Day 10: July 5, 2011

We cycled from Skogafoss Waterfall to Vik today, a 35km (22 mile) ride that included gorgeous views of the towering Myrdalsjokull Glacier on our left and the Atlantic Ocean's hazy horizon to our right. We were soaked in the first hour by a steady rain, but the ever-present head winds dried us off soon after the rain stopped. We've been averaging about 6 MPH thanks to the winds (I promise that's the last time I'll mention the wind in today's blog :-)). Our daily mileage is low, but I can feel my legs getting stronger from the work.

Sho and Saya remind me to stop at least once an hour to rest and play. One of our stops was at Vellir, a lush, sprawling farm enjoying the type of view remarkably common in Iceland: a monster glacier looming to the north, towering cliffs immediately to the west, and the glistening ocean to the south. The farm has a cafe that is open for breakfast and dinner, but when we arrived at lunch time, the owner took pity on us and fed us delicious broccoli soup and hot dogs. After I told her about our ride, she gave us a steep discount on the food. It was another in a growing list of examples of generosity and kindness we've experienced from the people in Iceland.

We chatted about the recent volanic eruptions in the area, and I pointed out nervously that the nearby volcano Katla is long overdue. Our host smiled confidently and said, "Oh, don't worry. She's fast asleep." Saya excitedly watched a group on horseback heading out of the farm for a ride along the ocean front. She's made up her mind to get a white horse when we return to NYC. I guess we'll need to set up a stable next to the bunk bed she shares with Sho...

We're spending the night in Vik, a charming oceanside town of about 300 inhabitants. The next town is 70km (43 miles) away, with not much more than lava fields in between. Given the weight of our gear, my 43-year old legs & back, the need to stop frequently to give Saya a break from her cramped trailer, and the annoying force of nature I promised not to mention again, we will most likely sleep in our tent tomorrow night out in the wild. We'll look for a boulder or cave to protect us from the winds. Don't expect a blog post tomorrow - I won't have a connection and will probably be too tired to write anyway.

Here are some pics from today:

Leaving Skogafoss Waterfall in the morning:




Our generous friend at Vellir farm:




On the road...



Sho at work:



Getting ready to climb a 12% grade. Just grin and bear it!



At the top of the climb!



The charming town of Vik:



Saya goofing off:



Sho taking flight in a playground next to the public pool in Vik:



- An Iceland Bike Adventure post

Day 9: July 4, 2011

We had the tent packed away and were on the road by 8:30 a.m. A strong head wind kept our average speed at around 5 MPH, but we stopped complaining about the wind a while ago. The ride was gorgeous: rolling farmland disappearing into the ocean to our right; craggy cliffs looming to our left. Waterfalls draped down the steep black walls and sent spray floating into the gray sky.

We took a break at an information center to watch a film about the eruption in spring 2010 of a local volcano here. The ash fell across Europe for weeks, shutting down flights. The film documented the experience of a local farmer and his family, who applied ingenuity and an intrepid spirit to deal with the ash, flooding and debris from the eruption. Their resourcefulness was inspiring.

We decided to spend the night next to Skogafoss Waterfall, a deserving tourist attraction. Check out the pics!






Sho and I speculated that the homeowners planted the grove of trees to protect them from debris, mudslides and falling tourists:



Pic of a pic of the volcano erupting here last spring:






Skogafoss Waterfall pics:



















Sheep herding:



- An Iceland Bike Adventure post

Day 8: July 3, 2011

Another chilly, windy, rainy day on Heimaey in the Westman Islands, but we didn't mind. We cycled around the island in the morning, checking out some cliffs and burning calories in the struggle to ride into the ever-present gusts. I've attached a pic of the day's weather report describing the winds as "near gale", just in case you think I'm exaggerating for sympathy. :-).

We stayed two nights in Hotel Thorshamar on the island, but got one night free by the generous owner, as a way of supporting our ride (see pic).

We planned to take an 11:30a.m. ferry back to the mainland, but it was canceled because of stormy seas. We had a fairly dramatic experience trying to get on the oversold 2:30 p.m. ferry. After a lot of waiting and sweet talking, we managed to slip on the ferry just as it was about to leave. The boat was sealed and about to take off, but I convinced the captain to open up the cargo hold, so that we could roll our bikes on board. I can't post video on this blog - wish I could. The ride across the stormy ocean was intense, and I captured some cool video footage.

We rested up at the mainland ferry terminal, then rode 12 km (7 miles) from the southern coast back to the Ring Road. I hate to keep going on about the wind (I've started responding to people I meet who comment on it, "Wind? What wind?"), but I wouldn't be a responsible blogger if I didn't say Holy Crap, the wind was RIDICULOUS on that section. It slammed us from the right, a vicious cross wind that tried constantly to shove us off the road. Many times, we hopped off and pushed the bikes, arms outstretched, straining to keep everything up right. But we rode through a lot of it, and I figured out a technique that kinda worked. I stayed in the middle of the road (almost no traffic on this section), and weaved back and forth in a narrow figure eight pattern, like a tacking sail boat. My right hand was dropped low on the handle bars, and I leaned my body far over to the right into the cross wind. My left hand squeezed the brakes as I pedaled, so that when a strong gust took over and started to push us off the road, I could stop immediately and walk our bikes back to the middle of the road. It was exhausting, but effective.

After reaching the Ring Road, we rode east for a while into a head wind that kept us at a crawl around 5 MPH. When we decided to stop for the day, I decided to skip a nearby campsite, not interested in setting up our tent on a field exposed to the wind and rain. We decided to camp out in the protected entrance way of an abandoned hotel we happened across. At least I thought it was abandoned, until the owner drove up at 9:30 p.m. and yelled outside our tent, "What are you doing here?". Saya was the first one out of the tent, which took some of the edge off his anger. I explained our ride and that I didn't want to expose my kids to the elements. When I offered to pay, he relaxed and agreed to a price of around $15. "That, kids, is called capitalism," I explained to Sho and Saya.

Sho said, "I'm glad he didn't ask for $50."

I nodded with a serious look. "I would have paid it..."

Her are some pics from today:

"Near gale":



Sho and Saya with the hotel owner:




The kids on Heimaey:













Ferry shots:







Sho dealing with the wind. Saya was cozy and warm in her trailer:




Our campsite (notice beautiful waterfall in background):



Inside the tent:


- An Iceland Bike Adventure post

Day 7: July 2, 2011

We spent the day on Heimaey in the Westman Islands - population around 4,000. The place is rugged and the people are used to adversity. In 1973, the local Eldfell volcano erupted, covering the island with flowing lava and about 12 feet of black ash. Most of the residents were evacuated, but a few stayed behind to fight the lava and rescue their homes. After about four months, the volcano quieted, and residents returned to rebuild. Sho, Saya and I watched a local film with dramatic footage from the event.

The Westman Island chain also contains Surtsey, an island that was created by an undersea volcanic eruption from 1963 - 1967. Visiting the Westman Islands brings you up close to natural forces that are literally forging the surrounding landscape in a dramatic way. As we walked around, I felt a sense of awe at our vulnerability to nature's power.

It was cold, windy and raining all day, but Sho, Saya and I didn't let that keep us from exploring. It seemed fitting to suffer a bit in this rugged place. We enjoyed a local street festival, swam in outdoor heated thermal pools, and even watched a local pro women's soccer game. A dramatic, fog-covered cliff loomed over the field. Most of the residents viewed the game from inside parked cars, honking whenever their team made a good play. But the three of us bundled up and endured the crap weather in good spirits. Sho, a soccer enthusiast, kept up a steady stream of insightful game analysis.

We'll cycle around Heimaey a bit in the morning, then take the ferry back to the mainland.

Here are some pics:

Puffin-themed road signs on Heimaey Island:



Sho with a giant soccer ball marking Heimaey's soccer fields:



A local street festival:






Hardy soccer fans:








The soccer field, with cliff and weather added for extra drama:


- An Iceland Bike Adventure post

Day 6: July 1, 2011

We cycled today from Hvolsvollur to Landeyjarhofn on the southern coast of Iceland, the terminal for a ferry to the Vestmann Islands. It was a 30km (18 mile) flat route - easy, right? As we started to ride, it was raining and around 60F degrees. Not ideal cycling weather, but no problem when you're wearing gloves, a rain jacket and rain pants. Saya was well protected in her trailer.

We left two hours before the ferry was scheduled to depart, and I thought that we would have no problem averaging 9 miles per hour. But a few minutes into the ride, powerful wind gusts from the nearby mountains slammed us from the front and left side. In a replay of our ride earlier in the week, Sho and I struggled to maintain a crawl and to keep from being blown off the road. The rain added to the challenge, slapping our faces with stinging pellets. Sho exhibited his usual bravado, yelling out to Nature, "Is that all you've got?"

Having suffered too many times from my own hubris, I warned him, "Hey, don't go looking for trouble."

I took solace in the knowledge that half-way through the ride, we would take a 90 degree turn to the right to head down to the southern coast. The head and cross winds we were struggling through would then turn to a wonderful tail wind and take us home. Hopefully in time to make the ferry.

As we approached the right turn, a remarkable mountain rose ahead of us with several waterfalls streaming over steep cliffs. I wanted to take a picture, but decided not to stop. The rain was coming down hard, and we needed to push it to make the ferry, which left in 30 minutes. A sign announced that the terminal was 12 km (7 miles) away. With the tail wind, I thought we just might make it. My optimism was immediately confirmed. With just that turn, we went from pushing hard to maintain 8 MPH to cruising easily at 15 MPH.

"Yes!" Sho shouted, triumphantly.

And about a minute later, the mountain winds at our back were suddenly crushed to nothing by a much fiercer opponent: the ocean winds. They rushed across empty lava fields and whipped at us from the front and left side. A repeat of what had experienced in the first half of the ride, only much more vicious. We were back to pushing the pedals with all our strength and zig zagging to maintain forward momentum. I glanced down to see that our speed had dropped to about 4 MPH. Sho finally decided to hop off his bike and jog alongside, asking me to try to keep up. He took breaks by laying back into the wind while standing (see pic). As we neared the ferry terminal, an hour and a half later than planned, we were hit by swirls of tiny black volcanic dust that stung our eyes and sifted into any clothing or luggage that wasn't sealed up.

The next ferry left at 4pm, and we took our time cleaning the small black particles from our belongings and eating in the terminal. Then we learned that the 4 p.m. ferry had been canceled because of the strong winds. The next ferry after that would leave at 7pm. I worried that no ferries would run the rest of the day and asked if we could set up our tent next to the terminal, if necessary. The worker I asked gave me a pitying look and replied, "Uh, sure, if you really want to...". I wondered if our tent would survive the winds.

Happily, the 7 p.m. ferry ran, and we made it to the Vestmann Islands. The cliffs we passed as we came into the island harbor were magnificent. This time, I made sure to get a few pics. We'll spend tomorrow exploring the island.

Here are some pics:

Sho "resting" on the wind:



Saya's stuffed animal Lamby covered with volcanic dust:



applied some "make up" during the ride:




Sho ripped up his rain booties running on the volcanic rocks:



Waiting to board the ferry:



Our bikes secured in the ferry's hold:




Vestmann Islands pics:















- An Iceland Bike Adventure post

Day 5: June 30, 2011

After receiving universal push-back from the locals on our planned inland route, we decided to do a test ride today, cycling near Mt. Hekla on some back roads. With the heavy luggage and connected bikes, It was indeed a challenge to ride on the loose gravel and rocks, even before we had to cross any rivers. We could probably cover our planned 100+ km (60+ mile) route in 5 or 6 days, but we would be pushing the bikes much of the time. Also, the forecast calls for heavy rain, which will swell the glacier-fed rivers. I decided that the locals were right that the inland route would not be prudent.

We have revised our planned route once again! Tomorrow, we will ride to Landeyjarhofn and take a ferry to the Vestmannaeyjar (Vestmann Islands). Will tell you more about them when we get there.

We also had a mechanical problem. The bikes fell over, breaking the handlebar bag connector. Luckily, we were able to come up with a fix, using tape and cords - see pics.

Here are some pics from today:

Sho and Saya snuggling at the start of the day:




Sho unconcerned (unlike me) about the broken connector:















Scenes from our test ride today:















- An Iceland Bike Adventure post