Snowmobiling, on a glacier!

Today was our last day in Iceland, we fly home tomorrow.  We capped the trip off with an hour snowmobiling ride on a glacier.  We were picked up at the Gullfoss visitor center, by a Mercedes off road van, it had really big tires. Think jacked up pickup truck with monster tires. It was a thirty minute drive on an “F” road (mountain dirt road requiring 4 wheel drive, actual 4 wheel drive not AWD).  They are serious about the “F” roads, regular passenger cars on them can get fined, they don’t really plow them, and the snow can be several meters deep.  So after the bumpy thirty minute drive we arrived at the shack to suit up into snowsuits suits and get on the snowmobiles. We had new four stroke, bright red snowmobiles, the handle bars were even heated to keep your hands toasty.

When we started I was leading then was passed by my husband because I wasn’t going fast enough. It was interesting riding because there was a thin crust with snow underneath, very different then what I am used too.   I eventually started to speed up to about 50 km/hour. I did end up losing the leader briefly but the backup guy got me back on course and back with the rest of the group. It was windy up there and I lost the tracks a few times, but was mostly able to spot the bright orange suits we were wearing.  I was able to stay on my snowmobile and upright unlike my husband who ended up flipped his going over a hill, he was helped back up, and put back on course.  We stopped briefly for pictures then headed back.  I was right with the leader on the way back finally getting a feel for the snow.   It was a great hour long ride.   After that it was back to the visitor center to get our car and head back to Reykjavik.   We fly out tomorrow morning.

It will be nice to get back home.