From Bogarnes we struck off for the north of Iceland along Route 1, Iceland's ring road. Our guide, Holm, advised this would be a day of mostly driving, heading to Eyjafjörður for a whale watching cruise. A little after 11 a.m. we we in the vicinity of Varmahlið. The coach stopped at the Stephan J. Stephansson Monument for a photo opportunity. Stephan J. Stephansson (1853-1927) was an Icelandic poet, though he lived much of his life in Alberta, Canada. The outcropping overlooks the valley of Skagafjörður and with a view east to Vatnsskarð Pass. Rugged but beautiful country. Continuing on into Varmahlið, we stopped for a lunch break. Like numerous waypoints on Iceland's highways, the Olis in Varmahlið is a gas station along with a convenience store and food counter. (Olis and the similar N1 travel
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