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Couple weeks ago I was starting my bike for longest trip that I have ride with my lovely bike. There was many saying that with KTM it means that I will come back with trailer. But as trip is over now I can be happy that it wasn’t the case. Bike was working without any issues whole trip. I had more issues with charging my devices as phone and other electronics didn’t like continues raining.

I usually update Instagram and Facebook during trips, but as writing this type blog post is taking more time I do these bit later (when I have time) so for live coverage please follow me in Instagram or Facebook.

So here is the plan and actual route that I did.

Initial plan was drive 5 days, but as it was raining quite lot in fourth day and forecast was indicating that rain will continue also whole next day, I decided to end trip bit early. Some good side on that that we got new TET section to Finland that joints east and west trails.

I’m still editing videos from trip but those should be ready sooner or later. Lets anyway walk trough first 2 days where I have videos already available.

DAY 1

Monday was looking sunny even forecast was saying that it will rain whole day. I started bike around 8:30 and plan was to reach Hämeenlinna or something like that. As sun was shining I was really happy to start trip. First 150km were familiar roads for me as I was planning those for TET route.

Keisarintie is always something that makes you smile.

From There I was heading to Pihtipudas and I was seeing cloud getting darker and darker. Time to time There was some rain, but not too heavy.

My plan was to eat something in Pihtipudas. There was big ad that was saying best and biggest pizza & kebab near E75 road. So I headed to putaan pizza and kebab. Ordered food and then they said that cash only as cards hasnt been working in whole day. I didn’t want to spend time to searching ATM so I just changed batteries to go pro and headed to Ähtäri. It was like 200 km away.

While riding to Ähtäri sky was getting again darker and darker. Here I was hoping that I could avoid that cloud, but it was like 20 min after this image I found myself under the woods and trying to get rain jacket and pants on. It was really intensive rain and I was getting really wet during that sort of time when I was changing gears.

Riding itself was pretty ok ok after I was able to change rain gears on, but foggy visor was next issue. it was really hard to see anything. That was getting fixed when I kept visor bit open, but then rain was getting inside helmet. So next time I need to remember to get some anti fog stuff that I can ably to visor in these conditions.

Finally I arrived to Ähtäri and went to Neste gasoline station to fill up bike and as I was dripping water I decided to eat also there as no other place would probably accept me in in that condition. Had not eaten almost anything it this day even their hamburger was tasting excellent. while eating it started to come real that I cannot ride too far away anymore as it was still raining and time was already 6PM. So I checked POI points from map and found place called Peltolan Luomutila night there was 25e so it was good for my budget. Made call to them and said that I’m coming from Ähtäri with motorbike not sure how long it will take, but I’m coming.

Started bike again and headed to Mänttä-Vilppula where accommodation was.

Finally it took something like 2½ hours to drive there. My phone battery when out and said that there is moisture in charger port. So when I arrived to Peltolan Luomutila I was not able to call them that I have arrived. Luckily they mentioned that they are living in same place so I searched door bell and everything turned well.

I was getting hot shower and I found also hair dryer so got my phone back to alive. After all this I just went to bed and slept like a baby.

For Videos check my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXF8W-YIYNY6If1OvkSehQ

DAY 2

Day 2 was starting with sun and great breakfast that was available in Pelotolan Luomutila with 5e price. My boots were still totally wet so I used hair dryer again to get those at least bit more dry. Same time I was trying to wash my rain gears bit as those were really dirty. It also looked that my phone was not happy about yesterday rain and all camera lenses where foggy inside.

Once I had get everything dry and bike was packet again. I was looking some place that could sell me new memory card as current one was already full. I found out that Data group Mänttä had cards in store so made first stop there. Owner was really nice person and he had also driven lot with motorbikes. Spent some time to discuss about TET and what are my plans. I also asked if he knows where I can wash my bike and panniers. He recommended to ask from Neste Mänttä. So I drive there and asked this possibility from AD-Autokorjaamo that is in same building with Neste. They where kind and let me use fire hose to clean yesterdays mud off.

Then it was time to start day. Only plan was trying to reach Loimaa before night so I was planning to drive as much as possible.

First longer stop was in Hauho where I stopped to eat. Roads where pretty silent and I only saw one motobiker that was also driving TET route, but to north all the way to Kuusamo. Sun was shining still and there was really nice places and sceneries.

From Hauho I drived to south Visited Parolannummi and then checked the routes that were recommended in Loppi.

Finally time was around 18:30 and even the speed limit was quite high I started to feel that I need to start heading to Loimaa.

At evening we did slight adjustment to RAM-MOUNT and removed shield from USB-C charging port. For some reasons RAM-MOUNT pins are not charging fast enough at least while screen is always on and using navigation. So with this modification I can use USB-C port for charging tablet fast. Once I arrived to Loimaa it started to rain heavily so I was lucky to avoid that.

For Videos check my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXF8W-YIYNY6If1OvkSehQ

DAY 3

Day 3 started in nice and sunny weather. Started my bike and drive from Loimaa to Kallionokka camping. I had light problem that I forgot to take wall charger with me so I was not able to charge my power bank over night so I decided to use phone for navigation and charge power bank while driving. I used power bank to charge GoPro batteries while driving.

Spend some time and meet friends that where camping there.

Plan for this day was to reach Kuopio, It was though goal as TET route is not the shortest route to destination. Google maps estimated 6h driving with fastest route, so I was estimating that it might be 12 hours drive via TET. I decided to drive to Sahalahti that is near of Tampere. Then Jump to east trail from there. So off we go.

I was selecting avoid motorway to google maps and set Sahalahti as destination. Must say that google maps was routing me in big tarmac roads and that wasn’t optimal. So I was actively looking smaller roads that where leaving from road 12 that was the one heading to Tampere. So I took some roads that were looking nice and started to drive those. Google maps was then rerouting me to smaller roads. Like this Suikintie was nice and then Sorvantie. So my tip to you is that check possible smaller roads that are going next to big road. Usually it wont cause too much more driving but you get off from tarmac and see some nice places that you wont see otherwise.

Reached Tampere and as I was set avoid motorways to Google maps it routed me to city center and to big tunnel. Well that was also one experience, but driving in centrum is really slow so I would like to avoid big places if possible.

From Tampere it didnt take too long to reach Sahalahti and TET route. Just took some gasoline and changed batteries to GoPro and then continued towards Jämsä. Roads here are really good there are up and down hills and twisty roads among several lakes.

TET route has some section that are also part of Neste rally Finland, like ouninpohja that is legendary in rally world. Roads and scenery where stunning and as weather was nice I was reaching Jämsä in no time. I was stopping there to eat and fill up also bike again.

when I stopped to eat I also took some time to find night place. As clock was already around 16:00 I decided to book place from Myllykosken Kievari Suonenjoki that is in south side of Kuopio so I would reach it bit earlier. Night was only 20e so it didn’t ruin my minimal budget.

From Jämsä I headed to Jämsänkoski and from there to Tikkakoski where I stopped in aviation museum.

Aviation museum has some planes outside and it does not cost anything to check those out. I was not going inside as clock was already too much for that. Here are some images from outside.

From Tikkakoski I headed towards Suonenjoki, I noticed that there was one ferry that was going only every second hour so I decided to skip that. Details can be found here: Paanalansalmen lossi

There where great roads once again in this section. when I reached Suonenjoki it started to rain and when I found night place they said that it was raining whole day there. So I was lucky that I was able to drive almost whole day in sun shining.

Day 3 ended to warm shower and nice bed in Suonenjoki while rain was only noise outside.

For Videos check my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXF8W-YIYNY6If1OvkSehQ

DAY 4

Day 4 started rainy like day 3 ended. I was checking forecast and it was promising rain to next 2 days for east part of Finland exactly where I was planning to go. Since it was raining in day 1 I already known weak spots. Like the charging port and that I didn’t have rain gloves and that my visor will get really foggy when its raining. So before I started my day I called some motorbike stores in Kuopio if they have something that might help, they asked me to visit in store to check out goods there. So I left form night place and headed to Kuopio via TET route.

When I arrived to Motorbike store, it was quite fast checked out that they had only gore-tex gloves and those I had already so didn’t want to buy new ones. They also sold some Motul clear visor stuff for foggy visor, but I can say that it does not help at all for that.

Anyway I took my rain jacket and pants on since rain was getting heavier and I didn’t want to get wet like in day 1. Then I left from Kuopio and started to head Säyneinen.

When I arrived to Säyneinen I started to look how to get back to home. Created route to Rautavaara first so I could Fill-up bike there and also eat something by myself too. Found nice gravel roads, but it also went trough one house yard and there where horses that didnt like too much noises. Anyway I was trying to pass this place as quiet as possible.

In Rautavaara I was looking some pizzeria, but I didn’t find any. So I went to local SEO that was old school place. They had everything from computer mouse to hair dryers and car spare parts, paints etc. That kind of selection you don’t see often anymore. While I was taking some hot chocolate and bun, I checked route back to home. I was selecting as small roads as possible but also focusing that its not making too many loops around.

I was really happy what kind roads there were in route and smiled all the way when driving those small roads.

I was not able to avoid tarmac totally, but small part that has it contains really nice Ruukintupa that offer food and all kind of activities. If you want stay night in really nice villas they have those too.

Finally I arrived to Sukeva and route was going trough E63 road to road 28 and those both are quite big tarmac roads. So I decided to check optional routes and here we got small loop so that we can stay on gravel roads. There is one road that went next to railway track and I was lucky that train was going there same time and I was able to ride next to it some while.

Finally I was back in Otanmäki and filled bike last time. Called to home that, I’m coming home so put Sauna on. Then headed back to home via Keisarintie and TET section 8. As it was raining whole day my boots were really wet and I had sand all over my rain gears and panniers, I was happy to get home. If I would continue in I would have wet gears on Friday too as nothing would have dry in these conditions.

This route that I took from Säyneinen to Otanmäki was later added to TET Finland as section 9.

For Videos check my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXF8W-YIYNY6If1OvkSehQ