Today I was just happy. Short stage and close the circle that I had started 20 days ago.
Jökulsa a Brú
During breakfast I talked to the family that had greeted me so nicely yesterday after my 154 km: Mathias, Birgit and Susann from Lusatia. They are doing a three-week round trip and are resigned to not being able to “do it all”. Yes, it’s better that way, because they are on vacation, too.
I dealt again with the river Jökulsa. There are at least three of them, one actually flows north and at Asbyrgi into the Axadjördur, a second – this one – comes further east also from the Vatnajökull glacier and flows past the accommodation into the Heradsflöi and a third even further east. So not quite true what I wrote yesterday that this is all one and the same river. I drove there again to the bridge and took plenty of pictures – also with the wide angle lens. On the ferry the day after tomorrow, I’ll have plenty of time to export to my second phone and see how the pictures turned out.
„Baltic Adventure – My 2,000 km run from Stralsund to Tallin“ is also availeble und english as eBook and audiobook. Pic up at every platform as Spotify or Amazon or Arno small publishing house Ampelpublishing
Speaking of pictures. John from Utah, whom I met at Thingvellir and who spontaneously took pictures of me, is back home and sent me three shots. I had mentioned him in the post at the time.
That’s about how I felt today: not invincible but strong enough for the world. I had only 28 km left to close the ring. Because today I come to Egilsstadir, where I left 20 days and 1800 km ago.
Short form the city I met Alessa from Rendsburg. The high school graduate made an 8-week round trip around Iceland and also had her last real stage today. Also she goes on Thursday on the ferry. Because she was looking for something special at the end, she started already in the Vorsbend and made 166 km at a stretch, until I met her. Wow! She starts in August in Finland a two-year professional training as a professional outdoor guide. Now that’s a dream job! See you around, Alessa.
What an arrival. Back at my hostel where I will stay for two more days.
If I go on like this, I’ll become an Icelander yet.
I already knew the town, shopped around and got on the phone with the car rental agency at the airport. Yes, they have a car for tomorrow. Then I will still visit the Myvatn (lake and warm springs for bathing) and the Studlagil gorge. The I had seen from afar when I cycled along it. From a certain parking lot it should be only 5 km walk to the bottom of the Canyon.
I will take real pictures of that
Myvatn and Studlagil were already highly recommended to me, because most visitors don’t make it here from Reykjavik to the east.
This could be the men’s boutique that once Erwin Lottemann, or Lindemann wanted to open in Iceland (this story is loaned from a german comedian of the last century „Loriot“).
I am happy and bask in my passed adventure Iceland. And tomorrow comes the bonus track.
Short route, but altitude meters!All my adventures as book, eBook and audio book in every bookstore and at ampelpublishing.de ampelpublishing.de
How to prepare for a long tour, how to deal with the knowledge that it will be far, with many meters of altitude and windy? As with any exam, a job interview or other important appointment: keep calm, go to bed an hour earlier and then try it with the early bird.
At 0:30 I had to take a picture of the midnight sun again.Deutsch -> abenteuerbaltikum.com
This Happy Cove Guesthouse in Bakkafjördur was cozy and I reported already about the comfort, if outside the wind whistles. I put that in the night and I should leave earlier if I didn’t want to get caught in the midday peak while still on the plateau.
Racks to dry fish
After 2 km of worst gravel came the place. They gave up drying fish here a while ago, but the racks are still there.
They do not like me very much
The birds got upset and this time there were many. They did not need to come to me with the argument to protect their nests – in the middle of the place! They just had a tit!
So one imagines Iceland, and so it is also
After the place I wanted to step freshly strengthened and one hour earlier than usual into the pedals and pass the plateau with slowly freshening up wind briskly. But unfortunately one of the two food bags, which were fixed to the fork, was missing. So again slowly back. Already 200 m after the start it had shaken in such a way, the belts did not hold out. There the bag lay with scratches and holes in the dust. I made them tight and then drove the way for the third time. Now the lead from the wind was not too big anymore.
It went up and then the expected wind came. Not as strong as yesterday. Now patient pedaling in small gear against the wind was required. After a good ride with 40 km I reached Vopnafjördur, which lies deep inside the fjord of the same name. There it gave coffee and my purchases, which I had to drag along over 120 km. That was it for today with supermarket and gas station. There would be nothing more until my destination.
Two ways to get to the destination
At the place was also to decide how I drove. Since a few days I thought about it. Either left around 73 km over hill and dale with many altitude meters and no prospect of help, if I would lie there or right around 107 km asphalted road through a valley protected from the wind maybe past a gas station. I decided for the 34 km detour. It helped nothing, it had to be.
In the wind shelter
The 45 km of the valley of Vöpnafjördur were actually relatively easy to drive at the beginning. It went steadily further up to a good 400m, but the wind also came from behind. The further up I got, however, the less the mountains protected me from the tight southeast.
Great flowers by the wayside
Also here only patience helped. Hurry had only later collapses to the consequence. I know this from the marathons. Last weekend was the Challenge Roth again. A Ironman and women Race near Nuremberg. My friend Tim rode along with the tandem. They had managed the 178 km in 4:29 h. Congratulations, you guys! I would need twice as long today, no false ambition helped.
Parallel to the road 85 meanders this river which flows into the Vöpnafjördur.
There was not much to see and I was glad to finally turn onto Ring Road No1 at the intersection. But why actually, because now the wind came directly from the front. Probably I just wanted to have reached an intermediate destination.
Traffic control, your driver’s license please!
The wind came sometimes from the right in front, sometimes from the left in front or even directly from the front. That would not change now the next 40 km also. There was little to see, because I had arrived on a saddle point between the different mountain ranges. So I was glad to have some change, even if it was only to wave to the police.
I dismounted every 10 km and pushed the bike a few hundred meters to stretch my legs. Then I threw in the last dried fruit and drank something. That was my perseverance strategy. Break the course into small goals and don’t think about the big picture (insurmountable)! I also tried not to look at the map in between, because that doesn’t make it any shorter. This perseverance is part of the adventure. Because that’s what you remember when you’re sitting in the office and then you find it comfortable. There must also be uncomfortable moments in life.
At Rjukandafoss
Finally the road made the longed for long left turn coming down from the plateau into the valley of the Jökulsa. This river I had mentioned before at the rock gorge Asbyrgi. It comes from the Vatnajökull, flows long to the north and makes then a curve again to the south around then in the east in a fjord to flow. Asbyrgi.
Jökulsa Gorge
Finally there was a rapid descent to get me up from the stooped position and to escape the dead winds a bit.
On the left there were several waterfalls and at km 122 I even descended to take a. Small hiking trail to go up.
I now had more variety again and then even came a gas station: but it was only a single column, no coffee, let alone cake for over 100 km.
Also Jökulsa
Physically I was in good shape, I had managed well with the forces. But the ass, so the seat muscles burned and the skin was irritated for days by the eternal sweat and salt I had rubbed in. I also know this from other adventures. This is part of it. The clothes are just no longer fresh, even if no rodents or other mammals have nested yet.
Above the Jökulsa
Then the last big landmark: The bridge over the Jökulsa was reached, it should be only good 6 km. Now I managed that as well. It was a single house and I hoped it was standing where I had set my marker months ago. Yes, everything OK, I was right and I had survived the longest stage of my adventure well.
Active recreation in the hot tub in front of the door
Across the river on the other bank of the Jökulsa, I saw the narrow gravel road I would have otherwise come. Good that I took the detour.
You can see very nicely the mountains I had bypassed.
It was supposed to be an easy tour today and it was, but different.
Breakfast in the community hall of the Svalbardskoli
I already mentioned the multi-purpose character of the building. By the way, it is also a museum.
In 2010, this 138 kg youth swam to shore here on a larger block of ice, but they have to shoot em
I had slept little, because you could not pull down a blind.
1:00 – time of the lowest sun position.
But that should not stop me. I started the tour 18 full of Nutella, because it was clear: strong headwind.
This time for a photo I have
Until km 20 the wind came directly from the front and then in the curve after Thorshöfn diagonally from the side. It was so strong that I had to lie down more and more diagonally. I had already asked myself, why I needed the knobs at the side of the Reifwn actually, in the middle they were long since worn off. Now I needed them. Again and again there were gusts or even an air hole. The hole was the most dangerous, because I tried not to drift to the left in the hope that no one would come from behind. But if abruptly no wind came, I drove inevitably into the ditch. It is very deep everywhere. There is no shoulder on purpose. I hoped to drive just far enough around the bend so that the wind would come from behind for once, but somehow that didn’t work out until the end just before the town. The nearby mountains diverted the flow to my disadvantage. The 27 km were with the most strenuous so far on my bike trip.
Virgilsfur mit seinem Suzuki Samurai
Arrived there I bought first my standard repertoire: 2x light beer, two yogurt and bread – the minimal variant. I had to come up with something. Because next it went again exactly in wind direction on the plateau a gravel road up. It was still 44 km to Bakkafjördur. Before the supermarket two older men asked whether I really wanted to dare that to be on the way with the bicycle. There I would have to be however a strong man. OK, so that was not at all the fear of a pampered Central European anymore. And the wind continued to increase.
At the gas station I checked the weather app. Yes, there were gusts up to 55 km/h so far and further increasing values indicated. I listened around for a driver. But nobody had time or the car unfortunately full. Even the gas station and restaurant owners had no car, let alone a van. I talked to a couple of half-brats who were fighting their hangover from yesterday’s Bakkafjördur festival. They were open-minded because I had dug out my last 5,000 ISK bill. I let my need then first sacken. Possibly one or the other listened around because of me.
I ordered a soup of the day and spoke to the boss at the cashier. She said, if I wait a little, people come again and again and there will already be one who would have Bock. I asked if it could help to use this banknote. She said I could try it. Almost everything here in Iceland I had paid with the card. Good that I had withdrawn 25,000 ISK in cash at the beginning in Egilsstadir. In this case no credit card helps. The boss wanted to know sometime also, what I wanted concretely. She explained it to him and he could not do anything either. They still have a guesthouse, I saw now on his jacket. But then Virgilsfur came in the door with his red savior jacket. He had heard that he was needed and wanted to help.
Bicycle fits in on edge
So someone must have notified him. The tactic worked: Register the need, wait, don’t ask. I asked him if he wanted something in return. No, he would not. But he had heard I would pay 5,000 for it. I said pay was a big word, but support for the next tank of gas, I would like that. So I fumbled my way through and we loaded up.
I saw the road and was happy with my decision
After 10 km asphalt again and it went a nice stretch also along the sea. The small weak rusty Samurai struggled through the wind and Virgilsfur kept it on course.
Along the rugged coast
He told me something about each abandoned house we saw. One had its roof blown off two years ago. He was laughing his head off. I could barely understand him because of the pronunciation, as if he had potatoes in his mouth, but I tried to follow. He knew everything and everyone.
He said he bought the car like this and unfortunately it rusts badly like all Japanese.
OK, I thought. Beating out the mats would be a start. In Bakkafjördur the remains of the festival were cleaned up and the Dixi toilets were loaded. See you next year.
My room – once again at the end of the world
The landlady Johanna was surprised that I arrived already. Well, I was indeed early. But that was also good for another reason. Yesterday there was a draught at the baptism, and although I had already sat down in the last corner of the room, I could not quite keep away. Tonight my throat was scratchy and I resorted to my absolutely safe method: gargling highly concentrated warm saline until just before – er, vomiting. Tomorrow it would be another really long day if I didn’t get back into a car and a little rest would do me good. If you spend every day in wind and weather, the health resistance decreases a bit.
Rhubarb pie with cream!
Johanna shared with me her homemade warm rhubarb pie, she told me about her job as a travel guide, which she does every year in the cold season in Reykjavik until she moves to this house for three months in the summer. Then I just laid down in bed and took a nap. I really felt like I was at the end of the world today. Outside the wind was raging and hissing, I had the heater on 5 and was dry and safe. Everything was done right.
In the evening, the wind died down a bit (shortly before 10 pm).
Other View of my route , my sports watch charging cable stopped working.
In the dwelling mound of Öxarfjördur, where I started, only a weak wind blew and I wanted to make quickly a few kilometers. Because today it went again further than yesterday. Even the gas station at km 12 I left (or was it right). It was clearly too early for a coffee stop.
Part of the Asbyrgi gorge
But then, looking back, I saw this rock wall – the outlet of a gorge. Before I had seen a sign Vatnajokulsthjogadur National Park. But what should the far away Vatnajokull have to do here with the area. So I turned around and drove into the side road further and further into this horseshoe-shaped rock formation. It was quite impressive, especially when I recognized the horseshoe shape. In the middle I recognized the replica of the Elbphilharmonie – the grand opera house in Hamburg.
But wait, these stones are at least 5000 years old, I don’t think the Elphi existed then (was built und the 2010 years). So if anything, the replica of this rock has been placed on the Kaispeicher A in Hamburg (on a formely storehouse in the Hamburg habour.)
Was it not supernatural or divine? The entrepreneur and poet Einar Benediktsson entertained the myth that Asbyrgi’s characteristic horseshoe shape was created when Sleipnir, Odin’s flying horse, touched the ground with one of his eight hooves. Since the end of the 19th century, it has been assumed that runoff from the Vatnajokull glacier led up to here in the Jökulsá Gorge and that it was a combination of subsidence of the gorge and outwash.
Map of Iceland with all kinds of mythical creatures from the 16th century (From the book “Islenskur Sögu Atlas” IDUNN, Reykjavik 1991)
After I had spent soon one hour with walking and photographing, I went then nevertheless still for a coffee into the gas station and met there Matilda from Stockholm. She makes her first really big bicycle tour, started in Husavik, then at Raufarhöfn to the northernmost point of the mainland. She now wants to cycle across the inland, mainly on gravel roads, to the southernmost point in Vik. She is well equipped with her mountain bike, does without large rear panniers like me and has sewn her frame bag from air mattress material itself. I would not have thought it: This lanky person rode yesterday with the heavily packed bike 120 km and has previously made a few inland tours in Sweden. All respect! Unfortunately we forgot to take a picture.
Bridge over the Jökulsa
Then, however, it really went ahead, because with tail wind to the north I could make up for a lot.
There were now mountains again
I wanted to go to Kopasker to a small grocery store and today was Saturday. After that nothing more came up to my accommodation.
Until Kopasker there was little to see. On the left the sea and on the right the mountains. The climbs were not too bad, but the birds were annoying. From the density of droppings on the road I could estimate that it was only a matter of a short time until I got something. A paradise for nature lovers!
With it you can get further when the first flakes fall
I had little choice but there was ice cream and coffee. This is good fuel. Because I never succeed during the trip, I have now photographed a typical vehicle while standing – rather the mini version.
Unfortunately, the place was not at the junction but 4 km further back. That meant 8 km more, half of it headwind. Yes, you have to calculate.
Lava well visible
The 35 km cross connection to the other fjord offered first absolutely nothing. It was a barren flat plateau, where the crosswind could get good momentum. Matilda had raved about it, that was so great. OK, that is a matter of opinion.
Then it went south and I hoped for wind shadow
Lots of scenery and a headwind. It became a small eternity, until I had overcome the many chains of hills down to the sea and now it was as I had been told at the bike show in Bonn: I had to pedal downhill tightly, so as not to be pushed back up again. Times not to mention, if it went then also really high.
The sunshine is deceptive
On the last 45 km I could count all events on one hand: four cars, three houses, five bays and three radio masts. there was absolutely nothing. Amazing that the road existed at all. I then drove a bit too far because there wasn’t even a sign for the guesthouse. I drove diagonally on such a bad gravel road up to the destination that I lay down once almost and once correctly. Many sharp chunks and in between soft abysmal gravel. Then came four signs but on none was anything that could be associated with my accommodation. This was not my style.
The museum for special breeds of sheep is not overcrowded
I entered the more likely of the two buildings and looked out on an extended family that made a depressed impression. Had I walked into a funeral? I asked about the guesthouse. No, there was not here, I should ask in the other house, maybe the man there would know something. 95 km pedaling and then at the end no sign and no guesthouse, that could not be.
I went into the other building and a friendly gentleman said the Guesthouse was the other one. Yes, but they said it was this one. I had to control myself. He said, yes, but they don’t know that. It was there a baptism to celebrate but I could very well there my booked overnight stay. After all, a ray of hope. He led not only the accommodation but also a museum with sheep things.
My accomodation
We went over together and he talked to the people. It was some kind of community center, hall, former school, state training center and maybe gymnasium. Anyway, he shows me my room, I smiled sheepishly at the people and parked my bike in a junk room.
I had to go through the party room several times to shower and get my things. I saw a richly laid buffet and more casseroles and cakes were being worked on in the adjacent kitchen. What a hunger I had! I could live with the prospect of my dry mountaineering food that I had been lugging around for the lonely areas from the beginning, but maybe they would give me some? It wasn’t exactly a wedding atmosphere like the Balkans, but getting to know the locals and filling my belly was what was missing from my Iceland adventure.
I huddled around the kitchen for a while like I was trying to make myself a coffee, and they had some ancient leftover Nescafé in the cupboards too, but they weren’t biting. I asked for sugar and there was a block of brown that had solidified over several winters. The grandmother of the family knew some German from school. An ambitious teacher from the GDR had taught her. At least it was a communicative start. The men smoked outside and when I joined them, they ignored me.
That is perhaps the wrong interpretation. They left me alone, is more like it. Back in the kitchen, the dishes were already being put away and the leftovers scraped into a bucket. Now a very crucial point was reached. And finally, one of the women took pity on me and offered me a taste of the lamb. I sheepishly tried to agree and then ate two large plates of lamb, a cream sauce and potatoes like I always made (in one piece with pellet). Delicious. I squeezed into a chair in the corner of the room. A few nodded at me. This was the “hey, where did you come from, you old asswipe” in Icelandic. I was saved and retreated into the room. I tried to stop thinking about the cake and lay down for now. More socializing just wasn’t possible.
Harder than it looksTomorrow also again such a tour in the northwest
Few kilometers, little altitude difference, beautiful weather, tailwind. That could only be a pleasure tour today. It was, with a few obstacles.
Shortly before Husavik
I had 17 km before Husavik an accommodation in the hostel. Very simple like a small youth hostel in the province with few staff and manageable number of guests. Such I had already several times and that was then also favorable.
In whole Iceland bad weather except with me.
It was totally warm, so I took off my jacket and stopped already after 17 km in Husavik. The place is known for its whale tours. I do not think anything of it. But Jacob from Erfurt (from the hostel in Akureyri) also works as a walwatcher here somewhere in Husavik.
At the harbor there was a lot of activity. One of the ships just ran in and the Mens geb went obviously heavily impressed from board.
I took photos and then continued
It went often up and down, but first 30 km with a warm tailwind.
Here my accommodation – nope, kidding
All the way along the fjord there were the snow-covered mountains opposite and on our side many smaller gorges and also volcano-like craters. But these were probably eruptions of heated water vapor, how Stephan already told on the ferry.
Everything flows to the sea. The one in the middle is not a whale without flunks, but an island.
The birds were annoying again and screaming at me. I let it wash over me.
The birds complain to me
I kept looking out at the water, maybe I would spot a whale. But no, it’s not that easy. Jacob and his colleagues don’t go far out there so I can take a picture of a whale from the shore.
Once again a Lands End
From the top I turned to the right, clear, and then came first 10 km crosswind, warm crosswind. That went already completely differently into the legs.
I could use a coffee again and tried the museum trick, which I had succeeded yesterday in Ystafell.
Man konnte eine Speisekammer besichtigen, es gab aber nichts zu essen und kein Kaffee
The gourmet tour didn’t go that far, Adalgeir didn’t have any coffee.
Funny: An Icelandic Christmas tree
Receiving his whole life collected here, he said, and there came together quite a bit. Already the house itself was transported from Husavik with a low loader in one piece here. It’s probably built like the houses in America. That’s possible there, too. The Christmas tree used to be a wooden stand on which the ornaments hung, due to the lack of trees. You learn all kinds of things about the meager life in the old days. He himself was a farmer and has an enveloping and firm but warm handshake (cue shovel).
Also interesting: With the gloves of the fishermen and farmers chafedals first the thumb through. Then one rolled the broken thumb inward and rolled the other out and turned the glove. The rest was mostly good!
I tried it because of the coffee even further back on a campsite. Nothing doing. So I ate some of my dates and drank my water.
Adalgeir waving goodbye
The road now bent further around the point and the wind blew me to the center line more often. It had become difficult to stay on course. Only since 2004 it exists at all, in the museum there is a photo of the opening and the scissors with which the ribbon was ceremoniously cut at that time. They had to blast away the rock in many places and fill other sections with it. Now I can drive this way, although with obstacles.
My hut for 150€
My destination was in a wasteland in the middle of a flushing area of many rivers, all of which somehow have to get to the sea. Several small lakes with black beach I saw from the road. My cheap accommodation is explained by the fact that there is nothing else here. A hotel nearby had free rooms at that time, but just not on that Friday. It is the most expensive hostel of my trip and did not even have a water heater. I could then still swap with the neighboring hut, which has a small kitchen and then everything was fine. The food I had onreiben wheel of Husavik herbei created, also tomorrow I must look exactly where the only purchase possibility lies.
Slow ride – connoisseur tour without coffee and with head wind1500 km until day 16
My Saeberg hostel was only sparsely visited, once a night someone lets himself look, who collects and certainly they also clean the rooms. But coziness is different. Good that I had stocked up at the gas station yesterday with a few large cookie cakes, plus nutella and two yogurts. Not perfect, but you also do not starve. It became today also only 64 km, there it came on a balanced and plentiful food not so.
View from the hostel, even in cloudy weather impressive
Nutella is not my great love, but you have to give this cream a few unbeatable properties: Dimensionally stable, consistent, temperature resistant , energizing and downright rot-proof. It can not be a food with these properties, but it is!
At the end of the village a hot spring
The quiet area here was not particularly exciting once you got used to cycling along Hrutafjördur and then Midfjördur. Just like that, in Iceland!
The Sheeps also satisfiedThe Horses are satisfied
Today I did not go far, but I had to see that I bought something. Because today is Sunday, I just remembered, and there gas stations and supermarkets open only briefly.
Unfortunately only gasoline at the only gas station on the way
There was only one gas station on the way, the other in Hvammstangi was 6 km off the route. There and back already 12. There should also be seals, but it had rained and I needed this short day without detours.
After all, a restaurant
Then, however, this restaurant that I was not allowed to leave out in any case. I ate fish and chips for 30€ and was quite happy with the portion. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything to take away like sometimes on such occasions. OK, then I expected that I was in time in Blöduos, there would be already what.
The cars are a bit annoying
The street was relatively full and I could not explain this at first. Most of them came towards me and it could only be weekenders who took the bad weather as an occasion to drive back to the capital earlier. Stupid only that they overtook despite oncoming traffic and ignored me completely. They do not love the cyclists, I already said. As a countermeasure, I turned on my lights in the back and front and it got a little better.
The next mountain range came ever more densely
I had paused for a long time and then wanted to ride in a ride under the rain the 40 km to Blöduos. But unfortunately I had looked only late again on my list and my map. Even then there was no more room and I am therefore 10 km outside accommodated. The 10 km I have to return tomorrow to the ring road and then only to Blönduos and further.
I wanted to avoid getting into such a tangle of gravel roads, but now had to take it that way – I planned it myself.
At least, the landscape became again as I knew it – high mountain ranges (left and right 900 m high) and I in the middle in the valley.
Shortly before the turnoff to the accommodation
Photographing and also cell phone is difficult with rain, becomes just everything wet. After all, wind only 5 km/h from the front, that’s nothing here.
Because we had none today: The waterfall of the day (starts at the top)
The side road was asphalted on the first kilometers and climbed steadily. That’s quite good, I would come back down there tomorrow.
The mountains, the clouds, the sheep!
I then witnessed a spectacle: A whole herd of horses, some with riders came towards me. Best I stopped first and got my phone out and also the camera. Hopefully it did not get too wet!
That was not even half of the herd.
The horses thought, I want to talk to them and made a big bow. I thought it was great to feel the horsepower because there were so many of them. One more beautiful than the other. After this first swing came two more, in total probably 150 animals. I had the camera out too late and snapped wildly. It was great how they came partly close by, partly dodged to the extreme. Some ate on the way, some dawdled, others trotted briskly. Sooo many! At first I thought it could only be some kind of move to another pasture. But it is a riding tour over several days. You need many more horses than riders, because the animals have to recover and so the riders change. They are a little smaller than our cold-blooded horses. How such a herd is supposed to cross streets, I don’t realize. But at least I see again and again signs for bridle paths. There are probably also longer riding tours. The people are often brought back to the accommodation by bus. The horses rest at the destination and are cared for and herded. Then it goes on the next day from there.
I know all this from three riders from Switzerland, who can join em for a day tomorrow. They also stay in the guesthouse “Hammvur 2” where I am. Such trips are also organized by this farm.
Today I wanted to approach my route concentrated and powerful, because the many long days in a row have cost quite a bit of grain. But I also seem to be trained a bit and am fully in my adventure Iceland.
There was no supermarket or gas station on yesterday’s route for the last 90 km. Therefore I had to rely on the guesthouse and gladly accepted the breakfast. Already in the evening I had a Margerita made warm. A few remaining dishes I wanted to save in case there was also nothing today. After all, 16 km before the goal a gas station with small food assortment.
All around mountain ranges
I set off slightly late, at least I didn’t have another capital to visit today. First 5 km gravel road (!), then in wind direction 15 km, then sharp curve and 18 km against the wind to the west and then finally on the ring road back to the east. I drove practically 32 km to advance 3.5 km as the crow flies. But that went not differently.
They are so great. Already the hairstyle! A little shy but then they gain confidence
Apart from the relatively distant mountain ranges, there was not much to see. I rode upstream along the Hvita, but takes tailwind, which was not bad.
My Atlantic Adventure in a slideshow – Rotterdam NL to Brest FRThe Hvita meanders left through The Valley
It was at first very green, partly even with small trees, but later with the height it became more and more barren.
At this gas station a huge volcano (probably). With us I would have guessed rather on a spoil heap. On top of it people were walking!
The gas stations have here generally no roofing, I suppose that the normal roofs could not carry the snow load at all. And if it whistles horizontally here, the roof is of no use and is simply torn away at some point.
As long as possible without jacket, that goes this weather
In the guest house I had washed all my stinking sports clothes under the shower, because longer I could not put on the smell and these buy drying and with sweat and salt soaked clothes. Everything stuck and stank. Well today I wanted to try to drive without a jacket, then the sweat is better transported away by the wind. One was only not possible to stop, then it became cold!
Before the distances I had further respect
I will still drive some detour over the fjords but is already nice to see the important intermediate destination Akureyri and also the destination Egilsstadir already. Today is half time yeah! 10 of 20 tours are done! Almost 1000 km in 10 days. The weather was merciful and I would like to know what I have to do to keep it that way.
Further up the wind whistled properly!
The landscape was further spectacular and at the tops partly shrouded in mist.
In the center of the picture on the horizon is already in 28 km distance my goal at the fjord.
Another river accompanied me now and went in my direction. I made an effort to photograph its gorge, but somehow I didn’t get it captured. It was blocked off with a fence.
Opposite, the clouds only hesitantly cleared the snow-covered slopes.So then down to the fjord into the greenery
The descent was unusually steep and I let roll. The wheel did not vibrate and ran extremely good-naturedly despite luggage. Thus I came on over 80 km/h. The road was dry, went straight, there was no traffic, so why not?
Cute sheeps at Hrutnafjördur
At the gas station I bought breakfast and ate something. Thereby my watch said goodbye to the battery without announcement. So I had to record the last part separately.
Today was a hiking day in my Iceland adventure. With a true friend I could look inside the nature, where nobody lives. And also a bath in a natural hot tub was possible!
Today was challenging but beautiful with a hike into Hveragerdi Park. I had decided to accept Jaap’s invitation and take a trip into the “real Icelandic world” – including hot springs. Who could resist. I hadn’t even started that topic yet!
Jaap with his Toyota Hilux
Jaap has a vehicle suitable for the inland of Iceland. The Hilux with cabin attachment can wade through rivers and copes with every gravel road that is open. With that, he drove up and I was happy.
We stowed the bike in the camper
It took me only 13 km to get to Hveragerdi. Today I did not continue cycling, but we went hiking.
At the beginning of the gravel road the air in the tires was reduced to be able to drive better
With a normal car you should not drive in there. It shook us properly through, because there are also large chunks on the “road”. The road has just been prepared. Because the capital is growing and with the development of new residential areas, they need new steam pipelines, which are fed with geothermal energy. And for the development they need to prepare the road.
Attention- hot spring
Hot springs were our topic today, because there are plenty of them here. The area lies directly above the fissure of the European and American continental plates. And the earth’s crust is correspondingly thin here.
The smell of rotten eggs is spreading
Everywhere it steams and bubbles. Hot steam and hot water want to reach the surface.
A hot stream pours out, mixed with cold inflows to pleasant temperatures.
We first made a walk to a public bathing area. Jaap has thought of everything and brought a towel and a bathing suit for me.
So we lie then in the hot water and enjoy the mountain scenery
“We have something like that in the Alps, only with cold water!” we have to laugh. The experience is totally crazy. You strip down to your swimsuit in cold Iceland and then lie in pleasantly hot water of a mountain stream. I can’t believe it!
After that, we set off into a most different looking landscape.
First we trudge a long way down into a valley (although we know that we have to go up again towards the end). But down is easier for now.
Again and again we pass “private” hot tubs, but of course they can be much too hot or too cold.
To the hot springs the typical waterfalls are added, which I can look at now in peace from all sides.
From the most different lakes and reservoirs the waterfalls feed themselves
The hiking trails are marked with pillars (blue-yellow or red-yellow), to which we have to adhere. There are heavy penalties for leaving them.
We come through a canyon
Jaap had also brought me real hiking boots that are tread-proof. Because we pass again and again stone fields, cliffs and streams. Here there is no bridge, we also meet no hikers.
Shimmering in all colors
“We have something like that here too, it’s called the chemical industry,” I said to Jaap. Because the vapors are toxic, as also the colors look. I think longer about where I know this smell from: In my childhood we lived in the house of a car workshop and they welded with carbide. That’s how it smells.
Cooking facilities
Here you have everything at once: mountains, waterfalls and hot springs. Further back behind a mountain lake is a snow covered mountain range.
I am briefly unsure whether we have not landed on the moon. The satellite town is already there.
At this time I’m already reasonably done and we have the option to hike back the same way for 2.5 hours or ….. But I have never done that before! Jaap knows a shortcut, because he has been here many times. Even in winter, when there are no signs and trail markings at all. Then with cross country ski. He learned his good sense of direction from the Bedouins. He is not only from the Netherlands, but has also lived in Italy, Asia, the Middle East and all over the world. In the desert, you can only orient yourself by the position of the sun and the stars. I myself had lost these. I relied on it completely.
Over hill and daleJaap ahead The stone formations changed again and again appearance and color
We philosophized about the world, checked off the difficult topics and in the end we were of the opinion that we had not done badly. That’s how it is when you are on the road long enough.
We had plenty of rivers to cross without getting wet. It works!After a little eternity we reached our expedition mobile
Jaap whistled and sang to himself the whole time. He needs these trips into the wilderness. With this vehicle he can go everywhere, where it is allowed, for several days.
Here are a few kilometers missing, because the GPS watch was down
We ate another extremely tasty pizza and Jaap still brought me to the hostel. A long very very nice day with something completely new. Certainly it was worth taking the camera bag. We’ll see about that later.
Today the weather was merciful, although it rained in the last third. Saw the most beautiful waterfall so far.
Departure from Hostel in Vik
I tried to get away earlier. But from yesterday I still had to finish the German and English blog and meanwhile I enjoyed the anthill atmosphere in the kitchen. What people eat in the morning!
I hoped for a tailwind but first I had to ride the 2.4 km uphill against the wind back to the ring road. There the mouse did not bite off a thread!
I had not looked at Vik and the famous beach yesterday, I just wanted to take a shower.
It was just cloudy outside and that was fine with me. Where there are many clouds, there is not much wind.
The wind was merciful and came from diagonally behind.
The area was not so spectacular at first. Every now and then you could see Myrdalsjökull shining between the rocks. Glaciers are a fascination. I went already again to photograph. Actually I wanted to go through more, as long as the wind was favorable. If I arrive earlier, I have more time for rest. And 130 km must be driven first.
The Myrdalsjökull and its outflow
The first waterfall announced itself: Skogafoss. And what a waterfall!
Skogafoss in the back on the right
You could drive up to it and as a cyclist you still get further when cars have no chance anymore.
Kay and Jane from Hongkong
I asked Kay and Jane to take my picture and offered it to them. They had several cameras and cell phones hanging around their necks. That took a while. They did a good job though.
In front of spectacular Skogafoss
Here in the west of Iceland tourists come together – with me!
Almost Overtorism
There was even a café. If this continues, we will soon have Portuguese conditions. Every few kilometers 2 Galão, 2 cakes….
The best pictures of Portugal in my last year Atlantic AdventureNice Cafe by the Skogafoss
I let myself enjoy the first real coffee since 10 days. There were then more mountains to my right, as the partly fertile alluvial land stretched to the sea on my left. I even saw cows for the first time!
And I saw a – let’s say – unorthodox art installation.
We should make such art also in our catholic village in the german Rhineland. It doesn’t have to have names on it.
Another glacier, the famous Eyjafjallajökull
The volcano of the same name, made famous by the 2010 eruption, lies directly below. At that time nobody flew in half of Europe and the solar radiation was also decimated – climate protection! Here exceptionally the Wikipedia link to it. Wikipedia-Link dazu.
I met Othello and Garance from Paris.
The couple has been on the road for three days and I will definitely meet them again on the northern half. We talked briefly about the many green bike lanes that Mayor Anne Hidalgo has pushed through. I want to check it out and try it out one day. With the Tad through Paris, and not in the peleton of the ‘Tour de France’. The two think that’s good, because they also ride in space
Another foss (waterfall)
No, there were several next to each other. There must be a large reservoir above or ice from Eyjafjallajökull thawing.
Remarkable height (40 m for sure) and fine width.
It’s funny when I decide to get the right camera out, maybe even another lens. I think ‘hurry up or he’ll stop’. But this isn’t the shock bucket in the sauna! It doesn’t dry up that quickly. I can imagine it in high summer, though.
The mountains with a beautiful cloud tail , you can also see the weather change.
Eric overtook me again. That’s crazy too. He was one of the residents in our cabin and has been driving his Dacia Sandero around Europe for months. Now he is on Iceland for four weeks and has made a plan of the sights. Because it takes me three weeks, he drives on the southern route like me and most of it comes only in the north, we pass each other almost daily. I already know his horn and wave without turning around. At first we had still stopped, but this is going too far. I have his number and if something happens, he saves me! A great guy from the department ‘Calvados’ in Brittany!
My book for the atlantic biketrips Algarve-Bretagne and Rotterdam-Bretagne is available everywhere and at http://ampelpublishing.de
The other flatmate is with his BMW sidecar in the west and north on the way. Because I could hin also alert.
The luck of this earth…
Further and further away moves the mountains and the wind blows from behind. That’s good, but now the rain has prevailed. No heavy rain, but the road has puddles and the more and more drivers force me to the edge. I had already reported the divergent attitude to cyclists. If one swerves once, they honk immediately. They have no patience with us. We tourists annoy them.
I give gas, before the wind still changes and fly there.
A couple at the gas station in Hella I still met a cyclist couple from Liguria. The two were most different and super friendly. They wanted to know everything about my equipment. He had bought everything at Decathlon and complained a bit about the weight of the bags, the bike but not his own. They were a bit jealous when I revved up again right out of the gas station and chased away. I had eaten a huge mountain of noodles in Hvolsvöllur and the gas had to go!
The last mountain for today before the gates of Selfoss’.
You don’t know what’s in the fog. It could be a TV tower of 1000 m height or just a thick pancake. Nobody knows.
Today was the longest tour so far, but now to the beginning.
View from the house in Svinafell.
Even before breakfast, I had to step outside the door once to feast my eyes on this sight. Such a peaceful scenery. I would come to this house again anytime:: http://www.svinafell.com/
Svinafellsjökull
I was all alone in the house and ate my groceries: 10 thick crackers with 10 slices of cheese and two drinking yogurt – or drinking skyr (the Iceland „yogurt“.
Deutsch -> abenteuerbaltikum.comOnly from far away one realizes how extensive Vatnajökull is.
I went soon on the way, because before the 150 km today I had nevertheless some respect. I should be confronted with the foothills of Vatnajökull still several times. The glaciers have their own names, but they all originate from Vatnajökull, the largest glacier massif of Iceland, which stretches far to the south. That’s why I can take the pictures.
The black edge between the two rocks is the defrost edge
Here at this last one you could see well how glaciers melt. On a white surface not much happens at first, because the sunlight is reflected. But if rocks are sticking out or the edge is black from rock residues or thousands of years old or fresh impurities, then the area around thaws fast because of the absorption of the light. It becomes warm more quickly. In the Alps, people have tried to cover this dark edge with white foil, but with little success.
Looking ahead to the next block
Considering that we usually only see the weathered basalt cores of volcanoes, how much larger they must have been when the lava was still around and on top after it had calmed down.
Florian from Austria
Florian stopped politely when I called from across the street. Because he is faster than me and wants to make the circumnavigation in 16 days. Is however always also a question of the route. Coming from Reykjavik, he immediately made a detour via Landmannalaugar . He is fit to the last muscle. His equipment is perfect with the latest bikepacker bags. But he also praised my concept. Maybe we will see each other again in the north, because all those who drive against my direction and started in Reykjavik, should arrive in the north, when I am there too.
I also met the good-humored Justin from Texas. Without helmet, with 40 years old touring bike and clear luggage. But he has the most important thing with him: his guitar. A fine guy, I’m sure I’ll meet him again in the north, only much later than Florian.
Es gibt wieder Wasserfälle!There are waterfalls again!
I ride along the rock faces, but always only gradual climbs and no great ramps.
Above will be snow or ice on it, otherwise there would not be the waterfallsBelow, the water runs somewhere towards the sea in the form of a river. But here especially beautiful as rapids
We are in the south of Iceland and there quickly accumulate people at this beautiful attraction. I had to fight with my motives with a woman who photographed with a large camera and tripod in the water. The motive did not open up to me, whenever I wanted to pull the trigger, she came into the picture with her tripod. But she didn’t stay long at the new spot. I went out of her way and when I had a good motive, the woman with the red dress came. She feels like a mermaid or something and gave instructions to the man in the lumberjack shirt how she wants to be perceived. Then again control, then new picture. Crazy but not so rare! Around that I had to make then also still a bow.
On the road again
First came a very gentle green area. Then it became more barren.
You can not see all this on the pictures
Could be the waterfall of the day!
Somehow I had a form low after almost half of the distance at km 72 in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Because it was still far. I drank a coffee at the gas station and dried my clothes. It was relatively warm and I wanted to try it without a jacket. In the café, the two blond-haired colleagues needed a mood kick like me and turned the music louder. They wiggled their – xxx, well they moved their bodies according to the music. After this bad disco music I have also danced for nights, but actually terrible – clear. First came Merry me, then this Spanish bouncy music and on and on. That jumped also on me and I drove strengthened with best mood further.
On the road againThe view to rhis Lupines was like a balm for my soul
I turned into the wind, or the wind turned toward me. In any case, it was the end of the warm coziness. I kicked smaller and smaller gears and pulled through. Still 40 km. They could get long.
I hoped that the mountain ahead would take away some of the wind.
And they became long. There was no escape, I had to go through it now. It was getting colder, but I was also producing a lot of energy. Since this morning I had eaten up little by little everything I had: 3 bananas, an old bar and finally also the cakes of Brindis from Stödvarfjördur. They were getting worse, but brought energy!
The Myrdalsjökull
I drove in a semicircle around this glacier, which lay in the golden evening light, but for the psyche it would have been better, if something had moved there.
Green landscape again
I pedaled with small gear. A boon were closely passing trucks, but there came now also not so many. I met three guys from Switzerland, they had driven only 70 km, but totally exhausted. They also wanted to Vik and said it was shorter than indicated. Up to the supermarket it was also (had Gottseidank until 21 o’clock open). But I noticed that my hostel was behind a mountain and I had to go another 7.5 km.
Wonderful evening mood with glacierThus I had with all exhaustion nevertheless still these impressions
Down in the valley in Vik was long shadow and it was now really cold. then finally the hostel. 21:25 o’clock. I had not much more in my batteries.
Today again the usual view
I just see that it went downhill on the 40 km headwind passage to the last tip. And still it was so hard, think around 6-8 m/s.
Iceland ringroad No.1 