Interested in both offroading and Iceland I came along your nice website.
My name is Fred and live in the south of the Netherlands. Since I went 18 (now 35) I often visited your country to spent the holidays, mostly traveling by feet; backpacking, but a few times also taking the car.
In the good old days when I still was a student I also brought a visit once in a while during wintertime, mainly within the northern Fjallabak area (surroundings of Landmannalaugar); once by jeep, then by skidoo and finally on foot. When I was running out of budget :O)
Well.. in the mid-nineties there was not much of a choice. Most tour companies offered longer winter tours almost only into Landmannalaugar and of course the Golden Circle. Later it started to change a little bit, but then I already finished school and found a job...with to less time off !
The last winter visit was in March 2000, when the volcano Hekla erupted. Renting a Suzuki Jimny, I took off to spend my first night at the farm Leirubakki. The day after the weather turned worse, wind speeded up, clouds came down and the forecast for the next few days was no good. With only a quick visit to the surroundings I headed back to Reykjavik. After captured another three days in Reykjavik due to the weather I went home.
I often thought back on that rented car. Yes it sometimes really did behaved like a wild donkey when the wind started to play with the car on the icy roads and on a long steep slope you needed to press both feet onto the throttle to keep a little of speed to make it to the top.
But did I like that tiny Suzuki shoebox a lot !!! It was light, highly maneuverable and also important; very affordable ! And... it's easier to find a parking spot at the shopping mall :O]
With high and low gear to choose from, wheels put on the far outside, rigid axles and frame, it all together makes it a true fourwheeldrive. But small.
After spending some money I traded my then 16year old Nissan pickup 4wd in for a new Jimny. I never regretted that trade! After every modification I liked that shoebox even a little bit more. In the beginning it was hard to find some decent upgrades for a Suzuki Jimny. Nowadays its starting to get easier.
So after visiting your country twice in Autumn time, backpacking, I liked that season a lot. Leaves colouring, northern light dancing in the sky, the snowline coming down the mountains. But if one wants to visit the interior during off-season, it will be difficult to reach, since public transportation into it comes to an end.
Then I decided to bring my own car into Iceland, since renting is pretty expensive (so is the shipping :O/ ), and not all tracks can be taking with a stock - read: unmodified car.
A beautiful track through similar landscapes (Fjallabak Sydri)
A small, but deep, mudhole in Langavatnsdalur
The second time I shipped my car into your amazing country was two years ago, during summertime, when I was not physically in shape to use the backpack for a long trip. But making the best out of the situation I always wanted to drive the old Gaesavatnaleid, so now there was my excuse.
Since there are "wild" stories in some guide books about your country describing this track, I uprated the axle clearance by using a higher (but not wider!!) tire. From 29inch onto 32 inches. And meanwile a second winch found his place at the rear.
And so I took off:
On the track to Askja, at the beginning of the Gaesavatnaleid trail.
Almost at the end - upon Vörðukambur
Yes, it was terribly beautiful to drive this track, but was it difficult ? No....slow going with no big challenges, but worthwhile !!! After taking a dip in the warm pool at Marteinsflaedi, I decided to make my way through Vonarskard. I must say that this is one off the most stunning routes !
Going into Vonarskard
Leaving Iceland I took some Icelandic fender flares home as a souvenir. Lately they were attached to the car and now covering a 37inch tire.
Knowing that the stock Suzuki axles could most likely not handle the stress on the drivetrain, I changed them for Spidertrax axles.
Because the car is so light (stock 1050kg.) I hope it will now have sufficient flotation to drive for example on the snow.
Hopefully I will figure that out next week; putting the Jimny tomorrow once more on a container vessel in the direction of Iceland!
And so this story will continue....
Best greetings,
Fred van Pie
Netherlands
