Hi,
I am writing this article in the hut of Kannas Hunting Association, where you can find everything from a coffee machine to a microwave. Janne surprised me on his way home when I got up from the field to the road. Then it was time for a sauna, and stay in the warm cottage and all the benefits that come with that.
Like earlier mentioned, I had to get to a hotel in Imatra so I could service and dry my equipment. When I was able to check into the Hotel Scandic Valtionhotelli in the afternoon, the receptionist Sirpa, I recall, helped me to get access to the drying room of the hotel to put the equipment in. All the other not so wet stuff, I scattered around the hotel room and bathroom.
However, I had time to have a juicy burger before the first round of laundry, which was a great success as the room was equipped with a bathtub. With the third change of water, it began to clear so much that I decided that the laundry was ready to be hung up to dry.
The next morning began with a hearty hotel breakfast and gathering all the stuff for the pick up. Jorma Torvinen, who has become a major supporter for my trip, arrived at the hotel with his trailer. The equipment was put in and, after the supermarket’s food refill, off we went to Saimaa Sport’s premises to grind and lubricate both the toboggan and the skis. Juha and Johannes made the surfaces so slippery that it was a real pleasure to continue the trip with smooth sliding equipment. Thanks again to the guys for their good work and for supporting my trip with such professionalism and that jar of wax.
I didn’t want to repeat my mistake in Vaalimaa, where I could get the bottoms of the skis and the togobban to the scratch and hilt at the beginning of the trip by crossing the roads covered in gravel. So I asked Jorma to drive me outside the urban area to avoid its gravel. I think it was a few kilometres towards Kupari, where we then found a suitable spot to load up the toboggan and continue the ski.
Again, the border patrol came to the scene and immediately commented with a glimpse in their eyes that are you not going to ski all the way after all.
Thank you Jorma for the great help and support.
It’s weird how this borderline issue becomes so real. It has somehow been out of mind when viewed from the western side of the country. However, while setting up camp, a series of firearms could be heard around the shooting range on the neighbour’s side, and some larger caliber was also heard in between. At least they finished at six in the evening so I could settle into the sleeping bag more comfortably.
-Jukka
