The road to the North Cape - Day 7: Chilly Starts, Waterfalls, and Crossing Borders

After a restless night with the cold wind and little sleep, Day 7 started slow. I was feeling the effects of a chilly night in my hammock, so it took me a bit longer to get moving. I packed up my gear and decided to head into Jokkmokk to fuel up the bike and grab some breakfast. The plan for the day was to wrap up the last part of the TET and finally cross into Finland.

A Rainy Start

The morning wasn’t too bad initially—just a light drizzle. I followed the TET route, hoping for a smooth ride through the final stretch of Swedish trails. However, the weather had other plans. The drizzle soon turned into a steady rain, which started to pick up in intensity. It wasn’t the kind of day where you could just ignore the weather and push through. The rain was relentless, and I could feel the damp seeping into my gear.

A Quick Detour to Linafallet

Despite the rain, I decided to make a quick detour to check out Linafallet. Linafallet is Norrbotten's highest waterfall, with a 16-meter drop. It’s located on the border of Överkalix and Gällivare municipalities, where the Linaälven and Ängesån rivers meet. The waterfall was pretty impressive, and it was nice to take a brief break from riding to appreciate something so spectacular. The mist from the waterfall added a bit of drama to the already rainy day, making for some cool photos and a brief but refreshing stop.

Skipping the Last TET Section

The weather didn’t let up, and as I made my way towards the Finnish border at Muonio, I decided to skip the last part of the TET. In hindsight, it was a bit of a letdown. There was supposed to be a cool cable ferry crossing a river at a place called Lainio. I had really been looking forward to riding the ferry, but with the rain getting heavier and my gear already soaked, I chose to head straight for the border. It’s one of those things that makes you think, “Maybe next time.” But, on the bright side, it gives me another reason to plan a return trip.

Entering Finland

As I entered Finland, the rain really started pouring down. It was like the sky opened up and released everything it had. I was soon soaked to the skin and it was clear that staying dry was no longer an option. I focused on covering as much ground as possible to avoid the rain and find a place to spend the night.

This was also my first border crossing in years. I don't know what I expected, but since there is some unrest in Europe, I thought that maybe I would be stopped and asked to show my passport, or that someone would check my entry into Finland.. But no! The border station was closed, so I just drove on. Felt a bit strange, like I was in the country illegally or something..

A Cabin in Kautokeino

I later came to the Norwegian border, and it was the same there. No border guards in place, just for me to drive on. Weird..

I continued towards Kautokeino in Norway and as I started to approach things had calmed down. I was more than ready to get out of the wet clothes and into a dry, warm space. I rented a cozy cabin and settled down for the night. It felt incredible to get out of the rain and dry off. The cabin was a perfect escape from the relentless weather, and it was nice to have a warm and dry place to rest. I spread out my things and turned the radiators on full blast.

In the evening the clouds dispersed and it was a really nice evening with sunshine.

Reflecting on the Day

Day 7 was a mixed bag. The morning started off slow and chilly, and the rain turned what should have been a great ride into a bit of a slog. Missing out on the last part of the TET was a bummer, especially since I had been looking forward to the ferry crossing. But despite the challenges, there were some highlights—like the detour to Linafallet and finally making it to Finland and later Norway.

The rain made everything a bit more challenging, but it also made the warmth of the cabin in Kautokeino feel that much better. It was a day of pushing through, adapting to the weather, and finding moments of enjoyment despite the rain.