Day 7
Sunday
7th July – 71Km
Another
late start as I wait for the supermarket to open at 11:00. I stock up with
pasta, sliced ham, tinned tuna and multipacks of Snickers (vital!)
Back
onto Route 1 crossing Myrdalssandur, sandur are immense plains of sand and
gravel, washed down from the mountains and glaciers. They are flat, bleak and
very exposed. I’m relieved to see that the lights warning of imminent
sandstorms are unlit.
With the wind against me I’m not able to go any faster than 10Kmph, the two Swedes from the campsite overtake me. They shout at me to slipstream them but I can’t match their pace and drop off the back.
After
2 hours riding I stop for a lump of cheese, a Snickers bar and some water before
carrying on. On my left I can just make out the dirty white of a glacier through
the mist. On my right there is nothing but flat black sand stretching to the
horizon.
The road swings inland and I pass the turnoff for Hrifunes with a campsite only 7Km away. This road would lead to the F206 track to Fjallbak and Landmannalaugar, an area I would like to visit but I’ve read that the track is very hard to ride (it basically follows the riverbed) so I carry on the way I’m going.
The terrain changes, I’m now on the Eldhraun. There are twisted lava formations covered in grey-green lichen on either side of the road, it’s like riding through a giant petri dish of mould.
A
little further on I come to an area covered with cairns of every size, shape and
description. A noticeboard says that the farmhouse on this spot was destroyed by
an eruption of Katla and that it’s traditional to add a stone to a cairn to
wish the spirits good luck. I add my stone and ride on.
At 7:30 I reach Kirkjubaejarklauster and put the tent up at the bigger of the two campsites. (The small one is quieter and prettier but has no showers). Richard and Martin are already here, they arrived at 5:00 and have been swimming in the town pool.
I
have a shower and cook rice and ham with a tomato and harissa sauce before going
to sleep.