PATREKSFJÖRĐUR TO ÓLAFSVIK DAY 90 408 km

WEST SIDE OF ICELAND

Was going to take the ferry across but was there early so decided to ride around which took the same amount of time and was the right choice. Still have not seen any trees on the island bit everything is so green all the way to the top of the mountains. Had quite a few long stretches of dirt road which was a nice change. Am in bad need of a rear tyre and am heading to Reykjavik tomorrow to get one, should have done it in Sweden but didn't realize it was that worn, rookie mistake.

    Captain decided to beach his ship in 1981

   No idea of the story behind this but someone had a dream lof rebuilding it I guess. 

The wind blew all day but the the last hour I have never experienced such strong winds, was a fight not to be blown off the road. This region is a lot more mountainous and scenic and there are rivers and waterfall wherever you look. 

Arrived at the first campsite that was recommended but was awful so left there and went over the mountain, from where I had come and it is a decent camp with a kitchen etc. And they all cost around $14. Then the rain started, just after I pitched my tent and it has not stopped for hours now  and the floor of the tent has some water cause the ground is puddling up. Will be a wet night and rain is forecast for all of tomorrow, after seven days with no real rain, I have been fortunate.

DRANGSNES TO PATREKSFJÖRÐUR DAY 89 422 km.

WEST SIDE OF ICELAND  - VESTFIRDIR

Met a Frenchy last night on a GS 1200 and we chatted for hours and then this morning at breakfast again and only got going at 10:30am. The place has a fancy kitchen to prepare food and everything you need to prepare food, but they only have two bathrooms with mini sinks, they didn't get that right for the amount of people here.

Coldest day yet, 8ºC  with low clouds so couldn't see the mountains and this west side has tall mountains and fjords that you zig zag in and out all day and some nice dirt roads and some long tunnels. 

Stopped for a Thai lunch cause I was so cold in Ìsafjörðour where there were three huge cruise ships to spoil the scenery. 

Then another 3 hours and I arrived at the iffy campsite with no showers. 

Went into the kitchen area and marked my map and did my diary and a German couple were in there cooking up a storm and the next minute she asks me if I was hungry and I told he I was fine but then a huge meal and a beer was put in front of me. Was a really good meal and then she went to their truck and made me some coffee from a machine or something , was no instant coffee and then offered me a cookie , best meal I have had in Iceland .

 

HVAMMSTANGI TO DRANGSNES DAY 88 270km.

They did not have any showers at the campsite so now two days without showering, think that's normal around here as they have only  2 showers and toilets for a campsite of 60 people in the campsites that have showers. 

No wind or rain but very threatening but a nice 11* C to the start of the day, the 711 dirt road took me by the big rock which is a lot smaller than the pictures show, hardly worth the drive.

 Then after doing a big circle drive, got back on 1 to 68 N which hugs the coast with a number of dirt sections up to Hòlmavik where I washed my bike. Most of the gas stations have a wash bay where you can spray down and wash your vehicle and for free. 

Weather has turned to sunshine and  the Hveravik camp is a good one , with a nice pitch and excellent kitchen and eating space with a large pool and free coffee. 

AKUREYRI TO HVAMMSTANGI DAY 87 402km.

Forgot to buy milk so had my instant coffee and the hit the bricks and rode N to Dalvik a small fishing village then to Siglufjörður where I stopped and had a wholesome vegetable meat soup. Continued on coastline in good sunny wether and no wind to Sauðárkrqkur and took 748 thinking it was the coastal road but it dead ended at a campsite, so went back and got on the 745 coastalroad up to Skagta . Very desolate area and dirt road for about 80kms but farmlands all along the coast with lots of sheep and horses and very few vehicles.

     The famous Icelandic horses.

Was hoping to camp in Blönduós but didn't like the campsite so rode another 45kms in a light drizzle to Hvammstangi to a nice grassed campsite and pitched my tent in the drizzle as quick as I could then bolted to the kitchen lounge building.

Another dehydrated meal was devoured and left at midnight to my penthouse, the wind was howling and the tent was flapping like a loose sail.

AKUREYRI DAY 86 220km.

ICELAND

Had some Pronutro for breakfast, have 2 kgs of it so have to eat it, takes up a lot of room. Went with David and we hiked Hverfjall volcano rim and then I went back to camp and dismantled camp and rode N to  Husavik which is only 48 km away.

    HUSAVIK

   HVERFJALL  photo does not depict the size and depth of the volcano.

    MYVATN LAKE IN THE BACKGROUND.

After walking around town where they were having a little festival around the harbour with food trucks and vendors and the sun was out and everyone seemed to be enjoying it, I left for the next waterfall.

   

Godafoss was the next stop and a short hike to the waterfalls and then headed to Grenivik then down to Akureyri to Hamrar campground which is rather packed with a lot of caravans and campers.

Wether has been beautiful and sunny for the most part, been lucky so far just hope it stays dry. My toe is starting to pain again, don't know how long I will be able to handle it, but will have to ride it out for the next three months before any choices arrive.

    GÒDAFOSS

    Church and houses built in 1860.

MYVATN LAKE DAY 85. 193 KM.

Started raining at 6 am so stayed in my sleeping bag till 10am when the rain halted. Packed up and dried out the tent and then left at 11:30 in thick fog to Dettifoss, which is a waterfall and it was raining to hiked the 1km. In all my gear, helmet included.

Then headed to Askja Lake on F901 and stopped at a campsite to enquire about the road and river conditions and the guy advised me not to go, very difficult with a lot of sand. So turned around and went back to Myvatn Lake campsite. When I was at the supermarket buying matches I bumped into the young French guy I met on the ferry and has the same bile as mine and had just got back from Askja Lake. Glad I listened and decided not to go cause he said it was brutal 10-10 difficulty and fell in the thick sand and the river crossing was up to his hips and all his gear was wet. The rivers were very difficult he emphasized and he didn't have enough fuel and had to get some from a motorist, that was weird that he ran short, it's 100km road from the highway to the lake.

The campground is all grass with great facilities, except the 500ml beer is €11. So the guy that had his bike next to mine on the ferry was also there and he rode into town and grabbed a 6 pack for €11 but basically carbonated water but was good to hydrate.Went to bed afyer midnight and it was still light outside, so weird it never gets dark.

    5 pm 

    DETTIFOSS

    KRAFLA LAKE

    Hot Springs

    MIDNIGHT

ICELAND DAY 84 367 km.

Ferry arrived on time at 8:30 and was out in no time and followed the coastal road North.Weather was decent had quite a bit of fog but the skies cleared in the afternoon with some blue skies but cool temperatures fro 6* - 18*C.

Went to Jökulsärgljúfur National Park to camp and went on a hike by the river at 8:30pm in my slip slops which didn't work out to well walking over lava rocks. When the lava cools to quickly it creates amazing rock formations, hexagonal pieces and all the small rock hills are like that in this area.

DENMARK TO ICELAND 23 & 24 th JULY 24 DAY 81& 82

A German couple camped next to me and parked the bike right by my tent when there was 500ft open all the way down, clueless.

Stopped at the bakery for a bite and then headed to the ferry and it was packed, school holidays unfortunately.

    Feroe Islands harbour.

    Upper deck where you can sit and sleep.

Cabin is really nice and clean and a well designed bathroom which was a surprise and all on my own. Ended up at the upper deck lounge on like a sofa where you gaze out of huge windows towards the bow of the ship. I slept most of the afternoon, had dinner which was decent buffet then went to another small lounge and nodded off there all night.

24 th July 2024 DAY 83

Woke up at 9am, that's not happened in decades must have sleeping sickness or something, almost missed breakfast.

Sat upstairs all day and saw a few whales and met a guy that showed me some roads I shouldn't take. Stopped at the Feroe Island and unloded cargo and passengers and then loaded more passengers and then took off again.

FEROE ISLANDS AT TOSHAVN, THE CAPITAL

Dinner was the same food as last night, lots of fish and they keep bringing you beer for some reason so fo €40 it's not to bad.