Thursday, August 14, 2008

Icelandic adventure

hey pals
im not big on writing in blogs but i took notes on my vacation and thought id include them with the pictures to explain a bit more about whats being seen, and my trip in general.... which by the way, was mega.


































soy latte
destination: Blue Lagoon
stopped on the way to scramble around on moss covered rocky moonscape
no earth here, only rocks that come to peaks and crack forming valleys
one feels as though if they find the right crack they can enter the interior of the planet with ease
mud masks, sauna, relaxing
short trip to a coastal town
carson and i nibbled wild seaweed
drove to and conquered a mountain with sun shining
burrito dinner
drinks with icelanders

(no pics)

my first day alone
make camp and ride into reykjavik
up and down main street
souvenir purchases: traditional wool gloves and horse keychain for the bike
sat by the lake in the sun
sculpture park
modern art museum
head back to camp for the rain
shitty noodle dinner
hung out with french bicyclists and drank red wine
older sporty men are rad
they believe in me, so i am pleased

250 kilometers













during 6 hour ride to Jokursalon i try my hardest not to look out the window
got freaked and scared as we reached our desination
glacial lagoon is pretty but touristy
while there you can hear the glacier cracking into pieces and large chunks falling into the water, but you can see no movement
50 kilometers in two and a half hours
talked to/with sheep along the way
tried to master on-bike-isaac-snot-removal-method but failed
talked to myself alot
convinced that the sun is shining only for me
mountains mountains mountains
made camp at skaftafell
made friends with the french
my newly purchased mascot (blue wooden horse trinket) falls off my bike and breaks and i take it as a not so awesome omen













walked on a glacier!
climbed on said glacier with ice pics and spikes on my shoes!
drank from glacial river
fell in love with my ghetto rented hiking boots
walked to mega death metal waterfall
picked and ate blueberries
forraged for more berries and stored them in my trusty tie dyed hankey
ate a hot meal
bought beer and hung with the french
due to new wool sock purchase and lent hat i am warm for the first night
saw a dude riding iceland in a tall bike. TALL BIKE, he is my hero
colors of iceland are purple bright green and black



















had farewell tea with the french
small hike to a peak
sat on peak and picked/ate blueberries with sun on my face
bought my loaner boots
wounded myself, only mildly
turned a two day ride into a two hour rainy bus ride
arrive at vik with sun shining
vik = super death metal black sand beach
write secret messages in the sand and let the waves wash them away
performed a black sand throw
went on crazy long hike to puffin laden mountain peak
had magical puffin experience on the cliff
met australian bikers who are as unprepared as me, which is reassuring
hot dinner of ham and cheese sandwich
beers with australians at the campsite indoors! finally i am indoors at night
















wake at 5am for fear my tent will blow away
rain guard rescued and resecured
never been in wind this strong and erratic before
breakfast of skyr with mountain picked blueberries
farewell australians
have to push my bike up two hills of twenty percent incline
pushed sideways off bike by wind, scaredness ensues
reach my highest speed on a downhill: 43km/h
clouds clear winds calm sun comes out
icelandic folk museum and warm lunch (stolen second helping)
rainbow in waterfall
great ride, super sunny, me fast
awkward adventure on unpaved rocky road pays off with visit to swimmingpool of my dreams
large black motherdog acts as guide
swim alone in warm natural mountainpool
campsite tiff is heading for is closed down, fear of wild camping in storm ensues, then all is rewarded with suprise paradise campsite
fall asleep listening to waterfalls












slept well and woke up late
walked behind a waterfall
left campsite with the sun at my back. i will race it across he horizon today
rode in just a tshirt for the first time
double up
ride to hella was easy, sunny and thoroughly enjoyable
craftily bought hand crafted crafty hat at craft center
too many hills
rode an icelandic pony to a waterfall with a 14 year old icelandic girl
rode to selfoss, traffic is increasing
selfoss is a wasteland
foss = waterfall. no waterfalls in selfoss
friendly owner of campsite fires up his jacuzzi for me!
i sit in jacuzzi by myself and soak surrounded by christmas trees with light cold rain falling
once i slip into burrito sleeping bag the rain begins to really fall and i listen to it while falling asleep