Saturday, February 11, 2012

Yritän oppia suomea.

A number of people have asked me what my next event is going to be. I didn't want to say anything before it was a sure thing, but I will be going to Finland at the end of this month to compete in the Kaukopartiohiihto ski race. It's a sure thing now. I have my passport, plane tickets, and I'm even registered for the race.

It may sound strange to many of you globetrotters, but this is a pretty big event for me. It required me to leave home and actually talk with people to get this done. It will be just my second time out of the country (the last time was to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls) and my second time flying (commercially). Maybe that makes me sound like a sad pathetic loser, but I don't care: I'm going to Finland!



I'm not even going to complain about the weather.

7 comments:

MrDaveyGie said...

Onnea Matt olet uskomatonta matkaansa.

Matt Maxwell said...

Kiitos paljon, Dave.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like a great adventure. Can you give any more information on the race you'll be doing and what is required of the racers? Put in a good word for us all if you run into Heikki Lunta. Although I think he might be from the U.P.

Mike S.

Matt Maxwell said...

I was unaware of Heikki Lunta. All this time we've been sacrificing old skis to Ullr and we should have been doing the snow dance.

I don't know everything about the race, but near as I can tell you can do 75, 150, 225, or 300k in 24 or 48 hours on Finnish Army skis. The videos I've seen make it look mostly off-track with some road/snowmachine trail. I don't think we'll be camping as there is a place to stay and several 75k loops branching out from it. I guess I'll find out more when I get there.

Anonymous said...

Finnish army skis? Now I wish I was capable of going. Where do you get your pair?

Mike S.

Matt Maxwell said...

I get them from the Finnish Army! As I understand it they are sponsors of the race and are providing them for the racers. Some photos here: http://kansala.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Antti/2012-01-29%20Kaukopartiotreeni/?action=slideshow

mark scotch said...

what prompted this? relatives over there? seems you know some Finnish.