ICT days 7 to 9 Ruka Hossa Raate

Saturday, May 25:

85 km, 700 m elevation, constant rain

As we start riding, it starts raining and doesn't stop all day. Our expensive equipment is fully utilized and proves its worth. After 700 km of our tour, we reach the Arctic Circle. We make our way to Kyälä, the first "settlement" after 60 km. In the supermarket, a cashier makes us coffee. Otherwise, you're in and out of the settlement as quickly as you come in. So, off we go to Ruka, the winter sports resort with a ski jump, known to us as the main town of Kuusamo. We stay in a cabin at a campground. At the bar, over beers, we learn another aspect of dealing with alcohol problems: half an hour before closing, no more alcohol can be sold.

Sunday, May 26:

102 km, 720 m elevation, cloudy and dry with temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees

In Kuusamo, we stock up on groceries at Lidl (high recognition value). There are no shopping opportunities for the next 100 km. We cycle south on E63 and after 30 km, we turn onto Route 843 towards Hossa. We ride through the Karelian forests up and down for almost 50 km. At the campground, we stay in a cabin right by the lake.

Monday, May 27:

109 km, 1050 m elevation, 8 to 12 degrees, heavy rain in the afternoon

First things first: Europe lives! Here, 80 years ago, Finns and Russians fought bitter battles in the Winter War, followed by the Continuation War with the support of the German Wehrmacht. The Winter War monument honors all those who lost their lives and suffered from the war. It is important to note that this is a joint memorial of the former enemies. The memory reminds us of how important a united Europe is.

Also important: Finland is the ice hockey world champion. Despite Midsummer Night, the celebrations in remote Hossa were probably more quiet.

Today's stage was tough. The long distance, the many ramps, the poor road surface, and the rain in the afternoon pushed us to our limits. Locally, we reached the Finnish-Russian border in Raante on the Museum Trail.

In Juntusranta, we met the mailman who spoke good German because he had worked for the state forestry administration in the Odenwald for three years. Now, he delivers the mail daily and covers a distance of 300 km.