Rails to Trail is a new short film from Kona Bikes and Suunto that follows three friends on a winter fatbiking trip to the far reaches of northern Finland, well above the Arctic Circle
Seeking a quick winter getaway to reset their routines, and with the pandemic shutting down any possibility for a trip to ride somewhere warm, Finnish cyclists Antti Laiho, Erkki Punttila, Timo Veijalainen decided to embrace the season and head out on a unique fat-biking trip to Finnish Lapland, the country’s vast northernmost region and home of the Sámi people.
Hopping on an overnight train after work one Thursday last month, Antti and Erkki made the trip from Helsinki to meet Timo for a ride through Lapland’s rolling hills, pedaling their way toward a remote shelter where they could keep warm for the night. Along the way, filmmaker Joonas Vinnari captured the trio as they snaked their way through the enchanting, snow-covered landscapes.
“During this time of social distancing, we have been forced to change our ways of riding and adventuring. A winter riding camp somewhere warm, like Mallorca or Madeira, would have been the norm just a year ago. Not anymore! We had to look the other way for an adventure ride: to the cold, wild north,” says Laiho.
“So, on a Thursday afternoon this January, after finishing work, I jumped on my bike and rode to the central railway station in Helsinki to meet up with my friend and avid adventure cyclist Erkki Punttila. We were heading north to enjoy some of the epic winter cycling Finnish Lapland has to offer.”
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