Packed and ready to go!

I have finished packing for the bike trip. Each of us has two 20 litre (at the back) and two 10 litre bags (at the front) in addition to the tents and sleeping bags which we place on the back bracket of the bicycles. I did not way the bags but I do have the feeling that they are a little bit on the heavier side. Once we reach N-Iceland we will have an opportunity to review our loading. Then we will have some sense of what we need and what we do not need. This is however less weight then I had on my trips previously. My only worry is that the bike may break down. We have the usual spear parts (chains, tubes, tires etc.) but we are not equipped for any major breakdowns. The weather forecast is good but the wind will be against us but it will not be a strong one. The nights will also be cold. Once we start biking back (to the south) the winds are forecasted to changes and will therefore be in our face again. Oh well, you can’t win them all!        

The wind under my wings – Beggja skauta byr

Today was a fantastic day biking. We started at 10:45 from Hólmavik and the first task was to climb up to 440 m.a.s.l. This mountain pass was higher than the one yesterday but the difference was that today we had the wind in the back instead of having it in our faces. We had a tail wind of 11 m/s. Once we had climb up to the highland it was a relatively easy ride to Reykjanes where we arrived at 18:00. After dinner we spent more than an hour in the pool. It was fantastic to bike the first fjord Ísafjord at the end of Isafjardardjup. We biked 90 km in five3 hours and 37 minutes, rested for one hour and 33 mínutes, greatest elevation 451 and total ascent 742. Photo is taken on the top of the mountain pass next to an old sheep herders shelter.

 

Frábær dagur á hjóli. Fyrsta brekkan var upp á Steingrímsfjarðarheiði en hún var aflíðandi og í stað mótvindar eins og í gær vorum við með 11 m/s í bakið. Áðum við gamla gangnamanna kofann á há heiðinni en síðan tók við fínt rennsli niður af heiðinni og reyndar inn Ísafjörðinn. Vorum á Reykjanesi klukkan 18. Eftir matinn var farið beint í sund. Frábært að hjóla fyrsta fjörðinn. Mikið fuglalíf (sá m.a. smyril ræna kríu unga og mikið af Himbrum). Alls hjóluðum við um 90 km á 5 tímum og 37 mín. Hvíldum okkur í einn tíma og 33 mín. Mesti hraði 43 km/h en meðalhraði 16 km/h. Mesta hæð samkvæmt GPS 451 m en heildarhækkun 743 m. Myndin er tekin við gangnamanna kofann á Steingrímsfjarðarheiði.