Monday, September 28, 2009

Sept. 25, 2009


Great day. Wake up after an hour or so of sleep to a golden sunrise over the mountains. Fuckin storm finally broke and I was able to pack my pack proper outside of the tent. Still weary and hungry, but screw it. This is travelling weather, so I need to take advantage of it while it lasts. Slow going up and down large hills. My legs don't have much push and my hands are cold, but just warm enough to not wear gloves. Can see sun-lit land toward the mouth of the fjörd, but being in the mountain shadow, still a ways from me. Finally cross a bridge and the road begins to head in the direction of Akranes. I see steam rising from the top of the next hill. Fuck yea! A broken geothermal pipe. Sweet, sweet heat. My hands burn in ecstasy. Fill my bowl with water from my bladder, and cook some Rice Sides in the steaming sulfur water. While I wait, I notice a rusted warehouse with a missing door. I read earlier that there is an abandoned U.S. army base from WWII around here. Look down the road and see a bunch of old barracks. How bout that. Venture into the warehouse while my meal cooks. It is heaven encapsulated in corrugated steel. Old rusted car parts, old rusted fishing equipment, old rusted monsterous oil equipment. I stand and stare, eyes sparkling. I run back to retrieve my bike and meal, and then sneak back in, being careful not to be seen by the few passing cars that might try to steal me from my new found treasure. After wolfing down my crappy Rice Sides, I spend the next hour or so exploring and examining the artifacts strewn about. Ford and GM crank shafts, gears, doors, tires from the '40's. Huge pipe wrenches and oil pipe heads coming from the ground. A huge cast-iron oil pump made in Wisconsin. And commercial fishing hooks and line. I cut off some hooks and line for myself. A random drawer containing books in Icelandic from the '50's. I sure am tired though. And a storm rolls in. Take some plywood, styrofoam, and an old leather car bench seat and make myself the most comfortable spot to lay upon since I got here. With the walls creaking and rattling from the storm, I pass out smiling. "OY!", is what I wake up to as I rip my head out of the mummy bag and see a guy in a full rubber suit staring at me from the doorway. Long story short, I explain my being here. He is happy that I am not the drunken, passed-out whaler he expected. He is headed to Akranes in 2 hours? He´ll give me and my bike a ride? What a magical warehouse. What an understanding oilworker. While I wait for him to get off work and return, I realize that I really have to shit. The old rusty oil drums in the back of the warehouse are just oo good to pass up. I stack a couple of tires at the base of one, undo the lid, and voila: a proper toilet. Put the lid back on, attatch the ringlock, and´I've left my mark for some poor curious soul to discover in a couple hundred years, or whenever they decide to tear that place down. Oil man returns as promised. Throw my bike and pack in the truck bed, help him load some boards, and off to Akranes. Nice guy. Chat a bit on the way. Drops me off at a pizza shop. I eat a pizza. Then wander around town in failing light and worsening weather. A small town. Nothing going on. Search for a place to stay. No hotels? Shit. Worse weather. Rumors of a guest house across town. Accidentally go to wrong end of town. Wind make bike riding very difficult. Finally find this place next to violent waves crashing on the adjacent rocks. Lower my head and walk to the gate. Locked. Hmm, even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to set up tent in this weather. Here comes the rain. Fuck it, walk around to the back door. An old guy in his kitched spots me and meets me at the door. This is a gues house but...nobody here tonight. I get a whole floor with shower, kitchen and toilet for 5.000 kr. Its no crippled tent, but I guess this will have to do. The place is heated...interesting. The shower, hot....peculiar. The bed, soft and complete with pillow and comforter. I don´t trust it. I know its just waiting for me to lie down so it can devour me and my water-logged clothes. Oh well, half hour later I am drying off my hair witha towel and walking around shirtless in my mesh shorts. Dinner of cheese and crackers purchased in town, plus some hazelnut spread that was in one of the shelves. Sometimes things just work out.

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