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An Icelandic Saga
Three days out from the UK through France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany to Hirtshals at the northern tip of Denmark. Arranged to meet up with Modman from this parish:
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg Bikes safely stowed: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg Arrived at the Faroe Isles en route: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg Overnight to Iceland. |
Very picturesue leaving Torshavn. Real pity that I didn't have the time to spend a couple of days here but as it is, I've only got a week on Iceland. At least there's a reason to come back sometime!
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Early Thursday morning, the weather is set fair and Iceland comes in to view:
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg The MS Norröna slides into one of the eastern fjords: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg Seyðisfjörður, our destination: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg |
First destination, Dettifoss, Europe's larges waterfall by volume made famous in the opening scene of Prometheus:
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg We take the "bad road" to get the good view giving us our first off road experience on Iceland. Pushing on, we arrive at our target destination of Lake Mývatn in good time and pitch camp: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg With a commanding view over the lake: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg |
It never truly got dark overnight and Friday morning slowly greeted us with a chilly, wet and windy start. We eventually got tents packed away and hatched a plan to take an easy day riding to the top of the Kjalvegur aka the Kjölur Route, Iceland's main north/south thoroughfare; 104 miles of unpaved road.
What cheers the soul and warms the heart on a cold, wet and windy day? Bacon for lunch! http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg The lack of photo opportunities does give me the chance to introduce the travellers. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Wildman aka Mildman to anyone who's met me in meatspace: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg The Wildman moniker comes from my mothers side of the family and is just a name that I use. In fact, if any of you Cannucks knew Cariboo Motorcycles in Port Moody, BC a few years back, you may know my uncle Dave Wildman. Here I am, still damp from the ride to the ferry, settling into my sumptuous accommodation on board the MS Noronna: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg My fellow traveller is Modman. He's a bit younger than me prompting a few, "Is this your son", comments and a more experienced and more confident off-road rider than me. He's also got 'ants in his pants' and can't sit still for one damned minute! http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg |
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg
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You may be getting the impression by now that one of us speeds off at break-neck speed and stops every now and then to le the other catch up and that the "other" is me! We are the hare and the tortoise made real.
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg |
The Kjölur Route spits you out at Gulfoss and Geysir:
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So how do you beat a day on the Kjalvegur? Go to Landmannalaugar and ride the Fjallabaksleið!
A quick visit to Godafoss ... http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg ... and Haifoss ... http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg ... which was awesome ... and we're off on the F208 and the fantastic F225: http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy.../L/image-L.jpg |
Can we go back yet? One of my best holidays yet :)
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:thumbup:
So where were we? Ah, yes, riding like Gods through the rivers of the Fjallabaksleið in Landmannalaugar. :D http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140840-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140841-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140842-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140843-L.jpg http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140844-L.jpg |
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... and generally into what feels like the middle of nowhere so that the last thing that you expect to see, let alone catching you at a rate of knots, is ...
http://wildmania.smugmug.com/Motorcy...P1140882-L.jpg A damned bus! |
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