2014-04-26 65 29

Location

In Irni, Kuusamo. The point lies in a swamp.

Participants

Pastori
The Wife

Expedition

On the way to North.

Because the winter had been short and sparse with snow in Pastori's homegrounds, Pastori decided to travel to Saariselkä in the Finnish Lapland, where there was still over half a meter of snow. The drive distance would be about 700 km. But he definitely wanted to ski or at least to wander around in the Lappish scenery. So all the necessary equipment into the car, not forgetting Pastori's own paparazzi, The Wife.

"Hiljainen kansa" (the silent people) by artist Reijo Kela.

We had on the evening before carefully examined our route for possible hashpoints, and, look at that, no less than two points happened to be right beside the road. So in the morning we briskly started our journey towards the North Pole. The trip proceeded nicely in the sunny weather, the Wife knitting by my side tiny little woollen mittens for her granddaughter. (One pair every 400 kms.)

Pastori hovering over ditch.

Our journey was also watched silently by the 1000 mute scarecrows of the artwork ”Hiljainen kansa” (silent people). When we had driven about 260 km from our home, it was time for the first hashpoint, about 200 meters from the road. It seemed possible, so Nokia rubber boots on and let's go. First easy walking in a field for 150 meters, then over a ditch with boots only slightly catching snow. Then a second ditch (which was too much for The Wife), over which Pastori lightly as a feather hovered. The Wife remained behind to photograph Pastori's march. The same hovering was needed continuously, because the buoancy of the snow was modest. Pastori tried to expand his area by walking with arms and legs extended. About 13 meters from a point there was very wet snow, beneath of which there seemed to lurk an unknown depth of water. So the traveling stopped there, but my navigation device showed even in that distance in green background 11 meters to the point. Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of that. Going back was easy and ended in Pastori and Wife taking a portrait together. Then onwards to North!

The second point.