BIKEPACKING AT RUSSIAN BORDER - Cycling Bear’s Trail (Karhunpolku) in Eastern Finland

“As I continue driving east, the habitation gets more and more scarce. Eventually, there’s just forest and lakes around. Tarmac roads are full of potholes and soon enough, the tarmac ends altogether and I continue on dirt. Once I zoom out my navigator, the Russian border zone peeks at the edge of the screen.“ Story of my bikepacking trip along the Bear’s Trail (“Karhunpolku“ in Finnish). Sunny days of cycling with my trusted Mondraker Panzer fatbike - freezing nights wild camping along the trail. Bear’s Trail is a 133km hiking trail in eastern Finland along the Russian border between Kuhmo and Patvinsuo National Park near Lieksa. The area is known to be one of the most probable places in Finland to actually get to see a bear! Full story and photos at Karhunpolku trail info Filmed with Sony a7 III, GoPro Hero 7 Black