10.06.24 Blönduos-Stadarskali(-Bifröst)

In many ways this should have been a good day. Starting cloudy, but gradually clearing and blue sky from midday. Little wind to start with, then somewhat increasing, but tailwind most of the time. Still chilly in the wind, but much better than before. 

However, my left knee has been troubling me for a while, in fact already before Egilsstadir. And it did not get better with three days rest either. It does not hurt, unless I cycle 😢. It has gotten a little worse each day, and today I really hurts to cycle. So unfortunately I think I have to give up. Frustrating, knees have never bothered me before. Combination of cold and long hard stretches against the wind? Or just getting too old for this? End of my tour cycling career? The future will show. 

Almost all the way the route goes through agricultural areas. It seems to be 90% horses, and some sheep. Haven't seen a single cow on this side. Horses is big business here, they're also exporting my host told me. 

In the middle of the day, I joined a meeting with Norway's most beloved agency, ACER. 

The final part goes along the large Hruta fjord. 

Looks nice (and is nice), but pretty cold in the wind

There is not so much on offer here in Stadarskali. I called Fagrabrekka Guesthouse, it was full, but I was kindly offered a spare room in the barn. Intended to go for that, but then found out that the next stretch is a mountain pass of 400m, which will be too hard for my knee. So decided to take the bus to Bifröst, 40km further south, this evening. So now waiting for the bus in large petrol station (with food). 

Referring to my remark from yesterday: there is a Tesla charger here. And another charger also

Not fully decided, but I think the trip ends here with 950km, less than I intended, unfortunately. Probably take a bus to Reykjavik tomorrow and then try to get an earlier plane. 

Not a hard stretch, but still quite a lot up and down. Total ascent the same as yesterday with the mountain passes

Statistics:

83 km, total time 8:00, active time 4:55 which gives a moving average of 16.9km/h. Total ascent 550m.

Update: coming to Bifröst turned out to become challenging. I waited for the bus well in time, but it never came. After 1/2 hour I asked, and it appeared it departed not where the sign was, but somewhere else. How can one possibly know? And what to do at 20:45 with a hotel booked in Bifröst?

Only solution is hiking. With bike&all. One car passing every 5 minutes. But yes - one stopped and took me to Bifröst. Very kind.