Day 33: July 28, 2011

Sho, Saya, Eiko, Arisa and I cycled 45 km (28 miles) from Hvammstangi to Bordeyri today. The wind god decided to make our legs stronger, blessing us with a constant head wind as we crawled along the rolling terrain. Even when riding down hill, we had to pedal hard to keep up momentum.

It was exhausting, and we took many breaks, including a visit to a museum featuring old shark hunting boats. The museum attendant was knowledgable and shared fascinating descriptions of the life of a shark fisherman in the days of sails and oars. The fishermen often spent a week at sea in an open boat, exposed to the elements. Sometimes it was so cold that parts of a fisherman's beard would freeze and break off. Sho and Saya listened intently to his stories and were treated to a taste of shark meat. I tried it too - there is a slight hint of ammonia and a complex sensation as you chew the meat. Sho thought it tasted pretty good. Saya spit hers out. The attendant gave her a glass of milk, explaining that milk takes away the aftertaste.

Near the end of today's ride, we turned off the busy Ring Road and started to head toward the west fjords. It was a relief to leave behind the traffic of Iceland's main highway, but we were careful to stock up on extra food, since there are few people or shops for long stretches along this route.

We spent the night in a guest house by the water in Bordeyri. Sho excitedly pointed out oyster catchers hunting along the water's edge, their long orange beaks, black backs and white bellies shining in the evening sun, as they strutted through the shallows. I'm looking forward to seeing many more birds as we cycle through this beautiful part of Iceland.

Here are some pics:

With the owner of the guest house in Hvammstangi:



We rode by many horses today:



Sho:



Sho and Saya in the shark museum:



Trying shark meat:



Arisa's artistic entry in the shark museum's guest book:



Arisa, holding flowers Saya picked for her:


View from the road:


The guest house we stayed in is the red building farthest away, next to the water:




Sunset at 11:30 pm:







- An Iceland Bike Adventure post