Nine men and women from Marquette County gear up to travel to Finland for a ski tour.
Read more: Local, Health, Community
CHOCOLAY TOWNSHIP -- This year marks the 25th anniversary of Finland's Rajalta Rajalle Hiihto, or border-to-border ski. The tour takes skiers on a 440-kilometer trek from Russia's border to Sweden's...passing through Finland on the way.
Nine area men and women started planning this journey last Winter, and the big day is almost here. On Sunday they'll leave for Finland, where they'll join 400 other skiers from around the world for a 290-mile tour across the country.
"Basically, I think we'll be aiming at skiing six miles per hour," says skier Frida Waara, "and when you end up skiing across a country at six miles per hour...you better really love to ski!"
And they sure do. Group members have been putting in extra miles lately trying to shape up for the ski. Amy Michaels has been skiing five days a week in preparation.
"I know it'll be a challenge," says Michaels. "The first day will be okay, but getting into day four and five...that's going to be interesting."
Don Hurst and his wife, Georgie, were the first Americans to ski the tour back in 1999. They met up with the group to answer questions and give some advice.
"Make sure that you've got granola bars and goo packets for energy," says Hurst. "And then, of course, electrolyte solutions to drink."
But there is one thing this group knows for sure; they're about to set out on an adventure of a lifetime.
"The most precious places on the planet, you need to ski to see," says Waara, "and I think we're going to get a chance next week."
If you'd like to follow the group's travels, you can check out Frida's blog at www.fridawaara.com. She'll be updating it periodically along the way.
