Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.03.1995, Side 6

6 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 17. mars 1995
Touring lceland on horseback
Continued from p. 4
PHONE (204) 772-5503
1575 Logan Ave., Wpg., IVIB R3E 1S5
ing stampede down the main street.
We changed horses twice sometimes
three times in a day and were thus
able to try a wide variety of mounts
and trável up to 40 km a day.
Whenever we could tear our eyes
away from the drive, the country sur-
rounding us was magnificent and dra-
matic in its variance. J.R.R. Tolkein’s
middle earth seems to have its closest
reality in Iceland. Here are the tree-
less greasy moors of Rohan: his land
of tall fierce horsemen. Beyond, the
highlands rise sharply and to pass
through them is to come upon a bar-
ren boulder strewn Morðor. The
author of these fantastic visions is,
however, still very much present and
active. Before us always on the hori-
zon was Iceland’s largest volcano:
Hekla. Our longest day took us into
the highlands to the base of one of
the enormous glaciers that cover the
interior of the country. We lunched
and lounged very comfortably at a
mountain hut built to shelter farmers
chasing down their far ranging flocks
of sheep. These make ideal camps for
riding tours, and it’s possible to ride
deep into this awe inspiring wilder-
ness riding from one hut to the next.
As enticing a prospect as glacier
travel might be, we were content to
retum to the warm roomy farmhouses
that served us for room and board.
Thanks to Hekla, steaming reserves of
hot water are never very far under-
ground, and every house has plenty
for showers and a vast hot tub! Aside
from that initial stinging sensation,
The first delightful discovery was that
our tour was to be made up of 13
guests, four guides and 70 horses.
Each of us could have a 3.887 share
of the available horsepower. This was
as challenging as it was generous in
that not only did we have to accus-
tom ourselves to 'riding one horse
over rough terrain but to driving our
reserve along with us. Once mastered,
however, it is unquestionably the best
aspect of a great adventure.
Highlights included the fording of
mighty salmon infested rivers with
our 70 horse paddlers, chasing a run-
away group up the sheer side of a
gorge and rousing the inhabitants of a
country village with a Sunday morn-
SWEATER & WOOL SHOP
SWEATERS $125 - $150.
ACCESSORIES AS LOW AS $15.
WHITE BUFFALO
& ICELANDIC
LOPI SWEATERS
HATS, MITTS
& SCARVES
4-
SLIPPERS
WOOLSOCKS&
GLOVE LINERS
ASK ABOUT OUR
WOOL CLUB
YARN SALE — ALAFOSS & LOPI
$5.20 PER BALL TILL APRIL 8TH
Ministry of Culture & Education
Scholarship
North American students of Icelandic descent are invited
to apply for two scholarships to study Icelandic language and
literature at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík for the 1995-
96 term. The scholarships are valued at 416.000 Icelandic kro-
nur, or approximately $8500.00 CAD, and cover University
tuition fees, room and board.
For application forms and further information please
contact:
Icelandic National League Head Office
699 Carter Avenue, Winnipeg, MB Canada R3M 2C3
Telephone: (204) 284-3402 or Fax: (204) 284-3870
Deadline for applications: Monday April 24,1995.
$
Winnipeg
Sun., Mar. 19
Edmonton
Sat., Mar. 18
Sat., Mar. 25
Saskatchewan
Sat., Mar. 25
Arborg
Tues., Mar. 28
Toronto
Mon., Apr. 10
Brandon
Thurs., Apr. 13
Vancouver
Tues., Apr. 18
Toronto
Thurs., Apr. 20
Wínnipeg
Sun., Apr. 23
Edmonton
May 5 - 7
Sat., May 6
Vancouver
Annual Bridge & Whíst Luncheon - by Jón Sigurðsson Chapter IODE
at Betelstaöur, Lunch 12 noon, followed by card playing. Adm. $6.
□ □ □
Sledding Party - at Grandin Park Plaza Hills, St. Albert. (Alternate
date Mar. 26). Afterwards hot dogs and hot chocolate at Lion’s Park.
Directíons & further detaíls contact Judith or Sarajonsson 459-2291.
□ ■ □ □
Vatnabyggð Þorrablót - Cocktails 6pm, Icelandic Buffet 7pm. Wynyard
Civic Ctre. Entertainment & dancíng. Contact Eric Stephanson 328-
2077. Adults $12., students $5., famíly $30., pre-school free.
□ □ □
Þorrablót Dinner & Dance - doors open 6pm, dinner 7pm. Sponsored
by Esjan Chapter INL at Arborg Community Hall. Music by 4D’s,
Alice Catering. Adults $22., children under 12 $10.
□ □ □
I.C.C.T. Meeting - "The Víking Regíment’’ - 8pm. Joe Martin talks
about the 1,000 Icelandic-Canadians who served during World War
I; he focuses specifically on those who enlisted from the Lögberg
settlement. Pleasant Víew Library, 575 Van Home Ave., North York.
□ □ □
Iceland Day - at World Curling '95. Icelandic food and entertainment
featured all day. For more info. call Bob Isleifson 727-6441.
□ □ □
Sólskin Easter Party - 2:00 p.m. at Höfn, Icelandíc Care Home,
Vancouver, B.C.
□ □ □
I.C.C.T. Meeting - “Organíc Iceland’’ - 8pm - Donna Messer, State of
Illinois Dept. of Agriculture will talk about something new coming to
Iceland - by the year 2000 the production of food will be exclusively
organíc - at Pleasant View Library, 575 Van Horne Ave., N. York.
□ □ □
Sumardagurínn Fyrsti - 7pm. Help Frón and the Scandinavian Choír
welcome in summer at the Scandinavian Cult. Ctre., 764 Erin St.
□ □ - □
Sumardagurinn Fyrsti - 2pm at McKernan Hall, 114 St. & 78 Ave.
Further details later. Hope to see you there!
□ □ □
Annual INL Conventíon - ín Toronto
0 □ □
Spring Luncheon & Bake Sale - 1 lam - lpm at the Oakrídge Luther-
an Church, 585 West 41st Ave., Van. by the Women's Auxiliary.
□ □ □
Thurs., May 11 Frón Annual General Meeting - Everyone Welcome. At
Wínnípeg the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin St.
□ □ □
May 19, 20 & 21 Námskeið - Icelandic Language Camp - Family Weekend Language
Edmonton Camp at the Parker cabin right on Sandy Lake. AIl ages welcome.
Modest fee. ContactJune Parker 459-8624 or Judith Jonsson 459-
2291.
What's happeníng in vour area? We want to hear from you before and after the
events... just send us a few lines... or a lot. Please enclose a stamped self-addressed
envelope if material and photos are to be returned. Be sure to send your notices to:
Lögberg-Heimskríngla, 699 Carter Ave., Wpg., Man., Canada R3M 2C3
nothing could be more therapeutic to
a saddle blistered backside than a
long poaching, and there is always
plenty of anaesthetic to be had. Our
tour leader’s special brew was some-
thing called “electric soup” - a mild
sort of tonic which led from comfort-
able numbness to oblivion in rapid
stages. It’s just as well some of our
group could not remember the details
of their first encounter with this
potion. They bravely appeared to ride
the next morning wearing dark glass-
es and “Les Miserables” t-shirts! Our
hosts, between cooking delicious fish
stews and barbecued lamb with
native herbs, found time to become
great friends. After dinner, they
joined us for toasts, stories and songs
long into the night, and as the night
of an Arctic summer is somewhat
hard to discern from day to day, this
could be very late indeed.
In appreciation for all they did for
us, I would recommend Einar
Bollinson’s íshestar riding tours as an
excellent way to discover Iceland and
its horses. Mr. Bollinson, a former
Minnist
í ERFÐASKRÁM YÐAR
basketball player of 6’6” elevation is
himself mute testimony to the capa-
bilities of the horses and is a charm-
ing and endlessly resourceful leader.
Should you wish to change tomor-
row’s itinerary, or should it occur to
him that a case of beer would be nice
to have waiting at the end of the day,
he merely unholsters his cellular
phone, and it is done. In Canada:
Susan Hodgeson of Magnifaxi Farms
should be your first call. A veteran
importer of Icelandics, last year was
her first go at equine travel promotion
but not her last. Already she and most
of last year’s group have held various
reunions at her farm and talked about
the future. It is not a question of if it
will go again, but who will join us
next year!
Practical: Although, as I men-
tioned, Iceland is strict on the subject
of foreign used riding equipment, it is
an idea to BYOBB; that is bring your
own boiled boots. As you will no
doubt ford icy rivers, make sure they
are rubber or something equally
waterproof. A lightweight, plastic hel-
met is more comfortable than the tra-
ditional hunt caps available in
Iceland. Pack in preparation for near-
ly all kinds of weather. We were very
fortunate in having almost every day
sunny and 25 °C, but drenching rains
are common and snow a possibility!