Crossing the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
I was a quarter-mile from the road when FU-26 got in her last licks. Over I went in the soft, thick mud. The right sides of the bike and myself were coated in the stuff. I returned to a state of humility and respect for FU-26. I did finally get my long, hot shower, and our rest day in Husavik was most welcomed. I reflected on the challeng- ing (and slightly terrifying at times) day of riding I had survived.
On Day Six, we had the choice of going to
the northernmost tip of Iceland (and thereby almost to the Arctic Circle) or going to see Dettifoss (the largest waterfall in Europe). Since I have seen some pretty incredible waterfalls in my life, I opted for the former, picturing soaring cliffs, crash- ing waves, a lone lighthouse sending out her beacon of hope to stranded mariners. What I got was flat land, hard-packed dirt roads, and what must have been a fully automated lighthouse, as one couldn’t even get to it!
More miles of dirt roads and several fjords later, we started to climb a hill with what seemed like a 20 percent grade and switch- backs. The bike came alive, I came alive, and we climbed up and up until I could see the crest of the mountain ahead of me. I reached the top and had one of those big moments. The panorama in front of me ranks right up there in the top five amazing places I have seen. The endless North Atlantic on my left, a black sand beach stretching for miles into the distance, snow- capped mountains in the distance and this immense, magnificent valley with a mean- dering river running through it dared me not to be in awe. It was what used to be called a Kodak moment—but on steroids. The regret of not seeing the waterfall faded away, the lesson of snap judgment learned. We made our way clockwise around the
island the next few days. Waterfalls just as amazing replaced the one I missed. A won- derful aspect of Iceland is that you’re
allowed to enjoy nature as it is and at your own risk. No signs warning you to watch your step or to resist trespassing. No safety rails—just you and Mother Nature. A bay filled with huge chunks of ice broken off from the glacier provided a surreal boat ride; we stood next to mammoth pieces of ice that had made their way from the bay to the ocean, and all in view of the soaring cliffs. An incredible final farewell dinner back
in Reykjavik complemented all the great dinners we had on the trip. I had no reason to think of Iceland as a culinary standout, but I was wrong. We had incredible, imagi- natively prepared food each night and stayed in excellent hotels, even in the more remote towns. The riding, with that sense of being removed from the safety and trap- pings of city or suburban living, was what made this journey phenomenal.
March 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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