Tour de West Coast Finland - 1000+ km road trip on EUCs. Tour blog.

[UniVehje]

Tour de West Coast Finland - 1000+ km road trip on EUCs. 

What:

We are riding from Turku to Hailuoto (a large island near Oulu) on our unicycles during our three week summer holiday. The tour will follow the west coast of Finland and we will choose the smallest roads closest to the shore. We will be sleeping at AirBnB or camping sites. Daily activities will include a lot of riding (40-100 km per day) and checking out small towns, museums and other interesting places. The total distance on the wheels is expected to be 1000-1500 kilometers. 

This is not an endurance or extreme distance trip. We will have pretty relaxed plan and daily rides are relatively short. The main goal is to have a nice vacation, not to break distance records. 

Who:

I will be riding with @HelRider and hopefully we meet new riders on our journey. 

Why:

I got bitten by a long distance riding bug last summer when I did a couple of longer tours (200 and 260 km, two nights). I enjoyed the freedom of just riding and not having to turn back home. The inspirations to these trips have been @Sebaand Monsieur Flex with the world tour. 

For this summer I planned much longer road trips all winter. The virus forced me to plan my trip to be in Finland. The west coast is very beautiful and I’ve never been there before. During the spring @HelRider decided to join the trip and we started to make more detailed plans. We also did a couple of practice rides together. 

How:

• Wheels: 18XL for me and V10F for her.
• Charging: I can do 100 km and she can do 60+ km on one charge. We have a 5A  rapid charger with us with adapters for both wheels (thanks @1radwerkstat). We will charge at least the V10F during lunch breaks and we have two days when the 18XL might need some fast charging also. 
• Sleeping: We have booked camping cottages and AirBnB’s for the trip. No tents this time. 
• Equipment: I have a 36l Osprey backpack plus a 6l lumbar pack. Weight about 9 kg. @HelRider has a 40l Osprey backpack, weight 7,5 kg. Minimal clothing and equipment. 
• Preparing: The tour is roughly planned and most of the nights are booked beforehand. Daily plans are done on Komoot app and we like to have some freedom to just go where there are something interesting. The wheels are checked to be in good shape. Most important preparations were done on our practice tours where we finalized our choice of shoes, settings, clothes etc. 
• Terrain: Mostly small country roads with asphalt, pretty often gravel and small paths. 
• Navigation: Komoot and google maps
• The plan: Here’s the initial rough plan for the trip.

You can expect to have daily updates on this thread and videos 2-3 times a week. If you have questions, you can post them here and we’ll make a Q&A post or video later. 

Edited June 28, 2020 by UniVehje

[MikieSWE]

When are you starting your trip?

[UniVehje]

42 minutes ago, MikieSWE said:

When are you starting your trip?

Started today. Already at the first overnight place in Naantali. 

Tomorrow is going to be tough. We have almost 70 kilometers to ride and it will start raining heavily at about 9-10 am and continues the whole day. If we want to stay somewhat dry, we have to wake up early and keep moving pretty fast. 

[Zwheeler]

On 6/28/2020 at 1:08 PM, UniVehje said:

You can expect to have daily updates on this thread and videos 2-3 times a week.

Just can't wait for those updates! Godspeed!

-Z-

[HelRider]

Day 1, June 28: Turku—Naantali

After a slow morning (coffee, some cleaning and saying byebyes to the cats) we took a train from Helsinki to Turku. We arrived to Turku in the afternoon and it was super hot, like +30 degrees Celsius. Even riding fast didn’t make us feel any cooler. Luckily we had only 15 km’s to go. More than that would have been too much in that weather. We had booked a tiny cabin near the beach in Naantali Camping. 

It was so hot, that we went swimming as soon as we arrived to the cabin. The water was surprisingly warm for June. Suddenly a thunder storm hit and it lasted for quite a while. But after the storm the weather was much nicer than before. So, we went cruising in Naantali’s old town. What a beautiful place! After sight seeing, dinner and confusing the locals we decided to call it a day. Besides, we would have to wake up very early the next morning.

 

• Kilometers ridden: 20
• Riding hours: 2

[HelRider]

Day 2, June 29: Naantali—Uusikaupunki

We had a long journey ahead of us and rain was coming, so we woke up before 6 AM. A quick cup of coffee, packing up and off we went at 6.40. We hoped the rain wouldn’t catch us, so we kept riding quite fast. After a 35 km ride we took our only break in a café in Vehmaa. We had coffee and really tasty sandwiches. I recharged my V10F for 30 minutes. The café owner helped us to find a nice road to Uusikaupunki. 

The remaining 30 km ride was full of beautiful countryside views and not so beautiful countryside odours. Nice ride! We arrived at Uusikaupunki at 9.50 and the rain never caught us. It was too early for a lunch, so we had our third breakfast for today: cheese cake, rhubarb juice and cappuccino. Mmmmmm, tasty... 

We still had many hours to spend before we could check in to our next accommodation. The rain finally came so we had to stay indoors. We went to three museums: Wahlberg’s house, Sailor’s Home Museum and Naval Pilot Museum. After visiting the museums it was time for yet another coffee and sandwich in Pakkahuone Café.

At 3 PM we checked in to Santtioranta Camping. I’m writing this at our small but cozy cabin. The rain has stopped and the evening is beautiful. It’s time to plan our adventure for tomorrow. We’re going to take a detour on our way to Rauma!

 

• Kilometers ridden today: 70
• Kilometers ridden in total: 90
• Riding hours today: 3
• Riding hours in total: 5

[MikieSWE]

I would so like to join you!! Can not, this corona shit. Still, I'm born there, and I will come back there the day border opens. 

 

[lirva]

It's a bit shame that the weather turned shiet this week for you guys. 

 

[Ziiten]

Löytyyks helposti pistorasioita laturille. Varmaan jossain ABC:n kahvilassa tjsp voi ladata ilman että tullaan huomauttelemaan. Tai Prisman parkkihallissa

[Zwheeler]

14 hours ago, Ziiten said:

Löytyyks helposti pistorasioita laturille. Varmaan jossain ABC:n kahvilassa tjsp voi ladata ilman että tullaan huomauttelemaan. Tai Prisman parkkihallissa

A friend of mine once mentioned that she was told not to charge her CELLPHONE "for free" in a cafe. There are all kinds... 

-Z-

Edited July 2, 2020 by Zwheeler
Wrong language

[traktori]

Oh sh•t you already started your trip! It would’ve been nice to meet in Naantali and I could have shown you some routes with your good ol V8. But I’ve had so much work lately I finally got some relaxing time and were on mökki this weekend.

Happy trip!

ps V8 has already some 300 km, and working very well!

[UniVehje]

14 hours ago, Ziiten said:

Löytyyks helposti pistorasioita laturille. Varmaan jossain ABC:n kahvilassa tjsp voi ladata ilman että tullaan huomauttelemaan. Tai Prisman parkkihallissa

I’ve never had any problems charging at any restaurant or cafe. Usually we plan a lunch break for the trip and charge there. Or sometimes just at the entrance of a local supermarket. Quite often we even find an outlet outside the buildings. Shopping malls have a lot of outlets all over if you start looking for them. 

[UniVehje]

7 hours ago, traktori said:

Oh sh•t you already started your trip! It would’ve been nice to meet in Naantali and I could have shown you some routes with your good ol V8. But I’ve had so much work lately I finally got some relaxing time and were on mökki this weekend.

Happy trip!

ps V8 has already some 300 km, and working very well!

Looks like we will be riding the ring road later this summer. Maybe we’ll meet then. Happy to hear the V8 has a nice home now. 

—

Yesterday we had a resting day and just walked around old Rauma. Today the trip continues with a 60 km ride to Pori. Video of the first three days is almost done. 

[HelRider]

Day 3, June 30: Uusikaupunki—Rauma via Velhovesi ring road

This morning we had time to take it easy. No rain to escape from! The weather was nice for riding: about 20 degrees Celsius and cloudy. Route to Rauma would have been only about 40 kms, so we took a picturesque 40 km detour via Velhovesi ring road. The starting point was at Santtioranta Camping, where we had stayed the night. Perfect!

We started at 10 AM and planned to have a recharging break and lunch in Pyhämaan Pirtti. At some point the nice asphalt road turned into a bumpy gravel road and it lasted for many kilometers. It was hard and quite slow to ride, so we had a quick pit stop at a nice beach. Finally the awful gravel road ended. Thank god for asphalt! And picturesque scenery of the ring road.

At 1 PM we arrived at Pyhämaa village. We went to see the old wooden church but unfortunately it was closed. So, time for lunch in Pyhämaan pirtti! We found a power outlet at the terrace and recharged my V10F. We had tasty lunch and beers and just enjoyed the beautiful day.

The beautiful Velhovesi ring road was about to end. About 10 kms after the lunch break it was time to take a turn towards Rauma. I was getting tired and had achy back, so we took a couple of short breaks. The last 30 kms to Rauma were a struggle due to sore backs and feet, but we made it! At 5 PM we arrived at the Airbnb apartment. We had planned to go grocery shopping but were so tired that we just ordered pizza and stayed in.

Tomorrow we’ll have a day off! No riding, just sightseeing and enjoying the beautiful Old Rauma.

 

• Kilometers ridden today: 83
• Kilometers ridden in total: 173
• Riding hours today: 5
• Riding hours in total: 10

[FinRider]

1 hour ago, HelRider said:

.

The beautiful Velhovesi ring road was about to end. About 10 kms after the lunch break it was time to take a turn towards Rauma. I was getting tired and had achy back, so we took a couple of short breaks. The last 30 kms to Rauma were a struggle due to sore backs and feet, but we made it! 

I struggle at times with a sore back as well. For me it has helped to ride with a back brace that supports your lower back like this one

https://www.tokmanni.fi/selkatuki-6438114782965

 

 

[HelRider]

7 hours ago, FinRider said:

I struggle at times with a sore back as well. For me it has helped to ride with a back brace that supports your lower back like this one

https://www.tokmanni.fi/selkatuki-6438114782965

 

 

Thanks for the tip! 👍🏻

[Zwheeler]

9 hours ago, FinRider said:

I struggle at times with a sore back as well. For me it has helped to ride with a back brace that supports your lower back like this one

https://www.tokmanni.fi/selkatuki-6438114782965

Went to the shop and bought one of those. Too early to tell, but it sure feels and looks much better than one could expect for the price!

-Z-

Edited July 2, 2020 by Zwheeler
typo

[FinRider]

1 hour ago, Zwheeler said:

Went to the shop and bought one of those. Too early to tell, but it sure feels and looks much better than one could expect for the price!

-Z-

I actually use 2 different braces. The one that I posted is my favorite, but it is really stiff and I use it only when my back is already ”tired and sore”. 
 

i have another brace that I use more often that is only neoprene. It is not as stiff and does not offer the same support.. but it does help keep the muscles in the back nice and warm and i use that more as a preventative measure than a remedy. I have lived with back pain most of my life, probably due to weak abdominal muscles...  but i hate doing crunches and situps so braces like these are a lifesaver for me.

i hope your back gets better soon Heli so that you can enjoy your tour!

[HelRider]

Day 4, July 1: Day-off in Rauma

First day-off of the trip: walking, sightseeing and chilling instead of riding. Or so we had planned. In reality we were so tired after two long days of riding that we basically just did nothing. In the morning we drank coffee, ate the leftover pizzas from yesterday and took long naps. Quite late in the afternoon we finally left the apartment and went to see old Rauma.

And what a beautiful place it was! Cute old wooden houses in pastel colours, narrow streets, small boutiques and cafés. We had, once again, cheese cake and prosecco in Café Sali. After that we had a little time to wander the streets before a visit to Rauma Maritime Museum. Soon it was 5 PM and all the museums and boutiques closed. That was all right, because I still felt pretty tired. So we went back to the apartment, did some laundry and watched TV. Tomorrow we’ll have a long way to ride to Pori.

 

• Kilometers ridden today: 0
• Kilometers ridden in total: 173
• Riding hours today: 0
• Riding hours in total: 10

[HelRider]

Day 5, July 2: Rauma—Pori

After two well slept nights and a day-off it was time to hop on again. We left the apartment at about 10 AM and took a nice countryside road to Pori. The weather was a bit chilly but otherwise nice: about 16 degrees Celsius and partly sunny. We weren’t in a hurry, but didn’t have too much time to waste either. @UniVehje broke his phone in the morning and we would have to get it repaired once we arrive to Pori.

Our first stop was at Liinmaa Castle, a relic of a medieval castle. Once by the sea, the site was now in the middle of the forest. Interesting place! We were already a bit hungry and we had 20 kms to go before lunch, so we kept going. We crossed a bit wobbly but fun little suspension bridge over the Eurajoki river and enjoyed beautiful countryside views on our way to Merikahvila Ihana in Laitakari. In the café we had super tasty fish sandwiches and recharged my wheel.

After the break we had only about 25 kms to go. We had booked a nice little AirBnb apartment 5 kms outside of the city centre. At about 4 PM we were there, left our luggage at the apartment and went to Puuvilla Shopping Centre to repair @UniVehje’s phone. Once it was done, we headed to a nice dinner in Borg Kitchen & Bar and yummy local beers at Beerhunter’s.

Tomorrow we’ll have about 70 kms ride to Merikarvia.

 

• Kilometers ridden today: 84
• Kilometers ridden in total: 257
• Riding hours today: 4
• Riding hours in total: 14

[HelRider]

Day 6, July 3: Pori—Merikarvia

Another beautiful but chilly morning. We left the apartment at 10 AM and it was so windy and cold that I had to wear almost all of my clothes. We headed to Yyteri, a large beach area 15 kms north of Pori. On a cold day like this there were no swimmers but quite a few kite surfers. Perfect weather for that. The beach was awesome and a lot like Maspalomas Dunes in Gran Canaria, just smaller (and colder). Too bad it was so cold, it would have been fun to swim and relax on the beach. Instead we went to a restaurant closeby and had lunch (and put on even more clothes).

After eating lunch and recharging my wheel it was time to continue the journey. Unfortunately the bike lane ended, so we had to ride on the roadside. At times it was a bit scary because of strong wind and trucks. But the views were amazing! Bridges, islands, seashore, waves... Wow!

Before we realized it, it was time to turn to a smaller road towards Ahlainen village. The road was in a rough condition, but at least there were no trucks. Much safer. We stopped at Ahlainen and went to see the old wooden church. Then we continued to a very small road some cyclists had recommended on Komoot. And no wonder they had! We rode through countryside, forest and by a river. We crossed another suspension bridge and saw many small rapids by the river.

We arrived to Merikarvia at about 4 PM and went to Merry Monk, a nice restaurant by the sea. I had the best salmon sandwich I have ever had. If you ever go to Merikarvia, go to Merry Monk and order “Ginigraavattu lohi & avokado saaristolaisleivällä”. You won’t be disappointed. After the super tasty sandwich and beers we headed to our accommodation: Mericamping where we had booked a tiny cabin.

This was the best day with best views so far. Tomorrow we’ll have a 90-100 kms ride to Kaskinen.

 

• Kilometers ridden today: 73
• Kilometers ridden in total: 332
• Riding hours today: 5
• Riding hours in total: 19

[Zwheeler]

25 minutes ago, HelRider said:

The beach was awesome and a lot like Maspalomas Dunes in Gran Canaria, just smaller (and colder)

A wonderful description! 

[mike_bike_kite]

Pictures please!

[traktori]

Have you had any problems taking wheels inside or leaving it alone for any cafes or restaurants? I’m in Teijo ruukki with my wife and told her about your trip. We are in a cozy restaurant with very old wooden floor and I would hesitate taking wheel inside.

[UniVehje]

4 hours ago, traktori said:

Have you had any problems taking wheels inside or leaving it alone for any cafes or restaurants? I’m in Teijo ruukki with my wife and told her about your trip. We are in a cozy restaurant with very old wooden floor and I would hesitate taking wheel inside.

No problems with this. Usually we just take them in and Heli finds an outlet for charging. We’ve even been in similar old cafes. Sometimes we do leave them outside and it’s really not a problem. Everybody is very positive and asks a lot of questions about the wheels.