June 24 - 25, 2011

We spent the past two days exploring Reykjavik. Although it is cool, around 55 - 60F degrees, it has been sunny much of the time, perfect for cycling around town. On June 24th, we took a guided tour of the city organized by Stefan and Ursula Valsson, fed ducks in a pond by City Hall and played soccer on a local team's field. Sho and Saya took turns scoring on their poor, slow daddy. :-)

On June 25th, we met the film maker Villi Knudson and watched one of his documentaries about recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland. The geological activity here is remarkable, as the country sits on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the dividing line between two tectonic plates. There are 22 active volcanoes, hundreds of thermal springs and the world's third largest ice cap. We're about to cycle through a dramatic geology class!

We also learned about Iceland's history in the Saga Museum, with representations of the country's first Viking settlers and Irish slaves. Sho and Saya got in the spirit in the gift shop (see pic) - I denied their request to arm themselves on our impending with sword, crossbow and helmet.

We've stocked up on supplies and begin our ride tomorrow. We will head east out of Reykjavik to a farm, where we will ride horses and spend the night. We'll make our way into the interior of the country over the next week, and will post blogs as often as we can.

Pic taken Turing bike tour of Reykjavik:



Sho and Saya feeding ducks:



Mr. and Mrs. Villi Knudson, where we saw a documentary on Iceland's volcanoes:



Sho and Saya ready for battle:


- An Iceland Bike Adventure post