We encountered some serious adversity today. This was my third day here and today was our day for difficulty. I think I'll make a list to show what happened. Our goals versus our problems.

Goal:

1. get up early and go for a ride, get some photos.

Problems:

1.The hotel staff didn't wake up to open the kitchen for breakfast. Since there are not even any other buildings for at least 60 km in the opposite direction, we had no choice but to wait.

2. It was pouring rain. The sun barely showed itself through the thick clouds. Pretty hard to shoot photos with no light.

3. We got a flat on our van while trying to get to the shooting location, the rough Iceland rocks tore our tire to shreds.

4. The tire iron didn't fit the lug nuts on our van.

5. We had to search through 6 different tire shops to find a tire that would fit out ford 4x4 van.

6. The North Atlantic Ocean was especially cold today.

So the tally is 1 to 6. By the looks of it, we should have had a pretty bad day. But things were awesome. We rode an unbelievable trail that rivaled yesterday. It was just singletrack through neon green moss. Iceland continues to impress.

The last point of adversity on my list is that the North Atlantic ocean was really cold today. Since I knew I was coming to Iceland I have been planning to swim. (actually I was hoping to surf but a body surf would have to suffice) I am not sure when I will have a chance to swim in the North Atlantic again. So today I went for a dip. It was ridiculous. I had an overwhelming feelin that if I stayed in the water I would die. I have never felt water that cold. I had an instant headache and earache. I am glad I survived, and now I know what it feels like to swim in the North Atlantic.

I have included a shot of the landscape we rode yesterday. When you look at the shot, remember: YOU CAN RIDE ANYWHERE. Feel free to paint an imaginary line of where your own line, that's what I was thinking.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's adventures.

Matty