Esso kiosk Nesbyen

This is one of those gems that I will remember for a really long time! In the woods near Nesbyen, along a gravel road where you expect to see nothing but threes and lakes, a rustic Esso kiosk from the 50’s suddenly appears from nothing! 🙂

Write down the GPS coordinates or save it as a favorite here in the Bucketlist, because you will not find it on Google maps, there is no street address, and in general very little information online on how to find it!

He just put it there… 🙂

I was riding with some friends along a road book gravel trip when this glorious sight met us. It had been raining all day long, we needed a break, and suddenly this wonderful, self-serviced kiosk appeared from nowhere.

For years, the owner, Tomas Ekeli Hansen collected gas station items from the proper era, and 6 years ago, in 2018, he decided to share it with cabin neighbors and passers-by. He had an old shed from the 1930’s, and the pumps and advertising signs are from the 50’s. After short time, the station was in place and soon became an attraction for the local community.
But Hansen had forgotten to apply local authorities for permission to put in on his land, and when he did, the municipality turned him down😱.

After two rounds of refusal and appeal – and a local signature campaign to support Hansen, they decided to let the station stay! 🫶

Self service

The petrol pumps are of course just for show, but the shed is open, and Hansen is offering a trust based self-service kiosk. You can help yourself with ice cream, chocolate and soda. Take what you want, and send money via the Norwegian app Vipps. If you are a foreigner, I’m pretty sure he will accept that you leave cash – or wait for a Norwegian to show up and give the cash to him/her/hen is exchange for them Vippsing for you. 👍🏻
You need to be OK with riding on gravel to get to the Esso kiosk.

In the area

I really don’t have too many attractions on the Bucketlist for this area, but you are for sure in the middle of stave church heaven. You are surrounded by Torpo, Reinli and Hedalen stave churches, in addition to the new and really nice replica of Gol stave church.

If you are looking for great roads, you are in the area of nice gravel roads already, but if I should mention one, try the gravel road Fanitullvegen over the mountain between Hemsedal and Ål.