Summing Up My Outdoor Year 2012

December 2012

The year 2012 started fresh and green.  Did few day hikes on Nuuksio National Park:

On a cold Sunday saw sea smoke coming, the Baltic of Finland was about to freeze soon:

Soon in January we got lots of snow in the Southern Finland.  Couldn't imagine proper winter without snow. Spent time on cross country skis and on snowshoes:

The whole year was shadowed by too many injuries. The first one, a pain on heel, interrupted my cross country skiing and snowshoeing season. February I spent on a Gym, mostly on cycling with a stationary bicycle.

Visited the Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki in early March and met an Owl:

In mid March took a city break at Amsterdam. Did lots of cycling there. Interesting place:

End of March did a two day hiking trip to Nuuksio National Park, to test a Bivy Bag for the very first time. Positive experience:

At Easter time, there was some Spring feeling in the air:

April started to be busy time at outdoors; started a bicycle commuting to work, a sea kayaking season. Rivers got rid of ice, allowing paddlers to enjoy watery rapids:

Early May did a two days hiking trip to Liesjärvi National Park. Lakes and forest, nice place:

May was filled with cycling, paddling, running and orienteering. Such a busy month.

Did also lots was birdwatching, as well as observing nature in general. Nice places visited were Karkali and Uutela Nature Reserve areas:

Bought a new bicycle for commuting. It inspired even more cycling, which took quite a slice of spare time.

In June did some paddling trips, one to Lill Skorvan island on Kirkkonummi:

Orienteering has been one of most favourites, Jukolan Viesti preseting its glory:

Made the 2nd paddling trip to a brand new Selkämeri National Park in June. Such nice remote islands, a great place for paddling:

Midsummer time everything gets in bloom. It's also a busy time for animals:

In early July, did some hiking trips in Switzerland (blog posts still to come!):

Back in Finland, did a combined, two days, paddling and hiking trip to Repovesi National Park. Again, magnificent place:

Cycling stole lots of my spare time from paddling. A cycling trip to the city of Porvoo was nice, but then BANG, fell off the bike and hurt my wrist (which later proved to be a broken bone):

Hand hurt a lot, but the highlight of the whole year was already in sight, 9 days paddling trip to Gulf of Finland National Park.  Did the trip even it hurt quite a lot. That's not all, fell down during the trip and got a broken rib. Ibuprofein saved the trip.

Recovering from all, paddling had to wait. Filled spare time by cycling and birdwatching.

Autumn had arrived. Birds were migrating, heading towards south. Autumn foliage brought awesome colours in nature.

Finally, did some paddling trips, one to Torra Lövö island:

Finished paddling season earlier than usual. Again, cycling stole most of the time.  Was a bit lazy, so day hikes on weekends was about enough, like the one to Luukki:

In early December visited Utö island again. Such a great place, actually the whole archipelago is quite special and unique:

In December we got lots of snow, I mean a lot. White Christmas filled the land:

Now when writing this on New Year's Eve, temperature stays above zero centigrades, outdoor activities have to wait.


Some statistics about my outdoor year 2012:

• Did altogether about 5200 km, from where
• 3700 km of cycling
• 600 km of paddling
• 300 km of running/orienteering
• 600 km of hiking/walking/snowshoeing

The best photo I took during 2012? Although taken on artificial conditions (the zoo), I'll pick up this one (all of them in Picasa):

Happy New Year !

Snowshoeing - A Season Opener

This is what I'd been waiting for since last winter; about 30cm of new, powder snow, enough of it, to allow snowshoeing. Now we got it, just great! Let it please stay for the next two months.

A week ago did my cross country skiing opener at Oittaa Recreation Center, circling 1.3km loop with 1000 of other skiers. Wasn't too fun due to heavy traffic but acted as a medicin to cure for an immediate pain of not being able to do real winter outdoor activities before.

As it was still snowing in the morning, decided to try snowshoeing instead of cross country skiing (time to swap on tomorrow). Last winter I got really hooked on this. It felt so fantastic to walk on woods, on places which were difficult to reach even at summer time. Steep stones up and down.

Didn't go too far but to the northern part of the Central Park of Helsinki (a forest, you know). There was a strong storm just after Christmas. It cut lots of trees. You did notice the end result of the storm in forest, lots of fallen trees, forcing you to change the walking route. It didn't matter too much as I didn't have any particular route to follow.

Circled here and there. After some km's legs started to feel heavy to lift. Walking near trees dropped snow on to you all the time. Felt like being a snowman, on snowshoes though. After all, all it did was make you wet. Legs became heavier and heavier, followed by even heavier breathing. High BPM indeed.

After being four hours in the woods, arrived at a parking lot. Exhausted, but extremely happy.

My snowshoes are 36" Tubbs Mountaineers. In powder, you walk in steep snow but they are large enough to carry you quite nice. Too big ones if the snow really carries you. You need good poles, too, to support your walk. All in all, tough sports I'd say.

Took some photos during the walk. However, didn't bring my DSLR due to snowing conditions. Snowy and cloudy conditions were difficult to catch proper photos (plus constant heavy breathing and hand trembling by the photographer). 

My Garmin had stopped finding any satellites, so used Sports Tracker in iPhone to record the event. Here's a recorded route, 10km (show larger map):

New, old fashioned fence

Vantaankoski rapids

Dead End

Bending

"Tykkylumi"

Ladies first

Almost there

Somebody's been here

Covered by snow

Run for you life!

Summing Up My Outdoor Year 2011

The year 2011 started with loads of snow in the Southern Finland. Actually temperature had stayed under zero since mid Nov 2010. Heavy snowfalls followed soon after.  Therefore, it was a perfect winter for me.

Experienced snowshoeing a lot, what a fantastic way of staying outdoors!

36" Tubbs

Lower backside problems kept me out from cross country ski tracks most of the season. That was a big blow.

Central Park, Helsinki

I have usually exercised running throughout a year. No exception this year. During winter months one need to have good grip on ground (on snowy and icy roads). I've got Icebugs (Sisu model) with spikes and been really pleased with them.

One disappointment of winter was the lack of skating opportunities on frozen lakes and sea. Early snowfalls brought thick cover of snow which isolated lakes and they never got frozen enough to carry human weight (though some exceptions again).

On Sea, East Helsinki

In April I started to commute to work by bicycle. Also the first day-hikes took place then, as well as a kick-off of the sea kayaking season.

Trip to Northern California cut the Spring. Cycling on Golden Gate Park and hiking on Mt Tamalpais were really nice. It was time to get more serious for barefoot running, soon FiveFingers got introduced to my toes.

In Muir Woods

Hiking, sea kayaking, bicycling, running fulfilled Spring time, including Helsinki City Run, a half distance marathon.

White Water Lily

Summer months were mostly filled by sea kayaking. Absolute highlight was the 10-day sea kayaking trip to Archipelago National Park.

Bengtskär Lighthouse

During Autumn continued sea kayaking by doing two-day trips to archipelagos near by.

Basecamp, Skorvö Island

Had really fun one weekend doing wild water kayaking.

Pernoonkoski Rapids

Participated on a half distance marathon, this time by Inov-8's barefoot shoes.

BareGrip 200's

Also a new experience was a bicycle event, Tour de Helsinki, 140km of pure fun.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

After them hit by a strong flu, a sticky one. Actually it was a chain of them, one after another. They took more than two months. A real pity since Autumn this year was very nice.

Villa Elfvik

After recovering from these flu, outdoor activities were quite lightweight, no overnights, just day walks.

Ruutinkoski

Visited several Nature Reserve, Recreation Areas and National Parks in Southern Finland. Would have been nice to stay overnight in most of them.

Komio Nature Reserve

Spent the first week of December in the Swiss Alps, in Ticino Canton. There was no snow (except on 2800m level). Did some daily hikes in several valleys. Mountains looked naked without leaves in trees.

Campra

Just before Christmas we got some snow, which of course vanished soon due to a persistent rain. However, saw a glimpse of what nature might look if all is white.

Rudolph The Red Nose Coming?

All in all: " 'Two Thousand And Eleven', You Were A Bloody Good Year".


As a summary, did various outdoor activities altogether nearly 4000km (3500km in 2010), some highlights were

• 1500km of cycling (500km in 2010)
• 1000km of sea kayaking (1000km)
•   500km of running/orienteering (850km)
•   500km hiking/snowshoeing/walking (300km)
•   200km of cross country skiing (650km)

My best photo(s) taken during 2011? Too difficult to judge, perhaps these ones:

I've recorded many of these activities into my outdoor blog. Some of my photos can be seen in Picasa Web Albums.


Prospects for the year 2012?  More outdoors, please.