Iceland: Shipped the bikes and jumped on a plane

[Grey Beard]

I've posted this elsewhere previously but you may not have seen it

<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oegeq_Qc3A8?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oegeq_Qc3A8?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>

That's a serious river crossing - I have driven through deeper water in a little hired Toyota Starlet, during a flash flood in Jamaica. Water lapping over the top of the bonnet. Don't loose your nerve, just keep going!

Is there a reason for going diagonally across the river rather than straight across? Something to do with the force of the river pushing you over if you try straight across?

Grey Beard

 

[Timolgra]

Something to do with the force of the river pushing you over if you try straight across?

........it could also be the shallowest route on this crossing.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

Some good and bad food memories from Iceland to whet your appetite

Skyr.......Flavoured yoghurt usually eaten with milk poured over it

Pylsur.....Hotdog

Hamborgarar med franskar og cocktailsosa......burger and chips with mayo

Egils appelsin.......Icelandic orange drink

Egils malt Extrakt.....Icelandic sweet malty non alcohilic beer drink

Brennvinn......Icelandic schnapps

Spodur hf Ysa or hardfiskur....Fishy crisps usually eaten with beer

Best bet is to stock up on some healthy options in the local Bonus Supermarket occaisonally as I always find that after my fifteenth or twentieth Hamborgarar I can feel my arteries clogging up a wee bit

Eating out at a restaurant can be costly especially if you have a few beers....We had a blow out after one Iceland trip in Prir Frakkar in Reykjavik and for two of us it was over £100 whereas the Dagginsret or 'daily meal' in the local cafe can be around £6 which is really good value.

FP.

 

[Malcolm Leick]

I'm hoping to make it out there in July. I have just under six weeks so I plan to take the ferry option, spend 8 days riding the interior, and then pick up my g/f from the airport. 2 weeks with her on the ring road, then another 4 days alone when she flies back. Then another 4 days in Denmark between ferries on the way home.

All the info above is useful and I also downloaded a Kindle book by Sherrie McCarthy about riding in Iceland. I have the Ferdakort 1:200,000 road atlas now so any tips on interior routes would be useful.

I will be on an F650GS twin and I'm still thinking about tyres. I'm on Tourances now which I really like. I emailed the guys at Biking Viking and they reccomended Heidenau K60s for the interior and said TKCs would be overkill. The last time I had TKCs on I wasn't impressed by the high speed weave or the rainy day grip.

As it seems to rain a lot in Iceland the latter is important for the 14 days that I will be mostly on tarmac with my g/f on the back. She is a nervous passenger and I have fitted an Autocom so that she can scream in my ears! Any other thoughts on tyres for the interior would be useful.

 

[svwphoto]

Tyres

I used TKC 80 tyres in Iceland and had no problem with them but I am not an experienced enough rider to know the difference. I decided on a well respected tyre and suitable for the job. I normally ride on Tourances and am pleased I didn't use them over there but then we were planing on as much 'off road' as possible.

If you are mainly on tarmac the Tourances should be fine. Theres not much mud but lots of hard packed gravel.

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Thanks for that. I think I'll give the Heidenau K60s a go as they seem to be a good compromise between the Tourances and the TKCs and seem to be well rated by those that have used them.

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Booked the ferry and flights today! Having looked at the ridiculous cost of the Harwich-Esjberg ferry I decided to booke the chunnel instead and will be riding to the North of Denmark to pick up the Iceland ferry. I should be in Iceland for just under a month.

 

[svwphoto]

Have fun, as I'm sure you will and beware the wind!

 

[tony glaholm]

Last year we flew to Iceland and shipped the bikes over. If any one is interested in the logistics and cost I'd be happy to share my info.

We had a great two weeks and I can't recommend it highly enough.

How did you ship the bikes

 

[The Muppet]

Could you send me the shipping company and cost as i am thinking of going in July this yr thank you

 

[Berin]

Iceland

Eimskipp is the shipping company.