Zero weeks to go
The Fear finally showed up, about a day before I flew out. It's getting late, but there's still time for it to make a difference. If I shred a tyre, do I have replacement sealant, bacon strips to patch the hole, a valve core removal tool, and if all else fails an inner tube? I do, but for a day I was actually motivated enough to check. Which is a nice change from the fully blasé attitude I've had until now.
A chill disposition is normally a useful asset, but not here.
From left to right: went out for a brief ride on Thursday, but didn’t set up the bike for a long ride and go through all the motions so it’s quite possible I’ve forgotten something vital. Nicely framed boat at the beach. Saw this family on the way back. These are the new socks, they fit nicely and feel good but I wish I’d had the chance to try them on a long ride first. I also picked up a new layer at the last minute, bringing it along without taking it out for a full day test ride is a so wildly undisciplined I’m wondering what I’ve become…
There's a lot of ways for these trips to go sideways - probably not in life-threatening ways, but if I'm out there I ought to be self-sufficient enough to deal with any reasonable mechanical trouble, any unseasonable weather, or any other feasible problem. The Fear meant I prepared scrupulously for the European Divide, prepared religiously for South America, but until now, have been preparing like Aesop's grasshopper.
Which is a big dangerous; missing one piece of equipment can turn what should be a minor delay into a trip-ender. Drop the bike and break off the back derailleur? Need a spare mech hanger for that. Chain break? Replacement link, and a chain break tool. Rack starts losing screws again? Hope you’ve got some replacements. Phone gets wet and dies? Or the charge cord breaks? Or the wallplug fails? Best if there’s a backup phone, backup cord, and backup plug.
You get the picture. Fear good. I've pulled out and checked all the gear and tools for all the problems I should be prepared for.
I’ve also downloaded the ring-road bus routes and timetable so if I do hit a trip-ender, I know where to walk.
From left to right: all my gear for the next three weeks - I need to reduce it a bit, I need the backpack to hold water. Added a bit more tape at the airport, I can report that this knife was so weak it couldn’t actually cut the tape, it just made it snarl. Reykjavik weather forecast, I’ve been watching for a while and “feels like -1” shows up too often. Bikebox getting loaded. Mural wall in at Iceland airport. Countryside, I’m sure this is unusually boring. Downtown Reykjavik last night. Street art I liked.
So after that last-minute rush of adrenaline I got on the plane and now I'm in Iceland.
It's chilly and windy but I'm very happy to say that there's no visible snow. The environment is harsh. The grass is rocky, hard-packed earth with a partial cover of scrubby brown grass. I'm sure it's hardy and well-adapted to the environment but the fact it only grows in patches makes it clear that it's life is a constant battle. (It's a lot like Tierra Del Fuego, as you'd imagine.)
I plan to spend the day in Reykjavik tomorrow, and then start the ride on Monday. I also need to decide which way I'm going around the ring: I'm planning to make the decision tomorrow, based on the wind forecast. With any luck, there will be a tailwind for the first few days.
