not all those who wander are lost | two earthlings ride around the world

[Rockwell]

Vermont

July 25, 2013 - July 29, 2013

We crossed the border into the USA, entering the State of Maine. I've always heard good things of Maine, but I think it got my hopes up because I wasn't as impressed as I was told I would be. It depends how you like to travel though. It was packed with tourists, many people obviously like it there. Once we entered New Hampshire, I thought it was really beautiful. After a full day of riding, we decided that we would try to find a place to hide our tent. We were in a town called North Conway, New Hampshire, and decided to camp in a field behind a McDonald's. North Conway is a very pretty town, I was excited to see more of New Hampshire. We began our morning early with hopes of avoiding rain. Rain seems to be the theme for this wet summer. Before riding through the White Mountain National Forest, we stopped at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and coffee. It was a ****ty way to start our day, Dunkin Donuts has the most horrible watered down coffee we have ever tasted.

Just after approaching White Mountains, Rocky asked me if I felt something weird. We were stopped for road construction but as soon as we started riding again Rocky noticed we had a flat tire. We pulled over into a campsite parking lot and I'm surprised that Rocky didn't snap. He has had to take the tires off so many times in the past few weeks that I bet he would be able to do it with his eyes shut. Once we were finally able to locate the tiny hole in the tube, we tried to patch it. For whatever reason, the patch wasn't sticking. We decided to use the old spare tube we kept for emergencies only, but I'm going to bet that it will soon cause us to do another tire change. We put the bike back together and re-packed our belongings for another attempt at riding. We were frustrated but at least the rain only spat at us the entire time. I would have hated the day if the rain had poured on us. We got back on the bike and enjoyed the view as we exited New Hampshire and entered into Vermont.

We had gone to high school with Rocky's good friend Jaimie and we planned on visiting him deep in the wilderness. Jaimie decided to move to Vermont after he found 23 acres of forest land for sale. He had always imagined living away from society and he made his dreams come true. After he moved into the forest, he began constructing what he calls home. A four story high, geodesic dome that has a trampoline as one of the floors and a large slide that can be used if you don't want to use the stairs. It features an outdoor cooking area with a stove made out of a recycled Keg that uses wood to heat. A natural spring runs through the property, with cold, delicious water. A washing machine is available for doing laundry, but it’s cranked by hand. And, he has an alternator connected to his bicycle, to charge a bank of batteries for electricity.

Jaimie has also constructed a nearby workspace. Built from an old airplane hanger, he calls it the Banana building. For the past few years he has been building spider-like robots. After making a few small prototypes he began to create a giant size spider robot. He documented the entire process on YouTube and was eventually contacted by an interested toy company. Attacknids are now sold in stores and have won a few awards. They are a six-legged robot with armour, weapons and a "battle brain". They have a head that rotates 360 degrees to aim its gun. The interchangeable blasters can fire disks, darts, or balls. They wear armor on each leg that flies off when it’s hit. After three direct hits to a plastic switch on the face, the robot shuts down. It can even wade through water and mud up to 3 inches high. I wish toys like these were invented when I was a child. I owned a sticker book and a few fake Barbies.

When Rocky contacted Jaimie, he asked him if it was possible to bring the motorcycle all the way up to the dome. We should've known that Jaimie believes everything is possible. There are two ways in, he told us, and it is possible to bring in the motorcycle if we took the long route in. Jaimie met us at the entrance but I didn't see a road. It was more like a hiking trail. I immediately got off the motorcycle and unloaded our bags to let Rocky tackle the off road experience. Jaimie helped me carry all of our luggage, except for the panniers. They remained on the bike. And by helping me, I mean he carried most of it. He is a machine. We hiked under the hot sun for almost one kilometer and then hiked through the forest for another kilometer. Jamie and I were pouring sweat while Rocky was practicing his off-roading. As soon as we got to a spot that Rocky could no longer get through, we had to remove the panniers. I wanted to poke him in the eyes when he told me that off-roading was also really hard work. Yes, he definitely worked up a sweat as well but I saw him forcing to hide his smirk, he loved every second. Approximately 300 meters later, the bare bike wasn't even able to continue but we were only a couple hundred meters from Jaimie's dome. All I could think of was how the heck we were going to get back out of there.

As soon as we reached Jaimie's place, I was out of breath and ready to collapse. But, we weren't done yet. Since it would be getting dark soon, Jaimie showed us where there was a good flat place to pitch our tent. We followed him up a 30 meter cliff, I was glad that a rope was placed there to help me pull myself up. I am petrified of heights but with my body working so hard my brain couldn't even function to distract me with fear. After reaching the top of the hill, I was surprised to see people, especially an entire family. We met Martin, Brandy and their two kids. They also had just arrived. They were on their way to Maine for a vacation but wanted to stop in Vermont to meet Jaimie. Martin was a big fan viewing Jaimie on YouTube and he wanted to see the giant robot.

The following morning, I felt good after sleeping like a baby. Rocky and I took a moment to gather our thoughts to figure out the best plan to get the bike out along with all of our things. Since the bike could only use the same trail it entered, Rocky would have to ride it back out the same way. We also decided that the smartest thing to do was carry our luggage out the opposite, shorter trail. As soon as we established the plan, we decided that we would need to bring the panniers up near the dome so that it would be a shorter distance to eventually carry them out in the opposite trail we came in. Luckily, Martin offered to help us because it was much heavier than we thought and the trail was extremely steep at that point. Martin cut down two tree branches and a gurney was built. Him and Rocky carried them half of the way but Brandy and I helped once we saw that they were struggling. We were really grateful for their help. It wasn't a job that most would sign up for, especially on their vacation. Once we were done carrying them closer to Jaimie's house, Rocky rode out of the forest and I hiked out following him. It took us almost two kilometers to reach the road and from there it was a quick distance on the bike to the small town of South Royalton. Once we were done doing our laundry at the local laundromat, we prepared ourselves to do the hike back to Jaimie's. How the heck does he live like this? I was exhausted and I had only been there two days.

I was dreading the next morning. Even though the bike was moved to the closest exit and I had carried out a huge bag on my back the day before, we still had two trips to make out of there. The first trip was for Rocky and I to carry out the panniers, the same panniers that took four people to carry. At least Rocky was encouraging, "It's only a bit more than one kilometer through the forest and past the two ponds!" Each pannier weighs approximately 40 lbs. and I could've never imagined being able to manage. I still can’t believe that I was capable of doing that. It was probably the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. After taking a rest, we decided to go back for part two, we still had to carry out a 75 liter bag with all of our camping gear, a backpack, a tripod and a heavy tank bag filled with all of our electronics. We hiked back to Jaimie's and before taking our last hike out, we finally had the chance to visit with our hosts. Jaimie lives with his partner Deshaina and his adorable little girls Aurora and Bellatrix. We all sat in their outdoor kitchen to enjoy a tasty meal Deshaina had prepared. I just can't imagine how Deshaina is able to live in the middle of a forest with two little girls. I applaud her because I wouldn't have the strength or I'd suffer from cabin fever. The mental and physical strength it would take to live there, would tare me to bits. After saying our farewells and thanking them for the insane but incredible memories, we finally made it back to our motorcycle with all of our gear. I am really grateful for the experience. Seeing Jaimie again after so many years was awesome, and it was really nice to meet Deshaina and their two lovely girls. And of course, I was also excited at the thought of losing a few pounds.

After a long day of hiking, we decided to camp by the White River in the small town of South Royalton, on the outskirts of the wilderness. We didn’t go far at all, yet we seemed so far away from where we last camped, at Jaimie's. Our next journey would begin in the morning on our way to New York City. We rode through many States that day. We left Vermont and re-entered New Hampshire. We rode through Massachusetts and then into Connecticut. It was nice to finally sit down at McDonald's to use their WIFI. After a couple of hours, we were approached by a man. Ken asked us about our motorcycle and travels, he too owned a motorcycle. We spent a very long time talking up a storm until his wife Pam walked inside to introduce herself, and to probably see what was taking her husband so long. Moments later, she asked us to spend a night at there home.

Ken was a Preacher and he lived with his wife and father, Merle, in a large, beautiful home behind their church. Ken and Pam have been married for most of their lives and it was cute to see how deeply in love they still were. They had recently celebrated an anniversary in Alaska and were excited to show us photographs of their trip. Rocky and I were immediately inspired to someday visit Alaska as well. Ken and Pam described their trip by saying everything about it was perfect because they believed that they were in the FOG. Being in the FOG is an acronym for Favor Of God.

After a nice hot shower, the bed we had slept on felt especially comfortable. It had been a really long time since we had slept on something soft. We woke up refreshed are were ready for our next adventure towards the city that never sleeps, New York.

We visited my high school friend, Jaimie, who lived in Vermont. After university, Jaimie bought some land just next to the small town of South Royalton. His home was in the middle of the forest where there is no road access, and the kilometer (or so) hike through the trees took you to the dome he built from scrap parts. He had a fresh water spring, solar panels and a battery bank for power.

Jaimie, an inventor and a bit of a recluse, lived with his girlfriend, Dashaina, and his two children, Aurora and Bellatrix.

Aurora

Jaimie & Aurora, Dashaina & Bellatrix

Bellatrix & I

Paula & Bellatrix

Jaimie turned his hobby of building a giant mechanical robot into somewhat of a career, and has designed award-winning toys that are sold all over the world. Since visiting Jaimie in Vermont, he and his family have since sold "The Dome" and have taken up traveling in a converted cube van across North America. Jaimie and Dashaina mentioned the idea of buying an island somewhere in South America as a possible future plan.

After a few days visiting with Jaimie and his family, Paula spent out last night in the town of South Royalton, where we were able to do our laundry and prepare for the ride to New York City.

While stopped at a McDonald's near Southington, Connecticut, we met Ken and Pam. Ken noticed our motorcycle and struck up a conversation. Ken and Pam are two avid bikers whose ride of choice is a 2008 Honda Goldwing. After conversing for about an hour, Ken and Pam invited us back to their home since we hadn't yet found a place to sleep for the night. They offered a spare bedroom with a comfortable bed and a nice, hot shower. WE spent the night and, the following morning, made our way south towards New York City.

 

[Man On A Mission]

So you know Jaimie, small world but makes perfect sense.

Have Jaimie document his travels here for us. We could use his insight and unique inventive mind.

 

[java]

Great adventure! Thanks for the read!!

 

[shopkins]

just finished reading every word in this thread and i must say i am hooked on your adventure. I would love to see this written into a novel one day. be safe on your adventures! If you're ever in Baltimore, Maryland, do not hesitate to contact me, would love to meet up with y'all.

-Shaun

 

[Rockwell]

So you know Jaimie, small world but makes perfect sense.

Have Jaimie document his travels here for us. We could use his insight and unique inventive mind.

I guess he mostly documents everything on Youtube. Last I heard form him, we and his family have decided to move down to Chile.

Great adventure! Thanks for the read!!

just finished reading every word in this thread and i must say i am hooked on your adventure. I would love to see this written into a novel one day. be safe on your adventures! If you're ever in Baltimore, Maryland, do not hesitate to contact me, would love to meet up with y'all.

-Shaun

Thanks! Paula will be happy that people actually read it, instead of just looking at photos. :victory:

 

[Rockwell]

New York City

July 30, 2013 - August 5, 2013

I was excited to go to New York City but we had many things to organize. We knew that parking the motorcycle in such a large city was going to be an annoying issue and we tried to solve that problem immediately. Since we were going to Iceland after NYC, we thought it would be easier if we shipped the bike sooner than later. The first thing we did once we entered the city was go directly to the airport. At Iceland Air Cargo, we were notified that we would have to provide our own crate. We were given phone numbers for a few companies that could build one for us, but they quoted the cost at almost $1000 USD. We thought that was absurd, especially since the cost to ship the bike was $1500 USD. There was no possible way we were affording that, we would simply have to build our own. Haldor, an employee of Iceland Air Cargo, said he would bring us a power drill in the morning and we could build the crate out front of the loading dock.

We rode to Home Depot and, after figuring out what materials we needed and how much it would cost us, we had to come up with a plan to figure out how to bring all the materials to Iceland Air Cargo. I'm surprised that Rocky didn't ask me to sit on the back of the motorcycle and carry all of the wood as he drove. I bet he considered the idea. Since it was too late to do anything else at the moment, we had no choice but to ride into Manhattan and figure things out in the morning. Just as we were about to finally leave Home Depot, the bike wouldn't start. Frustrated, we pushed the motorcycle to a nearby gas station in the case that Home Depot needed to lock its gated property. At the gas station, we unscrewed the skid plate and wiggled some wires. After a few minutes the bike finally started. At this point, we both just wanted the day to be over with. We rode towards Manhattan with low spirits but just as we were crossing the Manhattan Bridge, the sun was beginning to set below the horizon and the city glowed a beautiful bright orange into the purple sky. It was an incredible skyline that immediately demanded our attention.

My friend Theresa lives in Lower East Side Manhattan with her boyfriend Wayne and their little girl, Celia. They invited us to stay with them and reassured us that not only would it be safe to park on her street, but it was also free. We had no choice regardless, we were stuck with the bike until a crate was built. All we could do was hope the bike would be fine parked in the streets of NYC. When we arrived at Theresa's I was immediately greeted with a big hug. I consider Theresa my family. She has been a friend of mine since we were teenagers and has always gone out of her way for me. Once again, she was there with open arms, and a delicious dinner was waiting for us when we walked through the door. I immediately felt at home.

Rocky and I woke up early the next morning with intentions of building a crate. Our plans fell apart the moment Rocky realized that he didn't have his original registration papers for the motorcycle. Without that legal document, the motorcycle would not be shipped. We spent hours making phone calls trying to find out our options. We were told that Rocky would have to send a signed letter through FedEx to give his mom permission to pick up an original registration title to the motorcycle. Once receiving Rocky's letter, his mother would have to present it to the Ministry of Transportation in order to receive a new registration paper. She would then have to send it rush delivery to Iceland Air Cargo. We could only hope that everything would be done in good timing so that the paper work could be processed in time for the motorcycle to clear customs into Iceland. Iceland air Cargo only ships on Saturdays and we already faced the fear that it would arrive a week later than us. We could not afford to take the chance it would arrive even later. After spending most of the afternoon stressed out, Theresa thought it was best if we spent the remaining sunshine at the pool, she was right.

Once again, we woke up very early the next morning to try and build the crate. We would have had to wake up early regardless, parking on the street still came at a price that money couldn't pay. There were so many rules that we are surprised we didn't get towed for not properly following them. Parking was offered on either side of the road, but not at the same time. We would have to move the motorcycle from one side to the other because there was designated street sweeping hours. The hours were different for each side, we had to move the motorcycle every night after 12am/2am and every morning after 7am/8am to the opposite side. It was free to park on either side, except in the morning until evening, but we didn't find out the pay part until days later.

Rocky went inside of Home Depot to buy the materials and have an employee cut the wood into specific sizes. I waited outside with the motorcycle trying to find someone to drive the wood to the airport for us. There were many men standing outside, hoping to be picked up for labor work. Many illegal immigrants, unable to legally get a job in America, stood out front of Home Depot with hopes of making a few dollars for offering help with construction/labor jobs. I found a man with a van who accepted my offer of $30, to take the wood for the crate, to the airport. Everything was running much smoother than previous days but we had a lot of work still left to do. We spent all day building the crate and once we were finally done, we felt relieved to no longer have any responsibility to the motorcycle. After taking the Subway back to Theresa's, it felt great to arrive in time for a delicious meal.

The following day, were finally ready and able to tour the Big Apple! Rocky and I joined Theresa and her baby Celia into the city. For many years, Theresa was a model before becoming a mother. Her good friend and former photographer, Jo Lance, came out to meet with us for the day. He is extremely creative and talented. A character difficult to describe with any words other than absolutely fabulous. We walked around all day and evening absorbing the energy of the huge city and each other. After hours upon hours of many kilometers on our feet, we still weren't done walking but we had to stop for the night.

We woke up feeling a little bit lazy and Theresa recommended that Rocky and I take a walk to her favourite place, a Turkish Bathhouse. We had never been to one before but she convinced us that we'd love it. As soon as we entered the building, we went to a change room where we put on our swimsuits. Once we were back in the main hall, we grabbed a long cloth robe/cloak along with two towels each - one to sit on and the other to wrap around our head. Rocky and I followed Theresa down the steep stairs into a dark cellar. The entire place was crowded. I could barely see faces because I was distracted by so many speedos. All I kept thinking was where the hell am I? But Theresa is notorious for introducing me to interesting situations. We followed her into what I can only describe as a dungeon. It was pitch black and intensely hot.

We entered a small irregular room approximately 15 feet by 10 feet. Long cement blocks were constructed along the walls used for sitting, and a large cement well filled with freezing cold water sat in the center of the room. Just as I felt like I was going to suffocate, Theresa grabbed for a bucket, filled it with water and poured it over each of our heads. We were so hot that steam escaped our bodies. I suddenly understood why everybody was almost nude. I was completely soaked, dripping of sweat and water. The steam in that room was hot enough to slow cook a meal. After a while, we followed Theresa out of the door and she led us to an ice-cold pool. The heat from our bodies immediately escaped as we entered the water that was suitable for a polar bear. We then followed her inside a small room where she pulled a handle and jet streams of warm water shot out at us in every direction. "Ok, are you ready?" I never know what Theresa has in mind when she says things like that. Nonetheless, I trusted her (maybe and I was as ready as I could ever be. I followed her back into the dark steaming dungeon and she hands me over to a tall massive man and tells him "Give it to her really hard!" Being on the road is tough on the body and having a huge Russian man bend, stretch and beat me with a branch was exactly what I needed. It sounds sarcastic but I am being serious. I will gladly visit another bathhouse in my lifetime.

Feeling refreshed the next morning, we were ready once again for the streets of NYC. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and we took a ferry to Long Island so that we could peek at the Statue of Liberty. We also walked around the World Trade Center Memorial and continued walking until we were exhausted. As soon as we returned to Theresa's apartment, dinner was ready for us. Wayne had spent all day slaving over the oven to feed us a delicious meal. We felt spoiled.

An entire week with Theresa was well-needed, it had been a while since we had seen each other. I was happy to have met Wayne and to have had the opportunity to spend some time getting to know Celia. She is such an intelligent little girl. I think she is absolutely precious. It was a perfect way for me to part with Northern America. We packed our bags the next morning and said our goodbyes before getting into the taxi. We were prepared to take our flight to Iceland and extremely excited to finally get there. Iceland has been on the top of our list of destinations to visit. It was a dream about to come true for the both of us!

 

[Rockwell]

Paula and I arrived in New York City on the hot and hazy afternoon of July 30th. We arrived at Iceland AirCargo to arrange the shipment of the motorcycle to Iceland only to find out that IcelandAir Cargo didn't provide the crate required for shipment. We called a few companies and were provided a quote of $680 plus a minimum of $180 for delivery ($860!). Not wanting to spend that much on money on a wooden box, we decided to visit a nearby Home Depot, purchase some lumber and build our own. We spent $120 for wood and Paula contracted an foreign man who was looking for work to deliver the wood to the cargo depot, 5km away, for $30. Halldór, the IcelandAir Cargo employee who was organizing the shipment of the motorcycle, brought his cordless drill in for us to use, and Paula and I spent a few days getting supplies and building our crate.

While organizing the shipment of the motorcycle, we stayed with Paula's friend, Theresa. Theresa moved from Hamilton, Ontario to New York over ten years ago for work as a model. She lives with her partner, Wayne, and their one year-old daughter, Celia, in the lower east side of Manhattan. After finally finishing up the details of the shipment, we were able to see a bit of The Big Apple.

Paula, Theresa and I spent the day seeing some of the sights New York City has to offer. We first visited the New York City Public Library.

Inside The New York City Public Library

The New York City Public Library

While visiting The New York City Public Library, we met up with one of Theresa's best friends, Jo Lance.

Theresa's one year-old daughter, Celia, had just become bipedal a few weeks prior to our arrival in New York. By the time we had arrived, she was already using her newfound mobility to tear up the streets of New York.

The five of us walked around the city and made our way to Grand Central Terminal.

Theresa and Paula have been friends since they were teenagers.

A Walk In The Park

Celia & Paula

Jo Lance is an eccentric, one-of-a-kind character who works in the art and photography industry, and has co-hosted the reality TV show, Mexico's Next Top Model.

The obligatory Time Square photo

Jumping Joe Lance

A Walk In New York

Manhattan at night

On our last full day in New York City, Paula and I toured lower Manhattan. At the time, there was a global terror alert and we, being the geniuses we are, stood around and watched as fire crews responded to a building fire just around the corner from the site of the World Trade Center.

Visiting the site of the former World Trade Center, we were reminded of the tragedy of that September day in 2001, and the innocent lives that were lost.

In order to prevent further such tragedies, I find it important to understand why such acts of terror occur. It is important to condemn all acts of terror, especially those perpetrated by our own governments in our names.

The tragedy of the 9/11 attacks were used to justify an illegal war that has resulted in an estimated 120,000 civilian deaths. These deaths are mostly absent from the public discourse. An American, Canadian or British life is no more valuable than an Iraqi, Pakistani or a Palestinian life.

The Buildings of New York City

After visiting the 9/11 Memorial, Paula and I decided to take the ferry to Staten Island.

 

[Rockwell]

Sailing From Manhattan

The Manhattan Skyline

Lady Liberty

On The Staten Island Ferry

Arriving In Staten Island

Postcards 9/11 Memorial

Lower Manhattan

We arrived back in lower Manhattan, after a long day of walking around the city, to a delicious meal. Wayne, who is originally from England, served us a traditional meal of Yorkshire Pudding, potatoes and vegetables. Even Theresa, who is the cook in the family, was impressed.

We spent our last night in New York City getting ready for our flight to Iceland that we were to take the following morning. We had a great time visiting Theresa and her family, and we can't thank them enough for sharing their cozy Manhattan apartment with us for the week.

 

[java]

Looks like another amazing adventure is starting!

 

[Rockwell]

Looks like another amazing adventure is starting!

Thanks! But we're already in southern Portugal. We were in New York in July/August. We're just waaay behind in the ride report and the blog.

 

[java]

Thanks! But we're already in southern Portugal. We were in New York in July/August. We're just waaay behind in the ride report and the blog.

Thats awesome! But you need to keep us people stuck in the working world up to date!!

 

[Rockwell]

Arriving In Iceland

August 5, 2013 - August 19, 2013

We arrived at the airport just shortly after 12am. I was surprised by the amount of light still left in the northern sky. Without a motorcycle it felt strange, almost a little lonely. Rocky searched outside the airport for a place to pitch our tent but I had doubts that we'd be ok to camp on airport grounds. It seemed there was no place to hide, the land was flat and there were no trees in sight. Apparently, only 1.4% of Iceland has trees. Just outside of the parking lot exit was a small area of planted bushes. I'm not sure how Rocky managed to find the narrow path of patio stone that led him through the bushes and into an open area just large enough to fit our tent. It seemed kind of random, but I'm guessing that a patio was created with a bush garden around it and nobody ever trimmed the hedges. Regardless, it was a perfect hiding spot for our tent.

Early the next morning, we packed our bags and created a sign that read Keflavik. Rocky nominated me to hold the sign and stick out my thumb. Had I shaven, I may have stuck out my leg, but to my surprise, it only took 10 minutes before a man named Tomas picked us up. The town of Keflavik wasn't too far, it only took us a few minutes to get there. Tomas dropped us off on a main road in front of a Subway Sandwich Restaurant. Can anyone guess what we ate for lunch? At least we would begin searching for a cheaper way to eat, that sub cost almost twice the price we were accustomed to paying.

We knew we would be waiting at least five days for the bike and that kind of sucked. We chose the type of luggage we have because it is easy for the bike to carry, not us. It would be awkward and difficult to travel by foot and carry all of our belongings. Besides, I'm far too lazy for that. We decided to stay in Keflavik and work on trying to catch up on our website. Rocky found an open Internet connection at a library and we pitched our tent in the park across the street so that we would be able to keep an eye on our stuff as we sat inside. We just hoped that nobody would say anything about a tent being pitched in the center of town in a public park.

Our first night went well and we heard no complaints. We kept the tent pitched and walked across the road to the library in the morning. Still tired, I decided to take a walk to go search for coffee. I approached a man and asked him if he knew where I could find good cheap coffee. He laughed and replied, "Nothing is cheap in Iceland" and then continued walking. I approached the second man who walked past me, and again I asked if he knew where I could find good, cheap coffee. He laughed and replied, "My dear, nothing is cheap in Iceland". I became sad and slightly crazy with the thought that coffee in Iceland might be out of our budget. I continued walking up the road until I reached a restaurant. I asked the girl behind the counter how much for each cup of coffee and she replied, "They come free with a combo, just take some." Things might be expensive in Iceland but kindness makes up for it!

After another night in the park, I was shocked that nobody had asked us to leave. After all, we were visibly camping in the center of town. Once again we went to the library to work on our website. To my surprise, I could hear two ladies behind me speaking Portuguese. Maybe it was the familiarity that comforted me in this foreign land, but their words sounded like music to my ears. I immediately introduced myself to Angela and her mother Laura. They are originally from Angola in Africa and have been living in Iceland for many years. Angela was in the process of opening up a coffee shop in the area of the library we were sitting at. That excited me. I asked her if I could purchase two coffees and she made me two Cafe Lattes. When I asked her how much, she told me that she could not legally sell anything yet because she was supposed to receive her business license that day, but was having difficulties. She refused payment and seemed happy to give us complimentary coffee. But, we weren't the only ones to receive special treatment. As she cleaned and organized her shop, many customers asked to purchase coffee and she politely continued to serve it for free. Her kindness was not typical of a business owner but I believe that because of it she will be very successful.

After a few days, Angela hadn't got her license yet but continued to insist on giving us free coffee and food. She said it was because we were her first (none paying) customers and we were going through some troubles waiting for something important as well. She also told us, numerous times, that if we needed anything not to hesitate asking. I'm not sure she knew how kind she had already been. On the Friday of that week, she invited us to join her and her parents, Amandio and Laura, for dinner at her house. We left our belongings with the tent and went to her house. Dinner was delicious and the conversations were great. Amandio taught me a lot of history about the Portuguese people of Africa and the civil war that took place. It was history I was never aware of, interesting to know. I really enjoyed getting to know this family.

It was almost 10 pm when we had returned to our tent and our things had been left untouched. Never-mind, I take that back. As Rocky lay in the tent and gazed at the stars, he wondered why he was able to see the sky. There was a tare on the top of our tent. It was an odd location for the tent to be cut, unless it wasn't cut but torn instead. As I cleaned the area to attempt a patch job, I noticed a bit of dirt. I'm pretty sure that one of the many drunken kids roaming the street on that Friday night may have thrown a rock, which would cause the tent to rip. To make matters worse, we didn't have our patch kit with us, it was in the side bag of the motorcycle. I had no choice but to use what I had, to patch the tare. Electrical tape and bandages was going to have to do the trick. Luckily the rain wasn't much that night and we woke up dry.

The day before, we had been approached by a man who had introduced himself as Gylfi Jón. He is the director of education and works above the library, beside the Mayors office. Oh yeah, by the way, we were camped in front of the Mayors office all week. Hah! Anyway, Gylfi Jón invited us to have lunch with him and we were happy to join. We packed up all of our bags, because we no longer trusted leaving our belongings unattended, and we went to a place that Gylfi Jón called his Hut. Located on the southwestern coast of Iceland, the Hut is on farmland called Hafurbjarnarstadir. Good luck trying to pronounce that.

Gylfi Jón was a very polite character with a smile that suggested he was much funnier than he was reserved. He had a very gentle, calming effect, and he seemed really sincere. As he seasoned a plateful of lamb-chops and prepared some veggies, I got the impression that he was also a good cook. My thoughts were proven correct shortly after. I have never been a fan of lamb but it was absolutely delicious. Actually, those lamb-chops were the tastiest meat I have ever eaten.

After a full tummy, Gylfi Jón invited us to walk down to the shore and visit the lighthouse. The hut was surrounded by farmland occupied by gorgeous Icelandic horses. They appeared different from what I consider typical. Probably because the Icelandic horses remains a breed known for its purity of bloodline. It is the only horse breed present in Iceland because law prevents horses from being imported into the country, and exported animals are not allowed to return. Icelandic horses are short and stalky with beautiful wild manes. They display two gaits in addition to the typical walk, trot, and canter/gallop commonly displayed by other breeds. Tölt, the first additional gait is known for its explosive acceleration and speed. It is a comfortable, ground-covering ride. The breed also performs a pace called askeið, flugskeið or "flying pace". It is used in pacing races, and is fast and smooth, with some horses able to reach up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). It is not a gait used for long-distance travel. I kept imagining that one of them would let me jump on their back and they would Tölt me around the country.

The ocean was approximately 200 meters from the Hut. We followed the shore, decorated with arctic flowers, until we got to the lighthouse, more than one kilometer away. We immediately fell in love with this place. When we returned to the Hut, Gylfi Jón invited us to stay there until we received our motorcycle. Rocky and I were ecstatic. It was great to have this cute wooden home all to ourselves. It was well equipped with everything we needed to feel comfortable, but the best thing it featured was the shower. Located on the outside of the hut, was a showerhead poking out of the wall. Gylfi Jón warned us that the area was popular for bird watchers with their fancy binoculars. But, I imagine that bird watchers deserve some sort of excitement in their lives as well. Once the fireplace was lit, I was ready to run out in the cold to test the waters. It already felt great to feel hot water splash all over me as the cool wind blew past, but, to experience this as fields of horses grazed and the sun set below the oceans horizon, was extraordinary. I can't describe a more peaceful moment in my life.

Gylfi Jón showed up the following day and invited us to visit a geothermal area located nearby. He brought with him his friend Baldur, and a five-year-old girl named Anna, who is his girlfriend’s daughter. We visited an area that I could best describe as burnt earth. Steam rose up from the cracks and water bubbled with heat. In Iceland, history is told with magical stories. An extremely large percentage of Icelanders believe in trolls, ferries, ghosts and other things alike. Gylfi Jón wasn't one of them but he was a great storyteller as he expressed all of the tales. We walked along high cliffs that met the oceans shore and as we walked through a field, Anna grabbed for my hand and gestured for me to sit with her. She showed me a patch of Cow Berries and began picking them to eat. We sat there for a while staining our lips and fingers. After a great day of site seeing, I was thrilled that we had the opportunity to wander even though we had no motorcycle. It was also nice to make new friends. When we arrived at the Hut, Baldur asked us for our permission to be interviewed. He is a journalist for the newspaper DV and wanted to post an article about us, our travels and our time in Iceland. We awkwardly agreed with blushed cheeks. After interviewing us, he also offered us a vehicle for the following day. It was a very kind gesture and we were obviously excited to be able to explore some of Iceland. Iceland has been on top of our list of places to see in the world. Being there, but immobile, was such a tease.

The next morning, we hitchhiked to the bus station and took a bus into Reykjavik. The whole country of Iceland is only made up of 318,000 people and 200,000 of them live in the capital city of Reykjavik. We met up with Baldur at his job and picked up the car for a road trip. We had been experiencing a lot of rain but that day had been perfect for us. It felt strange to be touring around in a car but there were a few conveniences I really liked. It was much warmer and it was great to be able to sit back comfortably.

Baldur recommended that we visit a popular tourist route in South Iceland called the Golden Circle. The area covers approximately 300 km looping from Reykjavík into central Iceland and back. We first stopped at Þingvellir National Park. Iceland is situated on the Eurasian and North-American plate boundaries and the Þingvellir area is part of a fissure zone that runs through the country. Both continents are gradually moving apart from each other by an average of 3 mm each year and the cracks or faults, which traverse the region, can be clearly seen. From there we visited the geothermal active valley of Haukadalur. It is home to the geysers Strokkur and Geysir. Strokkur continues to erupt every 5-10 minutes and although Geysir has been inactive for a long time, its name has continued to be used to describe such a fairly rare phenomenon. Our last stop was to visit the waterfall, Gullfoss, meaning golden falls. It was large, powerful and absolutely gorgeous.

The day was almost over and we were about to drive to Baldur's house to drop off the car. But first, it would make perfect sense for us to offer a couple of hitchhikers a ride since we've hitched a few rides ourselves. Andreas and Melanie were heading in the same direction about half of an hour away. They were from Bavaria in Germany and were traveling through Iceland for a few weeks. Many people hitchhike in Iceland, it is very common. On route to driving them to there next location, we continued to enjoy the scenery of Iceland's fantastic landscapes.

When we arrived in Reykjavik, Baldur invited us into his home for dinner. He lived with his girlfriend Hulda and young son Emil and they spoiled us with a delicious, fresh Cod fish dinner. Yummy!!! Cod is my favorite cooked fish! After constantly meeting so many amazing strangers along our journey, people's kind and friendly nature continues across the world. Baldur and his family treated us as though we were lifelong friends and that is what we will continue to be. We were very fortunate to have met such caring people.

We spent another cozy night at the Hut, and the following day we finally received an email from Iceland Air Cargo. But, the news wasn't good. Our motorcycle was stuck in customs and would not be shipped until at least the following week. Kindly, Gylfi Jón welcomed us to stay at the Hut until the motorcycle arrived. For the next few days, Rocky and I would walk through the fields of horses to get to the lighthouse. Rain or shine, and it was mostly rain, we enjoyed the fresh air and the beauty that surrounded us. We really grew attached to theses beautiful creatures. A group of seven females lived directly beside the Hut. After spending many days with them it became natural to have names for each one. Eh was a black horse with a crimped mane, she got her name from the letters EH bleached onto her coat. I want to take her back to Canada, EH! Blackie, Brownie, Blondie where named after their colours. Blondie was Rocky's favourite, she was a great model for his photo sessions. I was happy that she stole the Paparazzi attention off of me. Little one was the smallest, I'm pretty sure that she was still a pony. Timid was the only one that didn't fully trust us. She could barely be bribed with food. Jerry was named Jerry because we didn't know what to name her. Everyday rewarded us with a sense of fulfillment as we were greeted by our new friends. This place was magical.

Throughout the week, Gylfi Jón would stop by to visit. Each time, he would surprise us with a delicious treat. First he brought us "hangikjöt" (smoked lamb cold-cut) on "flatbrauð" (thin rye flatbread) a traditional Icelandic treat. A couple of days later, he came by with Sole filets. A couple of days after that, he brought us Salmon. He even took us to meet his mom, Guðrún at her house to drop off our laundry. She was as kind and nurturing as he was. I was beginning to wish that Gylfi Jón would just adopt us and we could live at the Hut forever. He is one of the kindest men I have ever met.

By the end of the week, we finally received news that our motorcycle was ready to be picked up. Rocky and I hitched a ride to the airport and waited politely for our documents to be accepted. We walked over to the docking station and the cargo employees all circled around as the crate was delivered to us. It turns out that they had read the article about us in the DV newspaper, and were excited for us as well. After assembling the bike, we finally had the chance to introduce her to this beautiful land. For the first time after being in Iceland for two weeks, I realized how cold it was. My chin froze numb as we rode back to the hut for our last night there.

Usually, to be stranded somewhere would imply a negative experience. In our case, being stranded was awesome. A part of me was excited that the motorcycle finally arrived. But, I knew that I would deeply miss the little Hut by the sea.

 

[Rockwell]

On our flight to Iceland on Monday, we flew over Greenland and got a great view of massive glaciers and icebergs.

Our flight to Iceland arrived just before midnight on Monday. We camped out at the airport that night and the next day we decided to head to the nearby town of Keflaviík. There was no local bus service and we didn't want to spend $20 on a 4km cab ride, so we (I) decided to have Paula hitchhike. I knew that having her (instead of myself) standing there with her thumb out would drastically increase our odds of getting a ride. It took less than 10 minutes for someone to stop.

We had been camping in the town of Keflavík, in the park across the street from the public library, waiting for the motorcycle to arrive from New York. To get out of the rain, we spent the days sitting in the library, using the internet and working on the blog. On our second day there, Paula heard the familiar sound of someone speaking Portuguese, and introduced herself to the woman who was opening a coffee shop in the library. Angela was her name, and she had lived in Iceland for almost 20 years. She was setting up her new business of selling coffee and treats. Like us, Angela was also having trouble with getting her paperwork processed, so she was unable to legally sell anything. For the remainder of the week, she offered us and everyone who came into the library free food and coffee.

On the Friday, four days after arriving in Icleand, Angela invited Pala and I back to her home for a wonderful dinner and a nice, hot shower. There, we met her mother, Laura, and her, father, Amandio.

While hanging out in Keflavík Library that first week, we also met a man named Gylfi Jón. Gylfi Jón was the director of education in the area of Reykjanesbær. Gylfi Jón approached us at the end of the week while we were sitting in the library, and invited us out to his "hut" the following day for lunch. Gylfi Jón picked us up in front of the library the next day and cooked us a delicious dinner of lamb chops and potatoes. He also offered us a place to stay at his hut, which is a small cottage next to the ocean, complete with electricity, a fridge, a stove, a bbq, hot water, a wood fireplace and the best outdoor shower we have ever seen.

Gylfi Jón & Paula

The Hut By The Sea

Rock carvings done by a local artist

The area in which Gylfi Jón's hut is located, called Hafurbjarnarstadir, is home to many Icelandic horses roaming and grazing in the fields.

Feeding The Horses

Paula At The Beach

The following day Gylfi Jón, his firend, Baldur and his girlfriend's daughter, Anna ,arrived at the hut to take Paula and I to do some sightseeing in an area along the southwestern shore of Iceland.

Gylfi Jón & Paula in Southwestern Iceland

The Geothermal Area In Reykjanesbær

Shifting Plates

Anna & Paula picked wild berries growing in the area.

While visiting the area, Baldur asked many questions about our travels. Baldur was a journalist for a popular newspaper in Iceland, The DV. After returning to the hut, Baldur conducted a formal, recorded interview, which was rather awkward for Paula and I. Baldur planned to submit a story about us for the following week's paper.

The shower at Gylfi Jón's hut was on the outside of the building. The combination of the hot water, cool breeze and the view of the sunset over the ocean and the Icelandic horses in the fields is why Paula and I have deemed it the greatest shower on Earth.

Grazing Horses

After conducting the interview, Baldur offered Paula and I the use of one of his vehicles. Since we were stranded waiting for the motorcycle, Baldur suggested that we take his car for the day and drive around The Golden Circle to see some of the beautiful nature that Iceland has to offer.

Paula In Iceland

We visited Þingvellir National Park, which is just outside of the capital city of Reykjavík.

 

[Rockwell]

Paula At Þingvellir National Park

The Mountains of Iceland

We also visited Geysir, an active geothermal area in central Iceland.

Paula At Geysir

The Beauty of Iceland

Paula & I At Gullfoss

After spending a full day of sightseeing, dropped off the car off at Baldur's house. When we arrived, Baldur and his wife, Hulda, cooked us a delicious supper of cod fish with mashed potatoes, traditional Icelandic rye bread, cucumber salad and beer. Baldur and Hulda lived with their 3-year old son, Emil, in a suburb of Reykjavík.

Paula and I met Gylfi Jón's mother, Guðrún, who offered to wash and dry our dirty laundry. We were very grateful to her since we had run out of clean clothes and Iceland doesn't seem to have any laundromats.

With the hopes of receiving the motorcycle this weekend in Iceland, we said goodbye to Gylf Jón, who will be gone on a fishing trip for the next four days. After he left, Paula and I enjoyed the delicious salmon he brought us. We had it raw, with some soy sause, wasabi and pickled ginger.

Along with the horses, there was also a little bunny that called this beautiful place home.

The Horses of Iceland

On our second Saturday in Iceland, Paula and I walked to the grocery store and picked up the paper to find a two-page article about us.

The Article In The DV

After two weeks of waiting, the motorcycle had finally arrived in Iceland. Paula and I hitchhiked to the airport where we finally received and reassembled the bike.

The Greatest Shower On Earth

Though happy to finally have our motorcycle back, we were saddened to have to leave this magical place that we called home for our first two weeks in Iceland.

We spent our last night in the hut and, the following day, packed up out belongings onto the motorcycle and were on our way.

 

[Rockwell]

Iceland

August 20, 2013 - September 3, 2013

We got up early in the morning and packed our belongings. With tears in my eyes I said goodbye to all the horses. Everything was ready to go. Rocky sat on the bike, turned the key...and nothing. The motorcycle wouldn't start. We spent a few hours trying to wiggle wires and charge the battery, but still, nothing. I eventually ran over to the neighbour's home, a few hundred meters away. He had a lot of old vehicles and machinery collected on his yard. I thought that there would be a good chance he would have cables and or even an old battery we could briefly borrow. I didn't want to bother him, but I did. He opened the door, and then slammed it shut. That didn't work out so well. Maybe if he kept his door open more often, the view wouldn't allow him to be so miserable.

I ran to the next closest place, which was a golf course, a few more hundred meters away. The lands keeper was quickly willing to help. We drove out to the hut and attached the cables to the batteries. The motorcycle quickly came to life with a roar. We hopped on her and rode towards the horses on our way out, but that didn't intimidate our long mane friends. They curiously peeked at the odd creature we rode away on, as we waved goodbye, one last time.

It was a beautiful day but we had our winter and rain liners attached to our riding gear. I was also wearing my balaclava to protect my neck and chin from the crisp air. We rode to the library where Rocky and I had spent our first week in Iceland. Angela was behind the counter at the Radhause Kaffi shop, open for business. I was extremely happy to see her glowing with pride.

We were supposed to meet Gylfi Jon there and take him out for lunch. When I asked Angela if she had seen him, she said that she had last seen him in the kitchen eating. I felt horrible for being too late. When Gylfi Jon found us, he joined us at our table. I felt emotional as I tried to come up with the right words. Nothing I could have said would have expressed how much I enjoyed meeting him and staying at the Little Hut by the Sea.

We were officially back on the road and on our own. We planned on spending the day at Iceland's most unique and popular attraction, The Blue Lagoon. In 1976, a geothermal power plant was new to the area. Superheated water was vented from 2000 meters in the ground near a lava flow. It was used to run turbines that generate electricity. After going through the turbines, the steam and hot water would pass through a heat exchanger to provide heat for a municipal water heating system. All of the wastewater outputted from the geothermal power plant formed a pool. In the years that followed, people start bathing in it.

It wasn't long before the natural geothermal seawater became known for its healing power from its active ingredients, minerals, silica and algae. The Blue Lagoon Spa was created soon after. Absolutely breathtaking, the Blue Lagoon is one of the most intensely beautiful places I have ever experienced. It was so perfect, that until I walked around the inside of the lagoon, I had no idea that man had anything to do with its intense natural beauty. It is the most compatible relationship between nature and technology I have ever seen.

Just as we were about to leave, the bike refused to start again. Luckily, we were in a very busy parking lot and finding help came easy. We left Keflavik and rode to Reykjavik. Just as we approached the city, the sun was beginning to drop towards the oceans horizon. The sky was a mixture of light pink and baby blue with wisps of translucent clouds. It was such a pretty sunset that I had to force myself to look away to check out the landscape around me. I turned my head to the right but the sky stole my attention once again. It was a pretty purple and the mountains in the distance were navy blue. But, prettier than colors, was the largest white moon I have ever seen. It dominated the sky like something I have only witness on an Anime cartoon. It is during moments like those, when I wished Rocky and I had communication devices.

Once we were in the city, it began to get late and we decided to camp out in a huge field near the University. The wind blew hard that night and we woke up to a lot of rain the following morning. Packing in the rain is definitely on the list of things I almost hate. We found a nearby Subway restaurant, and we decided to go there for a few hours. Once we were dry, our tummies were full and we googled a few addresses, we stopped at a camping store for some water proofing spray. I had already sprayed the tent while in NYC. I had also glued all the seams and patched all the tears while we were staying at The Little Hut. But, there was still a little bit of water finding its way in through the material we lay on.

We also stopped at a KTM shop for some advice. Rocky wasn't exactly sure why the motorcycle was experiencing troubles, but he suspected that we may need a regulator. Unfortunately, none were in stock and we were told that it could possibly be at least a week for one to be delivered. We didn't want to wait that long. Especially since we weren't positive that it was the regulator causing us bike problems. Instead, we left with some chain lube and cleaner.

We had spent all day in Reykjavik, and then we searched for a place to camp along the coast. The sky threatened more rain, so we hoped to find a place that would provide us with some shelter. Right along the beach was a tiny facility with an overhang that could keep us dry for the night. There was a set of stairs to its side that led to the top of the overhang, giving us a beautiful view of the arctic waves. Sounds perfect? It could have been, if it wasn't a sewage plant. Even the ****tiest place in Iceland was awesome. What made me laugh more, were the two employees that showed up for their shift in the morning. They asked us for pictures because they recognized us from the newspaper!

We began our way out of the city and my hopes of the weather getting better were quickly diminishing. It was cold, really cold. Rain was pouring down on us, but worst, was the wind. When we stopped for gas, the attendant warned us that the road ahead was known for very strong winds. I was told that it would get better once we reached the top of the hill but I couldn't help having doubt. The wind was pulling and pushing us all over the road. After driving for about 20 km, we reached the top and I was shocked to see some blue sky and sunshine in the distance. We stopped for a photo and noticed another rider was doing the same. Tam was from Whales he was exploring solo on a KLR. I really enjoyed seeing other riders. Most adventurers we saw were in huge Unimog campers. These things were massive. The wheels were more than half my size, and seeing them made me feel brave.

We continued towards visiting a waterfall and we must have rode past at least half a dozen of them on our way. We spent the rest of the day riding in and out of rain, and fighting the wind. The weather was very temperamental and seemed to change frequently. I felt a strong sense of relief once we entered the Hvalfjörður tunnel. I was so cold that I honestly wouldn't have minded staying in that warm pocket of exhaust fumes. Even though the tunnel is among the longest underwater road tunnels in the world (5,770 m or 18,930 ft. long), we were back into the cold much too soon. All I could do was close my eyes and imagine the heat of the fireplace in the cozy, Little Hut by the Sea. We continued driving for a bit but we finally found a park that we thought would be a good place to camp. We set up the tent under a tree, and finally warmed our hands and feet.

With everything ready and packed to leave in the morning, the motorcycle refused to start, once again. We were becoming very frustrated. I walked up and down streets asking everyone for help but nobody had cables or understood what I was saying. We were in a small town and English wasn't as popular. I found it very difficult to communicate and resorted to inventing my own sign language. I was relieved when it worked and I finally found help.

For the rest of the day, we rode around gawking at the scenery. Iceland is a very mountainous island with a strange landscape. It was so ridiculously beautiful that we were constantly stopping every few minutes to take another picture. I thoroughly enjoyed every stop. Because Iceland is a volcanic island, there are many beautiful lava fields covered in moss and lichen. To my surprise, they were also covered with wild blueberries. Every time Rocky was taking pictures, I was filling us up bags (and my mouth) full of deliciousness.

We eventually arrived in a town called Grundarfjörður and stopped at a gas station for a cup of coffee. We discovered that N1 Gas Stations have free WiFi and good, cheap coffee. We were especially happy when we also found out about unlimited refills. After warming up and relaxing for a while, we tried to come up with a plan for the night. We were continuing to have problems with the motorcycle starting and we were afraid to camp too far from public in case we needed a boost.

Adjacent from the gas station was a small Viking hut. It looked as though it was placed there as a type of attraction or selling booth. I had asked one of the guys working in the store what it was used for and he said it had been recently built for the community and occasionally used by the locals to perform skits and plays. I encouraged Rocky for us to stay there for the night. I thought that, not only would it be a perfect place to keep us dry and warm, but it was also a super awesome Viking hut!!

As I set up the tent, Rocky searched outside of The N1 Gas Station for an electrical plug. He hoped that if he plugged in the battery and let it charge for the night that maybe, just maybe, the bike would start in the morning. As he was looking, he met a lady named Silla. She worked at the grocery store that's attached to the N1. Silla offered to take home the battery and return it charged the next morning. The first thing we did when we woke up was check the electric and cable connections. With the fully charged battery installed, the motorcycle still refused to start. Unsure of what the problem was, we decided that we wouldn't pack up our belongings because we would be staying in Grundarfjörður for one more night. We spent the entire day sitting in the N1 Gas Station as Rocky searched the Internet for any help he could find.

Later that day, Rocky was approached by a guy demanding rent money. His name was Hjortur and he was kidding of course. Along with some help, Hjortur had built the Viking Hut. We apologized for staying there, we didn't realize it was private property. We told him that we were experiencing some bike troubles and we planned on returning to Reykjavik in the morning. Hjortur was very understanding and gave us permission to enjoy another night there. When we asked him for a picture, he said yes but asked as if we minded waiting a few minutes. He returned momentarily, fully dressed in his Viking costume. That made my day. I absolutely adored him for it!

We asked someone for a boost in the morning and rode back towards Reykjavik. It is the only large city in Iceland and we were afraid to continue north and around the rest of the island without figuring out what was wrong with the motorcycle. When Gylfi Jon heard that we were coming back in his direction, he invited us to join him at his home for dinner. I'm not one to turn down a meal, but I was especially excited to see him and Anna again. I was also happy that we were going to have the chance to meet his son Sveinn, and his girlfriend as well. The moment I met Ingibjorg, I immediately noticed the strong resemblance between her and Anna. She is extremely pretty, intelligent and funny. Her and Gylfi Jon make a lovely couple. They also make a fantastic meal, but I wasn't surprised. I already knew that Gylfi Jon was passionate about cooking. It was nice to spend time together with everyone.

After a few hours, it was getting late and we exchanged hugs for one last time. Baldur didn't live far and had mentioned that we could camp out at his place while him and Hulda were visiting the West Fjords. It made it much easier for us to take apart the bike to try and figure out what exactly might be wrong with it. The following day, we purchased some contact cleaner and soldered the electrical connections we had previously repaired. That seemed to have helped because the motorcycle was starting at every attempt. Baldur and Hulda came home that night and brought with them the most blueberries I have ever seen in my life. They said that the West Fjords is the best place to pick them because they are everywhere. We all sat at the table sharing stories and eating many bowls filled with blueberries and cream. No matter what troubles we had faced in Iceland, Gylfi Jon and Baldur were always there for us, bringing smiles to our faces.

The motorcycle started in the morning and we took that as a good sign. Once again, we headed north. Everyone in Iceland says that the weather is very unpredictable because it can change drastically, very quickly. I began to believe that the weather was very predictable - high winds, rain and a chance of sunshine. Repeat. But it really didn't matter, it made the world around us look like as if it was sparkling. All of the colours surrounding us were intensified as the hydrated earth was kissed by the sun. We were even rewarded with a full rainbow as we rode past fields of wild horses. I was mesmerized, absolutely captivated by every kilometer we passed.

It was late and the sun had already gone down by the time we stopped in a town named Dalvik. The groceries stores had all closed and the only place open was a gas station. Luckily we had arrived just before they closed because we were really hungry. The ladies working behind the counter must have assumed that because they were kind enough to keep the kitchen open to serve us. We ordered a large plate of french fries to split between us, but we received a heaping platter. It was literally a platter. Rocky and I couldn't stop giggling. There were enough french fries to feed a party. We tried our best to eat as much as possible but we had to give up at approximately 2000 calories each. With a very full tummy, we slept well that night.

We rode to Akureyri in the morning and stopped to check out Godifoss, another very beautiful waterfall. We then headed to Lake Mývatn where the surrounding landscape was dominated by volcanic landforms. For the first time since arriving in Iceland, there were, what I would consider, many mosquitos. I just found out that they were actually midges. Tiny little fly like bugs that were creepily trying to get at my eyeballs. It was the first time I had noticed insects. I hadn't even seen a single ant during our entire time on the island.

Our plan was to visit another waterfall by the end of the day. Dettifoss is said to be the largest, most powerful waterfall in Europe. We rode down a gravel rode for what seemed like forever and finally arrived at what I considered a eerie-looking place. The area was very grey with many rocks and the water was dark with sediment. It was so powerful that I felt as though the earth was vibrating my entire body. We considered spending the night near by but we decided to camp closer to the main road. It was another long ride on a gravel road. Even once we reached the tarac we rarely saw anyone drive past. We continued riding through the barren land until we had just enough sunlight to set up camp for the night. I truly felt as though we were in the middle of nowhere, but we weren't alone. Sound asleep during the middle of the night, I woke up counting sheep. Bhaa, bhaaa, bhaa. It was the cutest sound I have ever awoken to.

During our ride through the northern regions, we had seen sheep everywhere. They roam around freely in the fields, infusing themselves by eating wild thyme and blueberries all day long. It is no wonder why they are so irresistibly delicious. But how could I ever think of sheep like that ever again? I grew a deep affection for them after realizing how extremely adorable they were. They often wandered their way along the roads but they would quickly panic and flee the moment they heard the motorcycle approach them. It was really funny to see them transform from calm, cool and collected grazers, to frantic, little maniacs, running on their skinny little legs as their chubby butts waddled. I just love them!

We had made our way past northern Iceland and headed towards the town of Egilsstaðir, on the Eastern side of the island. For the next few days, we would stay relevantly close to the area because our ferry was waiting near by. We ventured on a thin gravel road that led us up a mountain of rock and silver moss. The wind frightened me as I starred down the steep edges. We continued riding and eventually found a soccer field to pitch our tent. We set up the tent on a wooden deck that was attached to a sports shed, and I was glad we did. It rained heavily all night and into the morning. Even though I had sprayed some protection on the tent while staying at the Viking hut, I didn't trust how well it would work to keep us dry.

It was my birthday and we planned on visiting one of the coolest places I have ever seen. Located on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park, situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, is a large glacial lake filled with luminous blue chunks of ice that were beautifully streaked with black sediment. 10% of Iceland is covered in glaciers and the are quickly melting. We spent hours starring at the floating, icebergs. A few of them had drifting onto the shore. I didn't care how cold I was, I felt that I had to sit on one. Not many people can say that they've sat on an iceberg for their birthday.

A music video was being filmed a few feet away from us and I felt bad for the artist who was under-dressed and shivering cold. The sky was covered in clouds and I could see snow in the distance atop the glacier. Rocky and I decided it was getting late and much too cold to be hanging out much longer. A few of the locals also approached us as we were preparing to leave and warned us to get out of the weather. Rocky got on the motorcycle and I shouldn't have been so surprised when it wouldn't start. The crew that was filming the video came over to offer their help and they brought us hot cups of coffee from the large trailer they were traveling in. Alfred, Raggi, Villi and Simmi were extremely kind. While Villi showed Rocky how to bypass the start relay with a screwdriver, Alfred, Simmi and Raggi brought me birthday cake and everyone began singing to me. It was very unexpected! It completely warmed my heart and made me feel all fuzzy.

It was already dark and we were trying to ride as far away from the glacier as possible. It was too late to bother finding a room for the night, so we rode east to the town that we stopped in earlier that day, and found a small field to camp in. The next morning was sunny, and we rode back to the town of Egilsstaðir. We decided to have a relaxing day to work on the blog and we camped out in a nearby field, that night. When we woke up in the morning, we planned to visit a Dam, located in the highlands. It was freezing cold and extremely windy. The area was beautiful and desolate but the wind was so ridiculously strong that we were riding on a forty-degree angle. When we finally reached the dam I was worried that Rocky was going to cross it. Imagine dark grey water, thrashing violently. Waves were splashing on the narrow road that separated the raging water from the ridiculous 193 m (633 ft.) drop. I was super scared but Rocky was apparently feeling very adventurous. I was clenching my mouth shut even more than I had that entire ride. It felt as though my teeth were all about to crack. Once we actually made it to the other side, I was relieved to be alive. We stopped for a minute so that I could prevent from peeing in my pants, and then Rocky decided to turned back around. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. The only comfort I had was in knowing that we were turning around and exiting the highlands.

Half way back to Egilsstaðir, we turned down a gravel rode that led us to a guesthouse. We decided to stop there for a warm drink, and also to relax our cold bones. We met a few other travelers doing the same. They were shocked that we arrived by motorcycle as they complained of the drive they experienced on their trailer homes. My jaw hurt from all the pressure but my tongue was feeling strange. I ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror and I was shocked to see that my tongue was swollen and purple from sucking on it so hard. I was really glad when we finally left the highlands and returned back to the same spot that we had camped the night before.

We had two days left before our ferry was scheduled to leave. We decided to relax all day and work on the blog. We were hanging out at an N1 when we were surprised to see Tam, our friend from Whales. Even though it had only been less than two weeks since we had met him, it felt as though it was so long ago. It was great to hear about Tams journey. He had ridden through Iceland’s interior, where the roads are all gravel and the terrain is difficult to traverse. Sometimes I feel guilty for having joined Rocky on this trip. I know that if he was alone he would love a challenge like that. I don't crave that same excitement while riding passenger.

It was our last night in Iceland and we were camped at the same spot as the past couple of nights. We were sad to be leaving this magical place but Iceland wasn't letting us leave without one last surprise. As I stepped outside of our tent that night, I was awarded with something I had always wished to see, northern lights. The sky was glowing green as it danced above me, and I immediately screamed for Rocky to come outside. It was the first time that either one of us had witnessed such a an astronomical phenomena, it was a real treat. I stared at the sky and took a moment to reminisce all the beauty Iceland possessed. What a fantastic country! It is definitely a place that we will have to visit again in the future.