Day 08: Reykjahlíð, Mývatn

Of course, I wake up early and haven't slept so well either. Right in the morning I find out that the broken cable is a known issue and also find a description how to solve it. That calms me down a bit. But the best news is that Markus will help me today. Oliver's family will leave in the morning.

Markus and I walk about two kilometers to Omar's garage. The pin works and that's how we get into the garage. I only assist Markus with the solution, because he knows so well about soldering etc. that I can't really get involved. With the help of an airplane switch, Markus improves the solution found in the Internet in such a way that I don't have to fumble up any cables every time I stop, but only have to flip the switch. Brilliant. Markus gives me a 10-year guarantee for this fix. My motorcycle can be started by anyone without a key at any time now, but who will want to steal a motorcycle in Iceland?

After we have solved the main issue, Markus returns to the campsite. He called BMW in Reykjavík that morning to order a stator and wants to check how to proceed and therefore needs the wifi at the campsite.

I still do some minor work on my bike and reassemble everything. Then I ride back to the campsite, where I meet Markus, who has just received the shocking message from BMW Reykjavík that the stator will cost € 1,400. I call my workshop in Hamburg and get the information that a stator costs around 250 €. Unfortunately, however, the workshop cannot take care of the shipping to Iceland. Unfortunately, we have to organize that ourselves. I ask Brigitte to research about the shipping. Several phone calls and messages later, Markus decides on this option: My workshop gets ordered a the stator, which is picked up from the workshop by a courier service that Brigitte has organized. The shipping will be to my friend Guðmundur's address in Reykjavík, where Markus then can pick it up in a few days. All in all, this will cost him about € 450.

I am happy that I can help Markus this way, after he has already saved me with his skills.

Markus has arranged to meet Melanie and Marek for a warm bath at Jarðböð or Mývatn Nature Bath. I join in. A warm bath is the right relaxation after all the stress. We pass a geothermal area called Hverir, where you can see bubbling mud pools etc. I had passed it the day before without even stopping.

The Mývatn Nature Bath is quite nice. You can spend a lot of time in there and enjoy the view over the landscape. I also use the sauna twice to warm up thoroughly. The water is actually not warm enough for me.

But after about two hours I've had enough and I want to spend the late afternoon and evening a little to relax. The days since leaving Hamburg have been extremely exhausting. I ride around a little and also stop by Omar's garage, who is currently working on his car. I ask him if he's still there in half an hour. He looks skeptical, but affirms. I ride to the campsite and get a bottle that I filled with a good brandy for the trip. Unfortunately, the bottle has not proven to be tight and I am now give it to Omar as a small thank you for his unselfish help. Great people, these Icelanders!

After ride around a little bit more to explore the nearby surrounding, but soon I return to the campsite for cooking and early going to sleep.

Markus, Melanie and Marek decide to ride further on today to meet Oliver and his family. So I'm alone for the rest of the evening and also for the following days.