Trollstigen

Trollstigen (TrollRoad) is another of the great tourist attractions in this area of Norway.
It was opened on July 31st 1936 by King Hakon VII, after 8 years of construction. Prior to this road there was only a path, called Kløvstien, usable by horses and walkers, which gave access to the market at Åndalsnes. That path is still in use for walkers, although I'd rather use the road.
I've driven the road many times now, and although it's a nice drive in a saloon car, I've always wanted to drive it in something really fast,, I'm thinking something like an original Mini Cooper. ;)
However this time round I became a passenger since Honey the Honda had peed herself, as I mentioned in my last post about this road trip. She was so embarrassed that she was positively steaming.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, there was no mobile phone signal, so Peerie Trowie hitched a lift with a couple of guys who had been skiing, to where she could get a signal and call for assistance. That call wasn't entirely without farce, because she couldn't even remember the registration number of the car, or which insurance company I was with.
But that didn't really matter, Norwegian style is to get the job done and quible about paperwork and details later.
So a nice Viking turned up with his rescue lorry.

With Honey loaded, the four of us piled into the cab of the truck. Three in the rear cab seats and one in the front passenger seat, and we set off.
The flat area, called Stigerøra, just south of the Troll Road, has some nice views, especially when there is still a little snow around.

 And then we approached the top of the Troll Road itself. Note the sign.

At first it just looks like you're going to drive past a bit of a hole in the ground. Maybe a bit like being near the top of a geo in Shetland.

Then you get to see where you're actually headed for...

At this point it may be worth mentioning that the front seat passenger is absolutely terrified of heights...
And the truck we were in was a typical flat fronted thing which has to hang its forward body structure over the edge of the turns to get around them.
With that mental image installed. Enjoy the following scenes.

There's a fantastic waterfall, called Stigefossen, which cascaded down the face, and under some bridges.

At one point it isn't advisable to have your sun roof open, that's how close to it you get.

The truck driver was a true gentleman, and kept offering to stop so we could get out and take pictures. But there was no chance of getting out past our 'slightly worried' front seat passenger. I still can't figure out what the Golden Oldie was scared of, let's face it he's represented a certain Sandwick Club on TV quiz shows, and I for one would be too scarred, and likely to stupid, to do that.
But, back to the waterfall. The lovely old bridge near the top of the first picture is the one where you get wet.

Eventually we got down to the beautiful fertile valley near Åndalsnes, with one very relieved passenger.
The mountains in this scene are at the foot of Romsdalen, and the one near the right is Romsdalshorn.

In Åndalsnes the nice Viking unloaded Honey.

And in the style of a true Viking, reminiscent of a true Shetlander, he fixed her with a hose which he had scranned (salvaged) from an old wreck. Nice bit of recycling.

And, as usual with my posts, here's the bum shot. Viking busy, while I look on, worried about my old Honey.

After the repair we headed home, went to the local eaterie ooterie for a nice meal, then somehow managed to get totally pissed.. Still can't figure out how that happened. :)

That was the end of this road trip. Hopefully the next one will be less dramatic.
We head out tomorrow night for Oslo. We're only driving about half way, through Åndalsnes and Dombås, and stopping for a night in a cabin, before we continue to  Gardermoen airport, and the start of our Willie Nelson 2K10 tour. Of course the ever present camera will catch anything of interest.

Yun's aa fir enoo