Off Road - Newbie Tour
Going on a newbie tour is usually great fun. Drivers with varying skill levels heading off road to face unknown challenges.
In this early winter tour we are heading to a small hut north of Myrdalsjokull called Strutur.
The day is bright with light northerly wind. As soon as we get on the gravel road the opportunity is used to lower the tire air pressure to around 10 psi.
The group consists of twelve trucks, two of them are Einar and Bessi who organize the tour. The thirteenth 4x4 is heading the same way and follows along.
Halldor and Kolbrun Sara with their two kids on their Toyota Hilux X/C 1989 on 38 inch tires crossing the first river.
Bessi and his wife Sigrun in their 1991 Toyota Hilux Double Cab on 38 inch tires and with a winch in front.
Tryggvi and co-driver Robert on Tryggvi's pitch black Land Rover Defender 110 also on 38 inch tires.
Magnus on his 38 inch 2003 Nissan Navara DC is taking his two kids along for the ride.
Einar using the VHF to discuss the route ahead. I serve as his co-driver for this tour.
Mt. Einhyrningur towers over the road ahead. The fresh snow awaits as we get higher.
Arnthor and Fridrik Thor on the 1993 Nissan Patrol with 38 inch Toyo tires.
Even though it is close to noon the sun is shining pretty low at 63°45' N.
We drive past this charming little hut that looks just like the houses people used to live in here in Iceland for centuries. Made mostly of rocks and earth.
Hinrik and his co-driver Baldur on the 1994 Toyota Hilux Double Cab on 37 inch Toyo tires.
Taking a lunch break and enjoying the view to the icy mountains - not bad!
Soon after we head up the northern slopes of Myrdalsjokull. It is covered with a thick layer of loose snow and we have to seriously air down to as low as 1-2 psi.
Bessi on the left and Jens and Asta with their kids on the 2002 GMC Truckmaster on 44 inch Dick Cepec tires.
Kristinn and his co-diver Gudmundur on the 1998 Musso on 38 inch tires.
Arni and his brother Jon on the 1995 Nissan Patrol on 38 inch Ground Hawk tires.
Einar's Cherokee are on 36 inch radial Monster Mudder tires. Unfortunately these tires are not produced any more and he plans on replacing them with 38s as these are wearing out.
Eysteinn and co-driver Ari on the 1993 Toyota Hilux Double Cab on 38 inch tires.
On the highest point of the ice cap, Bessi uses the extremely low gears of his Toyota to step out and take pictures of his truck as it plods along sssllllooooowwwwllllyyy.
Confused smiley drawn on the rear window of the newer model Nissan Patrol driven by Laugi "the thirteenth".
On the way down and we have the most fun. Driving full force makes the loose snow fly and form a small cloud. Feels just like skiing on a truck down the Rocky Mountains!
Light is fast fading for the day and we are getting close to the hut. Still there are a few small rivers to cross...
...as Laugi is the first to find out.
Birgir and Thengill on the 1989 Jeep Wagoneer XJ on 36 inch tires making it through one of the smaller creeks.
Halldor gets a wave of ice bergs up on the hood...
...he is perhaps stepping slightly too heavily on the injection.
Hinrik has problems in the same pit.
Einar looks for the front hook - but the water is freezing cold...
...better to equip Hinrik and have him pulled backwards first.
With the beautiful full moon rising we have enough light to carry on.
Right next to the hut is the most difficult river and it takes a lot of time to get these last few meters. After this try, Einar finds a slightly better pass over the river, a little down stream.
Only six trucks make it right to the hut. Others are having problems like a tire falling off and some engine problems.
Jens on the GMC almost makes it straight over and only needs a slight pull to get it up.
Getting the heating working in the hut also turns out to be a challenge. There are butane gas heaters that work ok, but the main heater is the oil stove and the reservoir is empty!
After unscrewing the top pipes we are able to siphon oil from a spare can of fuel and get the heat up.
The dinner is a grilled slice of lamb and it really tastes great tonight after all the hard work and fun. No small thanks to Sigrun who controls the kitchen.
Saturday - Sunday
Thrandur
4x4OffRoads.com
