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A day of 4 seasons

Iceland Divide - Part 4

By TheBikepack

May 15^th, 2023

A day of 4 seasons

Our adventure goes on as we bike across the breathtaking landscapes of Iceland.

We are The Bikepack, a cycle crazy duo from Gothenburg, we believe in promoting biking as an awesome way to travel, commute, exercise, and have fun. Our Iceland Divide adventure has put us through self-supported biking through the wilderness, glaciers, and storms for ten days, carrying all our equipment and food, and covering 600 km with a 7,000-meter ascent.

After a hard fight agains the mother natures power yesterday we’re located in a small dark hut next to the glacier Vatnajõkull. The weather outside is howling but todays mission is to take us down from the glacier and down throw the clouds to the rivers and down to the "mainroad"!

Join us on our journey and get inspired to embark on your own biking adventure.

Kistufell sanctuary - 5 star

The howling wind beat against the walls of our hut, nestled on the steep slope of the glacier, as we woke up with big smiles on our faces from a good night's sleep.

We had just battled our way up the mountain the day before, leaving our legs sore and aching. But the Kistufell cabin felt like a luxurious five-star hotel compared to the tent we had spent the previous night in. Our priorities were warmth and food, so we kept the shutters sealed to keep the cozy darkness intact. We had no idea what lay beyond the walls of our sanctuary, but we were content to stay put and warm ourselves by the fireplace, preparing a hearty breakfast to fuel our energy for the day ahead.

But as we opened the door to the outhouse, our spirits dropped. The rain from the day before had turned into snow, and the temperature had plummeted. The wind still raged on, blowing in the wrong direction. The walk to the outhouse felt much longer than the day before, making us feel the weight of our solitude in this barren landscape. These are the moments when doubt creeps in, when it feels like the elements and the world are conspiring against you. But we knew we had to push through, and we drew strength from our preparations and each other. There was no other way than onwards!

But the Kistufell cabin felt like a luxurious five-star hotel compared to the tent we had spent the previous night in.

Take off

Preparation was key to our adventure, and we made sure to do everything necessary to make it a success. We packed our bags, filled our water bottles, and gave our bikes some extra love. Today's route would take us east along Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. We would reach the highest point of our adventure, 1,219 m, before we began our descent. As we set off, the snow had receded, but the negative temperatures were palpable. We bundled up in multiple layers of clothing, the warmest we had, to ward off the wind and the cold.

Land of ice and snow

The landscape was indescribable, a world of white, light gray, and dark gray. The snow-fog was so thick that we couldn't see more than three meters ahead of us. The only sound we could hear was the crunching of our bike wheels against the snow, the sound of the strong wind and our cheering to keep our spirits up. It felt like we were lost in an eternal maze, with no end in sight. But we pedaled on, trusting in our bike computers to guide us through the snowy maze, upwards and onwards.

Vatnajökull vantage point

The clouds began to lift, and we emerged from the maze to a stunning view of Vatnajökull. The streams trickling down from the glacier were the greenest we had seen since the start of our adventure in Akureyri, and the sun's rays filtered through the clouds. We stopped at the top to take in the view and the accomplishment as we enjoyed some peanut butter and tons of high fives. As we descended, we smiled at each other, knowing we had conquered the toughest part of today's journey.

We stopped for lunch in the shelter of a lonely private cabin literally in the middle of nowhere, grateful for the brief respite from the wind. But we knew there was still a long way to go. We followed road F26, known as Iceland's worst road, and we could see why. It was rough and bumpy, with no clear path. But we persisted, knowing that the most rewarding adventures are the ones that challenge you the most.

As we cycled on, we couldn't help but marvel at the beauty around us. We saw glaciers, springs and volcanoes, all in one day!

Glacial rivers

With the majestic Vatnajökull looming in the background and the vast blue sky stretching ahead of us, we pedaled on through the rugged, otherworldly landscape of Iceland. The terrain had transformed since the morning, and the streams had grown larger and more plentiful. As we were navigating our way through this stunning wilderness, we were presented with the daunting task of crossing six rivers, four of which we had to wade through. But fear not! We had come prepared with our trusty Icebug shoes, designed for the ultimate grip, quick drying, and designed to be lightweight. We needed every bit of protection these shoes offered, as the rivers can be treacherously strong, with slippery, sharp rocks lurking beneath the surface.

The Bikepack river crossing school

Crossing glacier water rivers can be quite the challenge, but we've got you covered. Here are some tips to make your river crossing a success:

Firstly, make sure to bring warm clothes and socks to put on after the crossing.
Secondly, always keep your bike and gear “down streams” from yourself to make sure that you don't get pushed out of balance.
Thirdly, look for a shallow area of the river, this may be a longer path but still a better choice compared to crossing in the deeper and streamer parts.
Fourthly, stay away from strong currents.
And finally, look for stones or rocks to help keep your balance. With these tips, you'll be crossing rivers like a pro in no time!

DJ Mountain-man

After spending a few days immersed in the wild, untamed beauty of Iceland, it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by other travelers on the road. Cool looking modified off roaders and even a jacked up camber that came bouncing down the road to greet us with cheers and shouts. As we cycled, drivers passed us by, either cheering us on or offering their help. This is exactly how interaction between cyclists and drivers should be - with mutual respect and support. To add to the fun, Johan played some lovely tunes from his small portable speaker, creating the perfect soundtrack for our adventure. He called himself “DJ Mountain man” as we played the same offline playlist over and over again. If you're curious to know what we were listening to, check out our playlist on Spotify, we can promise nothing but great stuff!

"Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul."

Hot showers

As the sun began to set in the west, we arrived at our accommodation for the day - Nyidalur FI Mountain Hut. It was a manned hut with all the amenities we needed - a kitchen, shower, store, and friendly guests. It was here that we encountered a group of motorcyclists who were on a guided off-road tour, exploring all the wonders that Iceland had to offer. It was a fascinating mix of people united by their love of adventure, and we shared adventures and travel stories. The motorcycle riders were surprised to see us come on bikes and asked us if we were nuts, haha. We treated ourselves to a Pepsi and a chocolate bar each, which we savored as we cooked our dinner. For this special day, we indulged in one of our super delicious breakfasts for dessert, creating a three-course meal fit for a king! Yes!

Nyidalur FI Mountain Hut

After a grueling day of cycling through the rugged terrain of Iceland, we were beyond ecstatic to finally reach our destination for the night.

With the sun setting, the temperature continued to drop rapidly, and we knew it was going to be a chilly night. We put on our mittens and fully clothed with our warmest gear to go out and brush our teeth under the stars, gazing at the clear night skies. We were so grateful to have a roof over our heads and a warm bed to sleep in, even if it meant sharing the space with a bunch of loud snoring bikers.

As we crawled into our sleeping bags, we felt a sense of accomplishment for the day's work. Despite the fatigue and sore muscles, we were excited for what tomorrow had in store. We knew it was supposed to be a rest day on paper, but we also knew that in Iceland, things don't always go as planned.