Germany and Norway. We find it amusing, ironic and fun that after 3 weeks of seeing not another pilgrim soul on the trail save for one Irish trekker, all of a sudden in the high mountains we catch up with 15 Germans, 4 Norwegians and 2 film crews.

Some folks have asked about terrain. Every day is different, and usually a mix of walking on dirt roads, some paved roads every so often, forest paths, and open fields. Up in the tundra we did a lot of bog walking, which wasn't loads of fun because of mud from snow melt and mosquitos. But every day we have stunning scenery. Some days are harder than others, especially if the trail is not marked very well or we have steep ascents and descents with our full backpacks. But every day is a learning experience and fun. Especially when we get to take food breaks.