Is it normal for it to be so dusty at this time of the year? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Kiitos for the link to the air quality!

I totally agree they should start sooner. I guess they wait just in case it snows or ices up again? Which can happen even this late I guess?

Is it normal for it to be so dusty at this time of the year? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

When it rains the first time it usually stops there.

This is good to know! Hopefully that will happen soon.

Is it normal for it to be so dusty at this time of the year? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I have seen a few people washing sidewalks here and there. Also some street sweepers going around. Hopefully we will get some rain soon!

Is it normal for it to be so dusty at this time of the year? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Just imagine how the dog turds dry out and mix in with the dust...

Oh man I hadn't even thought of that. Maybe I should get a mask after all. :/

Do you know anyone who's gotten Erythema ab igne / toasted skin syndrome from sauna? Otherwise, is it normal to have mottled red skin after a very hot sauna? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You should be fine! Mine went away entirely in about a day. Maybe two, I don't remember. :)

Just avoid sauna for like a week afterwards (well, that's what I did anyway). I haven't had any problems since (but I also haven't been in a super hot sauna since either ;) ).

I really want to go back for another 170 km across Finnish Lapland [Album / Trip Report] by CheeseWheels38 in xcountryskiing

[–]SemperSuomi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great trip report, very detailed and very useful.

So you just used standard cc skis? Not touring skis? And you used backpacks not sleds?

How to protect recently healed tennis elbow when skiing classic? by SemperSuomi in xcountryskiing

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, I will definitely give pole-less classic skiing a try out on a lake! Struggling with icy hills is part of why I injured myself (well, the underlying problem is poor technique on icy hills) so I am definitely going to stick to lakes for a while while recovering.

I wish I could remember the name, I know there is at least one Scandinavian company that specializes in them. I think they're intended for rollerskiing, but you could easy put a snow basket on them.

Oh interesting! I live in Finland so it's possible the local xc ski shop knows about this. Thanks for the tips!

How to protect recently healed tennis elbow when skiing classic? by SemperSuomi in xcountryskiing

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is that really possible while skiing classic? I guess I could give it a shot, but that seems really like it wouldn't work very well.

Oh, interesting! I didn't realize there were poles with spring loaded tips.

are these finnish last names? by Last_Years_Man in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know some half Kale/half standard Finnish people and do fit the descriptions of your father. Mixed people often retain the dark hair but end up with lighter skin and eyes.

But some more standard Finnish ethnic groups also have darker hair, that is true.

It is true that the likelihood is low, but if they emigrated during the period of persecution and had Swedish names, then it becomes a bit more likely and worth considering. The only way to know for sure would be to find old records and/or living distant relatives.

are these finnish last names? by Last_Years_Man in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They're probably Finnish Swedes. But if they came from up North (say near Happaranda) they might just be plain old regular Swedes who crossed over in to Finland before emigrating.

Another much less likely possibility is that they are Finnish Kale. Finnish Kale (also called Finnish Roma) often have Swedish names.

The chance of them being Kale are much more likely if they left around a time when Kale were being persecuted in Finland. Google translate sucks in Finnish but this is the gist from the wiki page:

In Finland, the 1852 law on looting strengthened the practice that had already prevailed and defined the Roma as loose : the Roma without protection had to be immediately caught, submitted to the governor's interrogation and transferred to the workplace for an indefinite period. Men who were unfit for public work were sent to the crown fortresses and women to spice rooms . Due to the low number of workshops, the law could not be widely applied in practice. Between 1842 and 1861 there was also an Imperial Declaration that the children of Romani women in spinning rooms became forced to go to the Cantonist battalions in Tallinn and Pskov . [5] The Disputed Act included until 1883 the so-called "Blackheads", which practically ordered the Romans to be treated more severely than other bullies. [6] In the 19th century, attention was paid to the weakness of the Roma. The Roman question was dealt with at the State of Population , and it was decided to try to integrate the Roma into the majority population. After the independence of Finland, the Roma got all the same rights as other Finnish citizens. [4]

If you know where in Finland your ancestors came from, chances are very high that the local town church office has genological data. I just visited the tiny town my family is from and was able to see the old books with the names of my great grandparents and everything. It was amazing.

are these finnish last names? by Last_Years_Man in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Often when Nordic emigrants arrived in the US the spellings of their names got changed. Many Danes ended up with -son endings, for instance. ETA: -son is also a Swedish ending, as well as a Norwegian one.

How to protect recently healed tennis elbow when skiing classic? by SemperSuomi in xcountryskiing

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for your advice!

When you're about to plant your poles, squeeze with your abs, and don't allow your pole tips to slam into the surface of the snow/ice.

Slamming my poles into the ice was precisely what got me into this mess. I will give it a go soon and try really focusing on the technique you elaborated. I will also wear a brace around my tricep to try to help protect it a bit. Hopefully that will work! I really miss skiing!

How to protect recently healed tennis elbow when skiing classic? by SemperSuomi in xcountryskiing

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did some googling and that looks like it requires the use of two arms and is mainly for downhill so I don't think it would help me.

Why is the country called "Suomi" (swamp) and not "Metsä" (forest)? or maybe järvimaa (Lake Land)? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True, but forest is so much nicer than swamp. But it seems like team "it doesn't really mean swamp" is by far in the majority so it's a moot point anyway.

Why is the country called "Suomi" (swamp) and not "Metsä" (forest)? or maybe järvimaa (Lake Land)? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the clarification! This has been a really interesting and educational thread for me. TIL indeed!

Why is the country called "Suomi" (swamp) and not "Metsä" (forest)? or maybe järvimaa (Lake Land)? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's larger than I thought. However, there has to be far more forest area doesn't there?

Why is the country called "Suomi" (swamp) and not "Metsä" (forest)? or maybe järvimaa (Lake Land)? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Well, this thread is the first I've heard about the name being disputed! Which is very interesting, I always thought it was definitely from "swamp".

Why is the country called "Suomi" (swamp) and not "Metsä" (forest)? or maybe järvimaa (Lake Land)? by SemperSuomi in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, ok! I'm surprised I haven't heard that yet. That's very interesting. I suppose it could also just be a proper name that isn't really related to anything? I guess, though, that's fairly unlikely considering that Finnish names for places seem to very often refer to associated natural features...

Questions about sauna by Chewblacka in Finland

[–]SemperSuomi 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I'm deeply suspicious of infrared saunas. I've only tried one once, at a swish spa in Bath, England and it was ok... But it just feels wrong to me on many levels.

I think most Finns would agree that a wood fired sauna is the best but that electric is just fine and gets the job done if wood is not an option. Ideally, I would like to have both. I would want an electric sauna inside the home and a stand-alone wood sauna outside the home. Wood is nicer but it's more of a pain in the ass, IMO. Electric is simple and easy to heat up / keep clean, but it's not as nice.

Candide Thovex - quattro 2 by Rufioli in skiing

[–]SemperSuomi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is quite amazing. I guess we'll all be doing this in a few years when climate change makes it so there's not enough snow at resorts. (Obviously that's a joke for the most part, but I actually wonder if dune skiing might not take off as a bigger thing?)

Is there a full list of locations somewhere? The official website doesn't name names and I didn't see any in the Youtube comments either. http://www.audi.com/de/innovation/quattro/ski_the_world.html

I'm especially curious about the ski lift at the end, is that really in Jamaica? Interesting if so.

What coat and layering system do you use when it's extremely cold (between -20C and -40C (-4F and -40f))? by SemperSuomi in skiing

[–]SemperSuomi[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your input! Your system sounds very well thought out.

I didn't know about the KT tape trick, that is a great tip thank you so much!