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Post-MWC2024 Mini-Tour
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Packing Notes
--> Packing Notes: We have the go-ahead (subject to final approval from the bus driver) to bring aboard the bus one pair of skis & one pair of poles each for our daily trips to the ski venues. The skis/poles need to be tied together or in a nylon bag. Then they'll go under the seats for the drive. Doing this will save tons of time & hassle wrestling 30+ big ski bags/tubes on/off the bus each day.
Everyone wanting to maximize your ski time at each venue is also advised to board the bus each morning wearing your ski clothes.
On the bus it should also be no problem to have a smaller bag with your skiing accessories, kick wax of the day, changing clothes, snacks, etc..
Large bags/suitcases + your bigger ski bag/tube will need to go under the bus and remain there until we arrive at the hotels (Sat/Sun) or the airport (Mon).
The driver may or may not stay with the bus while we ski. This will be decided each day. So valuables should probably be either buried in your bigger bag (which is buried in the luggage bay) OR you ski with stuff you don't want to worry about.
Itinerary (subject to more modifications as we go along)
--> Day One: Saturday, February 17:
8am start loading bus outside Break Sokos Hotel. Ideally we will load in 20mins or so total time and then immediately depart. Be prepared for fresh snow as we load.
The drive to Kuopio should take 2.5 hours or so. We don't any have time pressure, but the estimate is we'll be at the Puijo ski trails around 11-11:30am. An en route restroom stop will be based on need and the driver.
The time window for initial skiing with the bus nearby will need to be a group consensus. We are trying to park the bus where there is a spot to eat/hang out so those done skiing earlier have a nice spot to wait until we hit our group target time.
Our hotel is within walking distance of skiing so if you want to ski more after we get to the hotel -- you can. It also may be possible to ski from where the bus is parked and then you could walk to the hotel. But you need to let JD know if you do this so we don't wait for you.
Our Kuopio hotel is Scandic Atlas. Official check-in is 3pm, but rooms might be ready earlier or storage available. It is in the city center allowing for easy walking for shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. The MSP World Cup should start on the TV around 5:15-30pm. It would be great to gather in a bar or restaurant to watch as a group!
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--> Day Two: Sunday, February 18:
8am start loading bus outside Scandic Atlas. Again 20mins or so load and then go.
The drive time to Jyväskylä's Laajavudry ski trails should take roughly 2 hours.
We will again park the bus near a spot for those that wish to ski less can eat/hang out/etc. We will again decide on a consensus skiing time window.
After we hit our target time (and this day we actually need everyone to return to the same spot on time), we will board and head out for the 2:15 hour drive to Tampere.
Tampere which is consistently being mentioned by AXCS contacts as a “must see” tourism spot. Tampere is famous for mostly off trail afternoon/evening adventures (although there are smaller ski trail systems available if anyone really needs more ski time). Our AXCS hotel is Torni Sokos (same brand as our USA hotel in Vuokatti).
We'll again try and find a bar or restaurant to watch the MSP World Cup second event day as a group.
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--> Day Three: Monday, February 19:
Tentative 8am start loading bus outside Torni Sokos Hotel. Again, aiming for wheels rolling 20mins later.
We will drive 2 hours to Lahti (famous World Cup venue & location of the Finlandia Worldloppet). Our target ski spot is the Ski-Center Salpausselka.
Same plan for determining a group skiing window -- hanging out -- etc..
Once we are done skiing in Lahti, we unload a couple folks that are staying for the marathon and everyone else will drive the 90 minutes to the Helsinki Vantaa Airport and the “mini-tour” official end point.
Are target is getting to the Helsinki airport by late afternoon (roughly 3:30-4:30pm) on the 19th so everyone will have several options at your disposal. If you wish, you can hop on evening flights (nothing earlier than 6-7pm please). Or you can check-in to an airport hotel (AXCS recommends two options right at the airport -- the Scandic or Hilton, both are great). If you want, you can take a train into Helsinki for evening sight-seeing.
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Older Mini-Stuff Below
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Mini-Tour Hotels
AXCS has group booking rates set up for both of the selected hotels for the nights of February 17 and February 18 on the post-MWC2024 "mini-tour of Southern Finland ski spots". Everyone on the mini-tour needs to know two things about these two hotel nights.
1.) YOU are responsible for making your hotel bookings for these extra nights. You will go direct to hotel websites, put in a special group code, pay the hotel directly, and (if necessary) work directly with the hotel if you have to cancel.
2.) You are NOT obligated to use the hotels AXCS has selected for the mini-tour. Both Kuopio and Tampere have many hotels within walking distance of the "official" hotels. The only thing you should note is that our mini-tour bus(es) will only base out of the "official" hotels. We will not make special stops to drop off or pick up you or your baggage. So you are entirely responsible for any hassles or extra costs resulting from booking with other properties.
Mini-Tour Hotel Booking FAQ
Night of Saturday, February 17: Scandic Atlas in Kuopio
Make your booking at the following URL: https://www.scandichotels.com?bookingcode=BAME170224...... IMPORTANT NOTES when booking -- Just click once on the "Hotel or destination" box and Scandic Atlas will automatically pop up. Our special booking code should also automatically appear in a code box. Then under "Arrival and Departure select Feb 17 as arrival as your check-in date (you'll need to use the date menu by clicking on the right arrow). Put in the number of guests in your room. Then click once on the red "See Rooms and Prices" button. At that point our special rate (either double or single) will automatically appear. Note that for some weird reason, the upper "Arrival and Departure" box will change to dates we do not want. Ignore that. But the one special rate box highlighted with a price will still list our correct dates (arrival 17th, departure 18th). Below that highlighted rate you complete the reservation by clicking the green "Pay Later" button. Be sure to double check the date and all details as you do the couple remaining steps -- but it should remain all good.
It'll automatically load using the booking link above, but if you need it for anything, our AXCS booking code is: BAME170224
Our special group rates are (per room) 85 EUR single and 115 EUR double.
Terms: Reservations have to be made latest February 3. But note that this is subject to room availability. We do not have a room block in place, only a group rate. You can cancel without cost until 6pm on the date of arrival so there is no risk making a booking now.
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Night of Sunday, February 18: Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere
The Hotel Booking Page is found here...... Notes when booking -- we've linked the simplest booking page for Sokos Hotels. But you do need to type in a few things correctly to make your booking.
-> Under City or Hotel -- type in Tampere....Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere will be the first option on the menu.
-> Guest # and rooms you can easily navigate.
-> In the bottom box "Promotion code or company code" use the following booking code: BJESSIE
Our special group rates are (per room) 130 EUR single and 150 EUR double.
Terms: Reservations have to be made latest February 8. But note that this is subject to room availability. We do not have a room block in place, only a group rate. You can cancel without cost until 6pm on February 11 (one week prior to arrival). Still very low risk to making advance reservations!
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$280 USD is requested from each person needing mini-tour transportation. All USA skiers have been sent invoices payable by January 2 (or by arrangement).
You make payment of the transport fee as a "donation" here.
“Fine print on transportation fees” — this is a bonus element to the MWC trip. JD Downing's time organizing and leading is entirely volunteer time. AXCS has a little bit of “margin” built in, but if we have more than just a few folks drop out then AXCS may soon find itself at a deficit for the transportation. So — if anyone has an emergency and must drop out, any potential refund of mini-tour fees is understood by all parties to be contingent on AXCS covering all association costs first. After that point, refunds will be issued only out of available leftover funds divided amongst those making appeals.
All individuals on the mini-tour agree to sign the AXCS Trip Waiver.