The changeable weather as a challenge for trail makers, this year's lake and dog trails have become favorites

At work in Riksu, there is a story series in which the employees of the city of Riihimäki talk about their work.

Track builder Riku Knihtilä leaves early in the morning. He makes tracks for the garrison, near schools and kindergartens, and in the fields.

- If you see a green, strange-looking machine rolling along the street, it's me, he laughs.

Making a good track requires time and skill. At the fastest, the garrison's track is created in a couple of three hours.

- I ride the skating rink first, then the track. If there is a lot of snow, it can take up to four hours, then you have to run the track several times, and the snowmobile does not go very fast.

In Knihtilä's opinion, at least three ten centimeter layers of snow are needed for a good slope.

- The snow piles up surprisingly much when rolling. You can get a skating area for less, but the traditional slopes require at least that much, and there are a lot of traditional skiers here, he says.

Sometimes Knihtilä heads to the slopes in the evening, when the skiers have already gone home. Then the track has time to strengthen during the night.

About 25 kilometers of slopes

In Riihimäki, the trail network maintained by the city is about 25 kilometers: Riutta, Vahteristo and garrison trails, a connecting trail to Riutta, and smaller runs near schools and kindergartens and in the fields.

- This year there are quite a few short runs and various connecting routes from one track to another, vs. sports and wellness manager Markus Rantsi says.

Riku Knihtilä has been making tracks for a couple of years. He did them even when he was young, sometimes spent many years in other jobs and came back. Now the tracks feel like their own.

- I'm a skier myself, I know that the track has to be in good condition. When I'm doing, I also always look back to make sure everything looks good, he says.

Making a track is not just a relaxed ride in beautiful forest landscapes.

- Everything has to be taken into account. You have to take the bends gently so that they don't become too steep. I also remove trees and the largest debris that have fallen onto the track.

If there is a lot of snow, the bottom will be plowed first and the track will be driven only then. With little snow, a couple of laps with the paver are enough, with a lot of snow, more. Up to 30–40 kilometers are accumulated during the day.

Tracks in two shifts

There are two people working the slopes in Riihimäki, in the evening and morning shifts.

- We try to keep the lighted routes in good condition first, the others are serviced one after the other. Two main routes are driven with large machines. In addition, there is a third, smaller machine, which is used to drive the garrison and tracks near schools and kindergartens, as well as to the fields, says Arto Kokkonen, the master of the sports grounds.

The situation is looked at on a daily basis, the transfer of machines also takes its own time. The challenge is especially the constantly changing weather.

- It has been really challenging conditions. First there was no snow at all, then there was an awful lot of it, then it rained, says Kokkonen.

The city has two large track-driven paver machines as well as lighter ones, such as a cabin quad and snowmobiles, to which you can attach the paver machine.

First, when there is less snow, lighter machines are used. They created, for example, the Paalijärvi track that opened the season. Lighter machines are also used in tighter places, such as the fields of schools and kindergartens.

The big machines are in Riuta and Vahteristo. Straightening the track bottom is best done with them, but they require a lot of snow. If necessary, they are also transferred to the garrison.

- This year, it has only been possible to ride the big ones a few times. If there is little snow, they grind the rocks and roots to the surface, Kokkonen says.

The machines were acquired at the time for the skiing center located in Riuta

- Their tracks are intended for use on slopes. We would like to have new tracks, but that will be an investment of at least 20 euros, says Kokkonen.

Järvilatu became popular

The new has also been innovated on the charger front. This year's hits are the lake trail made in Paalijärvi and the hoped-for dog trail in Haapahuhta's field.

- The season was opened a little earlier at Järvilatu. It was quite popular, Kokkonen says.

Next year, rickshaw drivers can expect a snow-covered track.

- There is already a snowmaking system in Riuta, it is planned to be fixed during the summer. Efforts are also being made to level the track surface of Vahteristo, says Rantsi.

You can find up-to-date information about the track situation on the city's website and in the Riihimäki tracks and ice fields group on Facebook, where track information is updated by both city employees and the townspeople themselves.

Track information can be found today city ​​website in addition, a sports and wellness center From the Facebook group Riihimäki ski slopes and ice fields.

Leena-Kaisa Laakso