Dan's Sing Around Iceland cycle tour
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Hello all! This is Daniel Hutton (who joined CycleSeven's Yorkshire Dales 100m ride on Saturday 23 July), and my account of my solo tour round Iceland during August and September 2011 – fundraising for Carers' Resource in Yorkshire and Ljósið in Iceland, and getting accommodation where possible by 'singing for my supper' en route! – asking host families to put me up in return for a solo singing recital. This blog will hopefully inspire, amuse and assist those tracking my progress in equal measure.
http://cycleseven.org/100-mile-bike-ride-in-the-yorkshire-dales
Mick, Patrick, Dan and Hilary – CycleSeven (and guest) conquer the Buttertubs Pass
Cycling – transport, fitness aid, time- or moneysaver, or a goal in itself? How many of us cycle because of its benefits, and how many cycle purely as a means of escape, a release, a way to open another door into a simpler world of freedom? How many of us don't venture all that far from our home patch, riding into town or maybe a twenty-mile loop on a fine evening – and which of us actively use our bikes as a way of exploring places we'd never see otherwise? I'd guess these fields overlap by some margin. Many of us have plenty of reasons to ride.
This trip however is definitely something that falls into the latter categories above – no-one has to go to Iceland, no-one has to travel the scenic route to connect two places – but without the chance to do so, and explore places we cannot describe until we've had the chance to go there, how much would we miss out on? Yes, there are roads where I am going, and campsites, towns, hostels, and cashpoints – but also gravel roads, incredible peaks, vast empty spaces, incessant wind and rain (I imagine), and sights that will stay with me for a lifetime. This is why I am going, and this is the story of my trip.
Gullfoss, the biggest waterfall (in volume) in Iceland
Carry on to find out more about Iceland and my ride... (next page)
Hi Dan, welcome aboard!
Thats an amazing trip you are planning and for such a good cause, I can't wait to hear more about it.
I've just clicked your YouTube link and words fail me to describe your singing, its sublime.
July 27th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Ditto what Hilary wrote. I also clicked your YouTube link. Amazing. I hope your Iceland tour is a huge success. (1) You are easily fit enough for the mileage and (2) your singing is lovely. I like the posters too. Looking forward to hearing of your progress.
Incidentally the chap I mentioned the other day – Peter Quaife (who's cycle toured Iceland) – has a write up on crazyguyonabike – maybe worth a read.
July 27th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Hello Dan, and a big warm welcome from me too.
It was a real pleasure meeting you and cycling with you on Saturday. I am really looking forward to reading about your adventure as it unfolds. Loved your Youtube link, I would never have thought such a deep voice would emerge when you sing. What a treat.
Land of Fire and Ice! I cant wait to read about it all.
July 28th, 2011 at 8:56 am
Hi Dan,
We chatted during the ride, but I must not have asked the right questions! You never mentioned singing!
Wow!
Well done, and I look forward to hearing about your trip.
Regards,
Mick.
July 28th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Hi Dan, welcome, and it was good to meet you. All the best (especially weather-wise) for Iceland.
July 28th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Hello people, thank you for your comments! Glad you like my singing.. I'm not really one for blowing my own trumpet but I'm having to learn to do so! (If you want to hear more, I had some live airtime on Tuesday you might be amused by..
See me singing live on Leeds Today – an internet TV bulletin by Leeds Media students! (Unless you're interested in Leeds news, try watching from 00:25:35)
A learning experience for everyone, but more publicity and good fun!
..or hear me singing live on Radio Leeds on Sally Fairfax's midmorning show – ten minutes of live chat about my cycle trip round Iceland and a solo Italian aria! (Again, try listening from 0:34:40 if you're short of time!)
Nothing more to report at the moment – buying kit and testing stuff before I get ready to put it all in bags and boxes next Thursday! Hope to have some more riding reports on here soon though.. take care! Dan
July 30th, 2011 at 11:25 am
Looking forward to reading how you get on with this, Dan. Best of luck – and welcome aboard.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Wish you all the best with your tour, hopefully the weather will be favorable.
However, I must point out that Gullfoss is not the biggest waterfall (in volume) in Iceland. The biggest waterfall is Dettifoss, actually it's the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe. Dettifoss is 100 m wide and has a drop of 45 m down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. It is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 193 m3/s. Gullfoss has a drop of 32 m (in all, first 11 m and then 21 m) with the average water flow of 140 m³/s in the summertime and 80 m³/s in the wintertime. So Gullfoss is considerably smaller
Would love to have you visit, but unfortunately you plan to be here in Eyjafjörður (Akureyri) at a time that is very inconvenient for me. Am expecting a litter of IW puppies around 10th of September..
Best of luck with your project
Sigurlaug Hauksdóttir
Grísará 1, Eyjafjarðarsveit.
From Dan: Thank you Sigurlaug, I stand corrected! Well if it means Dettifoss is even more impressive when I get to see it, I´m more than happy to be wrong.. though I think I was told that by an icelander, oh well! Best of luck with the puppies! Dan
August 10th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Hiya o fearless adventurer.
Glad the trip is going well and that you are being well looked after by your Icelandic friends. We try to get some more support at cranleigh this week. Tres proud Mr H X
August 15th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Hi Dan
Hope you're enjoying yourself, love to anybody in Iceland, love Monica xx
August 17th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Hi Dan!
Hope you're having a really amazing experience, and you're not suffering with saddle sore. I'm still knitting dish cloths cleverly disguised as jumpers. I have one waiting for you when you get back
Looking forward to the new term at choir. See you.
R x
August 20th, 2011 at 9:48 am