Cycling Iceland 2014

Posted by on Aug 26, 2014 in Blog, Cycling, Travelling | No Comments

FOREWORDS Unsupported cycling around Iceland is a challenge both for the body and for the soul for a number of reasons. So why did I do it? And why twice? I took this journey alone on my 45kg bicycle totaling 2,002 (Icelandic)km, all pedaled, during my 30-day stay on the island of fire and ice mainly because I felt the need to go back and explore more of what I’d tasted the previous year. But partly because I was alone and partly because of the miserable weather this summer the challenge went beyond my expectations. It’s difficult to express how hard it is on some days to get your body & spirit going when out there in the big Icelandic outdoors there’s no real protection from rough winds (up to 29mt/s) and heavy rain or cold sleet. All you can do is pedal, eat and try and keep warm as much as possible, pitch the tent somewhere safe and get a good, cosy sleep in your sleeping bag. To then start the whole thing again the following day.

PREMESSA Pedalare senza supporto esterno in Islanda è una sfida sia per il corpo che per lo spirito per tutta una serie di ragioni. E allora perché l’ho fatto? E perché due volte? Ho intrapreso questo viaggio da solo sulla mia bicicletta da 45kg totalizzando 2002km durante la mia permanenza di 30 giorni sull’isola principalmente perché sentivo il bisogno di ritornare ed esplorare con maggior attenzione qualcosa che avevo appena assaggiato l’anno precedente. Ma un po’ per il fatto che ero solo, un po’ per il meteo terribile di quest’estate la sfida è andata ben oltre le mie aspettative. E’ difficile esprimere quanto fosse duro in alcuni giorni far girare il corpo e lo spirito quando nei grandi spazi aperti islandesi non ci sono reali protezioni dai venti impossibili (fino a 29mt/s), pioggia battente e gelido nevischio. Tutto quello che puoi fare è pedalare, mangiare e tenerti caldo il più possibile, montare la tenda in qualche posto sicuro e goderti un buon sonno confortevole nel tuo sacco a pelo. Per poi iniziare tutto da capo il giorno seguente.

Fulvio

 

Kirkjufellsfoss 2
Kirkjufellsfoss 2
Going east (pano)
Going east (pano)

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Mirror
Mirror

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Deep blue
Deep blue

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First spout of the morning at 5.00
First spout of the morning at 5.00
Sunset at Geysir
Sunset at Geysir
The powerful Strokkur
The powerful Strokkur
Geysir
Geysir
The odd one out
The odd one out

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Thingvellir 2
Thingvellir 2
Thingvellir
Thingvellir
Glymour valley
Glymour valley

 

Kirkjufell at sunset
Kirkjufell at sunset

 

The Church and the Mountain
The Church and the Mountain

 

The mountain's on fire
The mountain’s on fire
Hvitserkur 2
Hvitserkur 2

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The boat
The boat
Stone dolls
Stone dolls
The sheep
The sheep
Hvitserkur
Hvitserkur

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Akureyri
Akureyri

 

Alexey
Alexey

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Godafoss 2
Godafoss 2

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The walk on the volcano brim
The walk on the volcano brim
Morning horses
Morning horses
Husavik at sunset 2
Husavik at sunset 2
Husavik at sunset
Husavik at sunset
The calm
The calm
Approaching Husavik
Approaching Husavik
Daydreaming
Daydreaming
Dettifoss 2
Dettifoss 2
La Poderosa
La Poderosa
The river
The river
Peace
Peace
Fiery sunset
Fiery sunset
My Icelandic dad
My Icelandic dad
The blue "kirk"
The blue “kirk”
Langabud, Djupivogur
Langabud, Djupivogur
Velvet morning
Velvet morning
Forever
Forever
The walk
The walk
Self portrait with iceberg
Self portrait with iceberg
Icebergs meeting the ocean
Icebergs meeting the ocean
The bird
The bird

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Iceberg lagoon
Iceberg lagoon
Icelandic sheep
Icelandic sheep

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Close encounter with the mighty glacier Vatnajökull
Close encounter with the mighty glacier Vatnajökull
Immense spaces
Immense spaces
Hard rain
Hard rain
Misty morning
Misty morning

 

Lava fields
Lava fields
Icelandic horses
Icelandic horses
Another hard day
Another hard day
The photographer photographed
The photographer photographed
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss
Magda
Magda

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