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Grindavik, Iceland July
24
I rode down the coast
from Keflavik, past the Reykanes Lighthouse and across the large lava field.
Grindavik lies on Iceland's south coast. It is one of two towns on
the south coast with a good harbor. The campground is inside of a
rectangular wind bunker and is free. In the evening the women's semi-final
for the Icelandic Cup (football) was held next to the campground.
Grindavik played the reigning chamions, Breiðablik. It was a
one sided match with Breiðablik winning 5-1, but it was still some
of the best football that I've seen and I stayed for the whole match inspite
of the cold and bitter wind. The next day was sunny, but cool and
windy. Fortunately the wind was not in my face, but blew gusting
from the north, making for an awkward ride with a fully loaded bike.
I stopped at the Krysuvik Church, but didn't ride over to the famous steam
vent (saw it last time). Some of the road in this stretch was pretty
bad, being badly washboarded and loose gravel for several kilometers at
a strech. About 15 km from Hveragerði the road is paved.
It was only 77 km, but I was pretty tired by days end. the Hveragerði
campground was in the schoolyard, nothing to write home about, but free.
I treated myself to a big pizza (Icelanders like pizza) and beer. |
Grindavik to Hveragerði,
July 25
Second night, Hveragerði,
home to 40% of Icelands greenhouses. The town sits on a very active
thermal area and taps into the ground water to heat the greenhouse, their
homes and their excellent swimming pool. I met Bob, an artist and
art instructor from Florida, who was just finishing a 4 week solo bike
tour. He was dead dog tired as the same wind that had been blasting
me from the side had been blasting him in the face, and he had been riding
for 12 hours. Bob had also made a wrong turn worth 4 to 5 hours. He was
a HAPPY camper.
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Hveragerði
to Hvolsvollur,
July 26
Bob and I took in the pool the
next morning (a good way to start the day, as well as a good way to finish
the day). Hveragerði's pool has a large swimming pool, 2 hot
tubs (38C and 40C) and a natural steam room. The hottest tub also had a
big unlabeled yellow machine mounted on the wall. It had two push
buttons, but we didn't know what it was and weren't up to experimenting.
So, this old guy gets in, and he is one of the oldest guys I have ever
seen in a swim suit. He shoots us the evil eye and goes over to the yellow
box, puts this rubber strap around his shoulders and pushes the top button.
Good thing too, 'cuz without that safety strap the old flyweight would
have been shot out of the pool like so little whale snot. The yellow
box was some kind of evil Icelandic experiment in converting outboard motors
into jacuzzis. After a minute, he shuts it off, then gives us a most
knowing look and leaves. Bob said it was the Icelandic version of the Orgasmatron
(from Woody Allen's movie, Sleeper). Of course, we both tried it
out, and that's pretty much what it was. All pain, all the way back
to childhood, was gone. Then, I got on my bike and continued east
to Hvolsvollur. The scenery from Hveragerði all the way to Eyarfjallajökull
is just like the photo to the right. It's flat farm land, mostly
grass and grazing. Unfortunately, it stayed cloudy, otherwise I think
there might have been a good view of Hekla, Iceland's most famous and most
destructive volcanoes. This is highway 1 and is paved for the next
few days worth of riding. Sweet and sour pork, an orange, some chocolate
and tea for dinner. Then a bunch of reading, Haldor Laxness's masterpiece,
Independent People. The story of a poor Icelandic farm family in
the early 20th century. The book really came alive while reading
it in Iceland. |
