In 2026 it’s 90th time for this race. Watch from TV:
https://areena.yle.fi/1-77535830
Commentator Timo Pulkkinen & Juha Salminen
My uncle made a post in Facebook:
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AI?
We are in the midst of an unprecedented technological revolution. AI is developing faster than any previous technology -not only in text and numbers, but now also in images, voice, and video. The possibilities are enormous: education, research, creativity, and efficiency at levels we could hardly have dreamed of.
At the same time, this development raises legitimate concerns. Not primarily about the technology itself, but about how it is used. When realistic images and films can be created in seconds, manipulation becomes easier, the truth more fragile, and trust more vulnerable.
That is why I believe that control, ethics, and international rules are absolutely crucial. Historically, we have succeeded in creating common frameworks for dangerous forces -in aviation, nuclear energy, the environment, and trade. But in today’s more fragmented world order that kind of cooperation feels more difficult than it has in a long time.
And yet I want to believe that humanity fundamentally understands when something is too important to be left to competition and short-term gains. Perhaps crises are necessary to raise awareness -but our capacity for cooperation has been there before after all.
Technology can be a tool for both manipulation and human development. The question is not what AI can do, but what we choose to do with it. How do you see the future?
Do you think the world will succeed in agreeing on common rules for AI, or are we heading toward a time when technology will escape our control?
This same question I’ve been wondering myself. And the way I see it, there is at least one very important rule that we should develop as soon as possible! In all the content that is made by AI there should be some kind of “stamp” or a logo that this was made by AI! And really I mean in all the content!
There will always be those who doesn’t follow the international rules but this is happening already pretty much in everything else.
And yes… because already now or at least in the near future it will be impossible to see the difference between the “real” and AI-created content, it will make the supervision very difficult. But the rule should be done anyway! As soon as possible.
Winter 2025-26 has been very cold! And suddenly it is possible even here in the southern parts of the country to take your bike and go riding on the frozen lake or sea. This has been quite rare lately… This winter the longest official ice road of Europe was opened few days ago (Koli Ice Road) and surprisingly in Estonia they opened the official Ice Road between Hiiumaa and Saarenmaa.
The law about riding (or driving) on the ice is interesting! You can actually do it even you don’t have the driver’s licence!! You just have to be 15 years of age or older. Elsewhere, you can only drive without a driver’s license in a closed area (e.g. racetracks) or on private property. And if you go riding (driving) to these official Ice Roads then you need to have the driver’s licence!
Official Text:
Driving a car or snowmobile on ice is regulated by the Water Act and the Off-Road Traffic Act, as well as by the Road Traffic Act with regard to official state ice roads. Everyone has the right to travel on waterways or ice without causing unnecessary damage, harm, or disturbance.
Motor vehicles such as snowmobiles, motorcycles, cars, and ATVs may be driven on ice by persons aged 15 and over. The age restriction does not apply to driving in closed areas. The maximum speed limit on ice is 80 km/h.
When driving a motor vehicle on ice, care and caution must be exercised. No harm should be caused to nature, the environment, residential areas, fishing, or general recreational use. It is advisable to keep a good distance from coastal settlements and cottages, as the greatest harm caused by motor vehicles is noise and traffic safety hazards. The police enforce the Road Traffic Act, the Off-Road Traffic Act, and the Water Traffic Act. On state-maintained ice roads, the Road Traffic Act must be observed on ice roads maintained by the state, i.e., only persons with a driver’s license may drive on ice roads.
I will add two videos to this post. They’re not mine but both are great riding on the ice!
There was only a couple new models this year to the market. So in this video I’m also making some comparing with older models.
And unfortunately this video is only in Finnish!
Bikes in this video:
Kawasaki KLE500
KTM 390 Adventure R
Suzuki DR-Z 4s
BMW F 450 GS
BMW R 12 G/S
KTM 1390 Super Adventure
CF Moto MT450
Zero DSR/X
This was the greatest Aurora Borealis show in 20 years!
All pictures by Esko Koivula
In the very south parts of Finland it was cloudy so we didn’t see anything!
I got surprising email few days ago!
It was from HMK ry who is primarily responsible for organizing the 2026 Päitsi. This year the “Päijänteen ympäriajo” (Race around Lake Päijänne) is held for the 90th time!
And this year the route of the race is first time offered also as a GPX -file and HMK was asking help from me! “What would be the easiest way to make the file?” -They asked.
First I answered that using myrouteapp.com or osmand.net is maybe the easiest way but if they want to have some additional info on the file it must be done by Basecamp software.
Then on second answer I offered myself to be the one to do it! And the answer was YES, please!
So I got the route of the race as a pdf -file and I just used the myrouteapp to make the first raw-version and then I was fixing the file on Basecamp. I added some smaller roads/ tracks that were missing from the raw-file and I added the starting places of the ET stages as a POI to the file.
So I didn’t make the route for this years race… But I made the gpx -file for the racers who wants to follow the route with the GPS device!
This was a good year! It was very good for me and it was quite good for my bike!
When I started the season in the spring (first ride was already in the beginning of March) the bike didn’t have any technical problems. It felt good just to go out and ride!
In May I changed new sprockets and chain to the bike. link here
Right after the midsummer festival I started the motorcycle adventure to other countries than Finland. This was the first one for me after 2019! And even I had to give up the adventure on the half way it felt so special to be able to do something like this! link here
Then in the end of the season I had to change the steering bearings. I’m so lucky to have friends around me that have some special tools so this wasn’t too hard. With my own tools this would have been pretty much impossible! link here
Feels good to go to 2026! There’s nothing in the bike that needs to be fixed at the moment. Have to keep my fingers crossed that it might even stay like this for the whole year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!
After fixing my steering bearings I can ride again!!
I tried already on monday (22nd of December) but there wasn’t enough juice in the battery. So I had to charge the battery full and now I’m hoping it will still be ok at least for this winter (and spring – summer) because it’s already 2 years old battery.
So this morning (The morning of 24th of December) I took a ride with my motorcycle! It wasn’t too cold but it was little bit slippery because of the light snowfall. Everything in steering was working as it should!
Video here:
I wish you all will have a very merry Christmas!
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Did some riding after christmas too
Noticed in November that I had a little bit of Jamming in my steering. So I started to look for spare parts.
Luckily the bearing is the easy one to find! Found it (them) from Germany and ordered 2 bearings.
But soon I realized that maybe there is only 1 (??!!) Here is the picture from service manual:
Number 9 there is the bearing. But how on earth does it stay together at the bottom of the steering shaft? It’s a mystery to me? I didn’t open it yet… maybe I will soon. EDIT: There was 2 bearings!
This is how my bike looks at the moment:
Without some special tools this job would have been very difficult or almost impossible!
Here my friend is helping me to remove the bearing “covers” from the bike chassis.
This post only in Finnish!
Viime vuosien aikana on paljon puhuttu Raaseporin eri päättäjäpiireissä että Kaupungin pitäisi säästää kustannuksia opetuksessa. Ensimmäisenä lopetettavien koulujen listalla olisi Billnäsin koulu.Tätä tukivat monet asiasta tehdyt tutkimukset ja vihdoin maanantaina 17.11.2025 Kaupunginhallitus äänesti Billnäsin koulun lakkauttamisen puolesta. https://yle.fi/a/7-10088273
Mutta mutta… Koska asiasta on jo keskusteltu ja riidelty vuosia niin eihän se nyt tähän jäänyt! Kaupuinginvaltuuston jäsenet eivät nielleet hallituksen päätöstä vaan vastustavat sitä!
https://yle.fi/a/7-10088337
Kuvaan astuu Raaseporin kaupunginjohtaja Petra Theman joka ilmoittaa vastustavansa kaupunginvaltuuston vastustusta! https://yle.fi/a/7-10088370
(Linkit valitettavasti vain ruotsinkielisiin artikkeleihin koska niitä ei ole julkaistu Suomeksi!)
Jäämme odottamaan seuraavaa siirtoa!!!
Edit 25.11.2025 Billnäsin koulun kohtalo alkaa nyt olla sinetöity! https://yle.fi/a/7-10088353
Ja löytyihän suomenkielinenkin uutinen! https://etela.com/2025/11/19/yhteistoimintaneuvottelun-tulos-vahvistettiin-raasepori-vahentaa-45-tai-34-henkilotyovuotta/
GoZa Mite 