North – South 2011
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The meal before the departure had been the last thing done in the sun. As soon as I left the forest, it started to pour with streams of water. In a short dry break I crossed the Teno river, forming a natural boundary between Norway and Finland. Teno is famous for it's salmons, and for ages has been one of the sources of income for Sami population — first from fishing, then from tourists who have been coming there to fish.

Lapland waves

Behind the river, a hilly, waved terrain began. Lapland seems to have no flat area, except lakes, and the road to Inari has been laid almost straight, cutting across these hills. It consists of countless small up and downhills, and doesn't offer much to see beside occasional encounters with reindeers or few tiny lakes and streams. The only landmark worth noticing was entrance to the Geavu Canyon Nature Reserve. Unfortunately it's off-limits to visitors in May, and even if it wasn't, there is no place to leave the bike and baggage guarded before the 10km hike. Instead, I took a short tour to the biggest spring in Finland as the introductory board said. Although it doesn't look impressive, certainly it is. The water flows from a pond located between steep hills. There is no visible source, but as the description explained, the water seeps through sands and porous rocks from a river passing few kilometers away. That results in another stream starting it's way here.

After having learned that, I continued, but other phenomena of water circulation in Lapland — namely the constant heavy rain — told me to stop. The place was a parking space next to a lake, quite clean comparing to Norwegian standards (and Finnish too, what I learned later). With the heavy traffic of approximately one car per hour, I wasn't bothered by anyone.

The next day had to be lazy, after the long ride in the night. I cycled only 20 kilometers, with one clear aim — Jokitörmä camping. The description in a guidebook had been very positive, and the place was good, indeed. For just 7.50€ with low-season discount I had first shower since leaving Skarsvåg, washed my clothes and used Internet.

The evening rain made me think about the weather patterns here, and as soon as I invented a theory of morning sun activity causing clouds buildup and their subsequent evening breakdown in a form of rain, the pattern broke. Well, weather forecasting is still a difficult matter to us, and even scientists equipped in hi-tech measuring and computing devices often make mistakes. Fortunately, my mistake was marked by a sunny day.

In Inari I paid a visit to the Sami museum. That explained me a lot about the history and culture of original inhabitants of these lands, whose ancestors had came here all the way around Scandinavian Peninsula, before the north of the Baltic Sea freed from the grip of the latest Ice Age. I also learned that a snowmobile, extremely popular here and in Norway, is not only a toy or car replacement in winter months, but also an important tool of modern reindeer herding. Apart from the Sami exhibition, the museum shows a lot on local flora and fauna and the large-scale geological and climate history. A mandatory visit in Inari!

Wooden house, wooden poles, wooden woods

Making use of the nice weather, I decided to cycle overnight. The route towards Ivalo was the most scenic since I had left the sea coast. In the warm light of setting sun the road made it's curvy way among countless lakes and hills. At almost each turn there was a small parking, usually equipped with benches and tables – something unusual so far. I even pulled out my fishing rod, and few casts brought me a small perch. The fish returned home, and I cycled away. Not for long, as other site resulted to be even more beautiful.

There I saw a surprise I couldn't imagine. Looking over the lake, I noticed something unusual in the setting sun. It wasn't round, a part was missing! Somehow I had not found out this event coming, before I left home. An eclipse! However only partial, I never expected to witness a solar eclipse exactly at midnight. What a gift from the nature!

A word of explanation: I couldn't have seen it exactly at astronomical midnight, as the sun sets here for a short moment. Finland, however, is in GMT+3 zone in summer, which makes the official midnight appear here at approximately 23:10 astronomical time.

Midnight eclipse

Sleepy Ivalo had not much to offer, except a free hotspot. The polar day seems to affect locals too, and many youngsters hang out in their cars, talking or riding aimlessly around the town.

Here begins the lakeless part of Finland, and the landscape is dominated by a pine forest very rarely spiced by swamps or tiny streams. After kilometers of this mundane surroundings, I encountered an uphill which brought me to the height of almost 400m, where patches of snow still were present. With the headwind again, I arrived to Saariselkä, an entry point to a national park of the same name. There are also some ski slopes, coming down from a mountain of impressive 200m height difference. These are Finnish mountains. One should not forget, however, that it's still within the Polar Circle and such mountain can bring weather hardships comparable to a four-thousander in subtropic zone.

The town itself is a big shopping center. Supermarket, outdoor equipment shops, hairdresser and numerous ski and snowmobile rentals make up for the most of the infrastructure. I must had came here in the bottom of the low season, as there was virtually no one. In this vast area I noticed two individuals walking their dogs and the clerk at supermarket's counter.

Perhaps "private area, no entry"

And this is in international language

Camped in emergency, in front of a storm which finally didn't come. After awfully long sleep I continued, this time more downhill, through rather featureless surroundings, to find a beautiful riverside camping place just 30km before Sodankylä. In the morning, leaving the camp field, I spotted a tent placed near the road and some unusual vehicle beside it. Barking dog announced what it was. A Swiss woman had been travelling northwards with two dogs pulling her cart. Slowly, some 20-30km per day, mostly overnight to avoid traffic, she was going to Nordkapp, from where she will go back through Sweden. We had quite long chat about what to expect on our way, so I left late.

I don't know what force it is that makes me depart just before the weather breaks down. This time it was a savage attack of wind and rain. The former tried to stop me, and later – to blow me off the road into nearby lake. The latter just soaked me completely. It stopped for a short moment, while I shopped in one of Sodankylä supermarkets, not drawing anyone's attention despite leaving traces of water. Shopping people wouldn't notice an elephant standing next to them, unless it had a price tag.

Just after having left the town, it started to blow and pour again. But there was the village of Aska, and Timo from CouchSurfing and his hot sauna.