Some Riding Roads From Finland

[Arctic Fox]

If my Bonnie sees these roads, she will want to go to Finland and straighten them out! Me too!

Two most common things, that foreigners notice here (if they go anywhere outside of our cities):

1.) how fresh the air is and untouched nature is.

and

2. how silent it is here (no sounds/noises of human actions). Just the sounds of nature/birds etc.

 

[sikatri]

As you know, Finland is long country (South to North). There are also always more snow on Eastern Finland vs on Western Finland. For sure there are most snow in the North (Lappland). So where you live will influence. Having some new snow end of March can not yet be called as Takatalvi. If the same will happend seconf half of April, then maybe.
Generally speaking you will see first bikes in the beginning of May (if the weather has been warmer than normally). Most of the riders will start to ride 2. half of May.

It is good to understand that outside temperature still is not the only matter. After winter our roads used to be ''dirty'' (there are some dust and sand on the roads). The studded car tires (winter time) also makes surfaces of roads bit bad shape. That will put us waiting for bit longer.

Ever miss Finland?

“Takatalvi was what my wife said Helsigin Sanomat wrote. LoL .

Well hope your riding isn’t delayed.

Do I ever miss Finland, always. My wife actually owns property in eastern Finland where both of our families are from near Savonlinna. Ironically we turned out to be fourth cousins, Finns tend to have familiar connections. I suppose if my parents had not brought us state side, I would have been content to stay in Finland. Love the country overall and I am a dual citizen of both the US and Finland. My closest living relatives are either in the Helsinki area, or Sweden on the Nordic side and the closest in Texas. I have two nieces and their families in Houston. I did live in Finland after graduating from the university in Houston. Loved it generally, but professional reasons and an opportunity for my wife to do a post doctoral in Houston brought us back. Closest family and my hobbies keep me in Texas. I doubt I’d get a license to ride or drive a car in Finland. I did drive for a while with my Texas license years ago, but getting a Finnish license proved problematic. Should have insisted on taking a fully English exam, but there were slight disagreement in my and the testers understanding of terms. I know I understood the the principle, but he failed my oral examination. Too old to go through the BS again. Then there’s my other passion, collecting and target shooting guns, rifles and handguns. I’m afraid that hobby would be toast if I came back to Finland full time. LoL . If I could afford to visit yearly after I fully retire I wouldn’t mind riding in Finland during the summer months. Our place is the orange dot in the photo.

It’s a beautiful part of Finland. If I had been smart after the university when I moved back to Finland I should’ve done my military service. Would’ve made some of my now issues moot in some ways.

Anyway love your posts and look forward to following your adventures in the Nordic countries on your Triumph.

 

[Arctic Fox]

“Takatalvi was what my wife said Helsigin Sanomat wrote. LoL .

Well hope your riding isn’t delayed.

Do I ever miss Finland, always. My wife actually owns property in eastern Finland where both of our families are from near Savonlinna. Ironically we turned out to be fourth cousins, Finns tend to have familiar connections. I suppose if my parents had not brought us state side, I would have been content to stay in Finland. Love the country overall and I am a dual citizen of both the US and Finland. My closest living relatives are either in the Helsinki area, or Sweden on the Nordic side and the closest in Texas. I have two nieces and their families in Houston. I did live in Finland after graduating from the university in Houston. Loved it generally, but professional reasons and an opportunity for my wife to do a post doctoral in Houston brought us back. Closest family and my hobbies keep me in Texas. I doubt I’d get a license to ride or drive a car in Finland. I did drive for a while with my Texas license years ago, but getting a Finnish license proved problematic. Should have insisted on taking a fully English exam, but there were slight disagreement in my and the testers understanding of terms. I know I understood the the principle, but he failed my oral examination. Too old to go through the BS again. Then there’s my other passion, collecting and target shooting guns, rifles and handguns. I’m afraid that hobby would be toast if I came back to Finland full time. LoL . If I could afford to visit yearly after I fully retire I wouldn’t mind riding in Finland during the summer months. Our place is the orange dot in the photo.View attachment 53856
It’s a beautiful part of Finland. If I had been smart after the university when I moved back to Finland I should’ve done my military service. Would’ve made some of my now issues moot in some ways.

Anyway love your posts and look forward to following your adventures in the Nordic countries on your Triumph.

Have they ever seen this? A pure relic from time after the last Ice Age, World's only freshwater seal and the rarest seal in the world.

 

[sikatri]

Have they ever seen this? Pure relic from time after last Ice Age, World's only freshwater seal and the rarest seal in the world.

View attachment 53857

There’s a national park near our place, some of them live there and in the surrounding waters. I’ve caught a glimpse of one. Beautiful creatures, Saimaan Norppa. Our place is in a place called Varparanta on Kissavuorentie.

 

[Arctic Fox]

“Takatalvi was what my wife said Helsigin Sanomat wrote. LoL .

Well hope your riding isn’t delayed.

Do I ever miss Finland, always. My wife actually owns property in eastern Finland where both of our families are from near Savonlinna.

Olofsborg in Savonlinna/Nyslot is beautiful. More than 700 years old. Part of our culture.

 

[sikatri]

Olofsborg in Savonlinna/Nyslot is beautiful. More than 700 years old. Part of our culture.

I have fond memories of that city. A good chunk of my relatives have lived in the region for hundreds of years. My grandma brought me there a few times in my childhood to visit her sisters that still lived there. She was a proud Savonian. LoL. I remember once going to Olavinlinna on a rowboat before there was a bridge! That was an experience. LoL. And love the “tori” with local vendors!

 

[Arctic Fox]

I have fond memories of that city. A good chunk of my relatives have lived in the region for hundreds of years. My grandma brought me there a few times in my childhood to visit her sisters that still lived there. She was a proud Savonian. LoL. I remember once going to Olavinlinna on a rowboat before there was a bridge! That was an experience. LoL. And love the “tori” with local vendors!

I have been there once. It was just before COVID-19, so summer 2019. Yes, the market place was great at summer time. The traditional foods will clearly differ between West Finland (my home) to East Finland. I tasted some of yours foods like Karelia pie, Lörtsy, Kalakukko etc. They were great (as you bough them from that market place).

Next summer I'm planning to stay one night here (while riding in the eastern Finland). That place has gotten lots of positive comments internet. It is in Rantasalmi but pretty close.

Meetings & Corporate - Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydän

 

[sikatri]

I have been there once. It was just before COVID-19, so summer 2019. Yes, the market place was great at summer time. The traditional foods will clearly differ between West Finland (my home) to East Finland. I tasted some of yours foods like Karelia pie, Lörtsy, Kalakukko etc. They were great (as you bough them from that market place).

Next summer I'm planning to stay one night here (while riding in the eastern Finland). That place has gotten lots of positive comments internet. It is in Rantasalmi but pretty close.

Meetings & Corporate - Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydän

Rantasalmi is on the other side of the lake from us. LoL. Enjoy!

I remember visiting relatives when I was young, seemed like they were all over that region. Not surprisingly, years ago had DNA testing and found both my parents were distantly related, fourth cousin range to each other and both related to my wife as well. My mom’s family was mainly from Sonkajärvi near Iisalmi, I was a bit surprised. In that sense Finland is a small country. Good for genetic research at least that’s what my wife told me years ago.

Looks like a nice resort. I think there were a few others not too far away too.

 

[Arctic Fox]

Rantasalmi is on the other side of the lake from us. LoL. Enjoy!

I remember visiting relatives when I was young, seemed like they were all over that region. Not surprisingly, years ago had DNA testing and found both my parents were distantly related, fourth cousin range to each other and both related to my wife as well. My mom’s family was mainly from Sonkajärvi near Iisalmi, I was a bit surprised. In that sense Finland is a small country. Good for genetic research at least that’s what my wife told me years ago.

Looks like a nice resort. I think there were a few others not too far away too.

I do not want to talk politics here (I assume that is not even allowed here) but let's say that I know something about Finns DNA and history/lives ... for example while Isoviha and Pikkuviha. Over all, there have been bottleneck times in history, especially in Eastern Finland. So if those commercial DNA tests show that you are close, I'm not very surprised. At first, those tests are not very accurate, and secondly in any bigger picture or general ... that sounds quite logical/most likely.
How do you think that same DNA tests will look like with Icelandics?

 

[sikatri]

I do not want to talk politics here (I assume that is not even allowed here) but let's say that I know something about Finns DNA and history/lives ... for example while Isoviha and Pikkuviha. Over all, there have been bottleneck times in history, especially in Eastern Finland. So if those commercial DNA tests show that you are close, I'm not very surprised. At first, those tests are not very accurate, and secondly in any bigger picture or general ... that sounds quite logical/most likely.

My wife was a research scientist and we did the DNA as a result of her boss an MD attending a seminar of some type. When she said we ought to see what it says my reaction was, why, we know where our families have lived for hundreds of years. It does get complicated and no doubt the closeness is something that depends on many factors. I don’t really have a doubt to our relationship since we share some of the same family names going back a few hundred years. I haven’t gone the full genealogy route though my dad did start compiling some of that information. In our case I would be inclined to believe the general family relationships are close enough to correct in the DNA analysis. All of the peripheral information does change slightly as these DNA research groups tend to get more information. It does confirm my understanding that in general the Finnish population is very similar, but as you noted there are differences between East and West due to isolation and wars. I don’t believe any of this really qualifies as a political discussion, perhaps a historical one. I found the idea of DNA testing interesting since it revealed things about me that were obvious, things I denied but turned out true, and explained my ability to drink untold amounts of coffee and fall asleep five minutes after. Still research is something where rarely are all the pieces on the table at once and at times those pieces change.

 

[sikatri]

Post a few more road pics with motorcycles to get back on topic! LoL.

 

[Arctic Fox]

I don’t believe any of this really qualifies as a political discussion, perhaps a historical one.

If you ride west cost of Finland from South to North ....you will face the best beaches of country.


1.) Yyteri (close to Björneborg/Pori)

2.) Kalajoki

Leaving the best on the last ... the longest beach in Europe (15km).

3.) Vattaja

 

[Lordmac]

Two most common things, that foreigners notice here (if they go anywhere outside of our cities):

1.) how fresh the air is and untouched nature is.

and

2. how silent it is here (no sounds/noises of human actions). Just the sounds of nature/birds etc.

My Bonnie is none too silent when I got her throttle cranked and we're sizzling down the asphalt at "respectable" speeds . . . but then, perhaps I could ask her to kindly keep the noise down a bit so we don't upset the critters and the serenity?

 

[Hurtle]

If you’re ever thinking of a longer trip, try Tasmania. Bliss.