Riding across the country has been an obvious and coveted challenge in many places. Like the legendary overlanders in Australia and the much competed LEJOG in the UK. There is an obvious start and end point for a ride like this in Finland too, the city of Hanko in the southernmost tip of mainland Finland, with it’s statue of liberty on the coast, and the town furthest up north, Nuorgam. Right on the border of Norway, there’s a rock with a sign that says it’s the northernmost point of Finland and the EU, well above the arctic circle. Along roads, the distance is about 1440 kilometers. Many have toured the distance between these points and at least some have tried to be as fast as they can, but there is no official record.

I’ve heard a legend, that Teuvo “Lousku” Louhivuori did this, or at least something like this, in a very short time, drafting a van, in the 80’s. Would be nice to know how fast he actually was. I’ve also heard of a group of five, that rode this in five days with a support car. Then there was the TABR, TCR and SRMR veteran Markku Leppälä, who rode a similar distance from the close by town of Utsjoki to Helsinki on the south coast in five days, unsupported, in 2017 to celebrate the hundredth birthday of Finland. Later during the same year, Toni Lund, who’s also now done the 1000 mile ITI, travelled from Hanko to Nuorgam in five days and 3,5 hours. I suppose that would be the time to beat.

Anyway, I’m fascinated by this challenge and I want to ride in Lapland again, so I’m doing it. I’m going to ride from Hanko to Nuorgam as fast as I can. Finland is a beautiful country to ride in and it’s great to have such an adventure starting so close to home.

The wind is most often from the southwest or something like that, so riding from the south seems to be the faster option, tho who knows what the weather throws. The southern half, especially close to the coast, is a lot busier than the north. In the south, there’s more traffic, so I’m planning to start on Sunday, if the weather is good. The south has lots of options for resupplying on the go, though I’m avoiding the biggest roads with the best gas stations. Up north it gets emptier, the roads fewer and above the arctic circle, there is only a town every hundred kilometers or so, with maybe one shop in it that’s certainly not open 24/7. Should be easy to not stop much as there’s nothing to stop at and lots of midges. The sun is up through the night in Nuorgam.

The shortest route would go along the road number four, through the middle of the country, but that’s rather unpleasant to ride a bike on, and it’s slightly hilly too. I’m veering towards the west, it’s flat and the roads are smaller, with very little added distance. My route is about 1434 kilometers, but I won’t tell you the details, as it will make it clearer as an unsupported ride, if I don’t tell you where I’m going.

I have a tracker with me, here’s the link: https://www.randonneurs.fi/live/samuli-suomen-halki-2019

I might post something in instagram, as @sml_mkn

I’ll leave on Monday the third of June at noon, probably. I have a week off from work, so it has to fit in that, but I can adjust the start.

Mostly I just want to go for a long ride, an adventure, with good views and interesting places like Lapland, but also challenge myself and possibly inspire others to try. I’d really like it if this became a challenge many others would try their abilities on too.