Grey weather wasn’t going to deter our
immigrant cyclists this month. On Friday at dusk, envoys from France,
Switzerland, England, Spain, South Korea, and Australia convened at the
clubhouse (the Bemböle Shell), and in high spirits set out on the road to
Veikkola.
Feeling light as a bird, Matthieu soon
realised he’d left his backpack at the Shell; this minor delay only
strengthening our collective resolve to reach our destination: cabin, fire,
sauna.
We rode in two groups. The trailblazers
were charged with the heating of the sauna, while the second group (self-appointed
‘löylymestarit’) would follow, dismount from their saddles and enter their element:
hot air. However, a
string of wrong turns and chocolate stops left the trailblazers overtaken by
the rearguard action of these ‘steam-masters’.
It’s 15
kilometres from Bemböle to Veikkola, a fairly flat and straight stretch of
road. About halfway the bike path ends, and we hugged the asphalt’s edge as the
big rigs blew by. God bless the hi-vis vest. From Veikkola, it’s another 5
kilometres along an unlit backroad, in the pitch black rain, where the two
groups were reunited.
Olivier,
honorary member of the Espoo Adventurers (Espoon Retkeilijät)
arranged our accommodation for the night— a tidy two-storey cabin with no running water or electricity, but enough
firewood and fireplaces to warm part of the house. Those smart enough to bring
slippers were rewarded with warm toes, and those so inclined enjoyed one of
Lee’s fizzy beers.
How many non-Finns does it take to heat a sauna, and keep it
hot? Tonight, eight. But as the first sweat broke, all agreed the ride
was worth it. In true sub-24 fashion the conversation was sparkling,
with topics ranging from the Gulf Stream to cycling the frozen seas.
After a dip in the
puro (stream), our cosmopolitan adventurers retired
to the cabin to cook, eat (pesto being the choice dish of the discerning
gourmand), and discuss the pressing philosophical concerns of modern
man, before snuffing the candles and snuggling into their sleeping bags a
touch past midnight.
Eight men
and no snoring. No exaggeration, ladies. Florian made an early start for his
next party, tip-toeing
over the sleepers, who rose around 7. After coffee and puuro
(porridge) we packed up, cleaned the cabin, and were on the road by 9. Despite
tired thighs, the mist on the lakes around the sleepy township of Veikkola,
the sparse traffic, and a last look at the lichen before the snow, all made for
good cheer on the bitumen.
We were
spared almost all the forecast rain. In fact, the sky was most kind. A big
THANK-YOU to Olivier and the Espoon
Retkeilijät. And to all the riders (from the serious to the seriously
amateur, from sub-24 veterans to enthused newcomers), it was a memorable
adventure. Prepare those head-torches for first weekend of December, and stay
tuned to this space, and the Facebook page.
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As
Beaudelaire might have said.
When the low, heavy sky weighs like the giant
lid
of a great pot upon the spirit . . . go for a bike ride.
Then all the bells at once ring out . . . bombarding
heaven.
By common consent, the ride in December will take place on Friday 14th. Initial murmurings
suggest a return to Väransby, although perhaps we should rather visit the forest before the ski tracks are made? Comments and suggestions are warmly welcomed. 
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