Winter sports: snowshoeing versus cycling... plus Rastila news

Now I've finally recovered from last weekend's sub-24 action (that's a joke, I'm strong as an ox), I'd like to make some observations about winter cycling and say something about our first experience with snowshoeing. 

I've ridden at least once a week this winter and I think I've ridden in every conceivable winter weather. Apart from one occasion when the snow drifts were too high to negotiate, I would say that cycling is quicker and easier than other forms of transport - walking is too slow, public transport causes the shivering-sweating routine and I'll happily admit that brushing the snow from my car four times in one day is no fun at all. 

This one particular day, the thaw and refreeze had created some interesting shapes in the ice all along the 10 km ride from home to Oittaa. As well as being bumpy, the grooves where more than a little terrifying. Everyone tells me to ride faster, "Speed is your friend", they say. Not on this day, it wasn't. My only consolation for riding slowly was the fact that my body was still in one piece when I arrived to pick up the snowshoes.

 

The greatest gift of snowshoe walking is the fact that you can go anywhere. On a bicycle, you can't just ride anywhere. In the forest, walking in shoes is impossible in winter (on the right is Florian without snowshoes) and also restricted in summer too - bushes are too thick, swamps too deep, cliffs too steep. Snowshoes allow you to go anywhere. You can aim in a certain direction - for example, towards to sun - and you never really need to deviate from that direction. We were assisted by quite firm snow, but still the shoes should stop you sinking in every condition and the crampons allow you to climb and descend better than in normal walking shoes in summer.

Oittaa is hardly wild, and there were crosscountry ski tracks throughout the forest, but we were able to avoid society as much as possible, so much so that we soon scoffed at the designated snowshoe route, and aimed for the harshest climbs in the remotest parts of the forest. This allowed us to come across and completely deserted field and tracks that we assume were that of a lynx (apparently they have been seen in the area).

I should add that the service from the hire shop was excellent and the price was not too bad either.  By the time I write this, an excited Florian has probably invested in his own pair. That, and the picture of Elsa below... what better endoresment for snowshoeing!


























After a few hours on the snowshoes, my ride home over the bumpy ice paths was not looking too enticing. But after some leftover marzipan, the 15 km long way home along Kuninkaantie and smaller asphalt roads was perfect. Only the dust thrown up by the cars is worth mentioning, making me wish I was back in the forest again.

On a brighter note, the cabins (and sauna) in Rastila are free on Good Friday, that's 6th April. Send us an email to sub24helsinki@gmail.com if you want to come. It shouldn't cost more than 30e each including sauna. 4-person and 6-person cottages are available, so the nice man told me. Or you can bring your tent...

Sub-24, March and April

SNOWSHOEING: SUNDAY 4TH MARCH, OITTA, 11:20 AM (that's when the bus arrives).
Cyclists can meet at the Shell in Bemböle at 10:45. If you have any doubts, have a look at this. Further infortmation is below. I'll bring stuff for coffee, Florian will bring the stove?! See you there...


I've been meaning to put my ideas here for ages and now I noticed next weekend is sub-24 weekend, so...

Rather than a repeat of last month's minus-degrees-sleeping-bag adventure, something different: get up, have breakfast, bike to Oittaa (also bus 86 runs from Espoon keskus station), hire some snowshoes, walk off into the forest for a while, get the stoves out, make some coffee/tea/porridge/noodles/etc., walk back, return the snowshoes, back on the bikes, home for dinner. Keep moving - keep warm. Whoever is interested is invited. Sub-24 Saturday is this coming Saturday, 3rd March, but also Sunday is fine with me - or suggest a different date in March for negotiation in the comments below.

April 6th is Good Friday, so perhaps not the best weekend for sub-24. How about Friday 30th March for a trip to Rastila? I mentioned it in a post earlier - a city ride (on asphalt even?) followed by a night in a cottage, sauna, swimming (although I might have been misled about the bar). Saturday 31st is also possible if someone prefers. Prices for cottages are here. I'll book as soon as anyone tells me thay want to come. Assuming they have free cabin. Remember, the fast eat the slow.

The picture is from Nuuksio on April 9th last year. Roll on the summer... says Lee.

It's Oscar season...

...so we are proud to present:

The 2012 Sub-24 Oscars

1. The award for best presentation goes to... Lee!

A man constantly in search of the most stylish yet practical solutions, whether it comes to his bike itself, its accessories, clothing and even his blog posts!

(Sorry Lee, the above pictures are not that convincing, are they? If you have better ones, please add/replace!)

2. The Sisu award goes to... Robin, Hubert, Lee and Florian

Cycling and camping by -10, now that's hard!

3. The hangover award goes to... Xavier!

This one needs only a picture as an explanation...

4. The luxury item award goes to... Charles!

Items included saucisson, foie gras, Polish honey vodka... and Zuzanna!

5. The most-fun-section-of-road-to-ride-on award goes to... Kunnarlantie

6. The most creative conversation topics award goes to... Dima!

Topics included submarines that run on potatoes, Chilean banana choppers, and his mother's ability to give the same word a 100 different meanings through creative use of intonations.

7. The Jeannie Longo award to recognise female cycling goes to... Sonja and Zuzanna!

So far, the only two women to be tough (stupid?) enough to join us!

8. The Billy Ocean award goes to... Florian (aka The Beast)!

Never before has the famous line "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" applied more suitably than to this half-man half-creature. 

So that's it for this year folks. I fully expect acceptance speeches during your next appearance at a Sub-24! 

Do you think there's a glaring omission in this list? Want to suggest your own award? Please do use the comment section to that effect!

Survivors

If you are a disgruntled Pirttimäki cross-country skier, please stop reading now. It wasn't us.

Four brave (read: stupid) riders met at Bemböle last Friday. For Hubert, this sub-24 was to be his last in Finland. For Robin, this weekend was a strange choice for his first experience of overnight bicycle riding and camping. Strange because of the temperature: a chilly -5 at the best of times.

The ride to Pirttimäki went very smoothly, especially when we realised that the asphalt on the road was a much easier surface than the bumpy snow on the cycle path. At Pirttimäki we got our first look at the forest paths that stretched 3 km to our camping place. The recently ploughed ski tracks were beautiful. Until four men and eight wheels started ripping them up. It was impossible to ride on the soft snow in between so we set our bike wheels in the tracks and started pushing, discovering a new form of hardcore exercise in the process. Despite Hubert realising, somewhat amusingly, that the ditch-side snow was soft enough to sink one's entire body into, we managed to make it to the cabin at Sulalampi unscathed only to find three cross-country skiers already there. Luckily, they took the hint and disappeared off to camp elsewhere and we all hope they didn't fall too hard from the new tracks made by our wheels.

Well, despite some inspired frozen wood chopping by Florian, some newspaper and some ethanol, this was the largest flame we could muster. We realised that some hot food from the gas stove and our 5 or more layers of clothes would have to be enough as the temperature dropped further and the smoke and fumes sent us fleeing from the cabin.

Brownish water with mysterious little blobs is the result of melting snow. However, it is possible to heat a can of beans directly on the gas stove.

Who knew?



On a brighter note we went for a walk to keep warm and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. If only the pictures did them justice.

In another crazy bid to keep moving, Florian and Hubert decided to put up their tents. This led to the inevitable: they decided to forgo the cabin (strangely no warmer inside than outside!) and rough it on a bed made of snow. Perhaps they might comment below whether this was actually a good idea. Well, we did survive the night, with varying amounts of sleep. (I strongly endorse sleeping in just underwear, by the way). But the cold encouraged us to get up and out earlier rather than later - someone could hear their own bed calling... 

The interesting thing about winter sub-24ing is that the evening ride happens in the dark. When you ride home the next morning, beautiful surprises might await you. Our nicest surprise was the fact that we managed to escape the ski tracks without bumping into any angry skiers. Oh, and the sunrise.

Honestly, I think that one night of -10 might be enough for me for one winter. But something different might be in store for the first weekend in March. How about a trip across the city to Rastila campsite? A modern cottage, sauna and ice-swimming. And a bar! That would be a different experience indeed...

Sub 24, 2012 edition.

Happy new year, riders! I hope we'll all have a great year, fulfilling our cycling projects of all sorts!

Last Sub 24 saw Lee and me experiencing the first sub zero temperatures, the first ice layer on lakes and morning frost. Overall a very wet overnighter. But the Big White has finally come, the rain turned to snow... In other words, real winter is here, finally!

So far I haven't been able to go on an overnighter this January, and no official one has been organised. However, even in these quiet and rather dark times, I know a few of us (Hubert, Lee?) have a strong motivation to get the bikes out for the night.

To keep the tradition of sub 24 alive, we only have 2 weekends left in January to organise the ride/camp. The best option for me is this coming Friday (27th).

After two-digit minus temperatures, the weather forecast now indicates a couple of minus Celsius degrees, and snowfalls:

http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/weather/Espoo

So if anybody want to join me for a ride on Friday, let's say 6.30 pm at Bemböle as usual. Considering the weather, I think we should head towards the Sulalampi cabin near Pirttimäki where we had already two Sub 24s last year. I don't know if we can cycle as far as there, we might have to push the bikes, depending on the snow layer...

If you're joining us for the first time, I recommend you to have look at this post. I don't bother to make a poll to know how many people are coming this time (quite short notice anyway), but if you're planning to come, you can leave a comment to this post. FYI, I'll bring a gas stove, though I hope we can set a fire there to keep ourselves warm.

So mount your studded tires, pack your down sleeping bag, fix your lights, bring lots of woollen clothes, and let's enjoy the outdoors in Nuuksio NP!

Edit: Sub 24 postponed to next Friday (27th). Same time, same place.

Florian.

Helsinki in December

I was planning to write a post about how miserable the weather is and how I only managed 6 km in half an hour riding on the muddy forest trails (I include the picture of my poor dirty bike anyway), but then this morning in the space of ten minutes, Espoo turned white. My ride to the gym on newly-fitted winter tyres this evening was exciting, not only because it confirmed that it is possible to travel safely at speed on snow and ice on a bicycle. Which means, at least theoretically, that I will be riding all winter for the sheer joy of it.

I am, however, unexpectedly acting as best man at a wedding in London on the next sub-24 weekend - that's loppiainen, Friday 6th January. It's a day off work, so perhaps an early start during daylight? Florian assured me that he will be riding so all that he needs is a friend to enjoy it with. See the comments below and Facebook for the details.

Merry Christmas, I looking forward to sub-24ing in 2012!

Sub-24, Helsinki, December 2011. 

I was fantasizing about a snowy ride, but no. Instead, rain. 

Of course, rain is only troublesome if it makes you wet. 

Darkness, cold? 

Lights, clothes.

I'll say this now. Honestly, we were not that cold. With the right layers - it was five each - and some warm food and drink, we were just toasty. So, if you were put off by the coldness, don't worry. Come next month and you will see.

Our camping spot this time was Kattilajärvi, which looks from the map like it is on the edge of Nuuksio national park. Reachable by asphalt (80 %), not as far as Nuuksionpää but further than Pirttimäki, it seemed perfect. Searching for the grill in the dark was interesting, especially with the backdrop of the cosy camping centre across the water. Once we found the spot, gave up with the damp wood, lit the gas and started eating and drinking, all was well with the world. 

We slept right next to the grill place because finding flat camping ground in the dark is not that much fun. Perhaps the picture above gives an idea how dark it was. It also shows Florian's blue tent INSIDE the grill hut. Surely no one has ever tried that before?!

An early start back towards home still gave us the chance to get an idea what kind of place we had slept in. The first bits of ice had formed on the lake overnight, so we felt very adventurous riding home on the slippery roads as the dawn began to break.

I was home before 10 am, so this sub-24 was actually a sub-17. Thanks, Florian for waking up so early. And for bringing the gas. In the comments below, you will find an account of Florian's adventure after he left me.

So... see you next month, Friday 6th January - that's epiphany for those who know about those kind of things. The ride IS on and all we need is some company...