Sunday, September 8, 2019

EUROPE - 2019 - DAY 82

DAY 82 - AUG 31 - VANTAA

Vantaa is a nice suburb and about 12 miles north of downtown Helsinki. It's about another 6 miles further north to the airport. I was in a very nice apartment for 5 nights before my flight home. My only challenge left was figuring out how to get a bicycle box and the bike and myself to the airport.

The first night was fine, but the very next morning the wifi was out so I went to a nearby store to get on wifi so I could call the owner. At this point I might mention that I never had cell service on this entire trip, only wifi. Some people might find this unusual...hell, I find it unusual. Anyway, I got the owner, a very nice retired marketing guy, who owns this apartment as an investment. He came over and got the wifi working, and we got to talking. Without any hesitation he agreed to take me to a nearby bike shop to pick up an empty cardboard bike box and in a few days to come by and take me and the bike to the airport! I already knew that I loved Scandinavia, but this fellow confirmed my feelings and bolstered  my faith in humanity.

Now that I was squared away I guess I was re-invigorated and needed some exercise. Not knowing where the good riding was I got online and on ridewithgps I found a route that someone did back in 2013. It was a gamble, but I went for it and it was very nice, a figure 8 out into the countryside with some pretty farms, forests, and a few hills. 

This is my penultimate blog until I come home on DAY 85. There will be an epilogue in which I will try to summarize this grand experience. And be forewarned, there will be statistics.

Route;
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4009402544 

Relive;
https://www.relive.cc/view/gh39855300961

Pictures;
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuvSBXwonxKx4X9P8euxQ6DpPg9Z?e=qbcI3X