• Ruthless Raja 7-8.2.2020! Olen mukana tässä hienossa tapahtumassa ja pidän esitelmän ITI-kisoistani Suomussalmen kunnantalolla perjantaina 7.2.2020 klo 19. Tule mukaan! ⬇️ The Ruthless Raja 7-8.2020! I will be part of this great fatbike and skiing event in Eastern Finland and I will do presentation of my ITI races on Friday 7th of February 2020 19PM at Suomussalmi communal hall.
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    Ruthless Raja 7-8.2.2020! Olen mukana tässä hienossa tapahtumassa ja pidän esitelmän ITI-kisoistani Suomussalmen kunnantalolla perjantaina 7.2.2020 klo 19. Tule mukaan! ⬇️ The Ruthless Raja 7-8.2020! I will be part of this great fatbike and skiing event in Eastern Finland and I will do presentation of my ITI races on Friday 7th of February 2020 19PM at Suomussalmi communal hall.
  • OFFICIAL LOGO. Amidst the dark and despair times I'm having with the injury, I've been trying to think about the future. ITI is still my number one deep goal, but I have some other exciting projects in the background. There will be also more talk presentations here in Finland. I'm not fully professional adventure cyclist and entrepreneur, at least not yet, but I work with my projects like a professional. So, I definitely needed an official logo. I already got a few versions from a talented graphic designer but I wanted to add my own flavour and those early versions were missing a few important symbols for me. I think this version defines who I am. I'm following my own star with my bike and those three snowflakes have a special, hidden meaning for me. Special thanks to Sanni Pennanen of @keliclothing for designing the star and text!
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    OFFICIAL LOGO. Amidst the dark and despair times I'm having with the injury, I've been trying to think about the future. ITI is still my number one deep goal, but I have some other exciting projects in the background. There will be also more talk presentations here in Finland. I'm not fully professional adventure cyclist and entrepreneur, at least not yet, but I work with my projects like a professional. So, I definitely needed an official logo. I already got a few versions from a talented graphic designer but I wanted to add my own flavour and those early versions were missing a few important symbols for me. I think this version defines who I am. I'm following my own star with my bike and those three snowflakes have a special, hidden meaning for me. Special thanks to Sanni Pennanen of @keliclothing for designing the star and text!
  • LIVING THRU MY PERSONAL CHERNOBYL. Sounds like an exaggeration? It isn't. But I'm thankful that I have connections to the people that have helped me so that I can do more damage control and move forward. A part of my plan is to ride road bike on a trainer. It's been ages since the last time I've used my trainer, so I didn't find a quick release lever for my very old Tacx trainer. Thanks to @mikasimola connecting me with @samiaura who helped me to source one and Hannu Martinkari setting my bike with the trainer. It felt great to turn those cranks around and all hope is not lost, although these are desperate times.
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    LIVING THRU MY PERSONAL CHERNOBYL. Sounds like an exaggeration? It isn't. But I'm thankful that I have connections to the people that have helped me so that I can do more damage control and move forward. A part of my plan is to ride road bike on a trainer. It's been ages since the last time I've used my trainer, so I didn't find a quick release lever for my very old Tacx trainer. Thanks to @mikasimola connecting me with @samiaura who helped me to source one and Hannu Martinkari setting my bike with the trainer. It felt great to turn those cranks around and all hope is not lost, although these are desperate times.
  • A bit more details about my biking accident a week ago. I was wearing this helmet, @enduraofficial Pro SL that saved me from a head injury and maybe even my life. As you can see, there was an impact on the left corner and the helmet cracked on the back. It dampened the impacts as I didn't have concussion either.
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    A bit more details about my biking accident a week ago. I was wearing this helmet, @enduraofficial Pro SL that saved me from a head injury and maybe even my life. As you can see, there was an impact on the left corner and the helmet cracked on the back. It dampened the impacts as I didn't have concussion either.
  • DAMAGE CONTROL. It's a week tomorrow after my a accident. Although it's still too early to say if my elbow will be good enough for ITI, I really hope it will be. I do everything I can that it would be. And I do what I can do. I've been doing a lot of research about fractured elbows and I have already a rough plan how to train with the cast in place. I've been walking every day and today I walked almost 11 km in 2 hours. Like I said, I will not give up and I will fight back.
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    DAMAGE CONTROL. It's a week tomorrow after my a accident. Although it's still too early to say if my elbow will be good enough for ITI, I really hope it will be. I do everything I can that it would be. And I do what I can do. I've been doing a lot of research about fractured elbows and I have already a rough plan how to train with the cast in place. I've been walking every day and today I walked almost 11 km in 2 hours. Like I said, I will not give up and I will fight back.
  • Why? Of course I asked it myself when my accident happened. When something like this happens it's better to approach it analytically than grizzle about it. ⬇️ There are always risks in life and there is a lot of talk about risks in extreme sports like the ITI in Alaska. But my own accident is an example of how often the risks in everyday life are even greater than in Alaska, for example. This is especially the case with traffic. ⬇️ I can say that the accident would not have happened had it been bright. At the scene of the accident, my riding lamp was set to a minimum setting to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic. Even then, people can see me well, but I don't see very far. In addition, my riding glasses are slightly darkened as Smith has not had a fully clear lens available. In addition, there were drops on the lens surface as a result of drizzle. So visibility was poor. ⬇️ The schoolboy had seen my approach but assumed that I would have turned before the crosswalk at the intersection to the light traffic lane starting at the intersection. I have never used it because it is much more dangerous than the edge of the road with my own riding speed. The schoolboy and no one had any reflectors, and the cycle path to the sidewalk is almost completely dark. ⬇️ Under these circumstances, statistical facts and probabilities come into play. My fastest and shortest commuting route (about 39 km) is dangerous when there are several schools along the way and a lot of traffic depending on the time. Over the long haul, the risks and probabilities multiply. Now, the risk materialized. ⬇️ I've been riding a lot from the 90s and over the years the position of the cyclist in traffic has worsened. Light traffic lanes in particular have worsened. Others do not care much for cyclists riding at a brisk pace, even though light traffic lanes have space to dodge and change lines. Of course, over the years, anything and every kind of incomprehensible and indifferent activity has been seen. ⬇️ continues in the comments below. ⬇️
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    Why? Of course I asked it myself when my accident happened. When something like this happens it's better to approach it analytically than grizzle about it. ⬇️ There are always risks in life and there is a lot of talk about risks in extreme sports like the ITI in Alaska. But my own accident is an example of how often the risks in everyday life are even greater than in Alaska, for example. This is especially the case with traffic. ⬇️ I can say that the accident would not have happened had it been bright. At the scene of the accident, my riding lamp was set to a minimum setting to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic. Even then, people can see me well, but I don't see very far. In addition, my riding glasses are slightly darkened as Smith has not had a fully clear lens available. In addition, there were drops on the lens surface as a result of drizzle. So visibility was poor. ⬇️ The schoolboy had seen my approach but assumed that I would have turned before the crosswalk at the intersection to the light traffic lane starting at the intersection. I have never used it because it is much more dangerous than the edge of the road with my own riding speed. The schoolboy and no one had any reflectors, and the cycle path to the sidewalk is almost completely dark. ⬇️ Under these circumstances, statistical facts and probabilities come into play. My fastest and shortest commuting route (about 39 km) is dangerous when there are several schools along the way and a lot of traffic depending on the time. Over the long haul, the risks and probabilities multiply. Now, the risk materialized. ⬇️ I've been riding a lot from the 90s and over the years the position of the cyclist in traffic has worsened. Light traffic lanes in particular have worsened. Others do not care much for cyclists riding at a brisk pace, even though light traffic lanes have space to dodge and change lines. Of course, over the years, anything and every kind of incomprehensible and indifferent activity has been seen. ⬇️ continues in the comments below. ⬇️
  • You probably didn't expect to see this kind of picture. And I didn't expect to send this kind of picture. ⚠️ This morning I was riding to work like usual. Early start as work was to begin 9AM so it was very dark and a bit of drizzle made the visibility worse. But nothing out of the ordinary. In Piikkiö, for some reason, I didn't see schoolchildren crossing the street from the left and I had a hard impact with one boy with a bike. My speed was at least 30 km/h. Fortunately, the schoolboy was not injured but I was unlucky. I hit myself hard on the ground and my elbow took pretty much all from the impact. It is broken and I'm currently waiting for surgery. 🚑 There was a taxi driver who was concerned if I'm ok and suggested an ambulance. I said that my elbow hurts badly but I was still trying to get moving and back to bike. Then the pain started to rise. The taxi driver couldn't take me as he had another school drive coming up. I said I will call another taxi. As I waited it on the bus stop I had my darkest moment of my life so far. I knew that something is probably broken and my @itialaska 1000 race is in jeopardy. After all the hard work I've done I saw my another ITI dream fading away. 🚑 It is now highly unlikely that I can do ITI 1000 as there are not enough time for recovery. But this is not the end of my story and as always, I will fight back and will not give up!
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    You probably didn't expect to see this kind of picture. And I didn't expect to send this kind of picture. ⚠️ This morning I was riding to work like usual. Early start as work was to begin 9AM so it was very dark and a bit of drizzle made the visibility worse. But nothing out of the ordinary. In Piikkiö, for some reason, I didn't see schoolchildren crossing the street from the left and I had a hard impact with one boy with a bike. My speed was at least 30 km/h. Fortunately, the schoolboy was not injured but I was unlucky. I hit myself hard on the ground and my elbow took pretty much all from the impact. It is broken and I'm currently waiting for surgery. 🚑 There was a taxi driver who was concerned if I'm ok and suggested an ambulance. I said that my elbow hurts badly but I was still trying to get moving and back to bike. Then the pain started to rise. The taxi driver couldn't take me as he had another school drive coming up. I said I will call another taxi. As I waited it on the bus stop I had my darkest moment of my life so far. I knew that something is probably broken and my @itialaska 1000 race is in jeopardy. After all the hard work I've done I saw my another ITI dream fading away. 🚑 It is now highly unlikely that I can do ITI 1000 as there are not enough time for recovery. But this is not the end of my story and as always, I will fight back and will not give up!
  • Against all the odds, we had a bit of snow last night here. Again, it won't last long but these rare moments are not to be missed so I went to the local woods. After fairly tough week this was just a short recovery ride and to enjoy the surroundings. The fog and calm weather created pretty incredible atmosphere in the forests! 🌲
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    Against all the odds, we had a bit of snow last night here. Again, it won't last long but these rare moments are not to be missed so I went to the local woods. After fairly tough week this was just a short recovery ride and to enjoy the surroundings. The fog and calm weather created pretty incredible atmosphere in the forests! 🌲