Border to Border Ski - Day 7 - One Amazing Day

I was not getting along well with my leg when I arose for this seventh and final day of the ski, but I learned at the informational meeting the night before that the trail would be nicely groomed all the way to the end. This would surely allow for a good deal of double poling, so I made the decision to give myself a break by skipping the first segment and starting at Lautama. This would still provide for over 20 miles of skiing.

The morning was the coldest of the week and a fog had settled in this area along the Bothnian Bay. While waiting for the bus I had the opportunity to talk with Rick from Vermont. He is a former dairy farmer and now a school principal. He did the Border to Border Ski twenty years ago with a son and is doing it this year with a daughter. We had an interesting conversation about natural resources extractuon.

The bus ride to Lautama was beautiful as the trees were frosted by the freezing fog. Upon arriving at Lautama, Rick and I stopped in at the coffee shop at the trailhead where you could get a coffee and a curiously shaped fritter for 4 Euro.

After enjoying the pre-ski treat, we set off on our last day of skiing.

I initially forgot to turn on Strava so I missed documenting the long steady downhill run to a nearby lake. I turned it on as I captured these views.

The glide was absolutely amazing which would allow me double pole practically the whole route. I did some leapfrog with Rick for awhile as he would catch me on the early hills, but soon I was skiing all alone on this 22k leg to lunch.

Throughout the day the trail would pass these really nice shelters which might be a really nice design concept for the North Country Trail and our local ski areas to consider.

The first 22k went by quickly and I arrived at lunch before noon. Sausage and sandwiches were on the menu.

The day was warming rapidly and I found myself taking in even more of the experience as the realization set in that it would soon be ending. I even took time to stop and climb to the top of a trail-side tower.

The kilometers were shaving off quickly and the distance to the end point in Karunki was rapidly approaching. Three of the Alskans (Bob, Molly, and Mark) would pass me while I was checking out yet another trail shelter area.

Then suddenly I found myself at the conclusion of the Border to Border Ski. It was an amazing feeling as the end seemed forever away, particularly after the first day. The experience was a significant exercise in perseverance as I had to battle through equipment issues and injuries, but the support of my new found friends and reaching within myself to find the grit to move on made this a profound personal experience and one I would highly recommend to others!