[Photos taken 08 – 15 May 2022, posted online 20 November 2022. I fell in to serious TV-binge mode this weekend, been a long while since the last one. I’m in denial about Christmas being around the corner.]
The madness that was May continued with two e-bike rides in one week, two music school recitals, trying to figure out what to do about Emma’s somewhat injured foot, a bike-to-work challenge, rushing to clear the yard of leaves and branches, and Finnur traveling to Scotland to play in a soccer tournament (“old boys” division). (85-ish images total)
Yes, we’d driven an hour north of Reykjavik to bike south-eastwards up a valley, and back again, first on a gravel road, and then a paved one. It turned out to be a good range test for the bikes as there was a good gust of wind blowing down the valley.
The Strava track, looks like we rode 50 km 🙂 (Can click for a larger image) That long body of water is the water house #2 is by.
We rode for probably a half an hour before arriving at this church, where we stopped for a snack.
Where we came from.
This valley is the one north of where our house #2 is. This sign said it’s on the Pilgrim’s Way.
By the church.
The small cemetery in the back-yard.
One of our guides setting up for a group photo.
We rode to where the roads on each side of the valley merge into one, before going up on a heath.
Deciding whether to go all the way up to the Cross-pool (Krosslaug) or head back. We decided to press on, low batteries be damned.
The sad abandoned pool inside the fence.
We kept going, and made it to Krosslaug, although I was about done with all this mild climbing. The area is fenced off, and thus one of the few places around with any trees.
The view from the road was nice though.
Information plaque. People used to be christened here in this natural hot spring. You should be able to see a larger image by clicking on this one.
Brother enjoying his somewhat dodgy snacks that should have been refrigerated.
Trying out the temperature of the water, it was plenty hot, probably 42 C / 107.6 F. When we’d arrived, a couple had been lounging in the pool, although people are discouraged from bathing in it.
Cozy.
We opted not to buy jam.
We spotted a waterfall a little up the road, and biked up there to check it out. It may be called England’s Waterfall.
Looking up onto the heath.
The way down into the valley again. You can sort of see specks of the couple that was exploring the area as well.
We made it back down to the junction, and were glad that the batteries seemed to be holding up as the wind pushed us onwards downhill.
Stopping to pump up a tire.
There were quite a few horses about. It’s very cool when a large group of horses runs along with the bikes (but impossible to photograph).
We made it to the mouth of the valley!
I liked the question mark!
Yours truly, in all her middle-aged bike-gear glory!
I still had a little battery left in the tank, but my brother’s died as we rode onto the parking lot.
Our guide-couple had stayed on the camp-site overnight, and we got a little something to eat and drink before packing up.
Two muddy bikes on the new bike-trailer.
We took a quick walk around the camp-site area. There are trolls there!
Juicy?
We stopped in Borgarnes for a little bit of extra body fuel before driving back to town.
Monday 09 May 2022
Emma was still not fully stepping on her heel after a bad gymnastics landing two weeks prior, so to the x-ray she went. It looked like a tendon had pulled a little bit of bone off, but there was very little to do about it.
Tuesday 10 May 2022
Music school recitals were back on! First, Bjarki was up.
Finnur and Emma also attended.
Bjarki about to sit down with his teacher.
For some reason I went swimming at 9 pm.
One of our poor semi-tortured plants. But still it survives, somehow.
Wednesday 11 May 2022
The biggest sign of life returning to normal at work was the hiring of an official barista to work the fancy coffee machine.
Angeles quickly became the savior of my sanity!
Emma about to play at her music school recital.
That morning, Finnur had taken off with his old-boys soccer club for a tournament in Scotland! The rest of us opted to eat sushi for dinner.
