Why do I ride my bike?
After stepping away from the world of brevets following a difficult season, I found myself questioning the deeper motivations behind my cycling obsession. Was it love for the sport, or simply momentum dragging me forward? Yet, the call of the long ride remained strong.
Bike Information
A year ago I bought Reilly T325 caliper and it really has been a wonderful bike even though the spec is basic - Shimano 105 mechanical, caliper brakes with XLC levers; Brooks Cambium C15 saddle; Son dynamo & Supernova lights.
My Ride
The Finland Green Gold offered an alluring mix: a friend to visit, forested landscapes to explore, and the chance to escape the scorching July heat back home.
Despite skipping the official brevet series, I trained solo with determination and arrived in Finland ready. The route’s structure—looping through Mikkeli three times—allowed me to use it as a base. From Helsinki, the ride unfurled across vast, undulating terrain shaped by glaciers and covered in dense birch and conifer forests. The route led through sleepy towns, past shimmering lakes, and over rolling granite hills. Despite the lack of towering mountains, Finland's roads delivered their own kind of challenge—short, steep climbs and rough patches.
Checkpoints became a chances to rest, refuel, and soak in slices of rural life, from kebab joints to misty lakesides. Long hours in the saddle tested my body and spirit, but there was magic in those moments too: mist after rain and orange moonlight. The deeper into the countryside I rode, the more immersed I became in Finland’s quiet beauty. From lakeside to the white night that never truly darkened. Storms rolled in and out, and the sun beat down at times, I had underestimated the Finnish weather.
When I finally arrive at the "One Pint Pub" where a group of "Randonneurs Finland" help me celebrate.
I remain deeply moved and touched by the beauty I have seen and gratitude for being able to complete this amazing ride.
The Checkpoints
1st checkpoint – 138km - Kausala
2nd checkpoint – 230km - Mäntyharju
3rd checkpoint – 293km – Mikkeli
4th t checkpoint – 400km - Sulkava
5th checkpoint – 481km – Oravi
6th checkpoint – 543km - Varkaus
7th checkpoint – 666km - Mikkeli
8th checkpoint – 736km - Juva
9th checkpoint – 826km Puumala
10th checkpoint – 928km - Mikkeli
11th checkpoint – 1055km- Vierumäki
12th checkpoint – 1135km - Mäntsälä
Final checkpoint – 1210km FINISHED !!!!