#1: [24-Aug-01]

#3: [12-Jul-20] (incomplete)

12-Jul-2019 -- This is the fourth out of eight reports reaching or attempting confluence points during a 2-week bicycle trip around Iceland. The story starts at 65°N 20°W and continues from 66°N 19°W.

The next day I got in Dalvik up at 3:30 AM and started cycling shortly afterwards. After three hours of cycling, I had reached Iceland’s second largest town called Akureyri. Here, I ordered a breakfast in a café, but it consisted of half(!) a toast and an egg. The total amount of energy would be burned away within 15 minutes of cycling.

However, I cycled around the bay of Eyjafjördur towards the town of Grenivik. But 3 km before reaching the little town, a steep and badly maintained gravel track winds up into the mountains towards the confluence point. After following that track for 10 km, thereby traversing 5 streams, I reached a bridge, from where I planned to do the hike to the confluence point. I parked my bike at the bridge and started a bee-line approach.

The hike turned out to be very pleasant in the warmth of a sunny-noon. Only the meadows that I had to cross where soaking wet. I had to even cross some ice-fields. Besides some freely roaming sheep, I didn’t meet anybody.

The confluence itself is on a valley flank with great views on the nearby partially snow-covered mountains. The ground is covered with moss, lichen and very low growing bushes.

After the confluence visit, I took a smarter route back by following the river in the valley. This way was a little longer, but flat, because I was able to follow the water gradient. I cycled back to the main road but did not continue to the nearby town Genivik. I rather directly rode to the ring road #1, where I spent the night in a motel.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to a road: 10 km
• Distance to a track: 3 km
• Distance of bicycle parking: 3 km
• Time to reach the CP from the road: 1 hour
• Time at the CP: 1:30 PM
• Measured height: 461 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy: 3 m
• Topography: mountainous
• Vegetation: grass, moss, lichen, little bushes.
• Weather: sunny, 18° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Wet Valley Confluence

The story continues at 66°N 17°W.