There seem to be no easy days in Iceland (or I'm getting old). Well, yesterday, but that was quite short. After a climb I was aware off, the remainder of the ride was against an ice cold Northern wind. Not very hard, but you still use quite some effort to keep 12-13 km/h.
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| If you've lost track of me, this is where I'm now |
Anyway, I'm in a really nice guest house at a horse farm, 5km North of Varnahlid.
I started around 10:30, not a long ride today so no reason to start early. And the temperature also rises. There was fresh snow again in the night.
The first 11km were easy, with a light tailwind and slowly ascending. Then a hard climb up to 550m (the map says 577) to the Öxnadalsheidi. The climb was even warm, sun slightly shining through the clouds.
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| View from the top of the pass |
On the top I put on my jacket again, and then it went down-down-down. But soon the road turns more westward, and from here I got the cold Northern wind right in my face. As I also was going down I did not use much effort, I started to get quite cold. Stopped again and put on more clothes, but it remained chilly. Finally I found a place somewhat out of the wind where I could have coffee and some food and get warm again in the occasional sunny spells.
From here it was just working hard against the cold headwind. I believe it is colder on this side, as the fresh snow was still lying much lower than on the other side of the pass.
Here the road follows a broad glacier river which I believe is called Heradsvötn.
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| Snow still lying far down the mountain sides |
It seems to be a fertile valley with a lot of agriculture.
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| View down the Heradsvötn valley |
Finally arriving at the guesthouse - clearly it has been snowing here, and this is just above sea level!
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| See the remains of the snow! |
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| And finally, heitur pottur, the best of Iceland |
Statistics:
63km, total time 5:30, active time 3:54 which gives a moving average of 16.2km/h. Total ascent 380m, net descent 210m.
Plan for tomorrow is Blönduos. Intended to continue following road Nr 1, but as I now am 5km North of Varmahlid the alternative via Saudarkrödur looks more attractive on smaller roads, even if it is slightly longer and includes a very steep (but probably short) ascent.
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