The first 20km or so today are probably some of the most technically challenging parts of the whole trip, being a very narrow track winding up and down mostly through the forest. Contrary to popular belief, Finland is not flat, but I do think they try their hardest to emphasise the point by taking you every rise they can find.
The picture here is passing through a clearing, with the sun not long havng come up.
By now, I am so exhausted that balance and leg strength to control skis on fast one metre wide tracks - never by best skiing ability - fail me from time to time and I fall more today than the rest of the week. At another point, I had only just cleared the forest road I was crossing (being slow at it) when a big truck passed behind me.
Alas we had to use a bus shuttle to cross the river. The traffic crosses a dam, which carries traffic in single file alteratively and the railway line also crosses the dam. With the temperature at +3C, and it has been positive during the day, you can see things starting to melt. Even some of the roads are clear - some of the minor roads they had put snow on so that we could cross them without having to take skis off.
The relief when crossing the finish is a mixture of things - not another step further on cross country skis. I got someone to take a picture of me with my Sport Relief T-shirt on, but I was so tired, and someone else was coming along, that I didn't have time to put my skis back on.
Don't forget you can still give to Sport Relief on the right.
I will make one more post in the next day or two to summarise some of the highlights, and things worth noting for anyone else thinking of taking on the longest organised cross country ski trek in the world. Next year will be the 30th anniversary trek, and yes, there are people who have done every single 29 treks so far.
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