Frequently spotted along the ring road, Icelandic horses always draw my attention with their flowing manes. When time allows, I will often stop and admire their beauty. Sometimes they are curious and approach me, other times they keep their distance...either is enjoyable and peaceful. Proudly rocking the style of hair-metal bands of the '80s, they stole the show on this otherwise dreary day.

I was experiencing my second straight day of snowstorms. No sunrise, sunset, or Northern lights were visible. Hardly anything was visible, even in the middle of the day. I spent most of the time cooped up in my campervan, monitoring the forecast and road conditions. It was becoming clear that the end of my visit would not be as I had hoped. I had to return to Reykjavík tomorrow, while the roads were still passible.

I started driving at first light (if you can call it light), knowing speed would be severely limited. I did see a few cars traveling in the opposite direction, but mostly I saw nothing except markers suggesting there was a road somewhere under my tires. Clouds became visible after about three hours, and the weather calmed. It was a welcomed relief for me and a small herd of horses that I spotted up ahead.

Needing a break, I stopped to rest and appreciate the horses. They were in their full furriness, having developed a second coat for winter. They were also curious, perhaps surprised to see a stranger given the weather, and approached me. We kept each other company for about twenty minutes, while another storm was brewing in the distance. As the sky darkened, I enthusiastically grabbed my camera for the first time in three days.

A splash of color, a bit of contrast and, a lot of hair saved the end of my trip. Keep rockin' Icelandic horses!