Iceland 2006! Who's going?

Farmer Palmer

Farmer Palmer

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Just sent the cheque off to Smyril Line for this years ferry crossing to Iceland and wondered if any other 'frozen tossers' were going! Were heading off at the end of May when it's nice and quiet! :eek:
 
Thanks Steve I must get a copy! Kind of missed out on that site!Last year we had a fantastic time in Iceland but a lot of interior roads were closed with snow and this year were better prepared with spares, contacts and a general feel for the place, even an Icelandic language course!! The country is fantastic and I'm completely blown away by the place and can't wait to get back. It's a pity its such a trek to get the bike there, still we are already in Scotland!
 
but a lot of interior roads were closed with snow
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Chris, what time of year did you go, do you know when the roads become passable. How much time did you have I am thinking about 3 to 4 weeks plus the time to get there and back so about 5 to 6 week trip.

Steve
 
I fancy going this year sometime,seems to me to be the place hardly anyone travels to at the moment,so I want to get there before the "package tour" riders get there.

I was planning on May/June time(ish)
 
I've got the book and the map... just need to get my arse in gear with the logistics.

Would love to find away to do it Friday evening to the the following Sunday.

Maybe I could find a tosser to ride my bike their and I'll get a Ryan air flight.

Any takers?
 
Hi Steve, I went there end of May and could only spend one week there! One week!!!! Due to farm commitments so a five week trip would be awesome! The main interior roads were impassable and some German friends went one week earlier and had a right job even getting out of Seydisfjordur where the ferry arrives!The ring road is OK but even then there are some dodgy gravel sections but any other 'side' road is usually gravel it can be good as in 80kph or bad as in 20kph!

Now I know a guy there with a garage.....GS?( could start a bike hire business!)
 
July through August would be the best time to go!(see Helge Pedersons Iceland DVD) When we go it's anything from 1 to 10 degrees C so not much warmer than now, even Spring hasn't sprung yet but plenty of daylight and no 'Myrs'! Campgrounds are empty and you can drive for ages without seeing a car or jeep. self sufficiency is important, there are no BM bike dealers and not even a TKC80 to be had! Clutch levers are even rarer, one wee spill!!! Help is always on hand though so you'll never be stuck but you may have to wait some time for that help to arrive! Plenty of coffee and burgers in the garages and not as dear as you'd think, and the ladies my,my are they good looking blondes or what!!!!!!
 
Hey Vern, get the ferry booked I want to see what these amazing panniers are really like! It's all Germans and Tourakit!! Time to fly the flag, actually there were only three bikes on the ferry last year all British and all BMs, the guy on the RT was nervous but not as nervous as the Icelanders riding Intruders and in one case a Hiyabusa on gravel!! The folk all live in Reykjavik or most of them and they seem to like the Harley thing when they aren't riding horses or out on the lash!
 
Campsites are far from empty in the months you mention and the roads are also busy on the main island ring road. They aso have some major piss ups on their national holidays and going head to head with a monster truck would be fatal for the GSer. The rivers on the interior roads must be respected as they are 1c in the summer and the rivers rise rapidly in the sun as the melt water flows into them off the glaciers. Almost lost the misses in one last year as she lost her footing, fell in and then went numb from the cold. Managed to grab her hair just before she drifted away from the rock she was holding. Rivers best crossed in the mornings and certainly before noon or you are proper screwed if you and the bike go under. Been there twice in the summer and it is getting busier each time I have gone. Worth the trip though but plan well in advance and book as much as you can. They are limiting more and more of the off road trails in the interior due to damage from 4x4 etc. Pick the dates well and get to Psorsmorsk and Landmanualaugar if you can.
ANDY
 
Hi Andy, What time did you go in the summer? Gullfoss and Geysir were the worst for us as far as tourist trappings, expensive too! I loved Dettifoss and Yokulsarlon glacier lake was amazing but we were so low on fuel we barely made Hofn!! Nervous thirty or forty miles! Did you use any of the farm bunk accomodation as I don't want to camp everynight(mutiny!) Crossing rivers for us wasn't an option as they were too deep and fast flowing, even the few wee ones were scary enough! The girlfriends short too and would have had wet feet a lot!!
 
End of May, campgrounds empty or opening for season! At Lake Myrvatn, our first night we were alone! then at Akranes it was busier with locals, Seljaland we were alone again then Hofn there were three tents and 'Hyttas' at £50ish per night even at Sedisfjordur there were only a few tents before the ferry left!

How much busier are things there in 'high summer'?
 
Icelandic Road Info.

Found this site useful. Although mountain road opening dates are to 2003, I have found these dates to be robust.

http://www.vedur.is/english/

Never found Iceland 'busy' but there are a few tourist traps which attract coach trips. You can get details on these from the Icelandic Tourist Office.

Got myself a copy of 'A Motorcycle Tour of Iceland' DVD from Touratech. Not LWR production but enjoyable.

Hope this helps
 
Iceland Weather site!

Thanks Gordon, I've been using this site for some time and found it to be spot on!! Amazing how many roads are still blocked when we leave end of May!! :eek:
 
chris neil said:
Anyone had a GS there yet?
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Yes, a few years ago...

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31221438-M.jpg
 
Went to Iceland on a university field trip a while back at the end of June.

We'd all packed cold-weather gear and wet stuff. We were camping for 2 weeks and studying glacial geomorphology. Very good fun indeed.

However, it was chuffing hot. We all got major sunburn (nobody had packed sun block) and all got rather thirsty on our daily hikes. Very strange weather indeed, and totally unexpected, however very pleasant. Due to it being sunny all the time, and all hours of the day, our tents were hot and it was difficult to sleep, so we had to drink our duty free booze.
 
Iceland

I'm sure you will have a brilliant time. Seriously looking at going later in the year (Sept) and will be interested to know how things went on your trip. Quite surprised at the relatively low cost of getting there by ferry - cheaper that Superfast to Zeebrugge.

Cheers

Gordon
 
Iceland in 06

Hi,
Are you still planning on going to Iceland this year?
I went last year in August and found it amazing. The only problem was that I was not on a bike, so I was thinking of returning this year for more fun and games!
I have a 650 Dakar and would be very interested in joining you.
How long are you going for? Any update on when? I have a fairly good idea of routes etc.
Thanks,
Charles
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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