Backpacking through Europe in 1994

Day 76 • November 21, 1994
Lillehammer, Norway

I made it to Lillehammer, and, with Katrine by my side, felt like I had won the Gold Medal in Winning at Life!

This was an absolute highlight-reel day in my life, not only up to that point as a 23-year-old kid, but still to this day as a 53-year-old man!!!

This would be the furthest North I would get on this trip - 61° 8' 0". And when I was at the top of the Olympic Ski Jump platform at Lysgårdsbakken in Lillehammer, which is 146 meters (479 ft) above the ground, I felt like I was on top of the world and almost touching Heaven!

And then Katrine took me to the historical Maihaugen Museum, which has buildings that are 700-years old!

A pretty freaking amazing day for a simple kid from Kearney, Nebraska, and one that I will always be grateful for.

Standing on top of the world, at the top of the Olympic Ski Jump platform at Lysgårdsbakken in Lillehammer, Norway.

My Photographs from today in Lillehammer, Norway

DAY 76 / 11-21-94
Norway

Woke up to a beautiful day at 10 this morning. The sky was clear blue, not a cloud in sight. The snow was a crisp, clean, white. The sun was shining brightly.

We left for Lillehammer! I can not get over how beautiful this country is. We drove along Norway’s longest lake, & I can’t wait to come back & spend some more time taking photos here some day. But I was able to get a couple killer shots today.

First we drove around Lillehammer. I saw the athlete’s village & the news/media building, still with a few satellite dishes on the roof. Next stop was the tourist information booth, to ask about the bobsled. Unfortunately, you need to make reservations about a week in advance. Second, it’s closed on Mondays. Since I failed both requirements, I didn’t get to ride, but I was able to spend the money on a kick-ass skiing hat.

We drove up to the top of the ski jump, and as I gazed down on the spot where the Opening / Closing ceremonies had taken place, as well as the whole town & valley, I got chills all over me, and not from the cold.

It was such a sense of Deja-vu, to be in the same place that I had watched on TV from The Dome, I mean, now I’m FUCKING HERE! I can not believe how lucky I am.

After composing myself after this breath-taking, awe inspiring view, we went walking around Lillehammer.

We spent the whole day talking about life & love & depression & suicide & recovery & life. It is and always has been so easy to talk to Katrine.

We ate in a little café, then went window shopping. Next stop, after driving by the ice halls where some [Olympic] speed skating & hockey was held, was the Maihaugen Museum. It’s an open air museum with some of Norway’s oldest buildings & farmhouses, around 6 or 7 hundred years old. Then we went inside and toured a fantastic exhibit which traced Norway’s history from the glaciers of the ice-age through the arrival of man, wars with Denmark, 400 years of Swedish rule, Independence in 1905, Occupation [by the Nazi’s] in WWII, to the present day.

It was starting to get late in the day, & Karoline was at a babysitters, so we headed back home. After picking her up & going grocery shopping, we went home & cooked spaghetti for dinner. Afterwards I caught the last half hour of Melrose Place. We all spent the next few hours talking & taking pictures & I gave them a picture from me.

Katrine went to bed, & I wrote a few letters & then watched an episode of Dream On. I think I finally fell asleep at 1:00 [am].