We did it! It is done, finished yesterday afternoon tearfully and happily.
We all agree it was tough. Stayed in camps and schoolrooms the previous 2 nights with no internet accesss.
Georgeanne is the international musical chair champ and even took down a Finish Gentleman with 2000 plus K under his belt. She felt her success was due to a subtle hip check. She did us proud.
Mike spoke for all of us in Finish at the closing ceremonies.
Gotta run, have a bus and train to catch. Amy
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Making tracks across Funland
Greetings from the frozen north...........Well we've finished four days of this acventure with no accidents....amen......... some of the dawnhills are quite a challenge, but the old snowplow technique has been keeping me alive! My new best friend is the sweep driver on the snowmobile. He's watching that I don't get left behind in the dark.....After four days of this treck, my legs are actually getting used to the workout.........I don't do the whole program, because I cannot physically. But, we go anywhere from 25to45kms which can take from five to nine hours to do. That is plenty enough for me. There are a few of us in this microgroup and it works out just fine Tomorrow is a 44km run, but I can get out at 34kms. It's snowing now and the weather is to get worse tomarrow. This group is amazingly physically fit........Today, was a 87.5km distance and the people were coming in after 7 hours. We skied through national park that was absolutely sprectacular, with snow covered trees that looked like huge stone statues all white. I have never seen anything like that before.......Anyway,three moredays of ski, so over half way there.........MIkko
Burning up LAPLAND
I have experienced a number of different methods of transportation sInce arriving in Finalnd. Plane, train, bus, taxi, skis, and an American made Polaris snowmobile.
After my crash on the hill and ride in on the snowmobile (which was very cold) I got a taxi from the hotel to take me to a hardware/co-op/grocery store, They had everything in there including ski equipment.anyway it was a wild icy ride, Kiimi Ricconin's relative must have been the driver, the roads here are glare ice, all I could think of was that I was glad Amy and her sister Heidi did not witness this as it ws true black ice and their biggest fear.
No luck, I could not fix the boot so I had some calls made to a ski shop a few hours away and they were there in the morning, I was so damn mad at the old ones I threw them in the garbage this morning.
Yesterday was my longest ski ever, 58K, it hurt, at the end we had to ride a T-bar way up to the top of a ski mountain to the lodge, it was pretty cool as this was quite the resort.
Tom and Vicky you would be loving every minute of this, lots of pain, endless K's. All kinds of weather and long gliding.
After my crash on the hill and ride in on the snowmobile (which was very cold) I got a taxi from the hotel to take me to a hardware/co-op/grocery store, They had everything in there including ski equipment.anyway it was a wild icy ride, Kiimi Ricconin's relative must have been the driver, the roads here are glare ice, all I could think of was that I was glad Amy and her sister Heidi did not witness this as it ws true black ice and their biggest fear.
No luck, I could not fix the boot so I had some calls made to a ski shop a few hours away and they were there in the morning, I was so damn mad at the old ones I threw them in the garbage this morning.
Yesterday was my longest ski ever, 58K, it hurt, at the end we had to ride a T-bar way up to the top of a ski mountain to the lodge, it was pretty cool as this was quite the resort.
Tom and Vicky you would be loving every minute of this, lots of pain, endless K's. All kinds of weather and long gliding.
Roots
Our EFI intentions dissolved today, ironed out by a daunting 84 kilometers. Imagine skiing from Marquette to Gladstone, and yet quite a crew accomplished that feat under gray skies threatening to dump snow.
No one is regretting the decision to quit early. We are all doing what our body can endure. . .and still enjoy. The fitness level of these skiers--many older (decades even) that us--is remarkable. We'd love to have them come race the Noquemanon.
Our ski started at 7:30. Lyle, Amy, Jo, Kellie and Jeff all started from the top of the ski resort on a cat track that put some spirit in their legs. We had been warned it would be steep and icy so Ron, Mike and I took the bus to the start and started off with medium rolly-polly. Hindsight, we should have started with the rest of the crew because Amy was beaming. Regardless, my day started as sacred as church with Enya on my headphones surrounded by a cathedral of snowcovered spruces. In minutes I was weeping with thoughts of where I was skiing and those who have gone before me. Yes, Freddy Waara you were so close to my heart. Grandpa Axel and Uncle Bill were smiling at me too. I'm so grateful my parents were passionate about skiing and passed on that love. Ron and I hugged on the trail appreciating that we have also instilled in Eryka and Ian a love for a white landscape and the joy of glide.
The whole feeling was capped off when Amy paid tribute to a friend and I'll let her tell that story. It ranks the most heartfelt moment of the trip. And if I even try to hint at it, I'll start bawling again and Ron says I'm already too dehydrated.
Our trail took us through a National Park, equal to Finland's Yellowstone, and aside from the spectacular scenery we were hosted with that classic Finnish smiling hospitality. We can't really communicate because of the language barrier, even with the snowmobile driver who Mike says follows up like a mosquito.
We stopped at a hut for Munkki (donut) and Kahvia. (I think they use a cardomon batter.) And later we had soup, boiled kahvia and pulla (cardomon rolls) in a tee-pee.
Jo did 44km and got a look at a wild reindeer. I'll let her tell that story too.
We got to our hotel. Ron says what's so fun about a trip to Finland is you never know who you'll be sleeping with. Room assignments are a toss up but tonight Lyle and Amy have their OWN room and Jeff and Kellie have arranged to be alone too. The energy of those youngsters.
We get to go shopping at 19:00.
I'll leave battery for others to post their thoughts about this life changing adventure.
The more miles I travel this landscape the more I appreciate the values of these people.
Fri
No one is regretting the decision to quit early. We are all doing what our body can endure. . .and still enjoy. The fitness level of these skiers--many older (decades even) that us--is remarkable. We'd love to have them come race the Noquemanon.
Our ski started at 7:30. Lyle, Amy, Jo, Kellie and Jeff all started from the top of the ski resort on a cat track that put some spirit in their legs. We had been warned it would be steep and icy so Ron, Mike and I took the bus to the start and started off with medium rolly-polly. Hindsight, we should have started with the rest of the crew because Amy was beaming. Regardless, my day started as sacred as church with Enya on my headphones surrounded by a cathedral of snowcovered spruces. In minutes I was weeping with thoughts of where I was skiing and those who have gone before me. Yes, Freddy Waara you were so close to my heart. Grandpa Axel and Uncle Bill were smiling at me too. I'm so grateful my parents were passionate about skiing and passed on that love. Ron and I hugged on the trail appreciating that we have also instilled in Eryka and Ian a love for a white landscape and the joy of glide.
The whole feeling was capped off when Amy paid tribute to a friend and I'll let her tell that story. It ranks the most heartfelt moment of the trip. And if I even try to hint at it, I'll start bawling again and Ron says I'm already too dehydrated.
Our trail took us through a National Park, equal to Finland's Yellowstone, and aside from the spectacular scenery we were hosted with that classic Finnish smiling hospitality. We can't really communicate because of the language barrier, even with the snowmobile driver who Mike says follows up like a mosquito.
We stopped at a hut for Munkki (donut) and Kahvia. (I think they use a cardomon batter.) And later we had soup, boiled kahvia and pulla (cardomon rolls) in a tee-pee.
Jo did 44km and got a look at a wild reindeer. I'll let her tell that story too.
We got to our hotel. Ron says what's so fun about a trip to Finland is you never know who you'll be sleeping with. Room assignments are a toss up but tonight Lyle and Amy have their OWN room and Jeff and Kellie have arranged to be alone too. The energy of those youngsters.
We get to go shopping at 19:00.
I'll leave battery for others to post their thoughts about this life changing adventure.
The more miles I travel this landscape the more I appreciate the values of these people.
Fri
Saturday, March 8, 2008
continued.......
the computor stopped. Anyway, the ski started with rhe first 20km going uphill 2400 feet with some of the hills looking like rocket at mqt mtn!!!!! then there were the downhills but no falls....There are 265 total skiers this year, with 80 is our group. We began first. If you don't get to certain time by 2,30 they have a bus to take you to the next hotel so no one is left out on the trail.....This place is like we are out in Siberia........... It's huge expanses with so people and just snow and pine trees....pristene..So first day I skied 46 km in 9 hours. Yesterday, Frida and I only skied 3o km because the bus was at that position. Three of us in our group ski more slowly, but it is the max I can so at this point. Yesterday, the distance for the other skiers was 61 km. MOst of the people do the total distances. today ia another 60 kn day ana tomarrow is the big one at 81km followed by a 71km day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I do as much as I can. This is hard but fun with everyone being very friedly and helpful WE are from 14 different countries so lots of nice people to meet. There are 9 others U.S. skiers,so mqt has a uniquique delegation. well bye for now........ Off to the trail for today.............Mikko
Seney Stretch
If you are a Yooper, you know the Seney Stretch.
Yesterday we SKIED it. Not 28 miles, but 28k of perfectly straight single track. In Finland it does you no good to buy a vowel, but I was hoping to buy a HILL, even an UP. As Amy's post will prove, I shouldn't have bailed at the Tee-pee in Sarkela. I missed the mountains. But Georgie kept the folks entertained at that last service stop when sipping her fish stew she slipped back on the bench and nearly took down the tee-pee. What a hoot. We always find something to laugh about.
This night of rest was in a hotel with fine food, good beds, a sauna and swimming pool with all kinds of massaging jets. The water felt better than the 1/2 hour massage I paid 20 euros for. No one massages like our experts back in Marquette.
We're all feeling the distances we've covered on the start of this 3rd day. The sun is shining brightly and no bus ride this morning, we can start right from the hotelli.
I'm going waxable, with Amy's guidance on kick, and I'll try out Jeannie's heel lifts for the first time on Finnish trails.
Ron's suitcase has fallen apart, but we brought duct tape and he got a thick garbage bag to hold it together. More for the scrapbook.
MoJo's card got us all tickled again at breakfast. What a girl. So many times we wish for her antics here to keep us giggling. We're so connected.
Onward.
Fri
Yesterday we SKIED it. Not 28 miles, but 28k of perfectly straight single track. In Finland it does you no good to buy a vowel, but I was hoping to buy a HILL, even an UP. As Amy's post will prove, I shouldn't have bailed at the Tee-pee in Sarkela. I missed the mountains. But Georgie kept the folks entertained at that last service stop when sipping her fish stew she slipped back on the bench and nearly took down the tee-pee. What a hoot. We always find something to laugh about.
This night of rest was in a hotel with fine food, good beds, a sauna and swimming pool with all kinds of massaging jets. The water felt better than the 1/2 hour massage I paid 20 euros for. No one massages like our experts back in Marquette.
We're all feeling the distances we've covered on the start of this 3rd day. The sun is shining brightly and no bus ride this morning, we can start right from the hotelli.
I'm going waxable, with Amy's guidance on kick, and I'll try out Jeannie's heel lifts for the first time on Finnish trails.
Ron's suitcase has fallen apart, but we brought duct tape and he got a thick garbage bag to hold it together. More for the scrapbook.
MoJo's card got us all tickled again at breakfast. What a girl. So many times we wish for her antics here to keep us giggling. We're so connected.
Onward.
Fri
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