Iceland revisited for unfinished business.

[Timolgra]

Þingeyri is a lovely town with a cafe run by pretty Belgian girls

Ange gets some air on her painful knee.
It's been quite a day for her!!
She's been freezing cold, scared to death, crashed her bike in a remote place and is in some pain ... plus she's seen some amazing sights.

Bare in mind this isn't one of my ruffty tuffty boy's bike trips, this is her annual holiday from a high pressure job, also to celebrate her 50th birthday... so I take my hat off to her (she hates my hat anyway)

We celebrate with tea, coffee and waffles

Then a Moroccan tajine in Iceland, made by Belgian girls which was far better than I'd ever had during my dozen or so trips to Morocco!!

Then a walk around this lovely small town

The weather window was set fair for the following day and what I'd really been looking forward to, so just hope Ange was up for it .................... she was!!

AND she was to see an Arctic Fox which I didn't so she kept reminding me

What I didn't mention to her was this route is reckoned to be among the most dangerous in the world

 

[ButtonMoon]

This is brilliant ! what a beautiful place !! great pics.

You do know that with this RR you're going to be responsible for an increase in bikers visiting Iceland !!!

I WANT TO GO !!!!

 

[Timolgra]

I WANT TO GO !!!!

You will!!

 

[Timolgra]

So then, a bit about this route.

Most of it was made by one man, his son and an old bulldozer nicknamed 'Teaspoon', such was the enormous task for such a small machine.

I couldn't find much info about the construction even in the town's visitor centre so most of what I do know was from talking with local people.

I had wanted to wild camp on the north side and run round clockwise from there but what with previous Ange's tumble and catching the right weather I opted to camp in the town then go back over the pass in the morning to start from there and finish back in town, this also meant we didn't have to have our bikes fully loaded.

The following is copied from the Dangerous Roads site.
http://http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/iceland/4302-route-622.html

Route 622 is one of the most dangerous road in the world. It’s located in the Westfjords, a large peninsula in northwestern Iceland. The trail is extreme, just for 4x4. Some say it´s the most terrifying road in the country.

The road, also known as Svalvogur road, is 22km long.
It links Þingeyri and Lokinhamrar, going along the Dýrafjördur and Arnarfjördur fjords. To drive on this trail you would be needing a 4WD with high ground clearance. Rough gravel, and even mud, and you have to go on low tide on the south part of it.

After rain, even a single rainfall, conditions of the road can be challenging. Adverse weather conditions can prompt closure of the road. Thunderstorm activity can quickly change unpaved roads to impassable. The most low lying parts of the route are usually washed away in winter storms and it is only open from spring through to the first storm.

Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime and can sometimes block some sections of the road, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice. Not many people go this remote and truly impressive road, and you should ask in the gas station at Þingeyri if the road is open. It closes every Winter due to landslides and falling rocks.

If you dare to take the risk and travel along this bumpy route, then make sure to be driven by someone who has experience of the road. The trail is a highly recommended 4WD route. It’s pretty narrow, with overhanging rocks in places, and right on the edge in other, and you have to make sure you drive some parts of it on low tide. In many places this road is nothing more than a very rocky and narrow track.

It’s a real challenging road and a true test of your vehicle and your stamina because the road abounds in twists and turns with wheels sometimes hanging above the precipice. It’s an insanely beautiful route to take with the road carved into and under cliffs and great mountain view all the way.

So you can see it's important for me to only take Ange around in perfect conditions and with her waking up in a good head space. It's all so very different for us blokes who would just breeze around it

 

[ButtonMoon]

don't stop now !!!

 

[Timolgra]

Yup, the weather's right and I'd got Ange in the right head space ..... just hope it didn't keep our neighbours awake

Back over the top to the start where yes, there were perfect wild camp spots we pass them by and come to the first stream......

Ange gets off her bike turns and smiles before walking across the f'kin bridge ..... women!

And so ......

Strangely there appears to be a pattern emerging.....

Eventually, enough's enough and she'll have to ride across the small streams.

We press on, the track's easy and in good condition.

Don't worry I spotted her and had words about her technique ...... again

 

[Pumpy]

Bare in mind this isn't one of my ruffty tuffty boy's bike trips, this is her annual holiday from a high pressure job, also to celebrate her 50th birthday...

Wow - and Ange still took you on this trip! You are a lucky man, Tim...

And as for -

Don't worry I spotted her and had words about her technique ...... again

- Ange's technique has vastly improved - she didn't come off the whole of last weekend, and I took the girls on some pretty gnarly stuff in Wiltshire. Well impressed!


Apart from your cheeky narrative, your photos are brilliant and I agree with ButtonMoon, you will be responsible for an increase of biking tourists heading for this breathtakingly beautiful country.

Looking forward to your next instalment.

 

[Timolgra]

The only building along here and what a place, what a view!

 

[Timolgra]

The track drops down onto the beach and looks vastly improved from any previous photos I'd found, perhaps with an increase in use someone maintains it after the winter.

Ange heads off while I faff around with my camera.

I was having trouble getting the right photo shooting into the shade and sun I think HDR helped a little but this was from my phone.

Stopping to take it all in.

Then fortunately for Ange she heads off without me for her Artic Fox encounter

 

[Timolgra]

After a while I catch her up, she's so excited ..... "I've just seen an Arctic Fox" she says (several times), "Did you see it?"
Knowing full well I hadn't.

I was later to be reminded of this several times a day, "I don't need to visit the Arctic Fox Centre, you might as you haven't seen one" etc. etc.

Secretly I was really pleased she'd seen it and I hadn't

This was her telling me (for the first time).

And of course, her proof

 

[Jonno58]

very captivating thread this!!

 

[Timolgra]

Wow - and Ange still took you on this trip! You are a lucky man, Tim...

And as for -

- Ange's technique has vastly improved - she didn't come off the whole of last weekend, and I took the girls on some pretty gnarly stuff in Wiltshire. Well impressed!


Apart from your cheeky narrative, your photos are brilliant and I agree with ButtonMoon, you will be responsible for an increase of biking tourists heading for this breathtakingly beautiful country.

Looking forward to your next instalment.

Not sure if I've just been chastised or congratulated so thanks/sorry
Yes, I know I'm a lucky man...... Ange frequently reminds me of that and yes she felt she'd ridden well last weekend

 

[MikeO]

Front page stuff

 

[Timolgra]

Time for a lunch break

And enjoy the view across Arnarfjordur.

A little further on and we're right at the end of the peninsular and it seems whoever painted the small lighthouse was a KTM fan.

Heading back toward Pingeyri along the north side was potentially the most dangerous bit, although my photo doesn't do it justice at all.
In poor weather this would be very slippy it was wet and muddy in places but I think it would be the wind that could cause real problems here in poor weather.

When it does blow, it seems to come from nowhere, hit you like a ton of bricks, stop then hit you from the other side.
Today and here was fine, Ange had raced ahead while I was fiddling with my GoPro

We get back to town, I have a cold beer and send the woman off for provisions (Pumpy )

That evening I was sorely tempted to blast round it the other way again but the mountain above Pingeyri was calling me ...........

 

[Timolgra]

Of course it doesn't go dark at this time of year so head out for an evening ride to have a look around.

When I got to the top I met up with a Belgian guy from our campsite who was there cycling and walking, together we scanned the valleys through his binoculars looking for a track which would cut right across the peninsular.

Time for a few photos before going back to my tea making duties.

As you can see, it was a stunning place to be on an evening like this.

K'in brilliant place

 

[fritz]

Loving this - bringing back many happy memories -I suspect though the weather looks lovely it was effin cold

Definately a place worth the effort of getting too, following with heightened interest

 

[sagalout]

Looks stunning! Cant wait for our trip next week, although we won't be able to go so much off the beaten path being two up on a hire bike - no F roads for us

Your pics are making me want to buy a better camera in advance!

 

[Timolgra]

Looks stunning! Cant wait for our trip next week, although we won't be able to go so much off the beaten path being two up on a hire bike - no F roads for us

Your pics are making me want to buy a better camera in advance!

Many of the pics are with a standard old iPhone 4...... and who's going to know if you use F roads as long as you don't go drowning them?

 

[earthmover]

Hmm, getting a severe case of wanderlust reading this Tim....
Mark

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Lots of great pics. I like this one