After 8 successful Raid Laponies in wintertime, even the organisers started wondering how Lapland actually looks like in summertime. Without the snow, the unique wilderness is more easily accessable - you can go fishing, berry picking or gold digging and there is always a challenge also for your 2CV if you like to take the smallest dirt roads found in Europe. In Lapland you are almost alone, far a way from the Central European hustle and bustle. Even the GSM network may not be available at certain locations.

The weather in Lapland in summertime can be as warm as anywhere in Europe. Of course, as we are above the Arctic Circle, you should be prepared for some lower temperatures, too. Anyway, it will not snow, sorry. In the end of July, the period of midnight sun is over, but it is still nicely light quite late in the night. Be prepared to meet some animals: the moose, reindeer and some funny insects. Do you already hear the call of the Mosquito?

Plans are now being made for RAID MOSQUITO to start 20. July 2000. The Raid should take about one and a half week, ending one of the first days of August. We are working on the final schedule. The trip partly uses the smallest possible forest tracks possible to drive with a 2CV. Still, no major modifications are needed for the car. Camping is possible at the overnight spots so the budget is perhaps much more wallet-friendly than in winter travelling. Anyway, cabins or rooms are also often available. Also we stay only in Finland which is less expensive than Sweden and Norway.

How to come to Finland? There are several ferry links to Finland, for example from Tallinn (Estonia), Stockholm (to Turku and Helsinki in Finland), Umeå (Sweden to Vaasa), Rostock & Lübeck. Finnjet

(Rostock-Felsinki) has quite a good offer for 2 persons with a cabin & car if you pay before March 31st, about 500 DEM). Seawind Line, a ro-ro ferry >from Stockholm to Turku is also cheap. Of course you can drive through the Baltic countries and then you only have a short cheap ferry crossing from Tallinn where you have plenty of choice.

A preliminary route proposal is:
20.7.2000 Gathering at Viitasaari (central Finland), then via Nurmes (10. Int. meeting grounds) to "2CV-Blues" (including the music), a popular 2CV meeting near Kajaani. After this meeting, 2CV drivers from Southern Finland arrange something called "Leisure Week" in a timbermen´s log house near Kuhmo so Raid Mosquito could spend a couple of days there. Crossing the Arctic Circle on the way to Naruska (where Raid Laponie experienced -44,4C in 1998), close to the Russian border.Finally also to Hetta (Enontekiö), a traditional base of Raid Laponie in wintertime. Visiting Santa Claus in Rovaniemi and probably the end at Hailuoto, the big island near Oulu. The Raid should take about one and a half week, ending one of the first days of August. We are working on the schedule. The route will be about 3000 km.

The Raid is particularly targeted for foreign 2CV drivers, but other classic Citroens can be accepted, too (like the HY). You are free to join and leave the raid at any stage, but reservations for overnight spots must