Because in my great epos I display

Display

Yesterday we visited Tromsø in Norway. By car it took over two hours to get there, because there was some roadworks on the road between Kilpisjärvi and Skibotn. We went up to the fell by the city using the cable car, and explored the fell by foot, enjoying the view. And then we did some sightseeing and shopping in the Tromsø city. On the way we stopped by the sea and explored the stony beaches.

Today promises to be a somewhat warmer and sunnier day, so some walking might be in the program. My calf muscles are still a bit sore from the earlier walks. There has been much more climbing up and down hills than what I'm used to.

The photograph was taken in Särkänniemi amusement park on July 3rd.

(Posting title is from the poem Cleon by Robert Browning.)

He’s got no place to go but down

Path

Stream

I was planning a long walk for today, but the plan changed somewhat. I walked for 4 1/2 hours, which was less than planned, but during that time I managed to explore Kytäjä-Usmi forests and swamps rather thoroughly. In all I walked over 20 kilometers, visiting the following lakes: Pikku-Piilo, Piilolampi, Kaksoslammit, Iso-Kypärä, Kiiskilampi, Mäkiperänlampi and Pitkännokanlampi.

My feet are a bit sore because of the long walk, but otherwise it feels good. However, I got some mosquito bites, even though the wind (10 m/s) and coldness (+10 °C) eliminated the worst attacks, and the bites are itching.

I didn't see any Gavia stellata. It so happened that even though I had binoculars with me in the backpack, I didn't remember that I had them. Instead of birds I enjoyed the landscape at large, and took a lot of photographs. It was quiet, no road noise and very few aircraft flying over. And I didn't meet anyone else walking in the forests, even though there were four cars at the parking place when I returned.

These photographs were taken in Meiko on May 31st.

(Posting title is from the poem For the Man with the Erection Lasting More than Four Hours by John Hodgen.)

Laundry of that lovely absurd summer we wanted so

Sign

Field

Dry

Poles

While going through the photographs from the memory cards I realized there were some taken before the trip to Lapland. These were taken at Petikko on July 16th, the day before we started the journey northwards.

I'm thinking that perhaps I should make a photo book from the photographs from the trip to northern Finland, using the same process and format as in my SoFoBoMo photo books. It would require a bit of extra effort, but having a printed book in hand would be nice, and of course there would be an on-line (PDF etc.) version as well.

But what would be a good title for the book? "Up north and up hills - Vuokatinvaara and Sallatunturit" would be a possibility. Or just "Walking up hills in northern Finland". I think I would focus on the photographs taken while walking at the hills of Vuokatinvaara, and those taken at the hills of Sallatunturit. However, maybe the book could contain some of the other photographs from the trip as well, but I'm not sure how they would fit the theme.

I have so far gone through about 1/3 of the photographs, but there is still plenty to go through. After this phase I should be able to decide whether to try making a photo book or not.

(Posting title is from the poem O. by Robin Blaser.)

I think of the sense of fury in that road

Circus 1

Circus 2

Circus 3

Circus 4

We are back home from traveling. I drove the car for 2200 km, a bit less than I thought. And there are 2878 photographs to go through, which will take some time.

Here is a sample from yesterday which we spent at Särkänniemi amusement park at Tampere. On July 5th we visited Linnanmäki amusement park and spent seven hours there. This time we spent almost nine hours at Särkänniemi, mostly waiting in queues for rides and events to start, and walking around the area.

Standing and walking was a nice change from day before during which I rode the car for 780 km south from Salla in Lapland. I think I have gotten enough exercise during the vacation, as my weight is still going down. I have lost about 12 kg since two years ago. I need to lose 1 kg more and I'm at the normal range of BMI (Body Mass Index).

(Posting title is from the poem The Road by Herbert Morris.)

I studied the folds in your jacket

Waterlily 1

Waterlily 2

I have been thinking about getting a new jacket for walking in forests, since my current one, an eight-year-old Berghaus Gore-Tex jacket starts to be close to finishing. The front zipper is broken, and even though I can keep the jacket closed with buttons, it is not quite the same.

There is a lot of wear, and even though the jacket still mostly keeps the rain out, some of the seams are leaking. And Gore-Tex has the problem of keeping the moisture inside when the weather is humid and cold, and that doesn't feel so good, even though usually in rainy weather the jacket is rather good if one moves slow enough not to get sweaty.

I'm not sure whether I should buy a new Gore-Tex jacket, or try something else, something more breathable. One choice could be a Fjällräven jacket, made from G-1000 fabric.

Another thing is the form of the jacket. The Berghaus jacket was just about perfect, long enough to keep the back warm even when carrying a backbag, with two side pockets protected by flaps, one front pocket inside, a hood which can be hidden inside the collar, and so on.

There are a lot of choices in jackets these days, but few seem to be such to suit my needs, to have a pocket for a camera, another for a map and a compass, and a third one for a mobile phone and keys.

(Posting title is from the poem After the Auction, I Bid You Good-Bye by Aimee Nezhukumatathil.)