Look Who We Found… And Then Broke

I know that guy... I saw him in the moves!!

On our second day in Voss we got a text from an unknown number… “Hey kiwi boys it’s Mefford here… I’m in Voss!!” He had popped into see Mikey and Allan and they let him know that we were in town… sweet as, lets go paddle the shit.Looking into the the gorge on the way to the Jordalselvi

Getting the right angle take commitment (thoes rocks are not solid!)

First stop… the supermarket to buy the cheapest beer they have (still more expensive then buying beer in pubs in New Zealand but when in Rome – spent like the Norwegians do). Then it was off to the Upper Myrkdalselvi - cool river, scenic valley… just like all the rest… whatever

Mefford showing us the way

Right one river down, what’s next… are yes the party, but that’s all summed up in a different post so I’ll keep this one about the boating. Yes boating – destination the Jordalselvi which to get to you have to drive through the craziest tunnel I have ever been in. Norway has tunnels everywhere, kind of like Switzerland but with out the ability to house most of the population underground… that is one paranoid country but I digress. The longest tunnel we have been through was 25 km yes that right 25 km but this would have to be the most memorable. It is about as steep as a New Zealand club ski field road and the road condition was not much better either – we almost didn’t make it up plus it’s only one way for pretty much its entire length which at least a kilometre. I’m not sure what we would have done if we met someone coming the other way. And just when we though things were about as out of it as they could get we discovered that the tunnel is there to get past one of the most impressive gorges I have ever looked down into.

Amos doing it for the sponsors

Well now that I have portrayed how taken we all were with the tunnel I guess I better talk about the kayaking… it was pretty good too. The river had some of the sweetest rapids we have paddled so far and all in wasn’t that stressfully. Mostly we paddled it with one man scouting each horizon line who would let the rest know where to go. One man scouting is probably my favourite way to kayak rivers because for most of the rapids you don’t get to see what’s there until you are in amongst it. It certainly adds to the excitement!!

I'd rather jump!

About three quarters of the way down there is a clean 35ft waterfall. We arrived at the top and all looked at each other with anticipation because we all knew that someone would paddle it… but who was it going to be. Eden and I ruled ourselves from the onset (we don’t have waterfalls in New Zealand so don’t much like running them). Amos was first to step up to the plate managing to land on his side… not the best way to do it but at least he didn’t hurt himself. Mefford wasn’t so lucky, although he seemed to land ok his ribs had a different story to tell and used pain as a means to get there point across… so whose next? Well Rolf wasn’t going to be put off by Mefford’s mishap and did some accelerated freefall practice of his own while Mefford limped off the river with his tail between his legs.

Is that how you were planning on landing Amos?

Next stop for Mefford – Voss Hospital. We got back into town to hear that Mefford had dislocated his rib and possibly damaged his liver (that doesn’t sound good) and they were keeping him in over night!! Poor form buddy you didn’t even make it half way through endurance week.

Rolf running the falls too