The wise preacher built his Pulpit on a Rock

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Preikestolen.
Pulpit Rock.
Remember that rock we looked up at from the cruise boat in my last Norway post?
Well, it's time for more amazing photos of that rock.

That sign is in Norwegian. I didn't understand much of it. It told me we were hiking up to 604 meters, but that didn't mean much to me either. After the hike, I learned that was almost 2000 feet. My lungs totally understood that, especially with supporting evidence from my hamstrings and eyes.
A look down the Lysefjord
Tammy, Mark, and I (plus Elvis the dog) started out early in the dark and cold to make the drive to the trailhead. As the sun came showering on the landscape, I saw that Norway was a photogenic country
Waiting for the ferry to cross the fjord
Add caption
somewhere on the hike

ditto
I started out with four layers: short sleeve top, long-sleeved top, jacket, gortex rain coat. As we made our way up, I started peeling layers off.
But then, as we got into parts less protected from the wind, I started piling it all back on.

This sign cracks me up...because of the back
I'd say that's a solid foundation




















You will notice I am carrying a hiking stick. That is because this hike is not like your average American hike. There are no chains to prevent falling, there are no handrails, and sometimes it feels like you're bouldering. Sometimes the trail markings are indistinguishable. Sometimes you can't figure out what the lone sign is saying (see above). I guess the rangers assume people will be smart.

the red dot is ME

The top was windy. like, super windy. I was scared I would be blown off balance. Some unique individual had a tent on the top, and I was surprised it wasn't ripped to shreds.
We sheltered behind a rock and ate our lunch, then decided to head back down so that we could once again feel our fingertips.
 Because i was not wearing hiking shoes, I slipped several times on the way down. But it was still in the direction I wanted to go. Thank goodness for the hiking stick.


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