(Season 2008-09) TY Milage- rxrider -Riding in Arctic Norway

[rxrider]

Rider: rxrider
First ride: January 1st, 2009.

Home: Lakselv, Finnmark, Norway - 70N lattitude & 25E longitude
Sled1: 2003 Yamaha RX-1 ER MCXpress Turbo
Sled2: 2008 Yamaha Apex RTX

Riding area: Finnmark, Norway
Find my riding area in Google Earth, search for: Lakselv, Norway

I'm going to take part in the TY mileage again this year, I will shoot pics for my ride review from all rides this year as well.

I will be be riding in the northernmost part of Norway, around 70 deg northern lattitude, I live in the town Lakselv, Norway. In Google Earth, search for: Lakselv, Norway.

Here's a few maps of my riding area.

Finnmark, the northernmost region of Norway. To the south west you find northern part of Sweden, to the south is Finland, and to the east you find Russia.

Trailsystem of Finnmark.

Trailsystem close to home town Lakselv.

I plan on documenting every single ride this season so there will be a lot of trails covered in my reviews.



Winter is teasing us with the first snow this autumn. I know it's still some time until we can ride, but we got the first snow in the mountains today, above 500 meters or 1500 ft it's all white

Hard to tell from the pic because of the clouds, but the mountain sides are as white as the clouds

yabbadabbaooooooo winter is closing in on us. Time to prepare the sleds for riding season, we're only 2 monts away from winter and riding


one more

 

[Swiss Sledder]

Looking forward to your first ride report. I suppose it will be any day now.

 

[rxrider]

Thanks Matt

Last year my first ride was at November 17. I hope to be riding mid November this year as well, one can only hope that winter arrives earlier.

Some history ...
Earliest season start ever was back in the early 80s, riding started October 10. - even the rivers was rideable..... scary thin ice but..... rideable.

 

[hondo]

Jan-Ove,

Great to see you are already getting prepared for the sledding season!

Northern Maine will get it's first frost of the season tonight! Yahoo too!...

Wishing you all the best and a better riding season than last year.

 

[rxrider]

Thanks Hondo - I have my '08 Apex RTX about ready to ride, it only needs preparetions and a oil change and it's ready to go, don't want to do the oil change before riding season is close.

Cool in more than one sence... I hope the lakes freeze over early this year both in Maine and up here in the Arctica of Finnmark, Norway.

We've had warm weather lately, almost all snow is gone in the mountains, temps have been about +10C or in the 50sF, much colder at night but frost yet down at sealevel.

Jan-Ove
rxrider

 

[rxrider]

Mountains have been covered by the white stuff for the second time this fall, winter are closing in. Small ponds at altitude are starting to freeze up. Pics taken this afternoon from outside my house.

 

[yamadoo]

RXRIDER and Hondo,

We had a spotty frost for the first time this morning. We are months from ridable snow. ( Southern MN)

I await your ride reports in Finmark and Maine, be safe and have fun.

Yamadoo

 

[rxrider]

Thanks yamadoo, and the same to you

Temps down at sealevel is +0.5C or 33F right now at 1:30 AM

Will do my best to keep my ride review on the level with last seasons ride review.

 

[hondo]

Beautiful country side Jan-Ove,

The mountains of Finnmark are fantastic.

Can't wait to see them again.

It won't be long now, you'll be riding soon!

All the best!

 

[rxrider]

Here's a pic from outside my house shot at noon October 29.

It has been snowing some today as well, about 2" on the ground down here at sealevel and maybe 1 ft at altitude rumours says.

The mountain roads should be rideable even earlier this year if the cold weather continues. Gotta bring the Apex in for service so she's ready to ride after the next snowfall.

Winter's here.

Talk to you later guys

EDIT: Temps outside have dropped to -7C or 19F

Jan-Ove

 

[rxrider]

Ride: 1 - First ride of the season.

Date: January 1.
Sled: 2008 Apex RTX
Distance: 3 kms or 1.9 miles
Start odo: 1992 kms or 1237 miles
End odo: 1995 kms or 1239 miles

Statistics:

'08 Apex RTX
Start odo: 1992 kms or 1238 miles
End odo: 1996 kms or 1240 miles
Mileage so far: 3 kms or 1.9 miles

'03 RX-1 Turbo
Start odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
End odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
Mileage so far: 0 kms or 0 miles

Total mileage 2008-2009: 3 kms or 1.9 miles


First ride of the season up to our cabin on the lake Gagga.

Start odo.

The Apex RTX outside our house, time to load up the sled and hit the road.

The Turbo Garage.

Filling up at the gas station down town.

Me and Wifey on our way up to the cabin on lake Gagga.

After a short ride we were at the cabin.

End odo.

It was a short ride indeed

 

[rxrider]

Ride: 2

Date: January 10-11.
Sled: 2008 Apex RTX
Distance: 23 kms or 14 miles
Start odo: 1995 kms or 1239 miles
End odo: 2018 kms or 1254 miles

Statistics:

'08 Apex RTX
Start odo: 1992 kms or 1238 miles
End odo: 2018 kms or 1254 miles
Mileage so far: 26 kms or 16 miles

'03 RX-1 Turbo
Start odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
End odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
Mileage so far: 0 kms or 0 miles

Total mileage 2008-2009: 26 kms or 16 miles


Start odo.

Saturday evening at the parking lot close to our cabin, loading up the sled and Nila sleigh.

Ready to leave, the trail ahead.

Sunday at noon, going for a ride with the girls.

We stopped to shoot a pic against the south to catch the light of the southern skies. The sun will return at January 21.

Pic shot at 4 PM, it's totally dark outside, the full moon gives us some light, the moon had just risen over the horizon when I shot this pic.

End trip.

End odo.

We have very little snow in the area around our cabin on lake Gagga. Rocks are showing all over on the trails. It's rideable but we need more snow.

 

[rxrider]

Ride: 3

Date: January 17-18.
Sled: 2008 Apex RTX
Distance: 39 kms or 24 miles
Start odo: 2018 kms or 1254 miles
End odo: 2057 kms or 1278 miles

Statistics:

'08 Apex RTX
Start odo: 1992 kms or 1238 miles
End odo: 2057 kms or 1278 miles
Mileage so far: 65 kms or 40 miles

'03 RX-1 Turbo
Start odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
End odo: 13792 kms or 8571 miles
Mileage so far: 0 kms or 0 miles

Total mileage both sleds 2008-2009: 65 kms or 40 miles


Start odo.

Warming up the sled before loading it onto the trailer.

Sled and Nila parked outside our cabin on lake Gagga.

Sunday at noon we went out for a sight-seeing, after driving around in the area surrounding the lake we made a stop at the lake. We found a spot with bare ice for the childern to play at (the old children too - hahaha LOL)

Wifey resting on the sled while the kids and I were playing on the ice.

I've stretched a few muscles, but it was very fun playing with the kids Gotta do that more often.

The 7 yo is trying on her new Yamaha suit.

Later in the afternoon we went for a ride to test the new suit.

I'm proud that my kids want to wear Yamaha clothing that matches mine

End trip.

End odo.

It was another short ride but it sure is nice to spend a few days at the cabin with my wife and our kids.

 

[hondo]

Nice pictures of your family Jan-Ove,

Quality time is important!

 

[rxrider]

Thanks hondo - I'm happy to be able to spend the weekends with my family at the cabin, it's very relaxing