8-15-15
(Mrs. Reid's reflections) As a geography teacher, I tend to love maps and map technology. I learned a few geography lessons today. Topography matters. Looking at the map key for road conditions matter. These things especially matter in Iceland. We had our longest distance to travel today from Hofn on the east coast to Akureyi in the north. Using both our GPS and maps we ended up on an unpaved road that crawled to the top of a mountain pass in one of the scariest rides I've ever taken. Another well known lesson, what goes up...must come down. The ride down was even scarier with no guard rails most places. I am thankful for Mrs. Tate wanting to be the driver! We really enjoyed the Lake Myvatn area with mudpots, a very large crater to climb, and lava formations at Dimmuborgir. Godafoss waterfall was another beautiful stop on our way to Akureyi. It was a day filled with gigantic ups and downs. Iceland has a way of making their roads more exciting than any rollercoaster! The diversity of so many landscapes was my highlight.
(Mrs. Tate's reflections) So here's something not many people know about me: when I get nervous driving over bridges (Mackinac) or on mountain roads, my feet sweat. As I like to tell people, it's not that I have a fear of heights, I have a fear of dying from heights. Luckily, I don't often drive in these situations. Unluckily, I made up for it today. Narrow mountain roads made of gravel, with blind hills, one lane bridges, sudden curves, and no guard rails? East Iceland has that in spades. Did I mention that there was also fog and rain? Yeah, my podiatric sudoriferous glands were working overtime! While Mrs. Reid's navigation skills left a little something to be desired today, she more than made up for it with her friendly chatter that helped keep my mind off of our impending doom. Thankfully, we made it through the mountains in good shape, and were rewarded with sunshine and some of the most amazing sights in this geologically-diverse country. It's hard to pick a favorite today, so I'll pick two--climbing to the rim of the Hverfjall crater near Lake Myvatn, and playing on the rocks at the top of the waterfall Godafoss. I can't wait to see what exciting things tomorrow will bring. Hopefully my feet will stay dry.
(Mrs. Reid's reflections) As a geography teacher, I tend to love maps and map technology. I learned a few geography lessons today. Topography matters. Looking at the map key for road conditions matter. These things especially matter in Iceland. We had our longest distance to travel today from Hofn on the east coast to Akureyi in the north. Using both our GPS and maps we ended up on an unpaved road that crawled to the top of a mountain pass in one of the scariest rides I've ever taken. Another well known lesson, what goes up...must come down. The ride down was even scarier with no guard rails most places. I am thankful for Mrs. Tate wanting to be the driver! We really enjoyed the Lake Myvatn area with mudpots, a very large crater to climb, and lava formations at Dimmuborgir. Godafoss waterfall was another beautiful stop on our way to Akureyi. It was a day filled with gigantic ups and downs. Iceland has a way of making their roads more exciting than any rollercoaster! The diversity of so many landscapes was my highlight.
(Mrs. Tate's reflections) So here's something not many people know about me: when I get nervous driving over bridges (Mackinac) or on mountain roads, my feet sweat. As I like to tell people, it's not that I have a fear of heights, I have a fear of dying from heights. Luckily, I don't often drive in these situations. Unluckily, I made up for it today. Narrow mountain roads made of gravel, with blind hills, one lane bridges, sudden curves, and no guard rails? East Iceland has that in spades. Did I mention that there was also fog and rain? Yeah, my podiatric sudoriferous glands were working overtime! While Mrs. Reid's navigation skills left a little something to be desired today, she more than made up for it with her friendly chatter that helped keep my mind off of our impending doom. Thankfully, we made it through the mountains in good shape, and were rewarded with sunshine and some of the most amazing sights in this geologically-diverse country. It's hard to pick a favorite today, so I'll pick two--climbing to the rim of the Hverfjall crater near Lake Myvatn, and playing on the rocks at the top of the waterfall Godafoss. I can't wait to see what exciting things tomorrow will bring. Hopefully my feet will stay dry.