Seeking Northern Lights

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Trip start
September 27, 2018
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Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 9:21 PM
🌙 63 °F
Altitude: 5,699 ft
United States Mesa Vista 38.806648, -119.8046638°48’24” N 119°48’17” W
Inception
August 29, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 63 °F
Jill and I have talked often about wanting to see the northern lights as one of the items on our bucket list. In early August, we became aware of the Iceland Summit 2018. One of the two photographers leading the workshop is Kerik Kouklis, someone that Les has taken two workshops on platinum printing.
The workshop will be centered in the mysterious and stunning, Strandir Coast in the spectacular West Fjords of Iceland. Our group of 9 or more participants and two leaders will have the Hotel Djupavik to ourselves for 9 days in early October.
This is not a photo tour of the hot tourism spots in Iceland. The area is remote but includes a variety of deep fjords surrounded by mountains, cliffs and waterfalls and small fishing villages that have not been changed by modern times. And if the weather and solar winds cooperate, we will see the northern lights.Read more
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Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 7:10 PM
⛅ 77 °F
Altitude: 4,708 ft
United States Rocky Slough 38.9156, -119.797738°54’56” N 119°47’52” W
Getting to Iceland and Back
September 4, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
Our vacations of the past have always involved campers, back packs, or motorhomes, but since Iceland is an island and our motorhome does not float, we decided to fly there and back.
Planning air travel is quite different than just packing the motorhome and driving away. It involves finding a flight there and back that lets us meet up with the workshop, but also have some time to visit the tourist sites that the workshop won’t. We considered extending after the workshop but found that getting a flight that would come in right when we needed to meet up was difficult. So, we opted to come in early and rent a car for a week before the workshop.

The travel information online suggested days of the week that were cheaper. We ended up getting tickets from United and its affiliates. Ticket pricing is a tricky thing. We found that the cheapest ticket, you also had to pay for checked bags. However, the for just a little more, one checked bag was free. And as it turned out, the more expensive route was $20 less expensive.

Going to Iceland will involve changing planes in LA and Toronto and will take about 17 hours with layovers. Getting back is entirely different. It seems all flights (on United) from Iceland go to Frankfurt, Germany where there is a 12-hour layover. Then it’s on to Chicago and Denver and finally home to Reno for a total of about 39 hours.

So, I guess we will be visiting Europe on this trip, though we will likely not leave the Frankfurt airport. The trip is currently planned for leaving on September 27th and returning home on October 17th. Of course, there could be delays and cancelations to potentially deal with in route.Read more
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Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 7:10 PM
☀️ 68 °F
Altitude: 4,708 ft
United States Rocky Slough 38.9156, -119.797738°54’56” N 119°47’52” W
Packing
September 11, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Packing for this trip is way different than just throwing everything you can think of into the motorhome. We will each have one free checked bag and a carry on and a personal item. In our case, the medical equipment and medications must be planned carefully and fortunately these are not counted with the carry on. But the medications must be in their original bottles, so prepackaging in pill bags won’t be permitted. Jill has packed different bags several times and we even bought a new bag as well.

We also had to buy clothes for cold wet weather. Les bought new waterproof boots and several layers of coats. Thank you, Costco! The other question was how many days to plan for. We will have to do laundry a few times while in Iceland and that we will have to play that by ear.

Then there is the art equipment for the trip. The workshop is a photo workshop, so Les will take a camera. But the heavy, bulky large format camera is a bit much for air travel. In addition, the winds in Iceland can make using it extremely difficult. Not to mention the risks of taking exposed film through airport security. So, Les will take the new DSLR with 2 newly purchased lenses and the laptop computer for post processing. Jill on the other hand, will be taking watercolors and pastels. This has been an additional challenge for Jill to packing. She has repacked a whole series of bags in the last week.Read more
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Sunday, September 23, 2018
☀️ 72 °F
Altitude: 6,243 ft
United States Sherwin Summit 37.506133, -118.6320337°30’22” N 118°37’55” W
Pet Vacation
September 23, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
The pets, Sampson and Cinnamon won’t accompany us to Iceland. Instead, they are going to stay with April and Brent (Jill’s sister and brother-in-law) in Swall Meadows near Bishop.

Sampson will enjoy the daily 4 mile walk. Cinnamon likes to explore the loft area of the house.Read more
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Day 1
Thursday, September 27, 2018 at 8:15 AM
⛅ 68 °F
Altitude: 108 ft
United States Los Angeles International Airport 33.940473, -118.40185133°56’26” N 118°24’7” W
On our way
September 27, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
We left yesterday and traveled to Reno. After stopping at a camera store for another UV filter, we checked in at the Atlantis Resort and Casino. We valet parked the old Chevy Tracker.

This morning, we got up at 4am and went down to catch the 4:30am airport shuttle, which we missed by 2 minutes. So we had to wait for the next shuttle at 5am.

We were TSA pre checked, so the line through security was shorter and faster than the regular line. We had both purchased slip on shoes, so of course we didn’t have to take them off.

Jill bought us a breakfast sandwich that we ate on the plane as it began loading at 5:50am. This was a short flight to LAX. After a 5 hour layover, we are off to Toronto Canada.Read more
Travelersafe travels. Early morning travel is sooo hard but better than taking a red eye. I hope you snooze on the plane. Les, what DSLR did you buy?
9/27/18Reply
TravelerLooking forward to seeing some great photos of the northern lights. Have a wonderful time!
9/28/18Reply
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Day 2
Friday, September 28, 2018 at 11:45 AM
🌧 46 °F
Altitude: 20 ft
Iceland Thorlakshofn 63.856628, -21.38425363°51’24” N 21°23’3” W
Cafe Sol and Minni-Borgir
September 28, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 46 °F
Arrived in Iceland. We have been going since yesterday at 4:30 AM. So, sooo tired. Pouring, AKA horizontal rain, and the wind rocked the plane while we waited for a gate. Jill got us a no frills rental, so of course we had to stand in the wind waiting for a shuttle to Blue Rental Car. Got our really plain-Jane car... has anyone heard of a “Dacia Sandero? We headed out, Jill was planning for us to stop at the famous Blue Lagoon Hot Springs, but too tired, too wet, to stop.

Drove along the coast and even though it’s 4:30 am our time, 11:30 Iceland...we stopped before we fall asleep for lunch. Cafe Sol, a small out of the way local place in Porlakshofn for lunch on the way. Of course Jill always finds a bakery. Very nice owner, soup was so warming, also great bread and Icelandic donut. He gave us a map and showed couple places to go. We asked him how to say Thanks... Tak (spelling a guess). Our Icelandic word of the day. We didn’t need to learn the Icelandic term for toilet, as they use the English "WC" for water closet.😃After lunch we drove 45 more minutes to our home base for the next few days.

We final dragged ourselves to Minni-Borgir Cottages 16km north of Selfoss. We were hours early for checking in, so we started napping in the reception area. They felt sorry for us and let us check in. WOW, they are really charming! Our cottage is one bedroom, private bath and living room with kitchenette. There is a TV with two stations, microwave, and hot tubs. We took a nap and of course then sun made an appearance. So far no Northern Lights to cloudy tonight.Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 8:30 AM
⛅ 39 °F
Altitude: 322 ft
Iceland Borgarhólar 64.079376, -20.75070864°4’46” N 20°45’3” W
First Morning
September 29, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
Stilll misty, but saw a small patch of blue. Breakfast at the restaurant, expected some kind of fish dish from what I read beforehand. Instead nice eggs, bacon and little sausages. Plus homemade bread and jam. Icelandic words for the day ... kaffi = coffee, Heitt vatin = hot water. Jill hopes to get Les in heitt vatin today...Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 10:00 AM
⛅ 41 °F
Altitude: 315 ft
Iceland Mosar 64.127151, -20.60288464°7’38” N 20°36’10” W
Wool shop
September 29, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
So my sister wanted me to get a warmer coat before we came, but I said I wanted Islandic wool sweater. Saw a sign for a wool shop along road...and while I tried on sweaters Les took photos.
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Day 3
Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 2:00 PM
⛅ 43 °F
Altitude: 699 ft
Iceland Gullfoss 64.325287, -20.13041964°19’31” N 20°7’50” W
Gullfoss and crowds
September 29, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F
I miss Les’s cowboy hat! We stopped at Iceland’s biggest water fall and even in the off season everyone is here. So Les and I walked to the overlooks and got lost from each other. Boy are there a lot of blue coats here and everyone has their hoods up. Also lots of tall people. Where is that cowboy hat when you need it.Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 6:41 PM
⛅ 39 °F
Altitude: 13 ft
Iceland Skúmsstaðaós 63.864578, -21.16766763°51’52” N 21°10’4” W
Seaside
September 29, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
Headed to Selfoss for dinner, drove right through to the little seaside town Eyrarbakki and went out to the jetty. The wind blowing the surf backwards. Les took a lot of photos, but we will have to wait to see those shots as we need the computer, so most of these picture initially are just Jill’s IPad. We were so cold, we stopped in the Redhouse in the little town, had hot coco and little lobster tails for dinner. Very beautiful day with plenty of shine.
Jill didn’t get Les in hot water...yet!Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 8:30 AM
☀️ 28 °F
Altitude: 417 ft
Iceland Geysir 64.313923, -20.30131964°18’50” N 20°18’5” W
Geysir
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☀️ 28 °F
Very pretty sunny morning. Yesterday we went by Geysir so fast, because of the crowds, so we planned to get there early and have breakfast there...and take a soak. Oops no pool, and the food place was closed until 9:00 am. So we had a quiet hike around Iceland’s Yellowstone. Did you know that the word Geyser, comes form here. We had nice time looking at hot pools and some nice steam vents, without crowds. But the idea for breakfast and a soak was a bust. Down the road...Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 10:24 AM
☀️ 34 °F
Altitude: 259 ft
Iceland Efstadalsskógur 64.238532, -20.55354364°14’19” N 20°33’13” W
Breakfast With Cows
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☀️ 34 °F
We were getting pretty hungry, so we stopped for breakfast at a tourist dairy farm. We are finding that breakfast here in Iceland are buffet style, and very expensive, which stops us from sharing. We paid about twenty dollars each for couple of cold pancakes and bowl of Cheerios. There was some homemade breads as well. At least the milk and yogurt or “skyr” (Islandic word for the day) was fresh as the restaurant windows looked down on the Cows in the barn. We decided on such a nice day to go along Highway 1 to the seaside town of Vik. We are stopping in Selfoss at a grocery to purchase tomorrow’s breakfast and today’s lunch...Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 1:05 PM
☀️ 41 °F
Altitude: 66 ft
Iceland Seljalandsfoss 63.615404, -19.99358863°36’55” N 19°59’37” W
Seljalandsfoss or lots of waterfalls
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☀️ 41 °F
Iceland’s most famous waterfall is just off the coast Highway 1. But it isn’t just one waterfall but a volcanic cliff face with about five waterfalls. Lot of people again, glad we aren’t in season. The larges fall has a trail the goes behind the water, but we were cold and planned to return in the afternoon when the light should be better. Of course in the evening when we came back, there was no light, but lots of people. We kept going for the cottage.Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 2:38 PM
⛅ 43 °F
Altitude: 75 ft
Iceland Austur-Eyjafallahreppur 63.522534, -19.57039963°31’21” N 19°34’13” W
Earth and rock
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F
Stopped long the road for Les to take photos of the Cliff face and eat a quick lunch. Moved on and just down the road Jill spotted a rock building and Les was over joyed. Cameraman is having fun. I will paint from his pictures. It is getting cold outside the car.Read more
TravelerAre those white rocks or sheep? Looks like they can graze on the roof of the rock house. The rock house is unique.
10/7/18Reply
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 3:06 PM
⛅ 43 °F
Altitude: 46 ft
Iceland Skógafoss 63.530373, -19.5132663°31’49” N 19°30’48” W
Big Waterfall
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F
The photographer/driver is getting tired. So when Jill suggests a hike to top of these falls, Les says the light isn’t that good, and Jill agrees not to walk to the top. Long day and already three walks and done 9000 steps. The people look like a line of ants going up the stairs/steps to the top,,,The falls are called Skógafoss and really impressive and the little town of Skogar looks interesting but both of us running out of go... must make Vik.Read more
TravelerBeautiful but you are right, no trees!
10/7/18Reply
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 3:44 PM
⛅ 41 °F
Altitude: 387 ft
Iceland Hólar 63.53215, -19.36678363°31’56” N 19°22’0” W
Ice and more ice
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
Even though the light is going we decided to drive up to the base of fourth largest glacier in Iceland. We very tired so just a quick walk to see the base.
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Day 4
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 4:24 PM
⛅ 43 °F
Altitude: 33 ft
Iceland Vik 63.414057, -19.01859463°24’51” N 19°1’7” W
Pointy Rocks
September 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F
Made it to Vik! This is the place we started for this morning, so many waterfalls and other stops, we weren’t sure we could make before dark. This is a little town of 300, which started as fishing village, but without a harbor it wasn’t much of success. It really clouded up so we didn’t get very good photos of the nice church on the hillside above town or the neat pointy rocks and black sand beach. We noticed that most of the farms like the Church are white with red roofs...no pastels here.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, October 1, 2018 at 9:42 AM
🌧 39 °F
Altitude: 318 ft
Iceland Borgarhólar 64.078991, -20.749664°4’44” N 20°44’59” W
Snow and Soak Day
October 1, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 39 °F
We got to bed late last night, downloading photos to the laptop and finalizing the day’s posts. We slept is until 9am. When we awoke, we found it was snowing. So the light will not be very good today. When we get going, we will go get into hot water. Last night we were looking online to find the closest laundromat, but Iceland has NO laundromats. Laundry services are available, but at $1.40 per pair of socks and $1.70 for under ware, they must be using champagne instead of water. It does look like our cottages has a laundry facility, so we will check that out too today.

Yesterday, we put gas in the car. 95 octane gas was 2243 kronurs per liter or about $8.40 a gallon. It is a good thing we got an economy vehicle.

Slow day because we have been going...going...going.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, October 1, 2018 at 2:20 PM
🌧 41 °F
Altitude: 177 ft
Iceland Hrunalaug 64.137505, -20.30985564°8’15” N 20°18’35” W
Gamla Laugin (Secret Lagoon)
October 1, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 41 °F
Well, we finally got into hot water at Secret Lagoon. We soaked in the semi-natural pool next to Little Geysir and several un-named hot springs. Les got out first and took some photos. Then we ate lunch in the dining room watching others in the pool.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, October 1, 2018 at 6:45 PM
🌧 43 °F
Altitude: 217 ft
Iceland Skálholt 64.125198, -20.52467264°7’31” N 20°31’29” W
Dinner and Church.
October 1, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
When out to dinner at Skalholt, a community initially established in the 11th century. Skalholt was one of the most important places in Iceland for 8 centuries. Now just very small religious center for the Church of Iceland. The current “cathedral” was built in 1950’s but there is a priest buried in the basement from the 15th century. They are doing a lot of archaeological studies in the area. Next to the beautiful church there are dormitories, cottages and the wonderful restaurant we ate at. We were the only dinners for most of the time. Food was great, but most interesting to Les was a very old looking building next to the church. Unfortunately, the light was already gone, so we will have to come back to the photograph it in the next few days.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 10:43 AM
⛅ 39 °F
Altitude: 308 ft
Iceland Hrafnagjá 64.244766, -21.04430464°14’41” N 21°2’39” W
A rift and a trail!
October 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
Sunny morning and we are off to Pingvellir National Park . The strange looking "P" character is pronounced as a soft "th". Once in the park, Les wanted to stop and take a picture of the “rift” we saw a pull off marker with a sign with a big M. My map says it means Marked...for what we don’t know...so we park, Les gets out and took pictures. Then we get honked at by what we assume is a Park Maintenance vehicle, we think we are parked in traffic turnout, so vehicles can move over for large buses on the narrow park road...oops. Moving on we find a clearly parking area for a trail, I head up the trail, Les takes pictures of the lake. This park is in a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet and are splitting apart. Pictures taken on to the main event...Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 11:11 AM
⛅ 39 °F
Altitude: 289 ft
Iceland Silfra 64.255898, -21.12468764°15’21” N 21°7’29” W
The other side of the rift and the Law..
October 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
We had to wait to get a parking spot, but we walk over this great natural and cultural site. This is were Iceland held their Althing and created their laws ” starting around the year 930. Think of it as their Constitutional Hall. The people would gather here every June for two weeks and Laws would be formed and court held. In the beginning, before the 13th century, there was a couple guys known as the Law Speakers, who would recite the laws standing on a rock, in front of this natural amphitheater. This formation is the other side of the Rift Valley. We walked up the rift canyon and then down to the actual Logberg or Law rock.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 1:30 PM
⛅ 41 °F
Altitude: 328 ft
Iceland Vellir hinir efri 64.265221, -21.11426764°15’55” N 21°6’51” W
Another couple of waterfalls
October 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
Ate lunch in the car looking at the rift wall, and more waterfalls in and then river falls down the escarpment first in to the canyon then into the river/rift valley and lake. Lots of walking but no WC near any of the parking area...and all that water.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 3:30 PM
⛅ 41 °F
Altitude: 217 ft
Iceland Skálholt 64.125206, -20.52472164°7’31” N 20°31’29” W
Back to the Cathedral
October 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
Les really liked the old replica of traditional building next to the Cathedral/and where we ate dinner last night. So with the sun still shining when we went back. Les was so disappointed, the Church shaded the old building he came back to shoot. Oh well, the light is still better than last evening.
While Les shot the building I looked around the Church and area.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
⛅ 41 °F
Altitude: 30 ft
Iceland Selfoss Airport 63.933026, -21.0018163°55’59” N 21°0’7” W
Silly stuff
October 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
We went out to dinner in Selfoss. We thought we would go to a little seaside town...no restaurants..oh well back we went to Selfoss. Couple of thoughts..yes there is a foss or water fall, in Selfoss but not much of one. Second, We like the international picture signs we see everywhere here...especially the leaving a town. I really like those electric speed signs, like we have back home. The sign says the speed you should be going, and flashes your actual speed. Here they take it one step further, it flashes a frown-y face ☹️if you are going to fast, and smiley face🙂 if you are under the speed limit. Also they have large marshmallows in all the fields here, OK they are hay bales but they look almost eatable.Read more
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