RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
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gbags
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Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
Thanks man (thumbs) It's actually quite nice going back through it all and remembering bits we'd forgotten! Looking forward to getting onto some of the middle-eastern countries which were a while back now.
Back to Iceland...
With the bikes looking a little battered we got up early, loaded them in the truck and headed west towards Holmavik.
We spent the whole day driving before reachin the little fishing down and checking out the witchcraft museum! (The legend of the necropants is that if you stole the lower skin from a wizard and wore it as your pants you would receive silver coins from the scrotum!) :p
The next morning we got up early and snacked in the car before heading off inland towards a long mountain top road which was officially closed!
We took the sign at the start of the track as a challenge ...and set off into the mountains!
Until the road started to look like this!
...
...Few more pics to get off the memory cards, but next up we tackle the gulleys and end up way up above the snow line as night falls!
Back to Iceland...
With the bikes looking a little battered we got up early, loaded them in the truck and headed west towards Holmavik.
We spent the whole day driving before reachin the little fishing down and checking out the witchcraft museum! (The legend of the necropants is that if you stole the lower skin from a wizard and wore it as your pants you would receive silver coins from the scrotum!) :p
The next morning we got up early and snacked in the car before heading off inland towards a long mountain top road which was officially closed!
We took the sign at the start of the track as a challenge ...and set off into the mountains!
Until the road started to look like this!
...
...Few more pics to get off the memory cards, but next up we tackle the gulleys and end up way up above the snow line as night falls!
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
So about 4 miles along this track we come to understand why the road is marked as impassable. The track is criss-crossed with gulleys and flowing water, some small and rideable, some 6ft deep and littered with rocks. We spent the next couple of hours riding through and over these holes in the road!
Some were bigger than others and required us to do some spadework and ease the bikes down by hand...
Others were steep and dusty, Nyx lost her footing on this one and ripped off her precision engineered skidplate! :p
But eventually the road started to even out and we were able to have a rest and look back on what we'd ridden along!
So, it had taken us around 3hrs to cover 8 miles of track, at this point it was 3pm and starting to get cold but we agreed to push on and go over the mountain instead of back the way we came! We kept climbing and ended up above the snowline surrounded by glacier pools and thick patches of deep snow.
Another 3 or so miles of coaxing the bikes through snow and ice started to really knacker us!
We kept pushing on but by now it was starting to get genuinely cold, I checked the map and the trail was 12 miles back or 16 miles onwards, we had started at 11am and it was now 6pm...we had no camping gear, no food and not much water, so it was at this point we made the call to detour south and follow the mountains back towards camp. As this RR goes on we get much better at this sort of stuff/route planning etc, but we had gone up this path fairly unprepared and the weather can change pretty quickly up in the mountains. This was still our first proper trip together and trails like this were 100% a learning experience...don't understimate how slow offroading can be/ always carry more water and trailmix!
We were lucky and the detour took us through some incredible ice pools and snow covered rivers, one of which I managed to lodge the drz in! This is also where I dropped my camera in the same river...so the pics take a hit for the next few days!
....
Next up, Iceland throws rain and fog at us in the valleys below Kleifar!
Some were bigger than others and required us to do some spadework and ease the bikes down by hand...
Others were steep and dusty, Nyx lost her footing on this one and ripped off her precision engineered skidplate! :p
But eventually the road started to even out and we were able to have a rest and look back on what we'd ridden along!
So, it had taken us around 3hrs to cover 8 miles of track, at this point it was 3pm and starting to get cold but we agreed to push on and go over the mountain instead of back the way we came! We kept climbing and ended up above the snowline surrounded by glacier pools and thick patches of deep snow.
Another 3 or so miles of coaxing the bikes through snow and ice started to really knacker us!
We kept pushing on but by now it was starting to get genuinely cold, I checked the map and the trail was 12 miles back or 16 miles onwards, we had started at 11am and it was now 6pm...we had no camping gear, no food and not much water, so it was at this point we made the call to detour south and follow the mountains back towards camp. As this RR goes on we get much better at this sort of stuff/route planning etc, but we had gone up this path fairly unprepared and the weather can change pretty quickly up in the mountains. This was still our first proper trip together and trails like this were 100% a learning experience...don't understimate how slow offroading can be/ always carry more water and trailmix!
We were lucky and the detour took us through some incredible ice pools and snow covered rivers, one of which I managed to lodge the drz in! This is also where I dropped my camera in the same river...so the pics take a hit for the next few days!
....
Next up, Iceland throws rain and fog at us in the valleys below Kleifar!
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Tonibe63
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Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
Epic, I think you're nuts but fair play B) (thumbs)
Open your eyes and you see what is in front of you, open your mind and you see a bigger picture but open your heart and you see a whole new World.
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
Thanks (thumbs) ...I gotta say, there have been a few moments where I've thought "wait! what are we doing!" but generally the views/trails etc you get to see/ride at the top of mountains etc are worth the legwork...I do sometimes wish we were on freerides or montesas though! :laugh:Tonibe63 wrote:Epic, I think you're nuts but fair play B) (thumbs)
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
So after the long trip up the mountains we decided to keep it simple and explore the lakes nearby today.
No one-stop-shop at the petrol stations here!
hmy:
Today started out nicely with a long gravel track into the hills, weather was on our side too.
But it got progressively cloudier as we climbed towards the lakes...
Eventually we sucked it up, decided today was going to be a wet day and continued north passing some incredible waterfalls/lakes on the way!
The heavy rain meant that a lot of the mountain tracks had streams of water flowing across them...at this point we were already soaked through so no bother!
Eventually the rain got so heavy that it felt like hail...so we shacked up next to a little church in the hills and grabbed the emergency tomato soup!
Then it was a very cold ride back to town where we found a dude with a prepped x challenge and other cool offroad toys!
We opted to spend our first night in a hotel...our kit was soaked at this point and we were freezing...time to crank the radiator up to 11!
Next we decided to head to Reykjavik and have a day off and get some decent food/drink inside us!
If you go to Iceland...check out the flea market down near the docks...like a giant car boot sale, but best of all you can buy the weird burried shark meat stuff for a few quid in little taster jars...so if you want to eat what tastes like damp blue cheese with the texture of pork...this is the place to be! :p
After a fun evening in the capital we headed east...towards Eyjafjallajökull and set-up camp on the side of the road!
...
Next up...we meet up with some locals and head into the hills!
No one-stop-shop at the petrol stations here!
hmy: 
Today started out nicely with a long gravel track into the hills, weather was on our side too.
But it got progressively cloudier as we climbed towards the lakes...
Eventually we sucked it up, decided today was going to be a wet day and continued north passing some incredible waterfalls/lakes on the way!
The heavy rain meant that a lot of the mountain tracks had streams of water flowing across them...at this point we were already soaked through so no bother!
Eventually the rain got so heavy that it felt like hail...so we shacked up next to a little church in the hills and grabbed the emergency tomato soup!
Then it was a very cold ride back to town where we found a dude with a prepped x challenge and other cool offroad toys!
We opted to spend our first night in a hotel...our kit was soaked at this point and we were freezing...time to crank the radiator up to 11!
Next we decided to head to Reykjavik and have a day off and get some decent food/drink inside us!
If you go to Iceland...check out the flea market down near the docks...like a giant car boot sale, but best of all you can buy the weird burried shark meat stuff for a few quid in little taster jars...so if you want to eat what tastes like damp blue cheese with the texture of pork...this is the place to be! :p
After a fun evening in the capital we headed east...towards Eyjafjallajökull and set-up camp on the side of the road!
...
Next up...we meet up with some locals and head into the hills!
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
So every once in a while you find an amazing looking road on the maps, you ride a few hours to find it and someone has gone and put a sign on it saying "closed"...no bother, bikes are light and slidey!
So we set of through the puddles...the plan for today is to check out a huge rock up in the mountains, the story is that no-one knows how it got there but it's the size of a small house and surrounded by snow!
We found ourselves riding miles up the side of a mountain on volcanic f-roads...really shifty/annoying terrain...you start to feel like the bike is flowing and then you hit a little chunk of rock and it crumbles or shifts and throws you off to the side...
But it started to even out and the ground/landscape became more and more red and sandy!
We pushed on until we hit the snowline...the snow in the south of the island was much softer than the north, almost slushy and much harder to ride on.
The XR had brand new AC10 tyres before we left and had coped well on the hard-pack northern snow...but on the wet snow down here it just dug holes!
But we kept at it and found ourself riding futher and further into the interior of the island...no signs of towns or tracks for miles around!
We stopped for some lunch and out of the complete silence we heard the braapp of a 2 stroke, then a few seconds later the sound of several more bikes...turns out the locals don't pay much attention to the signs!
They also don't come as well prepared as the tourists...after a quick chat and some advice about riding on the snow, they asked if I had any glue! One of their grips had come loose and they were holding it on with a zip tie...luckily we had gaffer tape and superglue on the back of the drz!
And so with grips glued in place, they headed off into the mountains!
Until 5 mins later this quad limped back...he had hit a rock, dented his wheel rim and returned to us to see if we had a pump or some sealant, I chucked him our handpump and he was on his way!
Cas also patched up her skid-plate...again!
Using our new found snow riding skills (and following the tracks made by the mx bikes) we cleared the snow and started to cross the 15 or so miles of sandy plain between the peaks!
And there it was...the giant boulder in the middle of nowhere, I hopped off the bike and climbed to the top...the view gives you a pretty good idea of just how empty the interior is (and how much you don't want a dented wheel rim on your quad!)
We headed south again and made our way back towards civilisation...by this point we were pretty knackered and the road down was made up of similar volcanic rocks, not the easiest surface to ride downhill when you're already tired and cold!
But worth it for the views!
So we set of through the puddles...the plan for today is to check out a huge rock up in the mountains, the story is that no-one knows how it got there but it's the size of a small house and surrounded by snow!
We found ourselves riding miles up the side of a mountain on volcanic f-roads...really shifty/annoying terrain...you start to feel like the bike is flowing and then you hit a little chunk of rock and it crumbles or shifts and throws you off to the side...
But it started to even out and the ground/landscape became more and more red and sandy!
We pushed on until we hit the snowline...the snow in the south of the island was much softer than the north, almost slushy and much harder to ride on.
The XR had brand new AC10 tyres before we left and had coped well on the hard-pack northern snow...but on the wet snow down here it just dug holes!
But we kept at it and found ourself riding futher and further into the interior of the island...no signs of towns or tracks for miles around!
We stopped for some lunch and out of the complete silence we heard the braapp of a 2 stroke, then a few seconds later the sound of several more bikes...turns out the locals don't pay much attention to the signs!
They also don't come as well prepared as the tourists...after a quick chat and some advice about riding on the snow, they asked if I had any glue! One of their grips had come loose and they were holding it on with a zip tie...luckily we had gaffer tape and superglue on the back of the drz!
And so with grips glued in place, they headed off into the mountains!
Until 5 mins later this quad limped back...he had hit a rock, dented his wheel rim and returned to us to see if we had a pump or some sealant, I chucked him our handpump and he was on his way!
Cas also patched up her skid-plate...again!
Using our new found snow riding skills (and following the tracks made by the mx bikes) we cleared the snow and started to cross the 15 or so miles of sandy plain between the peaks!
And there it was...the giant boulder in the middle of nowhere, I hopped off the bike and climbed to the top...the view gives you a pretty good idea of just how empty the interior is (and how much you don't want a dented wheel rim on your quad!)
We headed south again and made our way back towards civilisation...by this point we were pretty knackered and the road down was made up of similar volcanic rocks, not the easiest surface to ride downhill when you're already tired and cold!
But worth it for the views!
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
Excellent stuff, very inspiring (thumbs)
Maybe get to ride Iceland in the near future. B)
Its on my bucket list :woohoo:
Maybe get to ride Iceland in the near future. B)
Its on my bucket list :woohoo:
If I'm not online.............
I'm probably out on the Bat Bike
Gelande/Strasse R1200Gsa Triple Black
I'm probably out on the Bat Bike
Gelande/Strasse R1200Gsa Triple Black
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
After a pretty knackering day riding in the snow, we opted to be touristy and checkout the waterfalls and hot pools!
The Car Park at the waterfall was full of jacked up trucks and campers...
After getting soaked, we headed up towards the volcanic hot pools and met these guys en route!
I really recommend the hot pools if you've spent a couple of weeks on the bikes, like a giant bath full of friendly people...take a few cans of beer and sit there until night falls! B)
Next up...some serious river crossings! B)
The Car Park at the waterfall was full of jacked up trucks and campers...
After getting soaked, we headed up towards the volcanic hot pools and met these guys en route!
I really recommend the hot pools if you've spent a couple of weeks on the bikes, like a giant bath full of friendly people...take a few cans of beer and sit there until night falls! B)
Next up...some serious river crossings! B)
Re: RTW in dribs and drabs - off-road Ride Report - Iceland, Iraqi border, Korean DMZ, Alaska + beyond!
So with our trip to Iceland nearing an end, we decided to head into the interior once more and see if we could spot a Glacier from the bikes...it had rained pretty heavily in the south of the Island the week before we got down there and the rivers were flowing fairly heavily...so it wasn't unusual to see stuff like this as we headed inland!
The day started with some fairly light water crossings and we had nearly 90 miles to cover so we didn't take many pics and kept the throttles open...
We stopped for a snack and got passed by the local bus...
The driver warned us to follow him to the next town and that the glacier route was for 4x4's only...but we figured we'd keep going and see how things went.
Occasionally we'd get a thumbs up from a passing tour landie/truck...
Eventually we stopped to check the GPS and found ourselves around 60 miles into the interior, by now it was 3pm and our boots and socks were getting wet...but we'd been forced to turn back once so far on this trip, and agreed to keep going until we saw some Ice!
The water got deeper and faster, some sections were up to the seats, others were shallower but strewn with boulders and fast flowing water...the little bikes did really well, only once did we have a scary moment when the drz stalled in a very deep bit of river crossing...the biggest thing you notice is just how ice cold the water out here is...you could practically feel your legs freezing up as you stood in it.
We reached a couple of final big crossings and then the scenery started to get green again!
After chugging through a few more pools of water, the temperature started to improve and we found somewhere to pitch our tent for the night...
Can just about make out the Glacier from our camping spot!
...
Tomorrow we start the process of heading home and get up close and personal with the glacier ice!
The day started with some fairly light water crossings and we had nearly 90 miles to cover so we didn't take many pics and kept the throttles open...
We stopped for a snack and got passed by the local bus...
The driver warned us to follow him to the next town and that the glacier route was for 4x4's only...but we figured we'd keep going and see how things went.
Occasionally we'd get a thumbs up from a passing tour landie/truck...
Eventually we stopped to check the GPS and found ourselves around 60 miles into the interior, by now it was 3pm and our boots and socks were getting wet...but we'd been forced to turn back once so far on this trip, and agreed to keep going until we saw some Ice!
The water got deeper and faster, some sections were up to the seats, others were shallower but strewn with boulders and fast flowing water...the little bikes did really well, only once did we have a scary moment when the drz stalled in a very deep bit of river crossing...the biggest thing you notice is just how ice cold the water out here is...you could practically feel your legs freezing up as you stood in it.
We reached a couple of final big crossings and then the scenery started to get green again!
After chugging through a few more pools of water, the temperature started to improve and we found somewhere to pitch our tent for the night...
Can just about make out the Glacier from our camping spot!
...
Tomorrow we start the process of heading home and get up close and personal with the glacier ice!
