Well, we must admit that after 7 days of cycling we started to understand that this remark made sense. Also, we think that if we had known how it would be, we would have chosen something else (like Netherlands) for our second cycling trip after Denmark. Nevertheless, here we are and still alive. :) It’s time for us to share our experience and conclusions with all crazy nutters who plan to make a tour around Iceland by bicycle or like in our case – by tandem.

No plans, no stress, no fixed dates, no return ticket. Only the matter of feeling. That was our main Iceland mood. We went where we wanted, we had no day goals, we stayed several days in the same place if we felt tired and broken. We waited if the face wind was too strong.
If you cycle in Iceland, be good to yourself. There is no need to force with 8 km/h fighting the wind if the next day you can easily ride 100 km with 20km/h. With such attitude we spent 40 days cycling around the island and here is our final itinerary.
Dates of the total trip (including cycling + a week in Reykjavik): 15.08.2015 – 30.09.2015

Make sure you get an updated “official” cycling map either online (like this one) or in the tourism offices of Iceland.

Leaving Iceland: We made the biggest mistake ever – we decided to go back to Europe by ferry. As we didn’t have the box anymore, it seemed that going by ferry would simplify the process (and it was to some extent). However, we still had to take a plane to get to Egilsstaðir and it was a total mess. As we suspected that for domestic flights in Iceland small aircrafts were normally used, we wrote e-mails and even came on purpose to the airport to show the tandem and to find out if it could be taken or not. Apparently, it could. But when it was time to take the plane, naturally it appeared that there was no place for such a big bike. So, after several panicky minutes the tandem was completely disassembled and stuffed into the tiniest cabin we’ve ever seen. At the landing, we assembled it back and rode till Seyðisfjörður to catch our ferry.

And how do you transport your bike? We are too afraid to do it without a box, so maybe you know some reliable alternative method?

The YouTube vloggers would call it “What is in my Bag?” :). We were afraid to take more than we needed, but this time we were real heroes of optimisation, since we used everything we took (except for our first aid kit, thank god). So what was in our bags?

Camping equipment: 1 tent, 2 sleeping bags Marmot, 2 isolating sleeping pads, 2 sleeping bag sheets, 2 inflatable pillows

Cooking equipment: 1 thermos (1l), 2 camping mugs, 1 kettle, 1 set of camping utensils, including 1 frying pan, 1 plate and one casserole, 1 Gas Stove Primus, 1 Gas Bottle, 3 Sporks, 1 set of dinnerware, 1 knife, 3 bottles (1l each) + 4 bottles (0,5l)

Clothes & Other: 4 pairs of light socks, 4 pairs of warm socks, 2 pairs of overshoes, 2 pairs of trainers, 2 cycling shorts, 2 pairs of leg warmers, 6 cycling shirts, 2 sport sweaters, 2 light yellow jackets, 2 GoreTex jackets, 2 pairs of light gloves, 2 pairs of GoreTex gloves, 2 Buffs, Underweare, Basic hygiene stuff, First Aid Kit

Electronics: 2 cameras + chargers, 3 lenses, 2 smartphones + cables, 1 Ipod full of Harry Potter audiobooks, 2 pairs of headphones, 2x16GB + 1x32GB memory cards

Cycling: 1 spare tire, 1 repairing kit, 2 spare air chambers (not used), basic tools

Another point that can lead anyone to bankruptcy are the touristic activities. Whale watching? Glacier hiking? Boat trip? «Northern Light safari»? (why pay for the thing that anyone can see errrr in the sky?). Every even the most stupid activity (like horse riding or rafting) costs at least 60€ (per person). And don’t forget that you will be accompanied by 20 other tourists.
Did we regret not doing some real Icelandic stuff like snorkeling in Thingvellir (and yes, we didn’t go to the Blue Lagoon)?
No.
We saw the Northern Lights, we saw a whale, we saw puffins, we touched the glacier, we fished, and we enjoyed hot springs absolutely for free.

Nevertheless, the total cost of the trip hurts. According to different types of our mood and circumstances, our approximate budget per day and per person looked this way:

One simple advice. Forget that the weather forecasts exist. Icelandic weather is so unpredictable, that there is only one way out – to relax and to accept things as they are. We were consulting only one site in order to check the wind direction. The weather keeps changing every half an hour, which makes Iceland so attractive for photographers due to the changing light.

We were extremely lucky in Icelandic standards. Out of 40 days of cycling we had maybe 7 days with rain. So not that bad after all! Wind is the worst thing, but it has no definite direction, so there were both horrible days when we were asking ourselves why we were doing all this, and perfect high-speed days with the back wind. One important point – Southern and Western parts of the island are much more unstable and rainy than in the East and North. Some families from Reykjavik have even “summer houses” on the North of the country where they can enjoy sunny days.

The question that bothered us the most before our departure was how much food and water we should carry with us? How often one can cross supermarkets? Or gas stations? Will we die from hunger or not this time?

Everything depends on your itinerary. As we mainly took the road 1, we quickly understood that there had been no need to bring 10 packages of freeze-dried meals. Almost every day we could refill our supply or maximum once in two days. We always had with us 6l of water and 1l of tea. And sometimes we were fishing in the harbours with a fishing rod bought at the gas stations. :D

I think there is no place in the world that is as peaceful as Iceland. No risk of stealing, kidnapping or I don’t know what else. Just imagine, the last winter was the first case EVER when Icelandic police had to use the weapon and even that was kind of unfortunate accident!

However, we didn’t feel so confident on Icelandic roads. It seems that local drivers are not used to tolerate cycling neighbourhood, fortunately nervous trucks remain to be a problem only 100 kilometres from Reykjavik, then riding a bike with rare cars becomes quite fine.

The tandem behaved perfectly during this adventure, only our back tire got completely worn off even if it was a best quality Schwalbe Marathon. Partially because of the weight it had to carry, but also because the quality of Icelandic roads is far to be what we are used to. The asphalt is horribly rough, as if it was made of small sharp stones glued together. Anyway, the spare tire we brought with us had its use.

Our tent, however, was damaged by the horrible wind that it had to endure. Nothing really serious, only one of the metal tubes was bent so it made the tent look like a frog with a broken leg.

Yes. Even if it was hard, even if it was cold, even if it was wet, we don’t regret that we’ve done it by bike. In the beginning, we were really considering the option to send it all to hell and to rent a car like every second tourist in Iceland. (Or even more radical – to take a flight to Netherlands and cycle there :) ) THANK GOD WE OVERCAME THIS TEMPTATION. Firstly, because it’s the matter of habit – human body can be adapted to anything and anywhere, it needs only a bit of time. Secondly, because we entered the zone of «good weather». We felt like a part of scenery, one of Iceland elements, we were inside Iceland and vice verse. It was exploring Iceland and not consuming it. We took a decision to switch to cycling trips wherever and whenever it’s possible.