Here's my attempt to act like a real cycling journalist. As I said, "attempt".
Cycling in Oulu, Finland
When some people think of Finland a few things generally come to mind: its famous sauna culture, ice swimming, pickled herring or Santa Clause. For others it might be global companies like Nokia, Polar and Suunto. And still for others it might be, “Where the hell is that? Isn’t that one of those Scandinavian countries.” For me, Finland is about the bike and infinite tracks of uninterrupted riding.
I recently returned from a 6-month trip to Oulu, Finland from August to January 2009. Oulu (pronounced “Oh-Lou”) is a small high-tech/university town in central Finland located on the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea with a population of around 135,000. It is also the home of the World Air Guitar Championships. While I was there on a work assignment, my personal goal was simple: cycle as much as possible and never drive to work. This goal was especially exciting given that Oulu is located at a latitude of 65 degrees north (that’s 200km south of the arctic circle and 600km north of Helsinki).
Oulu has a cycling network (map) of over 500km of bike and pedestrian roads where you seldom, if ever, need to share a road with a car. The bike roads are meticulously cleaned by small street cleaners during the summer months and plowed and graveled before 7AM in the winter months on snowy days. In fact, bike roads get plowed before car roads. Given that approximately 37% of all trips in Oulu are made by bike (possibly highest in Europe) it’s not surprising that almost everyone rides a bike, year round. Contrast that with the highest percentage of bicycle commuters in the US: Portland, OR at 3.7% (US Census study).
My daily commute was about 9km each way through wooded neighborhoods, parks, and small amount of single track. If you don’t make it to work by 8AM you generally don’t have a place to lock your bike in the bike racks. But then nobody tends to lock their bikes to anything and just lock the back wheel. Even kids as young as 1st grade will ride their bikes to school a few miles solo. I remember one snowy morning at about -10 deg C when I saw one of my daughter’s 7-year-old friends riding to school; Finns are tough cookies.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Texas Cycling Invades Oulu
The regular group I ride with, the 08 Lenkki, had a journalist riding with them last Sunday and had a nice write up about the group.
There are some incredible photographs here.
During our coffee and bun stop, I got to speak with the journalist and they did a little write up about my perspective of winter riding being from Texas. The original article (in Finnish) is here. Here's my translation with help from google translator.
Texas Dude Rides Some Bikes in Oulu
United States of America, Texas, city of Austin will be the man who can ride.
One of Lance Armstrong is from Austin and is able to trample some kind of momentum. But the 08-Link has a Yankee Austinite Tim Kelly. Kelly, working for Nokia, has been working in Oulu for half a year and will soon return home. He found the 08-Linkki this summer by asking around.
"I've been to ride both in summer and winter weather, so I've been lucky. During the first slippery weather I crashed four times, but gradually I was able to find my balance. It is still a little scary when the temperature is zero or only a few degrees plus side," the American said.
A particularly enthusiastic Kelly is aware that the 08-lenkki may be the world's northernmost year-round riding peleton of its kind.
"The best part of this job is the social side," he confirmed.
Kelly's family has been in Oulu, with a car, but he has not need to drive a car to work once. 08-Link a place of assembly Haapalehtoon ulkomaalaisvahvistus cycle to their homes Kaijonrannasta.
"The hardest part has been the resurrection in morning at six o'clock, when it's dark outside, cold, and ten degrees below zero. It has demands a little self-motivation: most people probably would remain in bed."
Kelly's usual riding time with the group has been about four and a half hours. Sometimes rides go well over 6 hours.
"After a good ride it is amusing when after 5 hours, some members of the group will decide where to ride next and may ride all day long."
Enjoying the now even when you live abroad praises Oulu.
"Here in Oulu are the world's best bicycle roads, absolutely unbelievable. There is nothing like it in the U.S.", a man of sincerity.
There are some incredible photographs here.
During our coffee and bun stop, I got to speak with the journalist and they did a little write up about my perspective of winter riding being from Texas. The original article (in Finnish) is here. Here's my translation with help from google translator.
Texas Dude Rides Some Bikes in Oulu
United States of America, Texas, city of Austin will be the man who can ride.
One of Lance Armstrong is from Austin and is able to trample some kind of momentum. But the 08-Link has a Yankee Austinite Tim Kelly. Kelly, working for Nokia, has been working in Oulu for half a year and will soon return home. He found the 08-Linkki this summer by asking around.
"I've been to ride both in summer and winter weather, so I've been lucky. During the first slippery weather I crashed four times, but gradually I was able to find my balance. It is still a little scary when the temperature is zero or only a few degrees plus side," the American said.
A particularly enthusiastic Kelly is aware that the 08-lenkki may be the world's northernmost year-round riding peleton of its kind.
"The best part of this job is the social side," he confirmed.
Kelly's family has been in Oulu, with a car, but he has not need to drive a car to work once. 08-Link a place of assembly Haapalehtoon ulkomaalaisvahvistus cycle to their homes Kaijonrannasta.
"The hardest part has been the resurrection in morning at six o'clock, when it's dark outside, cold, and ten degrees below zero. It has demands a little self-motivation: most people probably would remain in bed."
Kelly's usual riding time with the group has been about four and a half hours. Sometimes rides go well over 6 hours.
"After a good ride it is amusing when after 5 hours, some members of the group will decide where to ride next and may ride all day long."
Enjoying the now even when you live abroad praises Oulu.
"Here in Oulu are the world's best bicycle roads, absolutely unbelievable. There is nothing like it in the U.S.", a man of sincerity.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Peace
The proclamation of Christmas Peace, a tradition in Finland since the Middle Ages:
This give of course good reason for kids to be on best behaviour or they just may spend Christmas in a Finnish jail cell without presents. So the declaration was made in Tuku today at noon and we've been very good and aren't working.
Santa even dropped by some friend's house and handed out gifts to the kids. The kids know that Oulu is the first stop after Rovanieme so he comes in the late afternoon on Christmas eve. Though we aren't sure if he uses the reindeer or just saves them for international travel. I think he just drive a pick-up truck in Finland.
"Tomorrow, God willing, is the most gracious feast of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, and therefore a general Christmas peace is hereby declared, and all persons are directed to observe this holiday with due reverence and otherwise quietly and peacefully to conduct themselves, for whosoever breaks this peace and disturbs the Christmas holiday by any unlawful or improper conduct shall be liable, under aggravating circumstances, to whatever penalty is prescribed by law and decree for each particular offence or misdemeanor. Finally, all citizens are wished a joyous Christmas holiday."
This give of course good reason for kids to be on best behaviour or they just may spend Christmas in a Finnish jail cell without presents. So the declaration was made in Tuku today at noon and we've been very good and aren't working.
Santa even dropped by some friend's house and handed out gifts to the kids. The kids know that Oulu is the first stop after Rovanieme so he comes in the late afternoon on Christmas eve. Though we aren't sure if he uses the reindeer or just saves them for international travel. I think he just drive a pick-up truck in Finland.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Disco! Finnish Style
I haven't been to any dance clubs yet, but in case I need to prepare I have a lesson review.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Finns Happy and Least Corrupt
I like surveys and world maps. Here's a couple of interesting ones showing Finland scoring very high on both:

- Corruptions Perceptions Index (high score is less corruption, more transparency) and
- Quality of Life (Happiness Scale)(pdf).
Corruption Index
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Winter is Really Here!

Some photos from the ride before my derailleur hanger snapped off: http://personal.inet.fi/urheilu/pekka.lindvall/kuvaalbumi.htm
Saturday, November 22, 2008
PSA - Don't Fool Around with Frozen Water
Public Service Announcement from Finland -

Looks like our little talk about the dangers of frozen water were clearly understood. But we were too late for these guys:

Well, we got onto the ice safely on some shallow areas after seeing a big fishing party, several skaters, and a couple of kite surfers on the ice.

Don't Fool Around with Frozen Water - If you do you could fall into the cold water and die immediately. LOOK - TRY - DIE. So you see, frozen water can be dangerous.
Looks like our little talk about the dangers of frozen water were clearly understood. But we were too late for these guys:
Well, we got onto the ice safely on some shallow areas after seeing a big fishing party, several skaters, and a couple of kite surfers on the ice.
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