Andy and I competed in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world. It started June 22 and ended July 7. In our third article installment, we’re giving you a video sneak peek of rally days 9-12 with our 2024 German-spec short wheelbase Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV van.
We rallied through nine countries and nearly 5,000 miles in just over two weeks. We became the first non-European EV team to compete in and finish the Baltic Sea Circle Rally and were also the only all-electric team competing that year.
In Part 1, we drove through Germany and Sweden and entered the lower part of Norway. In Part 2, we continued through Norway, marching our way to the northernmost point anyone can drive to in Europe: Nordkapp or North Cape. What a feat that was with an all-electric vehicle!
This story includes our Instagram reel highlights as they happened during the rally. This article features Days 9-12. In part 4, our final installment, will have Days 13–16, as well as the rally finish in Hamburg, Germany. Buckle up, let’s go on a uniquely different electrified ride!
Day 9: Karasjok, Norway to Arctic Circle #2 and Rovaniemi, Finland
The 2024 Baltic Sea Circle midpoint was behind us. Now we headed south. We left Karasjok, Norway for Finland, the rally’s second Arctic Circle crossing, and Rovaniemi!
DAY 9 QUICK STATS:
•11 hours, 55 minutes
•463 kilometers, 288 miles
•2 charges
•Now in Finland (5 of 9 countries)
•Helsinki NEXT!
It was hard to leave Norway after spending multiple days there. With breathtaking fjords, sheer cliffs, rolling hills, and other majestic areas, we can’t wait to visit again. Our longest-ever drive day was in Norway (16 hours, 35 minutes). There were also some of the slowest highway speeds and worst biting bugs we’ve ever encountered.
As we found ourselves in Finland, we were greeted with lush greenery, many lakes, tons of trees, and flat land.
After 4,312 kilometers (2,679 miles), we stopped in Ivalo, Finland, for our first charge. None of our three charging cards, or our 12+ charging apps on our German/US smartphones, would work to charge our Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV. The ABC-branded chargers didn’t have QR codes on them to download their proprietary app, either. They were the only units around, and we had to charge. But, with Andy’s quick thinking and Google searching, he found the app, downloaded it on his phone, and got us charging.
That day, we checked off another important bucket list item: crossing over another Arctic Circle.
Finland’s Arctic Circle
Once we arrived, we found the Arctic Circle sign and we completed our fourth country (of eight total for Arctic Circle land crossings). Little did we know, we were only a few hours away from Sweden’s Arctic Circle crossing. Next time.
From there, we hopped into Rovaniemi for our second charge at a Tesla Supercharger in a parking garage. There, every local Finn with a loud exhaust or stereo raced around the area. Rovaniemi was hopping.
We joined the rallyists in a night of camping in the wild, which would also finish a challenge for points. Here, we completed the The Connection Mission “Viking Timber Block.” We ate, drank, and shared great stories, no matter what language they were in as the midnight sun glowed.
The rally community is amazing. Friendships formed. We laughed until our faces hurt, with memories lasting a lifetime.
Next up? Day 10 arriving in Helsinki! You’ll never believe what we did.
Day 10: Rovaniemi, Finland to Helsinki, Finland
We left the Rovaniemi area, and pushed hard to get to Helsinki. We’re ahead of the rally and used one of the @superlativeadventureclub rally “motorway jokers” to help us get there quicker.
DAY 10 QUICK STATS:
•14 hours, 33 minutes
•838 kilometers, 571 miles
•3 charges
•Still in Finland (5 of 9 countries)
•Karaoke until 4:30am!
Helsinki is Finland’s largest city, a place we’ve always wanted to visit. So, when we knew we were within its grasp, we charged ahead and pummeled through nearly 600 electrified miles with our Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro to make it happen. Our goal was to have one non-driving day to explore this modern Finnish city. And that, we did.
We technically finished our rally day at 9:35pm and unloaded everything at an Airbnb (one of only two of the entire rally for us). We got word there were a few teams nearby who found a local karaoke bar, ready to fulfill the Task of the Day: Adventurer Song Contest Finland.
The goal of this challenge was to sing alongside local Finns, who are crazy about Karaoke. We headed out for what was to have been one beer and a few songs, and it turned into a night of total fun with several languages spoken, a few drinks had, and lots of laughs together. We left the bar when they closed at 4:30am! It was a night to remember.
The next day would be a walking tour of Helsinki and another rally task that’s a bit off-the-wall. But, when in Rome, er, Helsinki, you make it happen.
Day 11: Our Rally Day Off in Helsinki
Day 11 was our day off from the Baltic Sea Circle Rally. After pushing ahead and a long night of Helsinki-inspired karaoke, we slept in and then toured the city by foot.
Our Airbnb was perfectly situated near the harbor and about a half an hour walk from that day’s rally challenge: Bad Bad Boy and Good Good Boy. Our objective was to catch the sculpture’s normal “need” via a bucket, or in our case, a Sea to Summit collapsible pot we were reviewing for an article. However, he was running dry. So, after some chuckles, we snapped a photo for points and moved on.
DAY 11 QUICK STATS:
•0 hours, 0 minutes
•Walked Helsinki
•0 EV charges
•Still in Finland (5 of 9 countries)
•Our day off
Helsinki was a city bursting with culture, structures of every era, and modern style. We even saw local bars packed with people as they played the UEFA Championship on big screens, as well as a big boat that boasted the following amenities: karaoke, sauna, and jacuzzi. Notice a theme here? Finns love their saunas and karaoke.
Though we didn’t have a ton of time in Helsinki, we desperately want to return. We loved the vibe and can’t wait to explore this city further. Next, we leave Finland for the first Baltic nation: Estonia!
Day 12: Helsinki, Finland to Tallinn, Estonia Before Raudsilla, Estonia
We left Helsinki, Finland for a few-hour tour through Tallinn, Estonia before heading to Raudsilla for our second Superlative Adventure Club Baltic Sea Circle Rally party with the other rally teams.
DAY 12 QUICK STATS:
•10 hours, 39 minutes
•75 kilometers, 47 miles
•1 charge
•1 ferry (our last of the rally)
•Now in Estonia (6 of 9 countries)
•Toured Tallinn (most of the time today on foot)
We only had a few hours in Tallinn, Estonia. We discovered it had an eclectic mix of old and new architecture, with a budding presence of self while still showing a strong history of former Russian influence and communism with its big-block living quarters, onion domes, and other reminders of by-gone eras.
Tallinn greeted us with a mix of emotions we’d like to explore further. With only a few-hour ferry ride that separates the city from Helsinki, Finland, another place we are enamored with, we plan to come back to this region soon.
Raudsilla, on the other hand, was another world on its own. A place filled with thick trees and greenery all around, the establishment resided within the Lahemaa National Park. Raudsilla houses Europe’s largest teepee, among other structures that contained lounges, saunas, and other gathering spaces. It was a magical place to host our second rally party! After lots of laughs and stories shared, we rested our weary eyes as the midnight sun was no more.
Latvia is next, and we needed energy for this fast-paced city. We just didn’t know it yet.
Stay tuned to Part 4 of our last four days of rally action. From thousands of crosses, insanely fast-paced traffic you think Philly or Chicago was child’s play, and a hair-raising finish—don’t miss it!