17 - 20 June : Myvatn & West Fjords

17 June:
Woke early and had breakie with our neighbours (Saarbrücken). Checked the oil level of both bikes, more than half full, enough for another days' ride. Broke camp and headed back to the hot-pots just east of Myvatn, around 1000 hours. Inigo and Ollie had been there for a while and we checked out the bubbling mud pots and the wonderful colours.  Then across to Krafla and past the Thermo-electric plant, up the hill to the Crater that overlooked the whole area.  It's one of Icelands most active volcanic areas.  Great views!
Then back down to Myvatn and onto Dimmuborgir, An area of strangely shaped lava fields, volcanic caves and rock formations, reminiscent of an ancient Citadel and home to the Icelandic Jolasveinar (Christmas lads) and their parents, Gryla and Leppaluthi.  Not that we ran into any of these mythical creatures...Although there were plenty of tourists.
After a coffee break, we headed around the south of Myvatn and Onto Husavik to refuel and try out the "best" fish and chips in Iceland.  In Husavik Harbour is a place called "fish and Chips" and that's all that they do. Fish and chips or fish or chips.  It was pretty good and probably the cheapest in Iceland, another bonus.  After our feed, we went for a bit of a walk around the harbour. As none of us were interested in the whale watching we did some shopping, got some Skyr and headed back to the campsite at Heithebaer.  Scott and I had Skyr for dinner Had a dip in the pool and settled down for beers with Ollie.  Inigo had headed on to his hotel North of Akureyri. We planned to meet tomorrow at about 1100 hours at Gothafoss.

18 June:
Up early-ish and hit the road with Scott and Ollie direction Gothafoss.  We arrived a little earlier that arranged and had plenty of time to check out the falls, take photos and sit down for out regular coffee break.  Then off to Akureyri, it was too early for lunch so we did some shopping, an SD card for Inigo's camera and Beer for us.  Then North out of town in the Direction of Siglufjörthur along the 82, through three new-ish tunnels. Despite Ollie's dislike for tunnels, it was an amazing ride and well worth it.  It had been raining and we were pretty wet and cold.  In Siglufjörthur we looked for somewhere to get out of the rain and have lunch. We ended up in the restaurant "Hannes boy". Fantastic food and the atmosphere was something else. Hannes boy was housed in an old store house/drying house on the harbour, these buildings had recently been refurbished and modernised but maintained their character.  Hannes was a famous fisherman of old and is remembered here.
After Siglufjörthur we headed South along the Eastern coast of the fjord and through Sautharkrokur, then west, direction Blönduos.  At the end of the 744, Ollie turned off to the campsite at Skagaströnd and we continued in the direction of the West Fjords.  Scott and I continued onto Hvammstagi to camp, which was just out of the town.  We set-up camp in the most protected spot we could find as the weather had, yet again, turned nasty.  We then headed to the pool, about 2 km away so we had to ride.  After getting back, feeling refreshed, we settled down outside the communal building to write and drink a few beers...When our plans for a quiet evening fell to pieces. We met Mike and Brandy, from the US (Maryland and Virginia) and a couple of Canadians, Dan and Tina who work for Scotts (toilet paper).
Needless to say, the beer was flowing (from cans), the schnapps was consumed in massive quantities and at some stage Mike produced Reindeer meat he had been given by an Icelandic farmer and grilled it up.  What an awesome night, great company and no sunset.  I think we stayed up till 0300 hours...or so.  Who knows, the sun never sets...

19 June:
Woke late (not surprising) but before everyone else.  Cooked breakie and broke camp, we left around 1130 hours after saying bye to Dan and Tina, Mike and Brandy were still sleeping.
Our destination, the West Fjords. Hoping to have lunch in Drangsness, we arriver around 1500 hours. Unfortunately a little late. So we had Skyr, Muesli bars and a coffee (for me) then onto Isafjördur.  I wasn't sure if we'd make it this far, but that was our goal for the day.
The west Fjords are absolutely amazing and completely different to anything else we'd come across in this fascinating land.  I felt a strange sadness for our friends who had chosen not to see this area, you can't see everything but this was just indescribable.  Endless Fjords, amazing views, great roads, perfect.  I wrote"it was absolutely amazing to ride through and see.  Just unbelievable and indescribable"  The truck drivers always greeted us with a wave and we made good progress. Around a 500km day.
Upon arrival, we set-up camp, went into the swimming baths for about an hour. Then we discovered that all the shops and bottle shop were closed. We re-fuelled and headed back to camp.
I remember, from my last visit, that the golf club was within walking distance and might serve us.  So, we walked over and asked if they served non-members, expecting a big NO we were pleasantly surprised when the only staff member greeted us with a friendly smile and a big YES!  We grabbed a couple of beers and sat out on the deck, overlooking the golf course and out into the fjord.  After a while the barman came out, we thought he was going to ask us to leave as it was just before 2200 hours, but he just enquired if we'd like a couple more before he closed. We gladly ordered and paid for a couple more each and he said we could stay as long as we liked, just leave the glasses on the table when we left.  This friendliness was welcomed and we had a relaxing time before heading back to camp for soup, bread and tea.

20 June:
Up early today and broke camp after breakie. We rode out along the 6, through a new-ish tunnel and on to Dynjandi waterfall, it was big and most impressive, but loads of tourists.
then we continued direction of Patreksfjörthur, about 40 km before our destination we happened upon a hot pot and swimming pool at the side of the road, not far from the intersection where I'd dropped my bike the last time I was here. What a find. A free pool and natural hot pot just off the road.  There were a few other people when we arrived but it was in no-way over-run with tourists. A true gem! Although, we'd not been on the road long, we decided to stop and make the most of it. We enjoyed a soak in the hot pot and a bit of a swim for around an hour, then got changed and had some sandwiches at the side of the pool. after lunch Scott thought he'd explore a few of the smaller buildings not far from the pool, he was soon set-upon by the local birds and came hurrying back. After packing up, we continued on our way to Patreksfjörthur, did some shopping, and along the south coast of the West Fjords.  Past the Ferry to Snaefellsness, and onto the 60 down to Laugar, campsite.  There weren't much in the way of facilities, but there was a hot pot, the pool (and showers) had closed at 1800 hours, much to our disappointment, it was 1930 hours.  We had a soak in the hot pot and met 3 travellers, two guys from France and a Romanian Girl. We talked about many things, including travel and the Romanian told us about the Transalpina in Romania, a road that we should ride. Up to that point Romania wasn't on our itinerary, that quickly changed.
We had a few beers in the hot pot, then with our dinner and bed.

The hot pots near Myvatn

Krafla

no Jolasveinar- just us lads

They really don't like breakdancing

After a long ride - a cold beer - in a fjord - overlooking a golf course 

Enough snow for everyone

15 June : Icelandia - the intro

15 June:
The temperature overnight dropped to about (felt lower) 0 degrees.  It was Bloody cold, but not unexpected. Möthrudalur was in a valley, but the valley was so wide that it seemed more like a plateau. A plateau that the wind ripped through and dropped the temperature by several degrees due to the wind-chill.
We were up early and found a light dusting of snow.  We cooked breakie in the "underground" kitchen.  When I say underground, it was definitely sunken, the upper half and roof were in-fact above ground. But it was somewhat warmer than being outside. Here we met snowflake, the resident cat. Who I'm sure was only there for the warmth and left-overs, not for our companionship. I also came upon a baby goat who befriended me on my way to the kitchen, he was after one thing an done thing only - the rubbish. I quickly had to shoo him (her?) away from the rubbish and out of the kitchen. Nice try goat.
We cooked porridge and packed away our gear.  Our wet clothes that we had hung in the Laundry the evening before were mostly dry and that cheered us up.
Hitting the road around 0900 hours we took the 1 west to the 85. According to all the information we had at hand, we fully expected the 85 to be a gravel road. In recent years many of the roads in Iceland have been upgraded and it was now asphalt, awesome!  We made good time and arrived at Vopnafjörthur by about 1030 hours and began our wait for Inigo and Ollie. They had planned to take the 917, gravel, but were blocked by gale-force winds and about 20cm snow at the pass (less 40 km away).  They had to turn around, make their way back to the 1 and up the 85.  They arrived around 1330 hours.  The cafe in Vopnafjörthur only opened at 1100 hours but we were lucky enough to have a supermarket next door to wait in, with free coffee (good for me, no tea for Scott).  After 1100 hours we made our way over to the Cafe, had tea and coffee, made good use of the Pizza buffet and watched football till the others arrived. After their arrival and a joyous re-union we ate, drank and hit the road after re-fueling.
On to Thorshöfn. Ollie, Scott and I stopped at the campsite and Inigo continued onto his hotel in Langanes and visited the Lighthouse at Fontur. In the evening, Ollie cooked for us, we drank together, talked and listened to music together till late.
16 June:
Next morning, we had agreed to meet up at 0900 hours and hit the road around 0930 hours after breakie with Ollie.  We met a french backpacker (hitchhiker - Serge) the previous night at the campsite and Ollie invited him to join us.  Now we were 5. We hit the road and headed in the direction of Raufarhöfn via the 874. When we arrived we had a coffee at the Cafe, then headed up to the Lighthouse and across to a (modern) monument. Then onto Kopasker. Here we tried to re-fuel but discovered the system was down, so we headed south onto Asbyrgi where we fuelled up and checked out the horse-shoe shaped depression/canyon near the campsite where Ollie and Serge were to spend the night. Given the canyon’s horseshoe shape, legend has it that Odin’s eight-legged steed, Sleipnir, placed one of his feet on the ground here, leaving a deep imprint on the earth, as it sprinted across the sky.
Here we left Ollie and Serge and the three bikes continues South along the F862 to Dettifoss and Selfoss.  The road was mostly gravel but in good condition, single track which made passing cars in the opposite direction challenging, at one stage I hit the bank at the side of the track, no damage, no falls.  Although, I was starting to question our wisdom when the rains came.  It took us about an hour to reach Dettifoss, a distance of around 36 km.
I'd been here previously but was just as impressive as I'd remembered.
From the falls we continued South (on Asphalt) to the 1 and west to Myvatn. We stopped briefly at the hot pots (Namafjall) where we will meet with Ollie & Inigo tomorrow at 1100 hours. Scott and I continued up the 87 (North from Myvatn) to our campsite which is approx. 20 km South of Husavik.  Inigo continued onto his hotel in Laugar.  The camp was in Heitharbaer, in a valley, not overly-exposed, green, sunny with a pool and hot tub.  We set-up camp, headed into the restaurant and had a burger/sub reindeer (of course) and a couple of beers.  While the football was on the beers were cheap(er) so we had a few. Then we hit the pool and hot tub, did our washing. Coincidentally, we met a german (Saarbrücken) couple from the ferry  along with Herman (Dr.).  It is indeed a small island.

valley, what valley?

there was snow, Scott was excited

waiting for the guys

breakdance at your own risk 

night two, or was it morning?