The direction was still north-east to Pingvellir or Thingvellir (i’m missing the special character that looks like a P bit pronounced like th, so I’ll keep to the pronouncing).
From Reykjavik or better from Mosfaellsbaer there is slow raising ramp on the road 36 to about 300m on which the scenery is getting real “alpine” or polar. Grass of different kinds, some flours and earth brown mountains that reminded me the Andes. Just about 3500-4500m lower in altitude.
And here and there you have some shorts plateau to “recover” from the 4-6% raise. Then you get on the highest point to Thingvellir with a beautiful view over the Thingvallavatn lake.
Thingvellir is the place where a lot of Iceland’s history happened…and where you best can see where the North American continent is going away from the European one.
For cyclist from Mosfellsbaer: go to the view point above Thingvellir. I did it which was a good decision: you see over the site and can the slowly (hikers!) cycle down the carve in direction of Thingvallaskogur.
There, I enjoy my first ice cream of the vacation and met the two guys from Denver that had landed today and rented a bike just with a small pack (no tent or stove etc). They affirmed: no special sight seeing when staying on the 36.
From there, I took the 550 in direction of Husafell, continuing in direction of the split of the two continents.
The view was amazing… And my legs & lungs had their first test: 14% (GPS said 15%) climbing with at least 60kg (incl bike, trailer etc).
But it was more than worth any drop of sweat thanks to the amazing landscape.
As there “quite a lot” traffic to sleep near the gravel road, I decided to pass the 52 and 558 intersection and put my tent 50m north of the refuge/ emergency shelter, which is interestingly not on the more precise map.
As my body needs to be back to training, I decided for tomorrow a resting day…
Pictures will follow as soon as I’ve a better net than GPRS..
Yes: in Iceland you can ski!
– Posted by Georges