June 24: Frigid Conditions Amidst Icy Beauty

I truly do believe there’s no such thing as a bad day on the road. That being said, there certainly are days that are more challenging than others. Riding in the cold or wet or wind or fog is usually doable. However, riding with all those factors in play with almost no visibility takes its toll. Was it worth it? Absolutely! I wouldn’t have missed the outlet glaciers and iceberg lagoon for anything.

After a restorative stay at the Arsalir Guesthouse in Vik, I left mid-morning with dry clothes and warm hands and a full belly. My goal was to make it about 100 miles north before noon to avoid high winds predicted near me later in the day.

It was fortunate I had checked the wind the night before because conditions were just barely manageable. The rain was incessant, blowing streams of water across my face shield and into my goggles, forming pools at the bottom. The air was thick with fog and although I kept my face shield up and frequently wiped my shield and goggles, I often only had a small window of visibility to barely discern the traffic around me and the edges of the road.

There were few services along the road and when I gratefully pulled over for gas after nearly running out the pumps were open, but the facilities were closed. It is a good thing I always pack extra toilet paper in my riding pants! I was glad I had packed bread and cheese and ate a quick lunch with numb hands while trying to shelter against the station walls.  

Despite the riding challenges the day itself was awe-inspiring. I felt so privileged to ride along the Skaftafell National Park resplendent with numerous outlet glaciers, reaching their icy fingers down the mountains and towards the road, like rivers frozen in time. The white icy tinged with multiple shades of blue posed a striking contrast to the somber dark brown mountains surrounding them.

Just a few miles down the road, I was treated to a magnificent view of the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, a body of water formed when icebergs from the glaciers break away and melt. The heaping piles of ice floating on the water reminded me of a raspberry slushie – streaks of bright blue swirled with white all in a frosty mound.

I arrived at my Guesthouse in Djupivogur, looking forward to drying out my riding gear and warming up. The owner was not sure how to turn the heater on in my room and suggested I take a shower to warm up instead. Fortunately a fellow guest was eventually able to figure out how to turn the heat on and I can feel some of my clothes starting to dry out. What an adventure!