Messengers on Bicycles Heading to Lapland for Santa's Delivery
Three postal workers from Germany have begun a nearly 3,000-kilometre bicycle journey from St. Nikolaus in the Saarland, Germany, to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland. The route takes them through Germany, Denmark, and Sweden before reaching Finland[1][2].
This year, the postal workers are carrying a special wish list from Saint Nicholas himself, hoping to receive a reply from Santa Claus in Finland[1]. The journey is part of a tradition where volunteers from the German postal service reply to children's letters sent to St. Nikolaus, a town with a Christmas-themed name. Last winter, the volunteer team at the Nikolaus post office answered over 33,000 children's letters from around the world.
The cycling team consists of Artur Hajduk, Ralf Schüttler, and Simone Nehring, who met while competing for the national postal cycling team. They travel with two yellow postal bicycles and one mountain bike, all without electric motors, and have a support vehicle carrying clothing, tools, and spare parts[3].
The postal workers aim to cover nearly 3,000 kilometers on their bicycle journey, riding mostly on country roads, covering 200 to 250 kilometers each day[4]. They plan to visit postal branches in Bremen and Hamburg to collect wish lists[5].
The journey, which is expected to take approximately three weeks[1], began on June 25th, with their first stop in Rüsselsheim[6]. The team is raising funds for the "Bunter Kreis Hagen" association[7].
The Saarland Nikolaus, who presented the cycling trio with a personal letter to Santa Claus, expressed his delight with his unusual summer assignment[8]. The main goal of the cyclists is the Santa Claus village, but they also plan to continue on to the North Cape, an additional 700 kilometers[9].
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- Saarbrücker Zeitung
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The cycling journey of Artur Hajduk, Ralf Schüttler, and Simone Nehring, part of the traditional response to children's letters to St. Nikolaus, involves not only a lifestyle Change with the long-distance cycling but also a travel adventure that takes them across several European countries, including Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. As passionate sports enthusiasts, the team's trip includes visiting postal branches in Bremen and Hamburg, where they aim to bring a touch of sportsmanship and Santa's spirit to their endeavor.
