Sliding Doors

Timing, chance meetings.

When Andy and were partners on the police traffic department we would set off on nights and joke that our lives could change if we decided to turn right instead of left.

Who knows what lay ahead for us then, and who knows what lies ahead for us now?

When I wandered back to my bike at the Arctic Circle visitor centre, after searching in vain to find some painted stones left by Ady & Haley back in 2015, there were two German bikers parked next to Reg. Seeing my UK sticker they asked if I was from the Ukraine? I said that I’d be a hero if I was, but explained that no, us previously GB stickered ‘motorists’ are now UK’d.

Five days later somewhere in southern Norway, Jacob and I were having coffee by the bikes when who should approach us but the two Germans! It was like an old school reunion, same time – same place, again!

Which brings me to Jacob.

Up until our chance meeting things had been going very well for me, no bouts of loneliness and certainly no desire to find a travel buddy, I was completely happy where I was and how I was doing it.

Jacob’s route from Denmark took him up to Kirkenes by the Russian border then ‘The Cape’, after which he pretty much, like all bikers, headed along similar roads back through Norway. Senja and then the only road through the Lofoten islands for the ferry back to Bodo was the route of choice. He’d been running a few days behind me, but my extended three night stay at Ramberg brought our timings closer together. 

As I mentioned previously, Jacob had decided to do his trip alone, his first ever solo bike trip, after his travel buddy pulled out at the last minute. Before meeting me I think he’d briefly teamed up with some Swiss bikers, but there were some minor riding issues which didn’t sit comfortably with him. I was the first Brit he’d met on his, until then, ten day trip.

We chatted away as bikers do, he didn’t have a definite plan, but was tempted to head east into Sweden, where the weather was better, but this meant him foregoing some ‘must visits’ in Norway. I had a hotel booked an hour or two south of us, yes the weather was turning grim but hey, that wasn’t going to change the places I wanted to see. 

He ditched his thoughts of Sweden and plumped for the wetter Norway route finding a hotel near to mine. 

We ended up riding together for six days, which wouldn’t have happened had we both not been comfortable in each other’s company and with each other’s riding styles. I felt no need to make excuses to be somewhere else, and presumably likewise.

His suggestions I was happy to follow and vice versa, our plans were often made ‘on the hoof’, we booked hotels just one day in advance. 

Everything went seamlessly, it just worked. Would things have gone so well had we not met, who knows?

We said our farewells as we fired the bikes up to leave the ferry at Hirtshals, fist bumped, then both headed south at speeds I was unaccustomed to. After spending so long in Norway with its A road limits of 37, 43 and 50mph it was weird to hit 80+! 

I was at my hotel in 40 mins, Jacob had three hours of riding to do to get home.

I pondered the 1986 Talk Talk song ‘Life’s what you make it’ but as we know there are things we have no choice or control over. But when an opportunity arises then yes, it’s what we make of it. 

I think Jacob and I made a great deal of our chance meeting!

Thank you Jacob! 🤗