#1: [17-Jun-02]

14-Jul-2024 -- This is the 9^th out of 10 reports visiting confluence points during a 10-day bicycle trip from Rovaniemi to the Norwegian Sea and back. The story starts from 67°N 26°E and continues from 68°N 24°E.

I would have preferred to take a minor road southwards, but to visit this confluence, I had to take the main highway E8. Two kilometres south of Aitamännikkö is a track (2 km to the CP) to agricultural grass fields. At the end of the track I continued riding over the freshly mown field and had only 850m straight distance left for a hike.

The hike was not pleasant: muggy, swampy, mosquitoisch with abundant undergrowth. Suddenly, when my distometer counted 31 m to the confluence, I stood in front of a huge, dark river. I had not studied the map well enough, otherwise I would have known that this was Olosjoki River, as I found out later. Crossing the river with keeping my mobile phone dry was not possible and another approach from the westside would have been an enormous deviation.

After my return to my bicycle, the farmer was collecting the hay with his tractor. I waited until he U-turned and followed him, such that he didn’t notice me. I assume that my presence wouldn’t have been a problem, but would have a reason for questions, that I spared by doing a runner.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to a road: 2 km
• Distance to a track: 1 km
• Distance of bicycle parking: 850 m
• Time to reach the CP from the road: 1 hour
• Time at the CP: 13:11 PM
• Measured height: 123 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 31 m
• Position accuracy: 4 m
• Topography: flat
• Vegetation: spruce birch, reeds
• Weather: sunny, 27° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Sudden River Confluence

The story finishes at 67°N 25°E.