 Reykjavik (A) to Isafjordur (B) We're up at 6AM, trying to get an early start to head north to the West Fjords of Iceland. Checking out and packing the bikes takes forever, and we're off by 8AM, however, no breakfast in our stomachs. It's about 10C and the dark skies above us look menacing. Let's hope our new waterproof gear works well!  Packing the bikes in Rejkjavik, deserted town square in the background  Waiting for a spare battery outsode of Mosfellsbaer, a suburb of Reykjavik Those clouds do not look dry or welcoming!  Neda is switching luggage on the bikes while Jonathan is installing a fresh battery on the old GS for the ride back  On the road again! Just outside Borgarnes The landscape here is breathtaking. So far the roads are paved, but as we get off the main Ring Road, we are told to expect lots of gravel roads.  Riding towards our lunch in Borgarnes. I can tell Neda is hungry as she passes me and picks up the pace. She tells me that the place we will be eating at uses ancient cooking methods. I reply, "Like fire...?" We stopped in Borgarnes to visit the Settlement Centre, a new exhibition detailing the earliest Viking settlers in Iceland. The restaurant attached to the centre served horse steak, a deliciously lean cut of meat. It had a bit of a tangy taste to it, but it was prepared very well. Apologies to all horse lovers. Actually, why am I apologizing? I am now a horse lover as well... :)  My Little Pony  Standing up on the pegs, GS-style. Neda is doing her best Charley Boorman impression! Speaking of Long Way Round, we also have a support vehicle (kinda), as the Biking Viking van is never more than 12 hours away no matter where we are on the island!  Moss on lava rocks At some points, the road carves through some lava fields. Here's a closeup of the pale green moss that takes hold on the surface of the infertile rocks. It will take over a thousand years of moss growing to provide a surface suitable for more vegetation. That is, unless a volcano doesn't erupt again and interrupt the process.  A scenic stop, lava fields in the background At this point Neda decides to break out her toque. The temperature has dropped to 4C and the mercury plummets to sub-zero temps when combined with the windchill from riding.  GS along the shores of the West Fjord The new bike has a taller windshield which you may think offers more protection. All it does it offer more turbulence. Sometimes, no windshield is better than a really tall windshield. No battery problems though!  Sporting the latest in icelandic motorcycling gear Our heated jackets and gloves make riding in the cold bearable, and Goretex everything keeps us dry. It's just too bad my right heated glove didn't work. I was warm everywhere except for my right hand, which slowly turned numb from cold after every stop. *shrug* The right hand isn't that important on a motorcycle, it just controls the throttle and the brakes...  Everywhere we ride, it rains on us. It's a www.RideDOT.com tradition There is amazing riding here in Iceland, the only reason why this isn't another motorcycle travel mecca is the climate. The biggest danger here is exposure to the elements. We're riding in one of the three warmest months in Iceland, however the temperatures are still cold enough to kill you with hypothermia should you get stranded in the middle of the night, and traffic and amenities are sparse along the deserted Icelandic roads.
There are lots of twisty roads hugging the fingered coastline of the West Fjords. But we take them with caution as the rain is coming down hard and the temperatures have dropped significantly. We are wary about the traction and our slower reaction times should a suicidal sheep decide to jump out at us. There are tons of them grazing just off the side of the road The West Fjords region feels almost like a separate island - there is only a 7 km bridge of land that attaches it to the rest of Iceland. The Ring Road that circumnavigates the island bypasses the area altogether, which means that as we head towards Isafjordur we are seeing fewer and fewer tourist buses and cars. The road around Westfjords used to be all gravel, contributing further to the sense of remoteness. However, for the adventurous few, the pay off is great - magnificent views of fjords and valleys riddled with glacial springs, as well as fields of wildflowers and blueberries. According to Icelandic law, a person may pick as many blueberries as needed for personal consumption.  Fine tuning the riding experience In the background, Neda is fiddling around with her electrics. Unfortunately the fuse on her accessory plug is only 5A and the heated clothing is 12.5A, so she can only run either the gloves or the jacket, not both. Fortunately the fuse is electronic, so to reset it, you just need to turn the bike off and on. If this wasn't the case, we would have gone through about 10 physical fuses before finally deducing the problem. Neda opts to run the heated gloves while we are riding (stopping, braking and turning are kind of important on a motorcycle), and to turn on the jacket while we are stopped to warm up. These must be the only GSes in the world without heated grips. And in Iceland, no less! WTF?!?  Triumph staring out into the cold waters of the Isafjordardjup inlet As an adventure touring bike, the Tiger acquits itself quite well, but is hampered by the slightly forward seating position (or maybe I have short arms) and the relative lack of low-end power. Great looking bike though!  Amazing views on the winding road through the West Fjords The winds have picked up ferociously and we spend the last couple of hours of riding at what feels like a 45 degree angle against the cross-winds. The last part of the road narrows to almost a single lane going both directions. A couple of trucks pass us dangerously close and adds more turbulence to the powerful North Atlantic crosswinds.  It's about 8:30PM right now and the sun is still up! One of the perks of riding so far north. Normally our long riding days end with us arriving at our hotel in total darkness! We've arrive safe and sound in Isafjordur, the largest town in the West Fjords. On the recommendation of my cousin, we are staying here a few days as the area is supposed to be very scenic. Eythor tells us the West Fjords has a little bit of all of Iceland in one area.
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