Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.03.2011, Blaðsíða 32
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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 3 — 2011
”The dogs quickly found their pace, and before long they
were performing like a well-
oiled machine, their breaths
puffing steam and sounding
like a train engine
Words
Steve Ganey
photography
Alísa Kalyanova
Travel | Dog-sledding
puppy love
Dog-powered vehicles might not be the most ef-
ficient way to travel, but it’s probably the cutest.
For dog-lovers, an Icelandic dog-sledding tour is
a dream come true. And if you’re not into dogs, it’s
still a thrill (at least until they invent cat-sledding).
But what do you do when there’s no snow? You
slap a couple wheels on that sled, call it a ‘dog trol-
ley’, and hit the road.
I got picked up at my hostel around 11:00. The
drive from Reykjavík took an hour, and before long
we were heading out among the Icelandic farm-
lands. We arrived at a farm near the town of Selfoss
to find two dog trolleys waiting, with teams of eight
and ten dogs already strapped in. They were big,
beautiful Greenlandic dogs, some a flawless snow
white, others totally black, and most were mix of
brown and grey.
Some were on their feet tugging at the ropes,
bursting with excitement to meet us, while others
slept soundly, completely apathetic to our arrival.
One particularly huge dog seemed to be growling
at the world, like a hormonal teenager who just
rolled out of bed. Sigurður and his family welcomed
us warmly, and told us to feel free to pet the dogs.
“It’s the best way to tip them,” he said.
Before we hopped on the trolley, I walked over
to the dogs left in their cages (both clean and
spacious, for any worry-warts out there). They
barked and stuck their paws through the cages as
if beckoning me over, so of course I couldn’t resist
letting the pups give my cheek a sniff and a lick.
Sigurður explained that all the dogs are taken out
and trained daily, and when not working, sled dogs
sleep most of the time to conserve their energy.
They don’t bother with frivolous dog-pursuits like
chasing cars or digging up the yard.
A doG dAY AFTERnoon
The last members of our tour group arrived, and we
climbed onto the trolleys, which were little more
than a metal frame with wheels and some seats,
and in front a steering wheel and a handbrake. As
we got on the trolleys, the dogs sprang to life. They
barked and jumped in their harnesses. Sigurður
gave a loud “Yah!” and pulled the handbrake, and
the trolley immediately took off.
We left the farm and headed down a flat stretch
of gravel road. The dogs quickly found their pace,
and before long they were performing like a well-
oiled machine, their breaths puffing steam and
sounding like a train engine. As we travelled, Sig-
urður shared some of his knowledge, and let me
tell you, this man knows his dogs! He knew each
one by name, and knew their distinctive person-
alities. Sigurður explained, “these dogs are all very
different. And just like people, sometimes they just
wake up in a bad mood and don’t feel like doing
anything.”
GETTinG SoME liGhT EXERciSE
Lucky for any dog trolley operators, though, the
dogs will run even when they don’t feel like it.
They’ll just be grumpy and growl a lot, as was the
case for Apollo, the huge dog that was growling
when we met. We travelled for about thirty minutes
down the road. Even though that is a very light ex-
ercise for these dogs, they still vigorously lapped
up water from a nearby ditch and panted with their
long pink tongues dangling. They made a wide
circle with the trolleys, and soon we were heading
back toward the farm.
“Anybody want to drive?” Sigurður asked. I
didn’t need to think twice. Soon I was at the wheel,
yelling “Yah!” and feeling pretty pleased with my-
self. We made it back to the farm, the trip taking
about an hour. Everyone was smiling and cuddling
the dogs on a job well done. Even grumpy old Apol-
lo gave me a nudge with his nose.
After we said our goodbyes to Sigurður and his
dogs, we piled back into the van and headed over
to the public pool at Hveragerði. After a day of driv-
ing and getting towed around by dogs, swimming
a few laps and hanging out in the hot tub was the
perfect way to relax and unwind, and reflect on the
day. Through it all, I came to one conclusion: I really
miss my dog back home!
This trip lasts 5 to 6 hours—three hours driving, two hours with the dogs, an hour at
the pool. The tour is provided by Dogsledding Iceland (www.dogsledding.is) and costs
14.900 ISK, half price for children under 12. The trip provides transport and thermal
gear. Lunch not provided, but you can always get something to eat on the way.
A scenic tour in a dog-drawn cart down an old country road
Always best price online.
Various online-offers to all Air Iceland's destinations.
www.airiceland.is
websales@airiceland.is / tel. +354 570 3030 Contact Air Iceland or
travel agent for reservation.
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93
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9/
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KEFLAVÍK
BORGARNES
STYKKISHÓLMUR
SNÆFELLSJÖKULL
DRANGAJÖKULL
FLATEY
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
BLÖNDUÓS
SIGLUFJÖRÐUR
BOLUNGARVÍK
HRÍSEY
NARSARSSUAQ
Greenland
FAROE ISLANDS
REYKJAVÍK
AKUREYRI
EGILSSTAÐIR
ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
VOPNAFJÖRÐUR
ÞÓRSHÖFN
HÚSAVÍK
GRÍMSEY
KULUSUK
Greenland
Blue Lagoon
AKRANES Geysir
Gullfoss
Jökullónið
Kárahnjúkar
Kraa
Hallormstaður
NUUK
Greenland
ILULISSAT
Greenland
www.airiceland.is
CONSTABLE POINT
Greenland