9000 years before our era

(Photos of the diary entry can be found at the end of the text).

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We cycle along the steep cliff. About 300 meters below us, the Arctic Ocean stretches into infinity. The high plateau stretches out to our right. In the distance, we recognize the gently rolling, treeless hills of a mountain range bathed in sunlight. The wide tires of our e-bikes rumble over the low grass-covered rocks. As recently as 8,000 to 11,000 years ago, this region was covered by glaciers. When the snow and ice fields retreated at the end of the last ice age, the first people came to settle in this inhospitable region. The first remains of early settlements dating back to 9000 years before our era were discovered in 1925. Today’s radiocarbon dates prove the significant human presence in this region. It’s a strange feeling when I think that perhaps hunters and gatherers of the Komsa culture left their footprints on this very spot. Archaeologists suspect that the Stone Age hunters were already good boat builders and lived from fishing and hunting seals and birds. “What a barren, yet beautiful landscape,” says Tanja, who is riding on the huge open space next to me. The now low sun makes the bands of cloud in the northwest glow a soft pink, in some places orange. Dark blue clouds are increasingly mingling underneath, heralding the predicted bad weather front. An icy cold breeze makes us shiver, but we don’t want to go back just yet so that we can enjoy this extraordinary moment for as long as possible. Only when the glowing ball of the sun touches down on the horizon line do we slowly make our way back.

Back at our Terra Love, we stow the bikes in the box, then Tanja cooks a delicious dinner for us. “What a day,” I say, quenching my thirst with a large gulp of beer. “And what an extraordinary bike tour,” Tanja replies. “That’s right. It’s certainly one of the most bizarre landscapes we’ve ever been to. However, it would certainly be a special challenge to cycle the entire distance from Germany to here,” I say, taking another sip. “You’ve already cycled from Germany to Thailand. Now we’re there with the Terra. You know why. Corona has thwarted our plans for the time being. When the pandemic is over, we’ll be covering long distances on the saddles of our bikes again,” Tanja replies. “Yes, I know. I’m also pleased to have covered the distance with our vehicle this time. Especially when I think that winter is just around the corner. It’s no fun being out and about in the far north by e-bike, bike or on foot in extremely cold weather.” “On foot?” Tanja asks. “Since 2013, the 8,000-kilometre E1 European long-distance hiking trail has started here at the North Cape.” “It would be an idea to hike through the whole of Europe, wouldn’t it?” “Absolutely. But that would take at least a year or more. There are so many ideas and in our limited human lifespan, we always have to choose one or the other.”…