Mud racer 2

They still do work around dam and Piilijoki which makes water level changing a lot. This week it also had brownish colour which I have never seen here before, it cleared out pretty fast yet, not circumstances to explore unfished area. I have heard that  Piilijoki has allready graylings and soon trout will start their run also. River looks amazing to fish, but it won't be allowed for next 10 years. I hope that it will change and maybe in 5 yrs it would be open.

Last week we were marking reindeer babies. I was helping with gathering outside of our area, quadron was needed and people over there doesn't have many of those. Terrain was totally shit hole, deep hills with rocks, absolutely insane to drive. We were still able to do work and got reindeers in fence. After driving 8 hours such terrain we started another place on night time. It was preparing next day. That area is swamps.

Night when nicely and we moved big herd closer to fencing area. Next morning after some sleep I continued alone from east, I had roughly 120 reindeers to move. It started well, then there was brook thru swamp, reindeers went over easily but I had to find crossing point as brook was as wide as quadron and probably deeper than quad without solid bottom.

I crossed brook easily from more down as it got narrow. I saw reindeers going nicely on right direction and knew that there more to come. Some of them were too much on left side and I had to get them come to the right with main herd.  

I started to find way to cross swamp, after few dead ends I decided to prom quad over from some wet spots and drive thru dry ones. This technique worked absolutely well for first 60 meters. Then I was driving thru dryer area....

Which ended up to be not so dry, vegetation said dry, but it was just a lie. Quad dived to deeply into swamp. I tried to prom quad again to get it up, yet swamp had different thoughts. I had to forget reindeers and try figured out my way out.  Reverse was not option, I had small tree about 10 meters on front. Only way to get out was forward. Solid ground was more that 50 meters behind me, there was basically no-one to be able help me out. 

Between quad and tree was 8 meters totally wet area with some solid steps as I thought. I used those to get to the tree and attached winch. On the way back those solid ones weren't solid any more and I dropped knee deep to swamp. I got myself to quad, watched route which was my only option.

I took off my shoes and pants, left just shirt with pocket where radiophone was, underwear and my waterproof socks on. Socks were not waterproof any more as it was too deep yet they gave protection to feet. 

Radiophone and shirt I left on as I could say to goodbye to world if things go badly wrong. Phone was in the quad with gps on so they could find me. First winching went well. I got solid ground under me and quad. Next one was almost 20 meters, tree was quite small, yet it was only option. My planned route was risky yet it was turning slowly back solid ground.

Now I prom quad as long I could, which was only 5 meters, but that gave me possibility to use quad solid and get thru wet area to attach winch. I had to make long walk with "solid" steps to tree, sometimes I was 4wheeler, few times felt like swimming in swap, now and then deep as hip. I had to make winch-rope extension to get where I wanted. I always have two different lenght rope, just in case.

I could go shortest way as it was only for quad and onetimer, if I broke that small carrying surface, game over. I got to the next solid eventually, once while winching and walking quad I started to sink without finding bottom, I had to pull myself up, luckily quadron was just next to me.

Three winching and meters later I was totally on solid ground, now it was just drive back to forest and continue herding. That what I thought, my solid path ended up even more wet channel which was about 5 meters. My luck was big solid tree on other side, I attached winch as high as possible to tree. Idea was keep nose of quad up, easiest job for day it was.

I got over and continued with reindeers. Now we had to cross swamp, I knew that I can find path if reindeers can. It went well for few tenth meters and swamp failed again, I got away with just winching and decided that this was enough mud racing for that day. They had reindeers in fence already, 120 I had could wait another day. 

This week I have been making silage for winter, we have own machines now and priority is to get food for reindeer. Today there is storm sweeping over Finland with heavy rain and wind. We have allready 30 mm rain today and forecast was that it be even 70 mm during Friday.

Have a nice weekend and go fishing

Mika from Finland