Entries open today. Anyone entering? I will be doing. Possibly might be useful to hookup for accommodation as it's a wee bit expensive out there.

https://www.rovaniemi150.com/

My wife and I are thinking of going again. Really enjoyed it this year but the weather was fairly benign, at least for the duration of the 150Km race, I think Simon and Fraser had a more "interesting" experience.

Low down here on 2017
https://singlespeedsimon.wordpress.com/ ... way-there/

and 2015...
https://singlespeedsimon.wordpress.com/ ... port-2015/

but...

just get out there and experience Northern Finland

This has peaked my interest recently for some reason... I guess partly coz it's this weekend.

So how tough is it really? I need a fatbike...and some winter type kit, and some experience in said conditions - the rest of it I should have a bit of experience in I guess. I reckon I could get myself organised for er 2019....

Think I might start reading up on people's posts. Anyone fancy lending me a fatbike? Could do temporary bike swapsies or something? hmmmm!

My write up from last year is here http://bobwightman.blogspot.co.uk/2017/ ... ition.html with kit discussion here http://bobwightman.blogspot.co.uk/2017/ ... didnt.html We didn't get ourselves organised for this year but definitely thinking of next year.

Definitely a highlight of 2017, possibly as much because it was so different to anything else we've done on a bike.

How tough? It really depends on the weather, 2017 was pretty benign, relatively mild temps (-6C to -16C) and good snow conditions, so much so that Alex (the organiser) reckoned that the winner of the 150 would be under 10hrs. 10hr24 as it turned out. The 2016 event was much tougher with heavy snow and a lot of pushing, the winner's time was over 21hrs. Away from the rivers and lakes and the graded vehicle tracks the route gets prepared by them riding it on a snow mobile. What you end up with is a compacted raft of snow about two metres wide that's sitting on top of powder. Break through or go off the side and getting going again is like trying to get out of a swimming pool wearing a full set of clothing

For the 66km route you don't need previous winter experience but for the 150km you have to convince the organisers that you can look after yourself in the expected conditions. There's nothing too expensive, except for the bike, needed for the 66km but for most the kit requirements for the 150 will add a big cost - I think the cheapest accepted sleeping bag is over £400 for example. A good set of Pogies is essential but in decent weather you don't need much more than we had for the Yorkshire Winter Bivy for example as you are generating quite a bit of heat. Something that can keep the wind off is very useful.

Getting there was about £220 return plus £60 for the bike per person. Long (four or five hours) stopover at Helsinki as the flights don't connect very well. Finnair say that bikes must be in a hard box but they were fine with our CRC bags. Minibus to/from the airport is about €30.

Cheers Bob - I'll be doing a bit of reading on everyone's write-ups and kit discussions over the next few weeks. I've not got a huge amount of experience in snow/ice, but otherwise I'm fairly confident I'll be OK. I'd want to do the 150 if I'm going to the effort of getting up to Finland, and hoping a couple of big rides this year and some carefully selected words to the organisers (maybe some character references!?) should get me in...

Would be good to go with a bunch of Boners, also reckon I'd stick around for a week for some more traditional holiday type stuff too

I just happen to have my application for last year in a drawer at work as you have to photocopy it and sent it off. This is what I put as experience:

Three trips to Karakoram - Gasherbrum IV, Hushe Valley & K7
Bob Graham Round
Three seasons of Alpine winter climbing and five seasons of summer alpine climbing
UK based ITTs like YD300, YD200

It was probably the alpine stuff that winged it for me.

This one is on my bucket list. Very much considering it for next year.

Zippy wrote:This has peaked my interest recently for some reason... I guess partly coz it's this weekend.

So how tough is it really?

Conditions will always dictate the toughness of the course. One year will be a breeze (2018) and everything will be rideable (except the two deliberate push sections), whilst the first edition and 2016 edition had deep snow. Winners finishing times have varied from 11 hours in good conditions to 36 in poor

A brilliant event and well worth entering. I’m hoping to return back there next year

whitestone wrote:I just happen to have my application for last year in a drawer at work as you have to photocopy it and sent it off. This is what I put as experience:

Three trips to Karakoram - Gasherbrum IV, Hushe Valley & K7
Bob Graham Round
Three seasons of Alpine winter climbing and five seasons of summer alpine climbing
UK based ITTs like YD300, YD200

It was probably the alpine stuff that winged it for me.

My winter mountaineering experience equates to getting lost on helvelyn with the School Mountaineering club in '82 plus a moderate amount of stotting about on snow covered hills. Do you think 'endless hours of pushing my fatbike through thigh deep windslab on my local hills' would cut it?? Or do I need to do that Cairngorm plateau fatbike trip before winter runs out....

https://www.alpkit.com/products/arcticdream-1200-2017

This MAY be suitable for someone doing the 150 next year, bargain sleeping bag. Can’t remember the exact requirements

voodoo_simon wrote:https://www.alpkit.com/products/arcticdream-1200-2017

This MAY be suitable for someone doing the 150 next year, bargain sleeping bag. Can’t remember the exact requirements

Has to be on the list https://www.rovaniemi150.com/rov150/sleeping-bags/

whitestone wrote:

voodoo_simon wrote:https://www.alpkit.com/products/arcticdream-1200-2017

This MAY be suitable for someone doing the 150 next year, bargain sleeping bag. Can’t remember the exact requirements

Has to be on the list https://www.rovaniemi150.com/rov150/sleeping-bags/

And it is

Last time I looked at the list, it had 4 bags on it! How times have changed