The first snow fell in these last days of the October. The new destination are further in the north than in the last trip, near the boundary to Russia.
As I the trip booked offered this picture the Webcam at SAARISELKä.
Lähin tieasema:
TIE 4; INARI, SAARISELKä 23.10.2004 12:04
ILMA -1.0 °C
TIE -1.1 °C
SADE HEIKKO
KELI LUMINEN
The snow lies already since a couple of days, first a couple timid flake, now some centimeters high.
The trip goes into the vicinity of Ivalo, the pearl of Lapland. Here sees the first signs after Murmansk on the Kola peninsula.
At the end of Novembers 2004 became already to - 30°C. For this trip, I stocked up with various utensils.
The year inclines the end and the temperatures climb itself. Also yet on the 8 January, the thermometer approaches at that 10° sign.
To the good fortune, the thermometer fell at the morning of the departure on -13°C
At the 6.2.2005, I was gone to the airport to Frankfurt. The first time that I go out of Limburg into the vacation.
I am got yet once a smoke. My time is very short, I must yet through the persons inspection. The lady who checks the hand baggage is very exactly. about a man that burdened it, said to a colleague: "Then he should go with the bus".
At time to the boarding I am been at the gate and went without larger delay through airplane. I shortened the time to the start with read a book, (which I begun to read in last vacation) "Tausend Meilen Eis", of Silvia Furtwängler. It describes the Yukon Quest, the hardest sled dog race of the world.
Next to me, an older married couple took place. In the start, they held itself the hand and staggers the fingers in each other. So how I made that already with my wife. I smiled, am can go off now I in my "nobody-can-touch-me feeling" and I'm in the vacation.
Now I come to the end, time for lunch. Mini hamburgers with sauce and puree, something vegetable and a roll with margarine. Wow !!
The weather in Helsinki is nothing special. A little snow and around 2°C. I do not go to Helsinki with the bus from Vanttaa. So I intended it, but I have no mind for it.
Wwather is cloudy and to see is also not much more, the time becomes long. I visited three times the smoker room, will turn another round through the airport soon.
The airplane after Ivalo stands at Gate 15. After the small Snack in the airplane, I become tired and I am happy as we land on the Airport Ivalo.
Here it is a little colder than in Helsinki, -6°C. We quickly traversed the 100 meters to the terminal. In the hall, many people stand to take the guests in reception. There I see stands also already a sign on that also my long name. I go and am welcomed of this woman.
It has an extremely high voice, but causes pithy. I forgot the name quickly. She say we must wait for someone out of my group, a Swiss. Shortly on that he was coming, and on the baggage belt behind us, the first suitcases emerge. The arrival hall is not large, simply small. Outside at the taxi, I got a smoke, the three Dutchmen of the other group are not yet there. As the group completely, the trip goes to Saariselkä. Andi, the Swiss, and I go into the guests house Panimo. Three others go to another hotel.
There is breakfast first from 10:00 clock, we are picked up however tomorrow already around 9:00 clock with the taxi. We can pick up our breakfast around 21:00 clock. In the mean time we go eating something in the hotel next door.
I wetted the showering before I go to bed. On this luxury, we probably will renounce the next week.
At the next morning against 4:00 clock, I am already again awake, habit. Until 5:00 clock, I have tried to sleep. Then I got my first smoke outsite. The water was until there hot and I could make my tea. There is not even coffee here. The breakfast is simple, bread sausage and cheese, but amply. That 1-liter of paper bag orange-juice I opened yesterday evening.
I repacked the bag and the hand baggage. It should not smell afterwards like dog.
Another half hour until the taxi comes. I am somewhat restlessly and curiously, the thermometer fell overnight on -12°C, the sun is shining. At the taxi, I encounter Andi again, Rainer yet thereto. Only two people in the group are missing.
The same way as yesterday evening we cut back again.
The Husky-Safari camp Kamisak is near to branch off to the airport Ivalo. Here we encounter Gabriele and Edith. The group is complete.
We get our equipment, a sleeping bag and a towel in a watertight bag, an overall, boot, gloves and a cap directly for dressing. In the socks, we can make use of also.
Then the on direction as well as such a device with the dogs comes is to actions, also like a knot bound, that is to open with one hand. Gabriele and Edith are of the opinion that they are booth on a single sled.
Jouni became us as a Guide trains part. He will lead us in this week through the wilderness at the Inarisee. The assignment of the teams was decided per lot, I had the red latern.
The sled was packed and got the dogs harnessed, here we got some help. For me, that was not really new, I have so what done before. It was strenuous, the dogs wanted to run only and were correspondingly restless.
As Jouni the his snowmobile starts it was that the signal dogs to start. My Huskys were so well eager in the start that they torn up with a jerk the security line, with which the sled must be secured at a tree, That are beasts?
Jouni making a track for us into the snow. At the motor sled, it towed another load sled. Hereupon the supplies and the entire stuff of things are needed, and Andi. He goes with us around the entire to learn.
My six Huskys are no beasts, for sure, they are in very good conditions and tug the sled over each mountain. The shred rope pulled next to the sled.
At the early afternoon, we make a break. Jouni hoes a little wood, carves it a little and makes quickly a camp fire. A tripod out of wood about that, at it sagging a pot and ready the soup is.
The bread in addition was already finished, and the coffee was cooked after the soup. The dogs lay meanwhile before the sled. I had in the team Niivi and Kalinka as a Leaddogs, Lasmad + Niisku as Teamdogs and
Rolle and Rasmus, the train machines, were Wheeldogs direct before the sled
We reached the first cottage over a lake. It is on a small hill, behind that where the dogs for the night hosted.
Now the dogs must be fastened at the sleeping rope, puts out previously between two trees, and unloaded the sled. At the time comes a little into sweating. It is not very cold.
Tthe water which we need for washing, feeding and cooking, comes out of the frozen lake. With a hand drilling the 20 cm thick ice is bored out, that water with a hand pump pumped in bucket and dragged to the cottage and sauna. Jouni has at the time kindles the fire in the cottage and the sauna and now becomes it slowly cozily warm.
Before we ourselves at the food are feed the dogs first, she need its quiet to gather power for the next day.
After the meal, we go into the sauna. It is the single possibility to be washed itself in this time. How gets all people quickly out of the sauna? Call: "the polar light is to be seen"
So we stood all without socks in the snow and saw towards the top to pursue around the nature game.
the 2nd Day
I am still habitual the early get up and was already around 6:00 clock awake. Around 8:00 clock got up Jouni and life came into the booth. The breakfast was luxurious, our Guide is cook. After the breakfast, the dogs got its early feet, soaked fodder. Two of my dogs thought probably that it would be only water, and eat first the chunks not before I the bowl contents poured on the snow. They did not want water.
Now it is at the time to be packed the pockets and has to stow everyone ours on the sled under the reindeer fur. It is the time where the dogs become restless, rise and each single wants to come first at it. The tug lines are displayed, that sorts harnessys and strained a Husky after the other before the sled. At the morning, the dogs sing its desire alive into the forests out.
suddenly it gets in front of me more quie, a sled to the other goes on. For some seconds, I stand alone with the dogs in the forest. Carefully catch up the snow anchor, without seen by the dogs, kicking the ice brake with all power into the snow, Rasmus looked around itself and pulls away, now all very quickly, pull the end of the rope at the handle bar, which is put another couple once around the tree, cleanly runs, and raises the knot. With the other hand well hold goes to intercept around the jerk that goes through the sled and take simultaneously the foot of the brake.
In the same moment, it will be to hear quiet, only the heavy breathing of the Huskys and the grating of the runners.
A couple hundred meter of skittering through the forest . Outside on the lake stands Jouni with its "Lynx" and that four other teams. Everyone came away well of the start. As I approaching we go directly into the hilly forests.
The disposition at this day is well and the weather gives us sunshine with -12°C.
If we not on a mountain it goes speedily ahead and we must pay attention on the branches over the trail that are not get into the face to. The dogs know the trail probably, if Rolle and Rasmus turn around, and look back, comes a deep hollow or the sled certainly could way landslide and overturn. Both make no thoughts certainly around me, special only around its own bones. If it me sweep of the sled, she could run more quickly.
The load sled stands on the trail, Juoni is to be sought underway around a suitable place for the camp fire. Nivi and Kalinka turn around, "what now?" We wait. Lasmad and Niisku remain quiet.
It lasts no long and we sit before the camp fire. We take out of the supplies of the warm juice, and it's time to speak and "to pull one another through the cocoa"(German expression). The large wood fire heated quickly our lunch. Is clearly, there will be again soup, but what's inside today?
The plates and cups are washed in the snow, may dont' think about that further. End the same cups, out of which we took just yet the juice, we drink now our coffee. We have washed up.
We go out on the Inari Järvi. The second largest lake of Finland is to be seen also out of the universe. It is less snow on the thick ice however the group is far apart. That is my dogs probably too boring and it keep in mind also not to hurry itself.
That changed as we went direction of our next cottage. It lies directly at the Inarisee in a small bay. The bivouac of the quadrupeds is wind marksman behind the cottage, for it is here very windy. On the way to the cottage, a freezer in the forest stands. I can not grasp it, why that? My curiosity following, I reviewed what then in the forest in such a furniture becomes stored - saws chips. That is for the toilet, how we are learned later .
The temperature had climbed. On my thermometer, we were able to read -3°C. In the cottage, it is cold, but we have electric light and it is cozy. Outside the wind whistles as we late the dogs feeding. In the sauna, we were not lay this day, for that we are on the thick ice of the lake and looked at the shimmering colors of the north light. This evening has something unique.
The third Day
At the next morning laughs us the sun toward. It shining of the lake between the trees through and throws the shadows of the window into the cottage.
How each morning we packed up all again, that dogs buckled up and gone on the lake out. The sun blinds however that six there want to run ahead. The direction does not agree entirely, but that have its own mind.
As the direction changes the group is together again.
The further way leads us back over the lake into the area where we yesterday have left the forest. The trees are here not very high and the way manageable. The time past quickly and we seek once again the place to rest for noon. At the camp fire, the group of Henry (speak Henrü) sits already and we associate ourselves in addition. they will have thought itself, what we are for a loopy people, but we had again and again a reason for a Joke.
Andi, that companion of Juoni went in the group of Henry. We assessed that however first in the evening. Today is also the last, the third, day of our female companions. They are accompanied of our Guide in the evening to the street and there pict up with its teams.
During this we sit too third in the gigantic cottage, that we had also already in the first night. Outside in the darkness both goes with forehead lamps and its Huskys behind Juoni into the forests of Lappland.
It's a shame, were we a good troop.
We get the water, no longer so much like two days ago and warm ourselves up.
That evening passes so like all other also, it will come late until we go to bed.
The 4th Tag
The morning differs unessential of the other,
we have more place at the table and we go a little later. although it is no longer so coldly like at the beginning, the weather is no longer so comfortable. Most time on the sled am I hoodet as well as in arctic temperatures. The wind considerably increased, no storm, only like such a very entirely small Blizzard. At a forking of the way happened that Jouni turned to the left and the dogs from Andi went to the right, Reiners afterwards, and mine not also wanted to hear my commands. It is not possible to remove, otherwise the dogs are away. In the turning point maneuver, I must "catch" the sled. It must looked jolly as I hung behind the sled. None made pictures therefrom.
In the midday rest, Niivi caught to growle at one of the females in the middle. I feared already biting in my team. Juoni said that one of both becomes in heat. Well.
The cottage at this evening has two sleep niches, which has to reach over a 3 meter high leader, and an open nature stone fireplace. The sauna is also here, but forget that. It suits to thaw at best around dog food or is useful to dry clothing, it is not for sweating .
Jouni was at evening by the dogs because my have howling. The night rope solved itself on a side, and the dogs involved and tied up themselves in the rope.
The 5th Day
We stand up late and had a long breakfast.
In the night, it snowed. Everything is covered with a white layer. We watched the squirrels and cleared what is a Kuukkeli (such a thick bird) and Tiainen (titmouse).
At this last morning, the last opportunity is to be taken leave of the dogs and is to be expressed them praise. They did previously good work. To such an extent ran motivates it this day very good.
Very fast passages and also long downhill trips at the same time, that makes mood. A group reindeer crosses are our way, the dogs are quiet.
The way to the noon camp is violent. We must steep mountain up through snow high by 80 - 100 cm. The dogs cant' run no longer I must help there. Run like a stork and the sled hold, because the dogs are more quickly. At the camp, I am ready.
How so many an other also the rest lasts somewhat longer. The trip through the depth snow fells then more easily. Although it is steep down mountain, will have not to be braked hardly.
We shrink not until the late twilight, about around 18:00 clock, in the camp. Everything is bring brightly illuminated as we living the dogs into its areas. We take our clothes and go into the house. Here we get something to drink and to give our equipment back.
The taxi will be there after short time and bring us back to the hotel to Saariselkä. Eija Järvinen advised us in the camp where we are can go eat in Saariselkä credit balance and favorably . So we went eating evenings into the Pirkon Pirtti Ravintola.
The Departure Day
There is breakfast first around 10:00 clock. Until there, I packed my pockets and am gone in "Kuukkeli Tavaratalo", a shopping center. To this time, the sun rose at the horizon and I was able to enjoy in conclusion yet the sun.
To third we appeared ourselves to the breakfast. After that we looked around once in the place. Around 12:00 clock, our ways separated and I go into the bus to the airport Ivalo.
Now I had at the opportunity to look at day the area. At the Kaunispää, the mountain in Saariselkä, stands a Road-Weather-Webcam. Here, the street is illuminated also at night.
The dispatch at the airport goes quickly, on a coffee and a couple notices I go there into the coffee shop. Japanese are one-third of the passengers for this flight.
The flight to Helsinki passes quickly. There I have yet time somewhat to go shoping and already I sit in the airplane to Frankfurt. On this flight, I have three places to the selection, and I decide on the window seat.
The through legend of the captain lets suspect me evil. In Frankfurt, it is11°C warm, it rains and is it strong wind. I am again in the homeland.
October. The new destination are further in the north than in the last trip, near the boundary to Russia. 
Now I come to the end, time for lunch. Mini hamburgers with sauce and puree, something vegetable and a roll with margarine. Wow !!
Here it is a little colder than in Helsinki, -6°C. We quickly traversed the 100 meters to the terminal. In the hall, many people stand to take the guests in reception. There I see stands also already a sign on that also my long name. I go and am welcomed of this woman. 
the Swiss, and I go into the guests house Panimo. Three others go to another hotel. 
I repacked the bag and the hand baggage. It should not smell afterwards like dog. 
We get our equipment, a sleeping bag and a towel in a watertight bag, an overall, boot, gloves and a cap directly for dressing. In the socks, we can make use of also. 
Jouni became us as a Guide trains part. He will lead us in this week through the wilderness at the Inarisee. The assignment of the teams was decided per lot, I had the red latern.
Jouni making a track for us into the snow. At the motor sled, it towed another load sled. Hereupon the supplies and the entire stuff of things are needed, and Andi. He goes with us around the entire to learn.
At the early afternoon, we make a break. Jouni hoes a little wood, carves it a little and makes quickly a camp fire. A tripod out of wood about that, at it sagging a pot and ready the soup is. 
The bread in addition was already finished, and the coffee was cooked after the soup. The dogs lay meanwhile before the sled. I had in the team Niivi and Kalinka as a Leaddogs, Lasmad + Niisku as Teamdogs and 
Rolle and Rasmus, the train machines, were Wheeldogs direct before the sled
Before we ourselves at the food are feed the dogs first, she need its quiet to gather power for the next day.
I am still habitual the early get up and was already around 6:00 clock awake. Around 8:00 clock got up Jouni and life came into the booth. The breakfast was luxurious, our Guide is cook. After the breakfast, the dogs got its early feet, soaked fodder. Two of my dogs thought probably that it would be only water, and eat first the chunks not before I the bowl contents poured on the snow. They did not want water.
Now it is at the time to be packed the pockets and has to stow everyone ours on the sled under the reindeer fur. It is the time where the dogs become restless, rise and each single wants to come first at it. The tug lines are displayed, that sorts harnessys and strained a Husky after the other before the sled. At the morning, the dogs sing its desire alive into the forests out. 
suddenly it gets in front of me more quie, a sled to the other goes on. For some seconds, I stand alone with the dogs in the forest. Carefully catch up the snow anchor, without seen by the dogs, kicking the ice brake with all power into the snow, Rasmus looked around itself and pulls away, now all very quickly, pull the end of the rope at the handle bar, which is put another couple 
once around the tree, cleanly runs, and raises the knot. With the other hand well hold goes to intercept around the jerk that goes through the sled and take simultaneously the foot of the brake.
of skittering through the forest . Outside on the lake stands Jouni with its "Lynx" and that four other teams. Everyone came away well of the start. As I approaching we go directly into the hilly forests.
The load sled stands on the trail, Juoni is to be sought underway around a suitable place for the camp fire. Nivi and Kalinka turn around, "what now?" We wait. Lasmad and Niisku remain quiet.
It lasts no long and we sit before the camp fire. We take out of the supplies of the warm juice, and it's time to speak and "to pull one another through the cocoa"(German expression). The large wood fire heated quickly our lunch. Is clearly, there will be again soup, but what's inside today?
That is for the toilet, how we are learned later .
The temperature had climbed. On my thermometer, we were able to read -3°C. In the cottage, it is cold, but we have electric light and it is cozy. Outside the wind whistles as we late the dogs feeding. In the sauna, we were not lay this day, for that we are on the thick ice of the lake and looked at the shimmering colors of the north light. This evening has something unique.
At the next morning laughs us the sun toward. It shining of the lake between the trees through and throws the shadows of the window into the cottage.
As the direction changes the group is together again. 
Andi, that companion of Juoni went in the group of Henry. We assessed that however first in the evening. Today is also the last, the third, day of our female companions. They are accompanied of our Guide in the evening to the street and there pict up with its teams.
The morning differs unessential of the other, 
we have more place at the table and we go a little later. although it is no longer so coldly like at the beginning, the weather is no longer so comfortable. Most time on the sled am I hoodet as well as in arctic temperatures. The wind considerably increased, no storm, only like such a very entirely small Blizzard. At a forking of the way 
happened that Jouni turned to the left and the dogs from Andi went to the right, Reiners afterwards, and mine not also wanted to hear my commands. It is not possible to remove, otherwise the dogs are away. In the turning point maneuver, I must "catch" the sled. It must looked jolly as I hung behind the sled. None made pictures therefrom.
In the midday rest, Niivi caught to growle at one of the females in the middle. I feared already biting in my team. Juoni said that one of both becomes in heat. Well.
In the night, it snowed. Everything is covered with a white layer. We watched the squirrels and cleared what is a Kuukkeli (such a thick bird) and Tiainen (titmouse). 
Very fast passages and also long downhill trips at the same time, that makes mood. A group reindeer crosses are our way, the dogs are quiet.