Mývatn loop (36.4km): the last day of riding was an easy and visually fascinating loop around the lake. After lunch, several of us took a sightseeing flight around the area, including the lake from above, the local geothermal plant, and a nearby lava field from some more-recent volcanic activity. We'd made reservations for dinner at Vogafjós Farm Resort, a restaurant and farm down the lake from our hotel.
early view from our hotel room in Mývatn |
slightly later morning: we are being monitored by sheep |
by the time we get up for the day, the sheep have gotten bored and are snuggling |
interior of hotel room in Mývatn |
the lake in the morning |
today we're going to ride around the lake |
looking southwest across the lake towards two mountains |
Gina, ready to go |
the rest of the group, looking at a map |
green post-volcanic landscape |
we learned that this level of grass and craggy volcanic rock forms about 1000 years after a volcanic eruption |
a curve in the road |
more lake |
Tom and David, approaching |
black sand at the edge of the water |
view across the lake from the shore |
edge of the lake |
hill at the edge of the lake |
the group, ready to ride if i would only stop taking pictures of the lake |
field and hill |
crossing the river Laxá í Aðadlal on our ride around Lake Mývatn |
the view downriver |
for once i got ahead of the group, and could photograph riders arriving |
riders arriving! |
Bill crossing the river |
Tom and our van driver Will crossing the river |
Scott crossing the river |
David crossing the river |
a fairy apartment complex |
we think this road signs were not kilometers, but house numbers |
we got amazing views of the pseudocraters around Lake Mývatn |
big pseudocrater |
landscape with small water feature |
edge of Lake Mývatn |
cairns at a curve in the road |
straight road back to the hotel |
furniture made of suitcases in our hotel lobby |
after lunch, several of us had a small plane tour scheduled, so we walked to the airport |
post-volcanic landscape |
Scott leaping over some landscape features |
preparing for our arduous 1 km walk |
there's a hole there |
more landscape |
rental cabins right in the post-volcanic landscape |
the airport |
our plane |
taxiing to the gate |
boarding |
the view from my seat |
Gina inside the plane |
Lake Mývatn, from the runway |
rolling hills, farms, and clouds, from the air |
our hotel, and the edge of Lake Mývatn, from the air |
eastern edge of Lake Mývatn |
the big pseudocrater east of the lake |
the small mountain west of the lake |
post-volcanic landscape |
islands in the northern part of Lake Mývatn |
more Lake Mývatn coastline |
pseudocraters! |
river and green fields |
the view north |
post-volcanic lake edge |
green pseudocraters |
pseudocrater close-up |
more pseudocrater lake edge |
heading north from the lake, past the hotel and the runway |
geothermal plant and mountains |
view down the valley to more plant |
mountaintop above the plant |
road back to the lake |
post-volcanic fields and mountains |
edge of a lava field |
ridge, utility line, road |
transformation of energy is occurring |
lava field |
lava failing to climb a mountain |
lava edge and bonus pseudocrater |
red earth surrounded by lava |
lava and ridges |
several different colors of earth |
and here's red again |
pseudocrater lake, back at the power plant |
the business part of the power plant |
overview of power plant plus some mountains |
view down the valley |
river in post-volcanic landscape |
back to Lake Mývatn |
sky and land |
fields and transmission lines, just before we land |
leaving the airport |
we stop to take a look at the cratery landscape |
many little ferns growing in the crater |
Icelandic blueberries |
Gina sitting in a volcanic crater |
Bill sitting in a volcanic crater |
more crater and crater edge |
we avoid falling into a chasm |
the road avoids being swallowed by a vertical landscape of rock |
our plane, carrying the next tour group |
more cratery landscape |
little pink flowers |
back at the hotel, we found a perfect room for board games |
Gina, interrupted from a book |
photo of young women with musical instruments |
dice! |
we arrive at Vogafjós, and are greeted by cows |
hay bales, labelled by flavor |
Tom sitting next to the window at Vogafjós |
glass plate with cow design, at Vogafjós |
my beverage |
someone else's very dramatic beverage |
lamb appetizer |
appetizer plate |
this lamb filet was excellent |
cake, with chocolate and caramel and maybe pecans |
the group, at dinner |
on the way out, we got to see the cows briefly |
spotted cow |
calf looking at the camera |