Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Cycle Tours => Topic started by: strictnaturist on August 06, 2013, 03:16:57 PM
-
Hi folks, just returned from a fantastic three week trip to Iceland with the Sherpa. Took two main routes, mostly on gravel roads. From Reykjavik through the West Fjiords to Isafjordur and from the north coast down back to Reykjavik via the Kjolur road. Weather was generally brilliant, with only one rainy day and plenty of strong wind behind me.The west had incredibly steep hills with each fiord offering a different experience.Including natural hot pools beside the road to ease in to. The Kjolur route ranged from lush pastures to desert with incredible glacier views.The Sherpa was faultless,coping with the most difficult of gravel/holes/stones/sand/corrugated surface and 30 kilos of luggage. Had the great luck of getting a lift back to Reyjavik from the West Fjiords in a 1970s bush plane. Flying over the roads and hills I had travelled.
To get to Iceland. I used a cardboard box from the bike shop to get there. Easy. A shuttle bus is waiting at the airport to take you to your hotel/hostel or campsite. The bus driver even carried my bike box in to the camp site reception! The campsite charged a fee to keep the box for my return. I had doubts about taking my Trangia, but meths was pretty easy to find. The campsite in Reykjavik sold litre bottles, at about UK price.The site also had a "free to take" shelf with stuff being left by travellers returning home. Everything from fuel, toiletries, clothes, tyres, food, bits of tents etc- a fantastic idea!
Took a new set of four Carradice Super C panniers. Cannot put them in the same category unfortunately. The only rainy day (all day with high wind) soaked most of my stuff in the bags. Which part of the panniers are 100% waterproof? Two of the rear clamps broke, which meant that they would not stay locked. Not ideal for these bumpy routes. If i didn't have a bag strapped to the top of the rear rack, I would have been in trouble. Not what i was paying top pannier price for. I will look into retrofitting better locking clamps.
Looking forward to another trip there already.
Fantastic country
cheers for now
Strictnaturist......tried to post photographs, but no luck :-\
-
Sounds like a great trip Natur.. :)
Sorry to hear about the Carradice Super C's, they are on my list of future panniers to get.... :-\
-
...just returned from a fantastic three week trip to Iceland with the Sherpa...
My! What a wonderful tour you must have had!
The bike looks fantastic and ready for anything (most of which it had probably already seen by this photo -- still looking fresh and handsome, though!). So sorry to hear the Carradices didn't work to expectations but another data point is always helpful. Other hardware can be retrofitted.
I'm sorry you're having trouble posting photos. Please feel free to PM me for help, or -- if you just can't get it to work -- you're welcome to email me the piccies and I'll be glad to post them for you.
Welcome back!
All the best,
Dan.
-
Sn,
I retrofitted Arkel Cam Hooks to my super Cs - recommended.
Mine have never leaked in rainy Britain, maybe yours leaked on the first wetting before the cotton weave tightened up.
Have they leaked again?
You can get tins of Carradice wax to increase the proofing of the canvas.
julk.
-
Hi Julk, it did actually only rain the once. Very heavy with an all day wind. Puddles in each shoe kinda day! So maybe that was the bed - in.
The Arkel hooks retro fit does seem an answer. Well priced and they suggest fitting these to other panniers.
Hoping to get a couple of my photos of the trip up soon. Which include a shot of some Icelandic bike jewellery my Sherpa received. ;)
-
Hope you don't mind these photos coming at you one in each post :-\ Would they be too small all in one message?
cheers
SN
Getting a lift back to Reykjavik in a 1970s 185 Sky Wagon.
-
The road south past Kjolur
-
Oh, nice job! This came through very well indeed!
I got a ride with my touring bike in the San Juan Islands in a nearly identical Cessna 204 Skywagon in 1980! Did you have to help remove the back seats to fit the bike and gear?
Can't wait to see more...
All the best,
Dan.
-
Another sea level to 2500 foot West FJiord pass. What a beautiful place!
-
WOW!!! :o ;D
Please, Sir, we want more...
Best,
Dan.
-
Some Icelandic bike jewellery. Wife was jealous ;)
-
Wife was jealous
No wonder! Makes a terrific head badge!
Ho were the roads to ride? Terribly rough, or did the Sherpa's tires handle them pretty well?
Best,
Dan. (...who thinks this keepsake will be a touchstone to happy trip-memories for years to come!)
-
Another look at the road south past Kjolur. Luckily I had the 60 mile per hour wind behind me!
-
The West. Sherpa country.
Hi Dan,
The roads (tracks) went from being well made farm track quality to very rough,pot holed, gravel covered and corrugated in surface. The Sherpa handled very well , amazing in fact, considering it was days of constant battering and bouncing. Thud, thud, thud etc. With the strong tail wind behind me, I had my hands on the brakes all day, dodging the holes and gravel piles at top speed. A German motor cyclist rode up along side me at one pint and commented on how I was good at finding the best way along the route and that he has followed my tracks all day. He chatted a bit more, headed off, then skidded off at the next bend. Unhurt, I am glad to say. But what a beast to try and pick up. Luckily he had a friend not fat behind to help. In the West Fjiords, I was almost knocked off my bike by an attack of the Arctic Terns cycling past a nesting beach, tapping my helmet and flying at my face. wow! I heard a few days later that this had happened to another cyclist who got one of the terns stuck in the webbing of his helmet, which was highly alarming.Having your head slapped about as it tried to free itself.
The trip in the Skywagon was amazing. I didn't realise how small these things are. The bike just fitted in with wheels and seat off. A real treat getting to go up.
al the best
SN
-
Another look at the road south past Kjolur. Luckily I had the 60 mile per hour wind behind me!
That photo reminds me of riding the Oodnadatta Track in outback South Australia, riding over the Mt Dutton Range. But that was real desert country, land with as little as 65mm of rainfall annually. I'd guess Iceland is a touch different, even in their 'desert' lands.
-
Do you plan to post a trip report or summary or itinerary or or map of your route or anything like that somewhere?
Were there any guides or guidebooks you found helpful?
Now much of your trip was camping an how much in hotels/hostels?
-
Hi, thanks for your message. I will be limited to text I am afraid
I camped for the three weeks I was In Iceland.I cycled two routes.The first up to the north west point of the Western Fjiords, then south from the north coast down across the interior ( highland ) route number 35 , back to Reykjavik. Both took 8 days , with visits/detours to look at cliffs/visit people etc. Of the 16 days cycling, at least 10 would be on gravel roads. The West Fjiords were stunning, very quite roads , only meeting two other cyclists in the 8 days. I took the bus from Reykjavik up to the north coast to reach the route 35 across the interior which saw more traffic as it as road only open for about three months and offers both visitors and Icelandic a view of the incredible desert landscape between the two glaciers. This , I believe is the only north / south route that has bridges over the rivers. As the rivers were high this year, a safer route for lone cyclists. I took the "Rough Guide" book to Iceland that my son gave me. Useful, but as it was written from the perspective of someone in a car.The "shortly you will pass" bits, sometimes took two and a half days to reach! :D
Only one day of rain, and the strong wind, when it came, was behind me, offering motorcycle speeds across the highlands. I was advised that the wind in the interior tends to blow from the north.
Almost every second day I passed a natural hot pool that I was able to dip in to, fantastic for the cycling legs ( and bum) The most beautiful right down at the rocks at the coastline in amongst the seaweed. Like getting in to a deep hot rock pool for an hour mmmm
. If anyone who is heading up these routes wants any more info, please do not hesitate to get back here. I am definitely fitter than before I went.Some of the hills in the Westfjiords are incredibly steep and high.Most going from sea level to 2000/2500 ft passes. Most days I though that I would not make it on the bike (with 30 kilos of luggage) but crossed every one, with a huge grin.
cxheers for now SN
-
Thanks for the summary.