May 6: Day 9, Djúpivogur to Kalfafellsstadur
Stayed in an unattended cottage last night. I got a very good deal online, I paid less than what I've paid for a shared room in a hostel. But since the season hadn't really started yet there was nobody on site. So I came to an unlocked cabin, found the keys inside, made myself at home. The only problem was that there was no milk: which is fair, if the cabins aren't in regular use, it'd be unwise to leaving milk in the fridge.
I tried calling the contact number but that got someone who was not directly connected with the place I was staying; it was something like a callcenter. They wanted to help but didn't actually have any resources or information that I didn't already have. I had a walk around the farm, eventually found a house with someone who kindly gave me a cup of milk.
They had a coffee plunger so I made myself a pot of coffee. I badly underestimated the coffee. I thought I should compensating for old neglected coffee grounds that had lost their power, but they had not been weakened and so I brewed up a batch of bitumen. I used up half my milk just trying to get the color to something appetizing. I did finish it!
I happen to have a horned helmet in one of the panniers. I didn't want to bring it out while the weather was too windy or cold, but I'll be on the coast for the rest of the trip and the forecast is good, so today's the day. The horns don't catch the wind noticeably, which is good, but if it's not on straight when I take a selfie, I look deranged.
Horned helmets are apparently fascinating if you're a tourist who has been on a strict diet of spectacular scenery. A car coming the other way screeched to a complete halt in the middle of the road and the driver started frantically scratching their cellphone. I gave them a bit of space, since they were evidentally having a moment. They did a 3-point turn and slowly drove past me with a camera out the window, and maybe a bit of hooting. Since they outnumbered me and could outrun me I tried giving them a nice smile and wave, which seemed to be well received. A hundred meters up the road they did another three-pointer to get going the original way. I think there was an embarrassed undercurrent to their wave as they went past. I'd like to imagine that they were excited about my helmet, but I suppose they would also have acted like that if they'd mistaken me for someone on America's Most Wanted. It was the shape of things to come.
When I stopped at Hvalnes Beach I had someone remark on the helmet and ended up getting a group photo with their family. Likewise at the waterfall Barkináfoss.
From left to right: horned helmet. Barkináfoss waterfall. Hvalnes Nature Reserve Beach. Danny from Belgium took this while passing me. Narrow section but the view was worth it. Finally a day when sunscreen was useful. My new shadow. Causeway.
So I'm having a different trip now. And it's one without anomymity. I went to Hofn to pick up some supermarket lunches and popped into a cafe for a quick bite: two different people recognized the helmet from passing me on the Ring Road and came over to say hello. Danny from Belgium shared a photo he'd taken of me on the road; I’ve never had a spectator-style photo of me before.
The other noteworthy experience today was a tunnel. I hadn't noticed it when checking the route last night, and Komoot didn't warn me in advance, so it was an unwelcome surprise when the tunnel sign came along. 1300m long! I was expecting that bikes weren't allowed, and I'd have to find some alternate way around, but figured I'd keep going towards it until an official sign said no bikes. But one didn't appear ... I pulled over before entrance, to check that no traffic was behind me: 1300m would take about four minutes and it'd be easiest if nobody got stuck behind me. The road behind was completely clear for a long way: onwards. The tunnel was empty, so I took a few pictures: this is the first time I've biked through a tunnel in a car lane. It's quite loud, it sounds like air fans. It's also quite dark. I realized I should have taken off my sunglasses outside, but when I do it now I couldn't get them to hang on my shirt so I had to hold onto them.
There was a sidewalk but since there's no traffic at all I don't feel obliged to use it. The tunnel slopes down so I'm picking up speed. Some cars come past the other way; I stay in the center of my lane, try to keep my speed sensible and watch the road lane edges and check the road ahead and also the incoming traffic and half an eye on all the interesting stuff on the sides while not getting distracted by the pulsing shadows from the overhead spotlights. Quite glad I was going this way and had the downslope to help.
I popped out the other end into the daylight, still no traffic behind me. The vista is completely different from before the tunnel, of course, but it's a nice new view. Wish I'd taken a few more photos in the tunnel, things like that don't happen often.
From left to right: long single lane bridge. Watch for reindeer. The Red Chair; this is a sculpture beside the road. The tunnel. I had time for a serious selfie. Distant glacier. Single-lane bridge near the end of the day. Sunset.
A longer day today, but a lot of memorable moments! Only a few of which weren't due to my awesome new helmet.
