We headed eastward past Namafjall toward Egilstaðir on the paved road before turning south on the dirt track toward Askja.  Just after turning we came upon a small tuff cone that was breached on one side.  Siggi said it was a good place so we pulled into the crater for another Siggi stop.  The cone is called Hrossaborg, which means horse city.  It is easy to see how it could have been used as a corral.  The opening at the breach allows entry into the crater and several hectares of flat land shielded by steep walls. We climbed to the rim.  I interpreted the volcano as a cone that came up in a small lake or in the river through many hydromagmatic eruptions.  Ten minutes after we got there, the Swiss arrived and climbed up to join us.  I listened to Jörg’s explanation in French.  To my surprise, he interpreted it as a dry eruption.  We discussed this afterward.  I pointed out the similarity to Diamond Head and Hverfell.  I’ll stick by my guns on this one.

We continued southward on a tortuous, narrow road across lava fields and pumice.  We had to cross parts of the river, Jokulsá à Fjöllum, several times.  We stopped for lunch, Frisbee and rock ‘n roll in the middle of a Odaðhraun lava field.  Just a few hundred meters farther, we stopped at a small gushing waterfall and a rapid filled straight channel cut in the lava.  Some of the students crossed the river to an island not far upstream from the straight channel. It was spectacular in its fury.

It was slow going across the Odaðhraun but we finally made it to Askja around 4:30.  We drove past the campsite and into the caldera to the trail head. It is about a a two km hike from the parking area to the Viti water’s edge.  We slid down a steep, muddy, slope to get to the water.  The air was cold and a little windy but we took off our clothes to our bathing suits and got into the lukewarm water (22º C).  Elise and I decided to swim across the Viti, a distance of about 150-200 m.  When we got to the other side I discovered to my chagrin that my wedding ring had come off during the swim across.  I was pretty calm about it.  I knew it was gone forever with no chance of ever being found.  The Viti is 60 m deep and very acidic. The opacity of the water is such that nothing is visible 10 cm below the surface.  The bottom is very soft mud so the ring would sink immediately and be buried.  I doubt that anyone will every go down there with a mask.  Suffice it to say that there is gold in the Viti!

We swam back across with Merideth, Julie, Cheryl, and Aaron who had joined us.  Getting out was painfully cold.  The climb up the steep muddy slope was a royal pain. I listened to everyone and their good natured moans and groans. I walked back to the bus alone in the steady cold drizzle.  Lori, Julie, and Alana were right behind me.  I’m glad we did this but wish I hadn’t lost the ring.  I’ve only been married for 10 weeks!

We drove to the campsite and quickly set up the big tents as one long rectangle using it as a windbreak for the other tents.  We put large cobbles over the tent pegs in case the wind came up.  Just after things were set up, the drizzle returned.

Lauren and Brian cooked a good spaghetti dinner and we stayed up to about 11:00 socializing. I am impressed by the improvements that the Park Service has made to the campsite since 1996. They now have showers and flush toilets which appear to be brand new.
 

                      Ecology     Environmental Studies    Mathematics