From: ovr@lk-hp-5.hut.fi (Otto-Ville Ronkainen)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.rides
Subject: Re: Biking in the Kuusamo area, Finland
Date: 25 Jan 1993 18:48:06 GMT
Organization: L{nsi-Uudenmaan Keisarillinen Polyteknillinen Koulu
Distribution: inet
Reply-To: ovr@snakemail.hut.fi (Otto-Ville Ronkainen)
NNTP-Posting-Host: lk-hp-5.hut.fi

(Kees' reply was excellent, I'm just filling the blanks.)

In article <1993Jan25.134611.1@research.ptt.nl> walvdrk_r@research.ptt.nl (Kees van der Wal) writes:
>In article <1993Jan25.113423.4181@ghost.dsi.unimi.it>,
>savigni@ghost.dsi.unimi.it (Mad Andy) writes: 
>> I'd like some information about biking in the Kuusamo area.
>> I'm planning a trip there next summer, around end of July
>> to August.
>> I'd like to know something about weather, road conditions,
>> campsites or youth hostels.

>The larger roads are covered with asphalt and no problem to drive. The 
>"highway" that passes Kuusamo South to North is too busy to be fun to drive 
>(lots of campers and caravans). Smaller roads are gravel-type but mostly very 

The 1:800000 'Autoilijan Tiekartta' is about the only map that has
reliable and readable information on whether the road is paved or not.

>Camp sites are less than a days drive apart but rather expensive. 
>There are more than the avarage number of campings around Kuusamo. There is a
>tendency to charge an all-in (family) tarif, even if you're on your own with a
>small tent. Two years ago those campings charged me FMk50 to 60. 

Really? All campsites I have been on charged me half the family price
when I was alone.

>Bicycle shops are very scarce over there. Kuusamo itself is big enough to have 
>one. The most common bicycle parts are available in larger stores; next to food 
>these shops have a "sports" corner with fishing-, camping gear and bicycle 
>parts. 

This 'the most common bicycle parts' means really basic stuff.

>> Also, do you know how I can ship my bike up to there?
>> I think the nearest train station is in Rovaniemi, which
>> is about 200 km away from Kuusamo: can I bring my bike
>> with me on the train from Helsinki, or should I ship it?
>> Can I ship it straight from home to Rovaniemi?

>In Finland you can take the bike on the same train if it's a direct train. The 
>personel takes care of loading & unloading. Helsinki to Rovaniemi is a direct 
>connection; you could even try Kemij"arvi (85 km more east) or Salla. The
>nearest railway station is probably Taivalkoski (90 km SW of Kuusamo), but I
>doubt there is a direct connection from Helsinki. 

Taivalkoski has been closed for quite some time. (Salla hasn't had any
traffic since WWII.) There is only the night train to Kemij"arvi. There
are several daily bus connections to Kuusamo from Kajaani, Oulu, Rova-
niemi and Kemij"arvi. There is also an airport with two daily flights
to and from Helsinki. (Email me and I'll send you a summary of the
timetables.)

It is possible to send your bike as registered luggage from your
country to Oulu/Kajaani/Rovaniemi. Does anybody have experiences
about this (any international registered luggage)? It'll probably
take a few days.

>If there's no railway, there's always a bus, either a commercial line or a 
>postbus. The postbus has facilities to carry luggage, including bikes unless 
>you arrive with an entire group at once.

Most commercial buses also carry bikes.

>Have fun over there, and bring/buy something against mosquitoes,

Definitely (about the mosquitoes).
--
Ott-Vill R______________________
ovr@snakemail.hut.fi
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.rides