Day 3: June 28, 2011

We slept in our tent at a campsite in Thingvellir National Forest last night. We set it up beside a pavilion that partially blocked the wind, but were still buffeted throughout the night. The tent withstood the powerful gusts, thankfully, but I woke up many times from the noise and cold. It dropped into the 40's F overnight, and rushes of cold air snuck beneath the rain cover into the tent. Sho, Saya and I huddled closely under our sleeping bags throughout the night, using our body heat to stay warm.

After breaking down the tent, loading the bikes and eating a simple breakfast, we began riding in the mid-morning Although the strong gusts did not let up, the day was sunny and warm. We rode along Thingvellir's gorgeous lake and, making our way south, enjoyed a helpful tailwind. In a remarkable contrast to yesterday's brutal, plodding ride, today I sometimes had to apply the brakes to keep from going too fast, thanks to the wind pushing us along. I called it my "fickle friend."

We rode what Sho called an "easy peasy" (thanks to the wind's help) 45km/29miles to the small town of Selfoss. No need for traffic lights here - one roundabout took care of traffic. Hoping to let the kids recover from last night's uncomfortable camping, I got a room in Hotel Selfoss, overlooking a powerful and dramatic river. After dinner, we frolicked in the town's public thermal baths, which had a collection of outdoor heated pools to choose from. The breeze was cold, and every time we emerged from a pool, we immediately chilled and scampered to the next heavenly hot water refuge.

Here are some pics from the day:

Examples of the tectonic movement at work in Thingvellir National Park:







View of the lake at Thingvellir:




Sho with the bikes:



Lake at Thingvellir:



Saya practicing her model's pose on the ride to Selfoss:


- An Iceland Bike Adventure post