FF2: Filling in the Suburbs

[krigl]

We're driving from Kemi up to Pello in northern Finland today.


Kemi seems to be some sort of logistics hub.


It has a great traffic jam for AI truck spotting.




Sadly, regretfully, we leave the queue of lorries behind us.


Quite a large lake, this one. The next city will be Tornio, which lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia, and also on the border with Sweden.




Golden bushes mark the turnoff to Rovaniemi.


They do look nice.


Tornio. Just passing through today. We'll be back when it's time for Part 3 of the tour.




Continuing north along the wide Torne River, which forms the border between Finland and Sweden for quite a way.




Aavasaksa, with a fine red bridge. Great little place.
















Still following the Torne towards Pello.




Looks like we've reached Pello.


Yep. Time to say goodbye to19,999 bottles of cognac.


And hello to a hotel room. We head to Rovaniemi and Kemijarvi next time.
Anni

[krigl]

It's morning in Pello, northern Finland...


... and what have we here? That's not a Volvo!


Yep, the 'new' Man TGX is out, and of course the local Man showroom called my company up offering demonstrations.


They wanted us to try out a 'bog-standard' version, and also offered a 'de luxe' ride. My boss was super pleased with me this month,
and also trusts me to look after stuff, so he gave them both to me to 'evaluate'.


Of course, we have no intention of buying any, as we both are of the same mind when it comes to buying local - why buy a good German truck when you can buy a good Swedish truck?


Mind you, Scania are actually owned by Volkswagen, but, you know...


Volvo isn't, of course. Volvo is owned by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, based in Shanghai. Buying local is so hard these days. Sigh. Anyway, we're off in the new TGX, leaving Pello with a cargo for Kemijarvi in the east, via Rovaniemi.


Reindeer husbandry? My goodness.


Granted, I did have a sheltered middle-class upbringing in a small Danish town, but really - what man would even want that?


I drove for a while with eyes fixed on the road ahead, not daring to look left or right into the trees in case I saw 'something'.


Those beautiful golden bushes again.






Approaching Rovaniemi.




And here we are. Rovaniemi, administrative capital of Lapland, 6 km below the Arctic Circle, tourist city and official home town of Santa Claus, destroyed during WWII and rebuilt with input from the great architect Alvar Aalto in the shape (seen from above) of a reindeer's head... apparently.


I was referring to the city, not Santa Claus. Just clearing up any ambiguity.


We're just passing through today.


And we're out the other side.


Lots of flags and a sign. Could it be...?


Yes, we're crossing the Arctic Circle!


Making progress towards Kemijarvi.








And we've arrived. It's been pleasant driving the new TGX, even if it's just the no-frills version.


One more Kemijarvi view. Next time - back down to Kemi via Rovaniemi.
Anni

[krigl]

Today we're trying out a 'yes-frills' version of the 'new' TGX, taking it from Kemijarvi through Rovaniemi down to Kemi.


Started real early, in foul weather to boot.


On the way to Rovaniemi.


The cops were hard at work, still. I applaud their dedication.


Nearing Rovaniemi, still in driving rain and sleet.


We're taking the tunnel through the centre. Wheee!


...and out the other side.


I think it's supposed to be daytime now, but the Brutal Weather continues.


Driving southwards, wishing it would clear up.


Three wet reindeer, standing on a bridge,
Three wet reindeer, standing on a bridge,
And if one gets hit and ends up in my fridge,
There'll be t.... yeah, whatever. Just realised it's not a bridge.


For crying out loud, I want to look at the truck already.


Getting better at last.


Finally. Yeah, the deluxe version Man provided has all the mod cons, including those spiffy internal mirrors.


Pretty nice, I dig it.


Visually it's okay, not too exciting. Man trucks always seem to be more conservative in design than those by other manufacturers. Of course, it still has the huge yelling screaming car-in-front-terrorising open mouth that is so popular these days, but... a conservative, sober version.


The golden bushes mark the point where we join the Pello - Kemi road.


The still-wet asphalt is nice and shiny.




Ah, this is that huge traffic jam at Kemi which is great for AI truck spotting... but without AI trucks this time, for some reason.


It's not so great when you're in it.


I almost teleported, but stuck it out like a Trojan.


Yay, made it at last. Enjoyed the TGX a lot, looking forward to using it some more in the next tour (Black Sea, probably).


Back in a Volvo in Kemijarvi again, writing a glowing report on the TGX on my laptop to send to my boss to do whatever he wants with.


We're taking these tyres north to Sodankyla, but I kind of wish we were taking those funky boats with the huge fans on.


I mean, if I could turn on the fans, we'd be able to cut some time off the trip, I reckon.


Anyway, tyres it is, and that's it for today...
Thanks for checking out my shots!
Krigl

[krigl]

Today we're driving from Kemijarvi to Sodankyla, continuing our two-steps-forward, one-step-back push northwards through Finland.






Passing through an unknown village.


Even here, above the Arctic Circle, people are still crazy for ice cream.




Back into the countryside.












Arriving in Sodankyla.




It's quite a big place, with some nice details.






So, where can I dump these tyres, then?




Ah, okay. The delivery spot is just up ahead on the left.


Paperwork done, went to enjoy the evening vibes in this pleasant town.


Next morning, new cab, with this really nice paint scheme, very fitting for Finland, if a bit snowy for this time of year.


New cargo for... Rovaniemi again, for the last time, I guess.


Last view of Sodankyla.


Off we go again, heading roughly south.


Through early morning gloom.




Checking out Rovaniemi a bit more next time.
Anni

[krigl]

En Route to Rovaniemi from Sodankyla today, in the early morning gloom.




This is a really nice-looking trailer, actually, I like the creases in the material.


Another reindeer.


Alright, Rovaniemi.


Heading for the drop-off point.


Let's take a look, see if there are any other parts of this important city we haven't seen yet.


Yeah, the tunnel from above.




And that bridge on the horizon is also usable.


Back through the centre with a new cargo for a new destination further north - Kittila.


Traffic jams at the start.




Starting to speed up a bit, and the golden bushes are back.


Farmland. Not one hundred percent sure that it really looks like this above the Arctic Circle. Shouldn't there be wide expanses of windswept tundra here rather than cornfields? Well, what do I know.






Enjoyable scenery, though.












It's been a very pleasant trek up to Kittila.






We'll get there next time, no doubt.
Anni

[krigl]

Continuing the drive to Kittila...






Reaching the outskirts.




They like ices in Kittila too.


Delivery time.


Later in the day it started raining.


Went for a change of paint, and then a sleep.


Woke up around midnight to witness the sun peeking through the clouds.


Next morning all is smart and shiny.


Next two jobs will be from Kittila - first east, then west.


Apparently this cistern contains wood-shavings, though I have my doubts. Really? In this?


We're taking them to Sodankyla to the east of Kittila.








Sodankyla reached.


Back near Kittila, at the Moelven jobsite in the forest.


Look, logs! Finally.


The track to the jobsite is rather picturesque.




Fording the river!


Back in civilisation now, heading north back to Kittila.


Passing through that town.


I have all the best logs.


Now driving west towards the Pello - Muonio road, which we'll meet and take next time.
Anni

[krigl]

This time we'll be venturing up to Muonio.


Driving westwards from Kittila to the Pello - Muonio road.




We're going to drop these logs off at a rest stop on that road at a place called Kolari.




Apparently they're at full capacity; when they get the next load of logs put on the train, they'll send someone up to the car park to pick up mine. Makes sense to me.


Here we are. Goodbye logs, it was great.


And now we're back in Pello, with another strongly thematic paint job.


Let's get out of town and take this north north north up to Muonio.




Farewell Pello.


Scenery settlement of Sieppijarvi lies ahead.


Here it is.


Stretch from Sieppijarvi to Kolari.






We've reached Kolari.


That's where we left the logs. Can't see them there, they must have taken them already.


Still northwards, from Kolari to Muonio.










Some lovely countryside round here.


We're very close to the border with Sweden. There's a crossing just over there - not usable, though.


Entering Muonio. They have a large petrol station indeed.


And that's it for today. A trip southeast to Kittila next time, and then we'll be on to the final places in the farthest north of the country, with a couple of jaunts into Norway, no less.
Anni

[krigl]

Muonio to Kittila today... one last job before we head for the northern border.


Arriving in Muonio.


Delivery. Not a lumber yard!


Walked out to find a corner shop, got the munchies.


Through the town.




Off to get a cargo for Kittila.




Back to Muonio.


Alright, off we go.


Heading eastwards.








Passing through Sirkka.




Lake near Immeljarvi.


Arriving in Kittila.


Woman taking selfie with Pear phone in front of illegally dumped bin bags.


Delivery time. We shall return to Kittila one more time, but now...


...we're back in Muonio, with this simple but elegant paintjob.


beep beep beep


Taking this north to Karesuando fairly close to the border with Norway.


He knows.




More northerly shenanigans next time.
Anni

[krigl]

Today we're on the first of four journeys towards, to or beyond the borders of northern Finland.


Our destination is Karesuando, so... nope.




I spent a while agonising over whether to just stop at Karesuando, the most northerly Finnish town in the region, or continue into Norway to, say, Bardufoss.


Because I'm a bit wierd like that. The 'problem' is that there is nothing visible on the border, or just inside. It's quite a long way through northern Norway before reaching a town, and it involves roads that I'd like to save for the final part of this tour.




In the end, I decided to stop at Karesuando and go no further, and then make a trip south across the border during Part 5 from Bardufoss to visit that northern Finnish town.




Here's the petrol station at Karesuando. We've arrived.


The only issue with this is...


...that, well, Karesuando isn't a northern Finnish town at all.


It's Swedish! Da-dum-tschhhh!


I was very surprised. It even looks like a Finnish name.


So, we did cross the border after all. Well, whatever. Delivery to the northern SWEDISH town of Karesuando.


As one can see, Karesuando and the countryside around it is pretty nice, and perhaps a little wilder than the rest of Finland.


First northern journey over, off to get a coffee before teleporting back to Muonio.


Well, alright, here we are in Muonio again for the last time. It's actually the most northern Finnish city in this part of the country. Wow.


Time to bid it farewell, and in style too, with a hard-to-handle HCT.


We're off to Kautokeino in Norway this time.


Two full-length trailers behind me, I'm feeling rather nervous.


This guy on a side road we won't be taking has got it easy.


Look at him, just trundling along, whistling.


Meanwhile I'm sweating buckets as we reach our first settlement: Raattama.


No sharp turns needed, luckily.


And a mountain view!


Could that be a light dusting of snow?


That's it for now, next time - first visit to northern Norway.
Anni

[krigl]

Finishing the trip up to Kautokeino in northern Norway this time.


Leaving Raattama.


Aaargh.


It's that mountain again.




Not sure what this place is called. Time to turn off towards Norway.


Before turning off, sent the drone to check out the road we're not going to take. Mercifully, the combine harvester did.




Alright, heading for the border now.


This is how I imagine northern Finland in summer.


That's the border up ahead.


Uh-oh, stop signs, police, lorry being opened and checked...


Well, they let us pass. Not that I had anything to hide.


Oh, they do animal husbandry in Norway too? Being a Dane, my English is pretty good, but I had to look this one up, as I had a feeling that it couldn't be what I thought it was. I can't believe I was so silly, thinking that it meant... it meant...


Anyway, we're in Norway now, cool!


Very tranquil.


All too soon, we reach Kautokeino.


Delivery time. We'll visit this place properly when touring Norway.


Now where are we? Kittila - for the last time.


Starting off on another trip into Norway.


Whoa... better be careful threading between the two signs, not much space to spare... What on earth are those clowns doing, anyway?


I didn't think I'd get through with out knocking the zebra sign down, but somehow I managed it.


Pulling a HCT is pretty demanding on turns and roundabouts.






Heading northeast


Crossing the Ounasjoki. Next time we're continuing the drive up to Karasjok in Norway. It's a very long way!
Anni