LYNVINGEN PHOTOS

On tour!

2012-07-24T14:18:00.000+02:00

We are currently on a 2 year long bike tour through Europe and America. This blog will suffer from this since we will not prioritize to update it very often, but don't worry, we'll be back!!

If you're interested in following us on tour, you can do so through our Norwegian blogg: Lynvingen blogg or in English on our Facebook page: Lynvingen

FB-cover photos for restless soules

2012-04-25T18:45:00.000+02:00

When we tire of well-worn ways, we seek for new.

This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb,

and to seek the mountain view.”

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

If you'd like to make one of these photos your cover image on your Facebook timeline, right-click and download the image, then upload it to your own timeline.

Cover photos for Facebook's timeline made for kayakers

2012-04-09T12:51:00.002+02:00

Three cover photos made for kayakers!

If you'd like to make one of these photos your cover image on your Facebook timeline, right-click and download the image, then upload it to your own timeline.

Cover photos for Facebook's new timeline

2012-03-03T15:58:00.002+01:00

Don't know which photo to use for your new timeline?? Use one of these :) As you may well know; Facebook's new timeline now includes a widescreen cover image (www.facebook.com/about/timeline).

If you'd like to make one of these photos your cover image, right-click and download the image, then upload it to your timeline!

Winter time at our place!

2012-02-22T19:50:00.001+01:00

Help us reach the front page of the outdoor magazine, Friluftsliv!

2012-02-08T08:39:00.000+01:00

The winning photo will decorate the front cover of the 15 years anniversary edition. To vote for us (or any other of your liking) visit: Friluftsliv's fan page and help us reach the front page of the outdoor magazine, Friluftsliv!

Birgit's photo of "jumping Anders" in red circle

GoPro - Video frame grab

2012-02-03T11:46:00.001+01:00

We've tried to do "video frame grab" in Pinnacle from our GoPro video files (resolution 5). Here are some examples:

The journey of our lifetime: 2 years on bikes through Europe and America!

2012-01-21T16:14:00.000+01:00

We are very excited to announce that we are planning our greatest journey so far: Through Europa and

America

on bikes, starting this June!

We will start from our doorstep in Trondheim, Norway, continue through Europe and go by plane to one of the southernmost cities in the world; Ushuaia in Argentina. We will then bike the whole length of America – all the way up to Alaska.

We also have a goal of one day have been standing together on 1000 mountain tops higher than 1000 metres – we are hence planning to include at least one mountain top in every country we pass through.

We have two years available for our journey.

Upload the plan here: Happy wheels (pdf)

Photo album 2011

2012-01-13T08:26:00.004+01:00

Jippii! Our photo album from 2011 is ready! We make two albums each year: One for our two months summer adventure (biking or kayaking, which we do every year), and one for the rest of the year. We use Blurb for making and printing the books which make it possible for you also to have a look in our album:

2011 by Anders Levoll og Birgit Ryningen | Make Your Own Book

For more of our books, check our bookstore at Blurb

- and may all your christmases be white

2011-12-22T10:59:00.002+01:00

The sun is shining, the grass is green

The orange and palm trees sway¨

There's never been such a day

In Beverly Hills, L.A.

But it's December the 24th

And I'm longing to be up North...

I'm dreaming of a white christmas,

just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten and children listen

to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white christmas,

with every christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright,

and may all your christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white christmas,

just like the ones I used to know

May your days be merry and bright,

and may all your christmases be white

May your days be merry and bright,

and may all your christmases be white

Merry Christmas!!

Five Must Do, See and Taste in Scotland

2011-11-20T21:01:00.004+01:00

1. Visit Islay for a Dram of Lagavulin in Front of the Distillery’s Fireplace

The small island of Islay at the western coast of Scotland has the world’s largest density of whisky distilleries with seven distilleries (Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Ardbeg, Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain) in production. The island itself is 40 km long and all the distilleries have their own visitor centers and guided tours worth taking.

Lagavulin is one of the original classic malts within the control of Diageo. This classic Islay malt whisky is the driest and has the most lasting peaty taste of the commonly available whiskys. After a tour of the distillery tourists can enjoy their Lagavulin single Islay malt whisky dram in a classy living room in front of the fireplace. Visitors can stay in the living room and taste more Lagavulin drams of the their choice – and it’s all included in the entrance fee!

2. Bag a Munro

A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over 3,000 ft (914.4 m). Some hill walkers climb Munros with an eye to climbing every single one, and Munro bagging has become extremely popular. The Munro number 1 is Ben Nevis, Great Britain’s highest mountain, 1,344 meters high. All in all there are 283 Munros and having climbed all of them, a walker is entitled to be called a Munroist.

3. Search for the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie

Loch Ness, a narrow lake in the Scottish Highlands, is worth visiting just for the scenic surroundings, but the lake is also said to host a mysterious monster that has been named Nessie. Strolling along the lake side, searching for Nessie, will give visitors a scenic walk, and maybe a glimpse of an ancient monster!

4. Have a Haggis, Neeps and Tatties

Haggis served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed turnips (neeps) is the Scottish national dish. It does not look very delicious, but taste a lot better than one might fear considering how and of what it is made. It’s basically everything from a sheep boiled in a stomach bag. The dish should be enjoyed with music from a bagpipe.

- If you would ever want to cook haggis yourself, here is how to do it:

Haggis Recipe:

1 stomach bag
liver, lights and heart of a sheep
1 breakfast cup of oatmeal
2 onions
8 oz. shredded mutton suet
salt
black pepper

How to Prepare Haggis:

Clean stomach bag and leave it overnight in cold salt water
Turn rough side out
Boil heart, lights, and liver for 1½ hour
Mix all ingredients together with the suet, adding salt and pepper
Fill stomach bag a little over half full and sew securely
Put stomach bag to boil for 3 hours (pick with a needle to prevent bag from bursting)
Serve with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed turnips (neeps)
Serves 6-8

5. Try the World’s Oldest Beer, the Heather Ale

Fraoch is Gaelic for heather, and Faroch is Scotland’s native ale. According to the Fraoch label, heather ale has been brewed in Scotland for four thousand years and it claims to be the oldest style of ale still made in the world. From the label: "It was the Picts, who ruled Scotland until the 9th century, who started brewing the heather ale. The hot ale is infused in heather flowers before being fermented in copper tuns." The result is a splendid ale which is a must when visiting Scotland.

For more pictures from Scotland: Impressions of Scotland and A few more impressions of Scotland

Croatia's Oldest National Park - Plitvicka

2011-10-07T11:37:00.004+02:00

Plitvicka is the oldest and the largest of Croatia's national parks and is definitely a great nature experience.

Plitvicka was declared National Park in 1949 and is thus Croatia's oldest National Park. In 1979, the park was listed on UNESCO's list of the World Natural Heritage Sites.

Plitvice Lakes National Park lies in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains part of the Dinaric Alps. The actual park consists of a multitude of entangled lakes, rivers, waterfalls and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of the park.

Natural Phenomenon

The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria. The bedrock in the area contains a lot of calcium that dissolves in the water. This gives rise to a special type of algae. These algae produce calcium precipitates which settles on the lake floor. Plants, moss and bacteria accumulates on top of the sediments and makes barriers between the lakes. Water running over the barriers creates a deep hole in the step below. The result is a fascinating collection of deep pools, waterfalls and new riverbeds. The landscape is constantly changing and the water disappears and shows up in new places all the time. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers are growing at the rate of about 1 cm per year. This natural phenomenon also makes the water green and clear in the dammed lakes.

The lakes collectively cover an area of about two km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The visibility is incredible and fish, trees and rock can be clearly seen several meters below the water surface.

Tourists can walk along the river, lakes and caves on well prepared pathways. There is no need for trekking capabilities since there are parking lots close to the most famous spots. It is however possible to walk more than 20 kilometers on the paths if you’re into more serious hiking.

History of Plitvicka National Park

It should also be mentioned that the war in former Yugoslavia started in Plitvicka 31 March 1991. Serbs from the Krajina region occupied the park and the Croatian police, Josip Jovic, the war's first victim. The park was under Serbian control throughout the war and the hotels here were used as military barracks.

When the Croatian army recaptured the park in August 1995, the lakes and surrounding nature untouched, but hotels and other facilities in the area were battered.

Everything has now been restored and repaired and the park will now receive more tourists than ever and well worth a visit. The Plitvice Lakes are today one of Croatia's biggest tourist attractions.

Norwegian traffic jam

2011-09-18T20:38:00.000+02:00

Yes, we actually do have traffic jams in Norway too...

Gone surfing

2011-08-19T08:42:00.002+02:00

Sandy beach between towering mountains on the westernmost part of mainland Norway (Stad), that's Hoddevik. Hoddevik is very popular for surfers from all over the world. The Stad Sea is known as one of the most exposed places along the Norwegian coastline, making it perfect for surfers, but cahallenging for shipping with its high seas and wave reflections from the steep cliffs. These images are from a light blue boat house down by the quay. Someone have just gone surfing!

Well, for us it was no surfing (at least not this time...). We came by kayak from Måløy and had just crossed Sildegapet in big swells in the middle of the night - Birgit got seasick - and had just a short break, at 4 am…, before we were kayaking around Stadtlandet. Next time we visit Hoddevik, we’ll stay a bit longer – hopefully – and maybe try some surfing!

This image is a mobile photo of us drinking coffee to prepare for another leg of hard kayaking around Kjerringa (also called Vestkapp) at Stad - Birgit is a bit pale after the midnight crossing of Sildegapet.

The ugly duckling ???

2011-08-07T15:36:00.000+02:00

I have no idea where H. C. Andersen got the inspiration to write his fairy tale about the ugly duckling....

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 56, the last day

2011-08-01T19:52:00.000+02:00

25. July, Grønningen - Trondheim

This summer's adventure ended in Trondheim after 1 500 km kayaking from the Sweedish border. We've han an amazing summer and we will for sure do the rest of the Norwegain coastline some other time.

Thanks for following - we'll soon come back with more :)

Just another day in the rain

Short break with "shake"

Dining indoors...

Our gray world

Approaching Trondheim

We are currently on a 9 weeks kayaking tour along the Norwegian coastline. We started off at the Swedish border and are going to kayak as far as we get in 9 weeks. Images uploaded here are compressed jpgs directly from the camera with no adjustments. We'll do the editing in August, when we're back home. Anyway, we'll upload images here more or less regularly. For a daily photo update, see the Lynvingen FB-page

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 55

2011-08-01T19:34:00.001+02:00

24.July, Hemnskjær - Grønningen

Jump around - a beautiful, sunny and warm lunch break

Jump around

What an extraordinary nice day

Hot summer days doesn't last forever, not even the whole day.
- looks like we're in for a thunder storm

- some rain...

Hiding from thunder storm

Having a good time under a table

The weather

Bad weather is passing

We're kayaking again

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 54

2011-08-01T19:07:00.000+02:00

23.July, Magerøy - Hemnskjel

Weather wasn't too good

but not too bad for kayaking, though!

Nice campin spot

Jump around

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 53

2011-07-29T13:14:00.000+02:00

22. July, Vean - Magerøy

Passing farm land

The kayak's perspective

Coffee break

- and its raining again

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 52

2011-07-28T21:08:00.001+02:00

21. July, Stranda - Vean

A grey day

- but a nice day

Anders' contribution to the JUMP AROUND project

Birgit's contribution to the JUMP AROUND project

Marit's contribution to the JUMP AROUND project

Good night

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 51

2011-07-28T17:54:00.000+02:00

20. July, Kristiansund - Stranda

Anoyher nice day for kayaking

Kayak perspective

Happy campers

Marit has just doen the dish washing in the rain

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 50

2011-07-28T15:49:00.000+02:00

19. July, Skotten - Kristiansund

Last part of Hustadvika - really nice for kayaking in such weather

- a few bigger boats

our dashboards

Suddenly we got fog...

Kristiansund

Picking up Marit and we were offered coffee from a stranger - how nice!!

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 49

2011-07-27T17:50:00.001+02:00

18. July, Klauset - Skotten at Hustadvika

Passing Bud

Narrow passage

Hustadvika a quiet afternoon

Beach under full moon

Kayak in the sunset

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 48

2011-07-27T17:14:00.001+02:00

17. July, Ålesund - Klauset at Utrøy

Lunch on a beach with a lot of small shells

Shells

They're so nice!

- out for some more kayaking!

Kayaking the Norwegian coastline - Images day 47

2011-07-27T15:16:00.001+02:00

16. July, Eika - Prinsen Camping outside Ålesund

Nice morning after a night and a slow morning at a beautiful camp site

Ready for more kayaking after a short break

Nice scenery

Approaching Ålesund