Hi there
The previous days have been tough for the skiing man. Of course, we should’ve expected nothing less, but wet and windy weather, and without fire pits, it has seriously brought demands like pure survival to the trip. Hence the title.
Border skiing has mainly been skiing on sides of gravel roads, on plough mounts or at the bottom of a ditch. The equipment has worn out a lot, and pulling the toboggan on top of the gravel takes its toll on the skiman as well. Eastern Finland is full of hills and embankments, which requires effective anti-icing. When the ploughing equipment then threw the rained slush mixed with gravel onto the roadsides, there really has been a no ”grip” problem in the words of one of the border patrol officers.
I was able to pass the large and currently quiet border station of Vainikkila via an overpass. When circling the mesh fences of the Nuijamaa truck border station and the multi-lane approach road, the mental side got really heated alongside the body temperature. After that, crossing a couple of bridges in ice slush mixed with gravel, really made me work on balancing the mind, in addition to being wet with sweat.
We had a nice chat over the evening camp before Vainikka, when young men Jarmo and Tarmo Ihalainen came to investigate the troublemaker recorded on their game surveillance camera. We discussed the trip, talked about each of our conscript times and the opportunities for young people in their community. Quite wholesome young men, on top of having hunting as their hobby as well.
Speaking of hunting, a few flying and walking creatures have been spotted, such as nine white swans, ten lyre tails, one mouldy nose (Finnish description for male western capercaillie) and one which responded to a hazel grouse whistle. Some kind of a tit was about to lose its life when it got a fright from noticing me at dusk, and as it rushed into the open field, an owl struck past by an inch. I reckon it was a hawk, but it was already dark. Judging by the tracks, there are moose, tadpoles and hares and based on the sounds, lynxes. I wonder if it was a territory dispute or relationship-related.
On survival, it’s all about a breathable and windproof shell, the use of the right materials in layering, and food intake. Personally, I notice that the energy and heat production swaps to the reserve tank as the muscles start to ache, even though there is no feeling of hunger yet. About half an hour after eating, I start to feel my energy levels returning.
Due to the lack of ready made campfire places in southern Eastern Finland, I have used the old barns for dining and overnight stays. The last barn I stayed in came in handy with the onset of the cold wind and slush rain, as well as having completely wet equipment. That couldn’t have gone any better. The roof of the barn was almost dense, with openings in the windbreak and space to hang things around to drain. Yesterday, during daylight, I was able to get to Imatra and Scandic’s State Hotel, but let’s talk about that and the successfully maintained equipment later.
Camping routine tip: Avoid pitching a tent in zero weather under a pine tree after slush rain; The melted water from the canopy splashes on the roof of the tent like heavy rain and piles of snow banging on the fabric – > no REM sleep.
PS. Thanks mum for sewing the thermal insulation for the flagon and the pockets for camera batteries.
-Jukka
