Lots of warmth

After fighting with headwind, which first tried to stop me, and then to blow me off the road into nearby lake, after the rain falling almost horizontally, I entered a hot sauna. What a relief! That's the way how Timo welcomed me in his house. Together with Tiinaliisa and their son Väinö they live in a forest (like most Finns) in a wooden house overlooking Kitinen river. The place was great, and their hospitality wonderful. Regenerated in sauna, hydrated by the first beer since I had left home, I was invited for delicious homemade food. Vegetables, finally!

My host, Timo

I was shown a living room, being a separate house actually, which became my residence for the night. Showcase of local foods continued during the evening, together with a session of board game. Timo is not only a player, but also game maker. His two productions, Phantom League and Zanziar are already available in the shops, and seem to turn his great hobby into a working business.

My residence, only for one night

I pulled out the map, and with Tiinaliisa's advices planned how to continue through Finland. Instead of visiting overadvertised Rovaniemi and coastal Oulu, I will turn eastwards, where the most of natural features are. The route seems to be long, requiring at least 80km per day, and quite hilly, which makes things quite difficult given that the southern wind would not change for at least a week.

After such a treat, it was no problem at all to slam 122km next day, which is my new life record. Hadn't I started at 1PM, that could be even more. I also did a detour to remote village of Suvanto. Just a few years ago Suvanto was connected with the world only by a river ferry, which is perhaps the reason it survived the war and still contains old, beautiful houses. The ferry itself is on a display, just next to it's modern replacement — a brand new shiny bridge.

One of Suvanto houses

In the evening I met another cyclist. A retired Finnish truck driver, who was going to visit his family few hundred kilometers away in the north. With his age and the bike, being an old style 3-speed, his daily average of 140km is impressive, even with tailwind and small baggage.

Finnish bike traveller

The next day I crossed the Polar Circle. That was marked by sunny, hot weather. Just after entering the temperate zone, I encountered a public swimming area in Kemijärvi lake. Something unusual so far, but progressing southwards I notice more of public infrastructure, and even at some parkings the tables and benches are roofed. The lake wasn't too warm yet, but I couldn't miss such opportunity. A short, very short swim and a rest on wooden pier. Great! Even better, I could do it naked, as there was absolutely no one around — something I'm becoming used to.

The weather is gonna be fine!

Soon I also completed my first thousand kilometres. Only 24 left to go! :)

At the end of the day, I paid a visit to Auttikongäs waterfall. Not very impressive, because Finland just doesn't have much to offer of mountain features, but there is an interesting construction. A wooden channel used to float logs and spare them from being smashed in stony cascade. Of course this is history now, as trucks made wood floaters jobless, but reminds again how basic and accessible material the wood is here. Even modern high voltage transmission lines are being installed on wooden poles. The pine is for building, the birch is for heating – this is, quite simplified, how it works.