Press release

Vrådal/Telemark 3.
– 6.
August 2023 – The historic Straand Hotel in Vrådal is looking forward to hosting the International Indian Rally Norway 2023 this weekend.
The Norwegian Indian Club is the proud organizer of this international rally with participants from over 15 countries.

International Indian Rally Norway 2023 – We are expecting approx.
300 guests who will bring their American Indian motorcycles produced in America from 1901 to 1953,” says Stein Fossheim, chairman of the club.
There will probably be some new Indian motorcycles as well when the production of Indian was restarted in 2012, but International Indian Rally Norway 2023 is a veteran motorcycle event and will probably be the largest organized for veteran motorcycles in Norway this year.

– “We are very pleased that the Norwegian Indian Club has chosen to hold the event in West Telemark and here at Straand Hotel.
Our focus on HubRiding, where motor enthusiasts and good driving experiences in the region are in focus, fits well with the profile of this event.
We are very pleased that the club has chosen to hold the event here and that we get to showcase some of what Telemark has to offer,” says Lars Arne Straand, CEO of Straand Hotel.

– “The Norwegian Indian Club has chosen to create a cultural profile for the event, and we want to offer our guests Norwegian nature and, not least, to showcase the best of the culture that Telemark has to offer,” says Arne Bjørn Hoel, who has been project manager and responsible for the excursions during the event.
Participants will experience Morgedal Ski Adventure, a boat trip on MS FRAM and a hill climb up to Vrådal Panorama.
On Saturday, which is the big excursion day, three excursions are planned: a trip to Eidsborg Stave Church in combination with a visit to Dalen Hotel, or a canal boat trip with three canal boats in Lunde in combination with a visit to the Norwegian car TROLL, and on the way home a visit to Kviteseid Bygdetun.
The last option is a trip to the Ziener-Museum (Z-museum) in Treungen.
The museum has an H-D restored by motorsport legend Werner Lorentzen, and on the way home there’s a short ferry ride of 450 meters over Nisser.

– We believe we have managed to put together a versatile program with some of the gems in West Telemark.
At the same time, we want to showcase what Vrådal has to offer, such as Vrådal town center, MS Fram and Sølvsmedtunet.
At Sølvsmedtunet you can experience traditional Norwegian crafts, a gift shop and an art exhibition.
We believe that we can really offer guests the best of Norwegian nature and not least local culture,” adds Bjørn Lind, board member of the club.

Mayor opens the event – On Friday there will be an official opening by the mayor of Kviteseid municipality, Bjørn Nordskog.
The opening will take place in the apple orchard in front of the old building at the historic Straand Hotel.
“The stage is set for a great event with music and cultural events from Telemark,” says Ola Prestløkken, the club’s financial manager.
“A vintage bus from 1937 from Seljord will run between Straand Hotel and the apartment hotel 800 meters away from the hotel, which is the core of the event, so we’re focusing on showcasing vintage vehicles with multiple wheels as well.
Locally, we work closely with Vest-Telemark Motorhistoriske Klubb, which has contributed a lot of local knowledge and practical help during the event.
The program

We encourage the public to meet the participants while they are out and about,” recommends Arne Bjørn.
Some participants will already be visiting
August 4 to visit Norsk Skieventyr in Morgedal.
They will be there approx.
12.45 – 13.00.
On Saturday
August 5, some of the participants will probably also arrive in Morgedal approx.
11.00 , but they are part of a group that will continue to Eidsborg.

Saturday 5.
August there will be 3 different excursions with an estimated 70 participants in each group.
One group will drive via Morgedal to Eidsborg stave church where they will be approx.
11.30 and until 13.30.

Two of the groups will meet at Kviteseid Bygdetun from approx.
14.30 – 17.00.

A group of approx.
70 participants will visit Street Cars Lunde from approx.
11.30 to look at the TROLL car, and then they will go to Lunde Brygge from approx.
12.30.

The last group will go to Z-museum where they will be from 12.30 – 14.00

Facts about Straand Hotel Straand Hotel, located by Lake Nisser in Vrådal in Kviteseid municipality, was started as a ski station in 1864.
Today, it is the fifth generation of Katrine and Lars Arne Straand who welcome guests.
With historical roots with horses and carts at the center, strategic investment in modern iron horses (MC) has contributed to new opportunities.
Our new concept www.hubriding.no, where you can enjoy new and exciting routes on a motorcycle, classic car or bicycle every single day, has been a success.
Straand Hotel is a full-service hotel with 125 rooms in a beautiful cultural landscape in Vrådal, well suited as a starting point for round trips and good driving experiences.
With Vrådal Booking and apartments, we offer many good accommodation options.
In Vrådal there are great hiking opportunities, a golf course on an island and good skiing opportunities in winter.
M/S Fram, a vintage boat from 1909, is moored at the hotel for lock cruises on Nisser.
The hotel is a good starting point for discovering beautiful Telemark, a small piece of Norway in miniature.
The Straand Group also includes Vrådal Booking, which offers cabins and apartments in beautiful Vrådal.
Internet: https://straand.no/ and www.dehistoriske.no.