Finland: Riding the Russian frontier. A story of friendship.

July 2023, one of the coldest and rainiest in recent years over Finland and Sweden, was the month chosen for my long-awaited exploration of the Russian border. What is it like to cycle in Finland? In this 59-minute video you will have the opportunity to see this Nordic country and its long, remote and gravel border area with Putin's Russia. What is the landscape like, are there any cities? What's like the summer weather beyond the 60th parallel north? Through the 1000 km of this cycling journey (Eurovelo 10 and 13), I will investigate this north-eastern corner of Europe, commenting on the unfortunate Russian-Ukrainian war and the economic crisis that is consequently affecting communities on both sides. Is this a NATO border? Is it safe? Join the locals by bicycle, people who openly trust new visitors and always make them feel at home.
Author: Vlady
Instagram & Strava: @vlady_was_here
vladywashere.wordpress.com/
Filmed with iPhone 12 mini, DJI mini 2 drone, GoPro 9, Sony ZV-E10
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Music credits:
Unfoldment, Revealment, Evolution, Exposition, Integration di Chris Zabriskie è un brano concesso in uso tramite licenza Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Fonte: chriszabriskie.com/reappear/
Artista: chriszabriskie.com/
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Still images:
Eric Koch for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
proxy.handle.net/10648/ab1e640...
Jonathan Meath, CC BY-SA 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Alexandre Buisse (Nattfodd), Strolling reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in the Kebnekaise valley, Lappland, Sweden. (www.alexbuisse.com/)
Pallares1, Senyal de perill de ser picat per mosquits (Finlàndia). Mosquit finlandes.JPG
Petr Vodička, Wikipedia, Ridge of Pallastunturi hills (view from Sammaltunturi) in Pallas-Yllästunturin National Park, Lapland, Finland.
Виктор Габышев,
More details
Multiple exposure of midnight sun on Lake Ozhogino in Yakutia, Russia / Озеро Ожогино: Расположен в административных границах Абыйского и Аллаиховского улусов, находится на левобережье реки Индигирка, Абыйский район, Якутия (Саха)

[@rafaelcubero8322]

Grande Vlady!

[@Edenriboy.travel]

I love your videos waiting for your next adventure. I wish you all the best, my youtube friend, vlady.

[@vladywashere]

Thank you very much! Same for me. I am glad for everything you have done!

[@PrimalMovers]

Excellent film. Finland is beautiful. Thanks for sharing

[@vladywashere]

It really is!

[@mercedesmompel2433]

The views captured with the drone are amazing! I like your attitude of going with the flow. Finland looks a lot like Northern Ontario in Canada, where I live, including the mosquitoes.

[@vladywashere]

Thanks a lot Mercedes for dedicating your time!

[@dant.6364]

Thanks for this awesome video!

[@vladywashere]

Glad you liked it!

[@user-ri8du6mo5x]

Congratulations, wonderful video. Best Wishes.👋👍

[@vladywashere]

Glad you liked it

[@lmalmen]

Well done. Your videography is really good.

[@vladywashere]

Thank you very much!

[@0neChecker]

The end was chilling in your video! Creepy sound effects and blood! But no hätä I've been there and seen it all.

[@vladywashere]

Splatter ending - ei paanikki

[@TimoVee]

Such a cool video, my friend. If you're headed to Lapland next year, give me a call. I think I'll be going there at some point with the dogs anyway.

[@vladywashere]

kiitos kiitos. Wasn't easy last summer, but mission Lapland has to happen, in a way or the other.

[@TommiNummelin]

I just watched your trip through USA, and was delighted to see you have visited my origins in eastern Finland! That Southern Savonia region (Puumala, Savonlinna) sure is pretty but man, is it hard on your legs. Now I'm on the west coast, right north of Turku, and it's a lot easier to cycle. Maybe you could try cycling from Turku to Vaasa, then take a ferry to Umeå? I can offer you a cup of coffee, if you come through Rauma. Just when you were experiencing unseasonably cold July in Helsinki, I was doing the same in Copenhagen. That trip ended in Stockholm, and the weather only picked up when I was already in Jönköping. :D

[@vladywashere]

Heippa Tommi mitä kuulu :) Good to hear from you. I was very attracted by the eastern border but as you said, the ice age left some pretty steep hills around there. I decently know Finland but the country is big too; for example, I haven’t been in Vaasa. I have heard that the ferry to Umeå doesn’t run anymore, that was something up to the 90s, but I hope as you said that the ferry still does the botnia gulf during the summer. Vlady

[@TommiNummelin]

@@vladywashere Hejsan Vlady! The ferry still runs, even in winter. In summer, they have two ferries per direction every day. There are some exceptions to take into account, but timetables are already posted on Wasaline's website. With a bike it's something 50€ from Vaasa to Umeå. And Eurovelo 10 up the coast is great! I've pedaled it from Turku to Kaskinen and it's lovely terrain with minimal car traffic. The route signs are done to Pori already, so with some luck there isn't even a need to navigate this summer.

[@vladywashere]

Yes I have seen it yesterday after I wrote you. So basically it is an option to cross the sea and visit Finland. I went to Pori once, for a music festival, but never north than that along the coast. 👍

[@dr.kashifulhaq6372]

Now iam back, watched every second of your video. I loved and lived every moment of it. Finland is a beautiful country. Emma had given you company along the way, which must have been great. The best part of the video was the balanced rock, it was amazing. As an animal lover, I loved the cat which you petted with blue eyes, indeed a beautiful cat too. Along the way you must have felt really lonely at the end. The clear skies. Of course the mosquitoes problems must have been really awful. Well a well deserved adventure and beautiful scenery along the way. Thank you for another classy video. God bless you and thank you.❤

[@vladywashere]

Thanks for your kind words. Finland is a great, safe and simple cycling place. All is part of bike touring, the high and some low :)

[@dr.kashifulhaq6372]

Hi there. Waited a long time for your Vlog. Thank you so much. I am watching it right now,,I am sure it must another amazing adventure from your side. Cheers.❤

[@karllorossanodasilvarossan8708]

👏👏👏🇧🇷

[@vladywashere]

Obrigado

[@frankducett9]

Music detracts. Bye.