Sub24 this month was a one man affair.
Combining Lee's sickness, my late arrival and no one in sight at the usual meeting point last Friday, I settled for a lonely ride and camp to the woods.
Unsure of how to feel (apart definitely sorry for Lee's absence), it seems the weather did not know what to think either, with passing rain showers under an otherwise sunny sky.
From Bemböle, a quick jaunt to Pirttimäki rolled down easy before turning left to very familiar forest tracks, taken by countless Sub24 riders over the last five years, including once during a memorable wintery Sub24. Nothing much as changed since my last visit in the area, and I first wanted to check if the Sulalampi cabin removed two years ago would have been rebuilt. Alas, a single outdoor table and benches is all there is left of the impressive facilities there once were. However Sulalampi pond was as beautiful as ever under the setting sun.
Feeling reluctant to push the bike across single tracks to reach Urja, I decided to take it easy and stop the ride in Hynkänlampi, on top of the cliff overlooking the lake from the west: 24 km, 1h11' of cycling from home.
Still early, I set up my hammock and cooked some pesto pasta, emptying my gas canister in the process. Cookies and no tea would be my breakfast due to the lack of fuel and my overall laziness in starting a fire. Watching the stars lighting up the sky one by one after the sunset and it was soon time to welcome the night and a good sleep. A good eleven hours later on, feeling refreshed and ready to tackled the day I quickly packed my things and went on back to Bemböle.
As we did not get that many warm and sunny days I could not end this Sub24 with a short ride home: and hop I went down to Espoon Keskuspuisto, Kivenlahti, Soukka, Suvisaaristo, all the coast back to Otaniemi, and ultimately, Haaga. 70 km, 3h30' of peaceful riding and great sceneries.
Overall a very nice Sub24 on my side, but these things are always better shared...
- Florian (or as some might say, "the Beast")
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