Day 11 - Wed, 30 Aug 17:
Map of Day 11
I no longer have that wet and clammy feeling after sliding my socks into my boots! They are finally dry after three days!
It was a fairly late start because we had to wait for the camp attendant to show up so we could pay for camping. Iceland has a much more relaxed vibe that the USA - even if money is involved.
Álög, a monument by the sculptor Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir.
Brightly colored hostels look like converted military barracks.
We left Sandgerði and headed south to Miðlína. This is a bridge that is laid over two continental plates - the America plate and the Europe plate. The distance expands about a few centimeters every year.
You are here - right between continental plates.
Standing between continental tectonic plates.
There were also a lot of custom engraved locks hanging from the railings of the bridge. I didn't know putting your lock on a place you've been was a thing. Guess it is.
We also stopped at Gunnuhver Hot Springs. It's quite impressive seeing Earth's hot water boil and froth above the surface. The steam rising from the springs can be seen for miles.
Waving to other motorcyclists. Little did I know, this African Twin would be parked right next to me a week later on the ferry.
The mules parked near the beach while we enjoy a short walk and drone flight. It was here that I almost had a bird strike while flying our drone to capture some shots of the beach.
Who takes pictures of candy bars? Folks from the USA who don't see this kind of candy bar - that's who. Anyhow, it's kinda like a 100 grand with a wafer.
A bit of fun on the way to Krisuvikurberg Cliffs
The drone captured some pretty incredible views of the Krisuvikurberg Cliffs showing a deep red layer of mineral within the cliff.
Stunning!
Chantil's mule 'Chocolate' - 'White Chocolate'.
By the time we reached the town of Hveragerði the sun was shining so we enjoyed lunch at the small, but fun, city park. The sculptures were fun to interact with. After lunch we enjoyed some ice-cream from the restaurant next to the park.
For just being some well placed 4x4s it's one of my favorite sculptures.
Myri (Swamp) by Steinunni Porarinsnottur. To me this sculpture shows how we litter our lives with possession and junk instead of letting them go and floating above them.
I love how the rusty chain contrasts against the rocks.
There was also some bird house sculptures. Fun stuff.
Kerið crater lake was a bit of a tourist trap but offered a nice hike around the crater rim. I considered launching the drone to capture the view from above but the winds were too high to safely fly it.
Highway 1 towards Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss.
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss falls are just off the 1 and can be seen for miles as they cascade off the end of a large cliff. Iceland is FULL OF waterfalls. There are so many that we just pass by the lesser known ones with nothing more than a quick diversionary glance.
Seljalandsfoss captured from the Mavic drone.
A beautiful day for photography.
We decided to make it to the Skógafoss falls and camp there for the night. As we rolled into the rocky parking area I heard a POP and the clutch lever went slack. I knew almost immediately what had happened; the clutch cable from the clutch lever to the actuator broke. Unfortunately, I didn't pack a spare.
It was late so we made plans to have Chantil ride in the morning to Reykjavik where the BMW dealer will hopefully have parts or a solution. They open at 10AM and she'll plan on being there once the door opens. Meanwhile, I'll talk to bicyclists and off-roaders with the hopes that someone may have a spare cable that I may be able to make work.
Let's hope that all works out... Like all well laid-out plans...
