Iceland the hard way – Hong Kong friends cycle country’s coastline for ‘fun’
Pedalling around the country’s rugged, windswept coast demands dedication, focus and fitness – unless you’re the one driving the support vehicle
Other than the three cyclists quickly disappearing in my rear-view mirror, their legs pumping and faces grimacing against a blustery headwind, I’ve seen barely another person in two hours. All I’ve had for company are Sigur Ros belting out some incomprehensible gobbledygook from the stereo and a packet of duty-free jelly babies, who are not the best conversationalists.
Oh, and a young German hitchhiker, Nils, who is relaxing in the back of my camper van. Because that’s what happens to people when they visit Iceland: they become helpful and they give lifts to strangers. Although Nils is far from the stranded Icelandic women’s volleyball team I was hoping to run into, he is a geoscience student possessing in-depth understanding of this country’s unique terrain, so he’s paying for his ride with a well-informed commentary.
Sigur Ros “belt out” Isjaki
I’m on the second day of an anti-clockwise journey around Route 1, the road that rings the whole of Iceland, and there’s no denying that I drew the long straw. The camper van is taking me the 1,500km all the way back to Reykjavik; the three mad fools on bicycles that I’ve just passed ... well, they’ve got it much tougher.
I didn’t have the legs, or the desire, to attempt such a feat on a push bike myself, and my wardrobe lacked the necessary Lycra. Providing the riders with a steady supply of sugary pastries and moral support at rest stops, I am obviously playing a minor role, but an important one, I like to think, if the team stands any chance of success.
