July 2: Puffins, Puffins Everywhere!
Puffins, puffins everywhere! Today’s ride took me north from Egilsstadir to the tiny town of Borgarfjardarhofn to visit the local puffin colony on the rocky cliffs near the marina there. Apparently, these adorable birds live most of their lives at sea but return to land in the Spring to form breeding colonies. The ride to Borgarfjardarhofn and back was rather harrowing, but the birds were so darn cute it was worth it.
Heading north on route 94 from Egilsstadir I was ensconced in thick fog but still able to make out the green meadows, grazing sheep, rocky streambeds, and waterfalls along the way. I hit a patch of rather loose gravel before reaching the coastline but was able to keep upright by staying in the ruts left by the cars before me.
After turning east and passing the small village of Unaos, I hit a series of switchback curves and hairpin turns that I would normally enjoy. However, the fog was so thick I could only see a few yards in front of me and I ended up having to use the navigation app on my phone to steer the bike in the right direction as I wrapped my way up and down the mountain pass.
At one point I remember questioning whether it was wise to be out on such a remote and technically challenging road when visibility was so low, and the weather was so harsh. I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to ride in such frigid and wet conditions if I were at home. But this is Iceland after all!
It turns out the puffins were adorable. I love the way they look like mini penguins with bright, orange-colored bills. There were hundreds of them nestled in the grass, perched on the rocks, and standing in the little openings of the cliff next to the marina. The wooden walkways strategically placed throughout the breeding area allowed me to walk right through the colony and observe them up close. Wow! It’s hard to believe these little creatures can dive up to 60 meters and fly up to 80 kilometers an hour.
Heading back to Egilsstadir, the fog was even thicker than it had been just a couple hours before. Unfortunately, when I got to the loose gravel, my goggles fogged up so much, I couldn’t see the surface I was riding on at all even though my face shield was already up.
I quickly took my left hand off the handlebar to try to lift the whole modular front of my helmet and let more air in. But I didn’t pull it up forcefully enough and the whole front including the shield came crashing down.
At that point I was driving blind. I’m still not sure how I kept the bike upright as I traveled sideways through the thicker pile of loose gravel into another rut. But somehow, I managed to pull my goggles off my eyes completely, restoring my vision and allowing me to finish traveling through the gravel portion with the shiny side up. What an adventure!
