Finland > A moose on the road

Fortunately, we didn’t have any trouble with mosquitoes in our trekkers’ hut last night. When we wake up, many of the other campers are still resting. The sun is already shining over the lake. Judging by the sky, it’s going to be a beautiful day. We make coffee and prepare our breakfast, which we eat in front of our cabin. Afterwards, we pack up the luggage and return the key. We set off for Rovaniemi. Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland and lies exactly on the Arctic Circle. The route winds between lakes and past beautiful forests. The maximum speed limits are clearly indicated but vary between 60, 80, and 100 km/h. The 60 km/h limit makes sense when passing through villages, but the difference between 80 and 100 is less obvious. At every sign, you have to check the new speed. It’s important to adhere strictly to the limits, as there are speed cameras everywhere—almost one every three kilometers.

Finland - The endless roads through Finnish forests

Because of the larger wheels on Brutus, the odometer is off by five percent, so we need to be careful at every camera to avoid speeding. There are also many signs warning of crossing moose. A yellow ribbon along the forest edge is meant to keep the animals away from the road. We drive via Iisalmi and Kajaani. At Pudasjärvi, we pause for lunch. When refueling, the payment terminal is only in Finnish. Everything seems fine, but we can’t select the pump. All the others work. A bystander comes to help. We shouldn’t have removed the hose yet. On the second attempt, it works. Further north, the road winds through the forests. The deciduous trees gradually change to pines. Suddenly, something appears on the road—a moose! The animal pays little attention to the cars behind it. A second, younger moose is more startled and suddenly steps onto our lane. We barely avoid a collision by swerving. From here on, vigilance is essential. Entering the province, there are warnings for moose—not by kilometer anymore, but just “Watch out in the entire province.” Much simpler. Shortly after, another moose walks across the street. This time we are prepared. Without further incidents, we arrive in Rovaniemi at the end of the afternoon. Our hotel is on the edge of the center, where we will stay for two nights—a rest day after 3,680 kilometers to the Arctic Circle.