Cycling Around Iceland: A Journey Through Fire and Ice

The Icelandic Ring road, which circles the entire island, minus the Westfjords, is 1,322 kilometers or 820 miles. Cycling on this Icelandic highway is not for the faint of heart. The weather is unpredictable. A cyclist attempting to cycle around Iceland will face strong headwinds, ice-cold rain, or even sleet. Icelandic headwind is tough on its own, but when reinforced with rain, it will feel like all hell is raining down on you from all sides. Couple this with narrow roads with rocky and tight road shoulders and heavy traffic of cars and trucks of all sizes coming at you at full speed from both directions; things can get dicey. Iceland is not precisely level ground. The county has many steep hills that will test your endurance to the maximum. Since many people who have never been to Iceland are reading my magazine, I am just talking about the conditions in summer. Cycling out on the ring road in winter would be insanity.

First Saudi Arabian to cycle around Iceland

The Saudi Arabian adventurer Yasmine Idriss is one remarkable lady that has achieved the feat of cycling around Iceland.  Moreover, she is the first Saudi Arabian woman who has cycled the ring road. I first learned about her mission on the Icelandic news site Visir, and I have followed her arduous journey through her excellent Instagram feed. There she describes the brutal headwinds that she has faced and the relentless traffic. The furious winds, and slipstream from passing trucks, have blown her off her bike more than once. She has contended with many steep slopes, and sometimes, as she describes in her updates, it has been tough to keep her spirit up. But she also talks about the delightful times when the weather was good, and the Icelandic landscape revealed its beauty to her.

Hey Yasmine, how are you feeling after this incredible adventure?

Wow, this has been a life-changing journey! It’s difficult to put those days I spent on my bike in one of the world’s most unique countries into words. It was a trip to another realm. It has validated once more my belief in the value of taking time off to go on an inward journey. It’s becoming more and more important to do this as our world is becoming more and more distracted. This trip has offered me the time and space to reconnect with myself and with nature. I didn’t know how much I needed it. So to answer your question, I’m feeling more connected with myself and the world around me (I think the former naturally leads to the latter). I’m feeling very open to new possibilities and to the mysteries of life. And I’m feeling an abundance of love and gratitude.

What inspired you to go cycling around Iceland?

I was in a transition. I had just stepped away from the sustainable shoe brand I had built and developed over five years (called Solana). And as is usually the case, the first question people were asking me was, “What’s next?!” (which btw is rarely helpful in times of transition).  I must have heard of the Ring Road before because that’s what blurted out of me immediately. I said, “I want to cycle around Iceland.” And that was that. Honestly, it didn’t take much mulling over. I was so sure this was what I needed to do next. Some things are simple. This was one of them.

I think I wanted to take some time off—time to think and consider my next move. The last thing I wanted to do was jump into another job just to fill the void. I wanted to sit in the void and listen. Iceland provided that for me.

What were the biggest challenges you faced?

Myself! The elements certainly added a layer of difficulty to the endeavor, but they weren’t the biggest challenge in and of themselves. I think it’s what they brought out in me that I had the most difficult time facing. After hours of merciless wind and uphill terrain, I’d get angry and start screaming. What was I screaming at? Was it really the wind that was upsetting me? Why don’t I just stop and take a break then? What’s this impulse in me to “beat the wind”? These were the questions going through my mind and heart. This is what I had to sit with and face. And ultimately, what we’ll discuss in more detail in the documentary.

What was the most delightful memory from cycling around Iceland?

There were two things. On the one hand, I experience a handful of moments of overwhelming beauty and connection with the land around me. Cruising at 40mph (64KM per hour) down a valley surrounded by intimidatingly large mountains only inches away from me, the azure blue sea in the distance and sage moss covering the hillside. That’s a moment and a feeling I’ll never forget.

And on the other hand, there were the simple moments with Kathi and Madison, the two friends who supported me and co-created this odyssey with me. It was the talks we had in the van on my breaks, or at the dinner table, or before bed. Each of us was on her own inner journey, and it was a privilege to share our musings with each other at each day’s end and support one another.

Do you have your next adventure lined up?

Nope! I want to give this one its due attention and reverence. I’m still in it in some way. And I don’t want to rush to the next thing. I’m savoring it.

Can you explain to me the logistics of your journey? Did you, for example, bring your equipment here?

I brought my own bike, yes. We rented a van for Madison, Kathi, and David, who were here to support and document. I carried everything I needed on my bike: camping and sleeping equipment, cooking gear, clothing, hygiene, and some tools in case I had to work on the bike. We mixed camping and hostel stays. The first four days were brutal on every level: physical (peak winds), emotional, and spiritual. After those days, we started to find a bit of a rhythm. I’d stop every 10 miles for a snack. At around 30 miles, I’d have lunch, usually in the van: either a sandwich or a dehydrated meal. After that, it depended on the weather, but usually, I was already wanting to reach my destination and take a hot shower. The second half of the day was always the hardest as I was tired. How I reached the destination each day looked different. Some days I was cussing at the decision to ever do this; other days, I arrived happy and satisfied with the mileage covered; and others, I arrived defeated. Each day was an adventure on its own.

Do you have a favorite place or activity here in Iceland (apart from cycling!)?

Enjoying the many thermal baths you have! You are spoiled in this sense! It’s such a calming ritual to soak in thermal water. I’d be there each week if I lived in Iceland!

What advice would you have for those visiting Iceland for a cycling trip?

This is anything but a cycling trip, be warned! The actual cycling part of the journey was at the bottom of the attention list. I was on autopilot, cycling-wise. There was so much more going on. The bike is the vehicle, but the journey is an inward one as well as a solo one, even if you go with friends. Roberto Helou, a Lebanese man who’d cycled the Ring Road a few years ago, commented on one of my Instagram posts saying that this trip had changed his life. At this point, I had heard this from several people and was starting to wonder how one route could have the same effect on so many different people. How can this one road in Iceland change so many lives? Now I get it. It will bring up everything; it will excavate the deepest darkest parts of yourself. So be prepared! This isn’t a joy ride; it’s a growth ride (ba dum tssss…)