2014-11-26 63 28

Location

In Koppelo, Valtimo. The point lies in a field.

Participants

Pastori
The Wife

Expedition

The Wife tests the road friction coefficient.

It was a gloomy, autumn-gray morning. In the northernmost parts of Finland the Sun had already set for the winter, destined to rise next time 16.1.2015. A real 'kaamos', a period of winter darkness. In Pastori's homegrounds, masses of clouds prevented seeing the Sun, or Aurora Borealis in the night.

Pastori enters the field.

Fortunately today's hashpoint was only 5 km away as the crow flies. So that's our target! First there was an intention to bike there, but then Pastori remembered, that the bikes were already in their winter hibernation, and what's even worse: despite the +1 temperature, the nearby roads were slipopery. So Pastori, being a wise man, changed the original plan into driving. That was the right solution; the roads were indeed dangerously slippery, as evident in the picture, where The Wife got out of the car to take a picture of the road surface.

Pastori at the hashpoint.

With four wheels and studded tires we managed to reach the hashpoint, which was about 7,4 km trip via roads. The point was only 23 meters from the road and in a ploughed field, which had a little frosty surface. With a bit of dancing, we managed to get an accuracy of 0,35 meters! What a great achievement amidst all this grayness! The brilliance of this feat nearly blinded Pastori, so he had to put on sunglasses to protect his eyes! An easy point, but it cheered up our morning nicely. And then to sauna. In the sauna Finns always enjoy themselves. There, in the warmth of the steam it was nice to day-dream about the ”soon” forthcoming summer. There is an old Finnish saying about sauna: ”When the hot organ of the stove plays, all the sorrows in the world fade”. (”Kun soivat kiukaan kuumat urut, unohtuvat kaikki surut.”)