Distance Average Speed Max Speed 22.4 km 15.5 km/h 31.4 km/h Spent entire morning preparing kit, waiting for bag and then packing stuff from bag. Timo provided new sled with significantly larger sled bag (as it turned out this was essential). Lunch and food supplied in two huge bags was far too much, but could be cut down by discarding less vital stuff and some judicious decanting. Helped a couple of groups to depart and bag arrived just as the
Category: Sledding
2017 Trip – Day 2
Distance Average Speed Max Speed 34.5 km 13.6 km/h 32.4 km/h This year’s team is: Selimo Manta Suri Elvis Max Kattla No sign of bag in the morning, so borrowed some thick socks and ventured out without a map. Got away by about 1030 and headed off to left of main trail. Eventually re-joined trail but wasn’t sure where. Headed N and finally hit Janisvaara junction. Didn’t want to go to hut, so instead went to top of hill
2017 Trip – Day 1
Checked in OK for flight to Helsinki, but plane was late departing. Reason was unclear, but there seemed to be a very long queue just to get into the gate. Queue didn’t go away until boarding was already underway. Plane was new A350, so 3-3-3 configuration, but long haul experience with screen in back of seat and video on demand (including two external views of aircraft). Not clear if this is a permanent change or just the aircraft that was
2015 Trip – Day 6
Distance Average Speed Maximum Speed 59.6 km 12.5 km/h 29.2 km/h Sophia and Marina spent a day at the farm, but not before Sophia had helped to harness my dogs for a day of solo driving on more difficult trails. First drove toward Tilsa, but took scenic route via top of Koivuvaara, down bear canyon and then along canyon trial which starts where power lines cross Tilsa road. Coming back along that trail saw day trip teams coming up power
2015 Trip – Day 5
Distance Average Speed Maximum Speed 41.4 km 10.8 km/h 23.0 km/h Morning spent visiting nearby Reindeer Farm. Quite interesting, but doesn’t mean that I will now be happy to meet reindeer in the forest as they will still cause problems controlling the dogs. For afternoon trip, six dog team provided for me and the same four dog team as before for Sophia. Headed for Kylkeinen via swamp south of farm and then (after briefly turning round) downhill to power lines.
2015 Trip – Day 3
Distance Average Speed Maximum Speed 30.9 km 9.9 km/h 26.2 km/h Left farm at around 1100. Similar teams to Monday with seven dogs for me and four for Sophia. Weather good, but probably a little warm (perhaps 4°C). Fallen snow was getting heavier and tending to jam in the brake mechanism. Sometimes almost impossible to release brake and Sophia found this particularly difficult. Drove to North edge of range near Road 20 and then back toward Janisvaara on main trail.
2015 Trip – Day 2
Today we had a day off from Sledding to visit Ranua Zoo.
2015 Trip – Day 1
Distance Average Speed Maximum Speed 27.4 km 14.3 km/h 24.4 km/h Arrived late last night, and after seeing Timo and eating Salmon soup went to sleep in hut next to sauna. Perfectly acceptable accommodation with bathroom and ‘one up – two down’ bunk bed . Whilst eating, Bent made some disturbing comments about the future availability of lead dogs suitable for me. As will be seen, these concerns are likely misplaced. Got to breakfast just after 0900. Agreed that we
2011 Trip – Day 7
Distance Average Speed Max Speed 45.0 km 9.3 km/h 20.4 km/h I was taken by Jussi to near Koti-Lahnanen to join the snow mobile trail. The journey North was uneventful apart from yet another snow free section, this time about 900m! I diverted to Tilsa for lunch and dropped my bag near the trail to lighten the load for that leg. Headed North again and found a new trail leading through forest to Kortesuo swamps. It had just been driven
2011 Trip – Day 6
Distance Average Speed Max Speed 40.6 km 11.7 km/h 28.5 km/h After a late start, Jussi drove me to a road crossing on the snow mobile trail near Saija. The trail was in excellent condition. I turned onto the lake and followed Asko sticks along Kylmäluomajarvi to the laavu. I then returned along the snow mobile trail. I crossed Harjajarvi (turn right at big rock) and lunched at the kota. The rest of the run was mostly OK, but about