Arriving inICELAND, Iput the question tomyfriendslam, Ingibjor(Inga) andArniG.EliasdorttirSigurdsson, aroundtheEyjafjallajokullvolcanois moreactiveon the east side.
"Will Katlaerupts?"
I donotwant to knowthe origin. Katlaisgreat. When hebroke out, the icemelted, the size ofthe Amazon Riverfloodvent-called badjokulhlauporexplosionglacier-pass landto the seacoast. Ready to eliminate anythingin this area, includingsome ofRingRoadaround Iceland.
Ingashrugged."As far asI've nearlyeruptedKatla."We sattogetherat the last supperatthe cottageowned byIngaandArniinGrimsnes, about an hourfromReykjavikIn 2008, theyneversawthe earthquaketriggered landslides.
Katlanonactiveevery 70years,at least 50years.Three timesEyjafjalljokullfirsterupted, Katlafollowedabout a yearortwoyears later.
We met Inga, inspector general cleanliness, and Arni, retired airline captain, 16 years ago while vacationing in the Caribbean. Since then, we exchange visits with these couples. For them, living near a volcano that erupts every few years has become a part of life. "The pilots are trained to fly in the mountains." Arni said. "Usually it is best to fly under the cloud of ash, because of the volcano spewed ash so high."
In 2010, the eruption resulted inthe crater summitEyjafjalljokulleasternchap, andcreate twonew mountain. Ingaclimbingphotoexhibitat theend of Maytwo years agoafter theeruption. "Thisis anew mountain,"hesaidwith pride: We are"Creating the"mountainsin Iceland. Inthe northernslopesof the volcano, the lavafloweddownthe shallowlayers ofthe glacier, breaking down the ice, creatingice cliffsthat makeOmarinsistedinvited meto flyaround it.
We drove toeastEyjafjalljokulluse4WDpick-up truckbelongingArniglowing red. Tip of the icebergcrownedmorning fog- black, not white. "Asthere is nothing wrongin the sky," said Sally. Ash60 to90 centimetersthickglaciercovering thevolcano.
We stopped ata shopping centerand rushedencounterThorey, wife ofpilotfriendArni. Ashfromeruptionsand floods, hesaid,stoppingway backto Reykjavikas she andher husbandfor a weekendin South Beach.Toget home, theyhave todrivedirection along theroad fortwodays. He pointed toa dog inhis car, which was named after thevolcano. "His nameEyjafjallaskotthildur."
"You call himby that name?"I asked.
"See the tail? Whiteat the tipand the restblack-same asash-covered glacierwhite, "saidThorey. He looked atthe doglovinglysaying, "We call himSkottasupashorter."
Whew.
Now, near Hvolsvollur, Arni drove us to meet Omar, who was waiting in the lobby of a hotel, wearing a jacket and tie. I could not resist the invitation to fly, and we also headed airfield where there are battered his Cessna. Sally gave a kiss that made me not sure I can "back safe." Omar and I was wearing a seatbelt and take off. Within minuteswe wereflying over theriverandthrough the valley oflandshaded by treesimmediatelyto the top ofEyjafjalljokul’s glacier . Lookslikea fallensouffléandburnedthe top.
"Thatcliff,"exclaimedOmaragainstthe roar of theengine. Looksicetowerblackwhite and gray. Thepilotflewlow across themist-exciting-but-not comforting. "I think Ican flydown there,"Omarcried. Oh, my goodness.
Inturnanddriftback tothe top,thenfall sharply. We flewzig-zag under a layer ofmist, cliffs, walls oficebarelyclingingwing.He reducedspeed,flying a planewith onehand whilephotographingthem. Either thepilotorpilotsfailreliable. Flighttimeisbad.
The cliffwas "something that might notbeseen againby man, especially ifglobalwarmingmelt theglaciers,"Omarsaidatallafterwelanded(while I wasstill out of breath). For him, the changewas remarkablegeologicalIceland. Miscellaneousfaults, cracks, depression, volcanicvents, astectonic platesseparatingmainlandEuropeand North America. Twomajorfissurezonein southernIcelanddrain thehot waterand formsa newvolcanicmountains.
Zone ofthe western partof theseaswell, makingRekyjanesPeninsula, thenturned toReykjavik, where thereThingvellir. Inthis valleyMPsinthe heyday ofVikingoutdoormeetingspace, precisely at theedge of afracture; Geysir, the shower's hot.