9 Months in Norway: Enjoying the dregs of winter

Well, these might not be the dregs of winter for all of Oslo, but with our upcoming trips to Lisbon and Tahiti, this weekend was likely to be one of the last where we could enjoy the snow. As such, we decided to go sledding (or sledging as they refer to it here) with Rett and Ken (a co-worker of theirs).

Now this isn't like back in Virginia when I was growing up where you grab an inner tube and sled down the side of the empty retention pond, or "trickle ditch" as we called it. No, no. Here, we catch the metro a few blocks from our place and ride it all the way out past the ski jump Holmenkollen to the very end of the line on the #1 track to Frognerseteren - about a 30 minute trip out. We then hike down a little path that winds across the slope about 200 yards to a small house where they rent real sleds (aluminum frame, steel tracks, some padding for your tush and a strap to hold onto) for only about $20 to use all day. Fortunately they also provide a helmet!

Once you have a sled, you walk about another 100 yards to the start of the sledding course. Yes, sledding course. There are several wide paths cutting through the mountainside. During the summer, they are for hiking. In the winter, they are for cross-country skiing. Except one. This one is just for sledding! You sled back and forth down the mountain, past one of the big ski jumps, with only one short break in the course where you have to cross a road to get back on track. The trail ends right next to a metro stop on the #1 line, SEVEN stops from the top! So you grab your sled, climb on the metro, and head back to the top. But now that you already have your sled there is another little track to take you from the metro to the start of the sledding course.

It is SO much fun and it is absolutely hilarious to see all these kids and adults riding the metro with their sleds and skis! We spent over three hours going up and down the mountain and the weather could not have been any better. Sunny and fairly warm. I kept my polar fleece unzipped all day with just a t-shirt underneath.

Sad to see the winter ending because of how much fun it is to play in the snow, but at the same time it is so nice to have the sun out again and enjoy more daylight every day. Enjoy the pictures and videos! (Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned before, if you click on the photos you can see a full size copy of the image)