📑 Orivesi Circular Route - 19,75 km

Written on: 20.09.2025

1. Overview

This report presents my ride on a 19.75 km circular cycling route that started and ended in the center of Orivesi. I am sharing it on aliserbest.com as a way to document and analyze my own experiences in a format that can also be useful for academic studies.

2. My Data

• Total Distance: 19.75 km

• Total Ascent: +136.9 m

• Total Descent: -136.9 m

These values show that the route has a moderately rolling topography. The equality of ascent and descent confirms that it is a loop course.

3. Elevation Profile

The total climb of 136.9 m came in the form of short but frequent ups and downs. Even though the average gradient was low, the repeated changes in elevation created noticeable fatigue over time.

4. Road Conditions and My Experience

Unlike the Tampere–Orivesi route, which had long and steep climbs, this loop was dominated by low-gradient terrain. But the real challenge came from something else:

• A large part of the route consisted of roads I had never seen before.

• The surfaces were mostly rocky and uneven.

I was riding a 3-gear city bike with old-style brakes and narrow tires. Normally, such a bike is far from suitable for rocky or unpaved roads. That is why being able to complete this loop under these conditions felt like a significant success for me—both mechanically and physically.

5. My Reflections

• Breathing and Endurance: Even without extreme heart-rate spikes, the constant bumps and uneven surfaces forced me to keep balance and coordinate my movements the whole time.

• Muscular Effort: The irregular surface made my quadriceps and core work harder than they normally would on steady gradients.

• Mental Load: Riding through unknown paths demanded extra focus. Navigation and concentration became just as important as physical endurance.

6. Why It Matters to Me

For me, this ride shows how different challenges can shape the cycling experience. While the Tampere–Orivesi ride tested me with steep climbs, this loop tested me in another way: rocky terrain, unfamiliar roads, and the limits of my city bike.

That mix of uncertainty and effort is exactly what made finishing the loop so meaningful to me.

7. Additional Note

Doing this route just two days before my 55 km Tampere–Orivesi expedition feels incredible to me. Imagine—only two days before tackling that huge ride, I had already completed this 19.75 km loop with its rocky roads, using nothing more than an old 3-gear city bike. At the time I didn’t fully realize it, but looking back now, having these two experiences so close to each other has become a real source of pride for me.