A little trip across Iceland

[Magnus]

I thought I'd share with you all a little trip - actually two trips - across the Icelandic Highlands.  

I was originally planning to ride north, as far as I could and then back south to Reykjavik, but I had a bit of a slip on my second day.  I managed to bang my ankle on a big rock and it swelled up enough to making wearing my boots uncomfortable.  So, instead of riding across the highlands I took a service road, that follows a large powerline, and spent a day or so bouncing up and down over large rocks and wading across several rivers.  A few days later, when my ankle didn't hurt too much anymore, I took the bus north to the largest town in that part of the country, Akureyri, and rode south over the highlands.  The trip took five days and showed me parts of the country I live in that I had never seen before.

First trip:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150263556849389.330677.597284388&l=d7251409e6&type=1

Second trip:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150263564379389.330687.597284388&l=f5a704c00b&type=1


The bike, as you can see, is a Thorn Raven Tour, with Thorn rear racks and low loaders, Ortlieb panniers and handlebar bag.  I used Schwalbe Marathon Extreme 2.25 - I would recommend something like those for that kind of terrain.  The bike performed perfectly - it's just my legs that weren't up to some portions of the route.  


Magnus Thor
Iceland

[energyman]

Magic - Thanks for the photos.

[strictnaturist]

What a fantastic trip! One I dream of. There is nothing better on this forum than hearing/seeing of thorn owners expeditions in to the the world. Thats why we by these bikes. They are dream machines.
Enjoy the last of the summer.
Strictnaturist 

[jags]

great pic's that looks like a tough tour fair play to you guys .

[Hamish]

That looks like perfect cycling country.  I would love to tour in Iceland. 

Didn't you used to have a Catalyst?  I recently changed my Catalyst for a RT almost exactly the same as yours.  I like the Raven Tour can't work out which I prefer

[steveb]

Magnus,
Very interesting trip. Been to Iceland a number of times but never with the bike. Have you got any more details on the route you took. The photos are wonderful but don't help with route planning !

Steve

[benstevens]

Photos look magic.  Are there many flying insects that bite in Iceland (I'm imagining Scottish midges that can take the special edge of a landscape like that)?

[Magnus]

Hamish:  I had a Catalyst, but it developed a crack in the right seatstay and I had it replaced under warranty  (have to love a lifetime warranty!)

staveb:  I took a bus north, to a town called Akureyri, and basically rode straight south from there.  Right across the highlands and back to Reykjavik.  I was originally planing to spend two weeks up there, riding North from Reykjavik and then basically taking whatever paths I could find up there in the highlands.  Unfortunately I slipped and banged my ankle on my second day - got a swelling the size of a tennis ball - so I had to cut the trip a bit short.  I stayed home for a few days, recovering, and then set out again.  One thing I discovered on that trip is that butterfly bars don't give you enough leverage to negotiate really rough ground, especially downhill when you have to keep your hands on the brakes.

Magnus Thor
Iceland

[energyman]

Magnus,
Do you have midges in Iceland ?
Love the photos
Chris

[pedalende73]

Nice photos, great hobby!

[farmer palmer]

Great photos.........!

Just booked flights to Iceland(my eighth trip there) so it'll be two weeks riding my Thorn Sherpa around the ringroad in late may.......Last time 2010 I had a rough time around Eyjafjallajokull between Skogar and Vik and rode the Golden Circle, Hvalfjordur and Vestmannaeyjar and had a great time apart from the ash.

Last years flight was cancelled due to the Grimsvotn eruption so I hopped on the ferry to Europe instead.....!

Can't wait to get back to Iceland again on my Thorn

FP.