TMC Iceland Meetup 2020!

[KarenRei]

So, in celebration of Tesla's recent success, it looks like we're going to be having a TMC meetup this summer(-ish) in Iceland! Moving the conversation from private chat to this thread. The last open question was - when works best for people?

Start of July (Q2 deliveries), late July (hopefully Q2 ER), or some other time? Any time particularly good for you? Any time particularly bad?

Some general notes:

• Maximal "midnight sun": late June
• Warmest summer temperatures (what most people would consider "spring / fall weather"): late July
• Lupine blooming season: roughly June-July
• Bilberry season: mid July-early fall (crowberries extend to winter)
• Mushroom season: late summer to late fall
• Bird nesting season: late spring to early summer
• Roads deep into the highlands least likely to be closed: late summer to early fall
• Large festivals:
  • Independence Day (parades and the like): 17 June
  • Verslunarmannahelgi (our equivalent of Labour Day - misc concerts, festivals, etc) - 1-3 August
  • LGBT Pride (yes, it's one of our biggest annual family festivals, over a quarter of the country shows up): 7 August
  • Menningarnótt (Culture Night, probably the biggest festival - tons of clubs / artists / bands / etc open their doors / put on performances / etc, homes open up and give out waffles / coffee, fireworks in the evening): 22 August
  • Countryside music festivals: Randomly, all throughout the summer

 

[KarenRei]

Also, the topic of the Blue Lagoon came up. Blue Lagoon can definitely be a "go"! Although I can take you to less touristed hot geothermal waters as well. Even our "public pools" are really more like spas, and there's everything from "non-Blue lagoon formal spas" to hot springs and hot rivers in the middle of nowhere (and everything in-between).

Some examples, ranging from the formal and touristed to "middle of nowhere":

Blue Lagoon:

Jarðböðin (Earth Baths) at Mývatn:

Laugardalslaug "pool" - the biggest in Reykjavík. All "pools" are geothermally heated to swimming temperature and have hot tubs, steam rooms, etc along with them. The waters aren't blue (they lack the clay), but I actually prefer that (the blue waters make your hair unmanageable for a couple washings afterwards). You still get the sulfur smell. The blue waters at the more formal places are a nice aesthetic, though

Examples of smaller countryside "pools".

Then you get down to the things that are like little hot tubs built into the ground out in random places:

Then you get into things that are just rocks placed across a hot spring, or natural pools, or places where someone ran a hose from a hot water source into a basin:

Then there's the "unusual", like hot cave springs:

Or volcanic calderas:

 

[Yuri_G]

I like the idea of timing it with a big festival. It would be cool to see how the country can throw a party. Definitely in for a public pool or hot river, too!

 

[KarenRei]

Oh, another good source of feedback would be how long people would like to be here, and whether they plan to rent a vehicle. I should have - or dare I say, better have - my Tesla by then, so should be able to take some passengers, but not the whole group. As for a sense of distance, driving the full ring road (without any side routes, which can be significant) is a 15-hour drive. So not that small of a country as many picture

BTW - we'll definitely have a tree-planting event on my land for anyone who wants to take part

For Europeans who want to bring their Teslas:

Sail to Iceland and the Faroe Islands with Smyril Line

You can also have a stopover at the Faroes on the way if you want

 

[riverFox]

I'm seeing direct flights from Denver via Icelandair

Waiting late enough into the summer for Karen's Tesla and festivals seems appropriate.

 

[jbcarioca]

I vote for bilberries and lupines, especially because the temperatures will be less hostile to my tropical self.
On the other hand, anytime at all will work with enough notice. Fairly good connections from CDG, AMS, FRA/MUC etc depending on alliance preferences. Personally I'm addicted to KLM houses.

This will be my first visit to Iceland as a tourist. I am eager to be there.

 

[Beltsbear]

There is a cruise that leaves USA Florida and goes to Reykjavik and other Icelandic destinations but it is a part of a larger , longer cruise. You could board in ft Lauderdale and get off in Iceland if you did not want to get on a plane.

 

[kcveins]

Wish I could make it, but the full family (sisters/cousins - party of 17) and I came out there July 2018. Marvelous time...

 

[AMN]

Who wants to share a G650 from NYC? :-D

 

[jkirkwood001]

So, in celebration of Tesla's recent success, it looks like we're going to be having a TMC meetup this summer(-ish) in Iceland! Moving the conversation from private chat to this thread. The last open question was - when works best for people?

Start of July (Q2 deliveries), late July (hopefully Q2 ER), or some other time? Any time particularly good for you? Any time particularly bad?

Some general notes:

• Maximal "midnight sun": late June
• Warmest summer temperatures (what most people would consider "spring / fall weather"): late July
• Lupine blooming season: roughly June-July
• Bilberry season: mid July-early fall (crowberries extend to winter)
• Mushroom season: late summer to late fall
• Bird nesting season: late spring to early summer
• Roads deep into the highlands least likely to be closed: late summer to early fall
• Large festivals:
  • Independence Day (parades and the like): 17 June
  • Verslunarmannahelgi (our equivalent of Labour Day - misc concerts, festivals, etc) - 1-3 August
  • LGBT Pride (yes, it's one of our biggest annual family festivals, over a quarter of the country shows up): 7 August
  • Menningarnótt (Culture Night, probably the biggest festival - tons of clubs / artists / bands / etc open their doors / put on performances / etc, homes open up and give out waffles / coffee, fireworks in the evening): 22 August
  • Countryside music festivals: Randomly, all throughout the summer

Suggest you do a poll for dates, Karen.

 

[1101011]

Continuing with my earlier plans to visit in the first part of May.

Happy to see others have found this of interest.

Thanks to Karen for all suggestions.

Alan

 

[KarenRei]

Suggest you do a poll for dates, Karen.

Good idea

 

[KarenRei]

Poll link here (hope it works!)

TMC Iceland Meetup Dates

 

[Tslynk67]

Completed the poll.

June works best for me. Have a music festival in Germany mid-July, and family vacation in August.

But if it’s a long weekend then might be able to shoe-horn in.

 

[KarenRei]

Recommend that when we pick a date, that people who are on more of a budget consider renting and sharing a multi-bedroom apartment. Everyone can get their own bedrooms, it'll save money, and there would be a "common area" where people can meet up.

Also, once we're getting closer to the date, I think I'll invite local Tesla owners and investors to the meetup as well

 

[Causalien]

Is the cost of travel similar to Norway or Germany?

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

Also, the topic of the Blue Lagoon came up. Blue Lagoon can definitely be a "go"! Although I can take you to less touristed hot geothermal waters as well. Even our "public pools" are really more like spas, and there's everything from "non-Blue lagoon formal spas" to hot springs and hot rivers in the middle of nowhere (and everything in-between).

Some examples, ranging from the formal and touristed to "middle of nowhere":

Blue Lagoon:

Jarðböðin (Earth Baths) at Mývatn:

Laugardalslaug "pool" - the biggest in Reykjavík. All "pools" are geothermally heated to swimming temperature and have hot tubs, steam rooms, etc along with them. The waters aren't blue (they lack the clay), but I actually prefer that (the blue waters make your hair unmanageable for a couple washings afterwards). You still get the sulfur smell. The blue waters at the more formal places are a nice aesthetic, though

Examples of smaller countryside "pools".

Then you get down to the things that are like little hot tubs built into the ground out in random places:

View attachment 499682


Then you get into things that are just rocks placed across a hot spring, or natural pools, or places where someone ran a hose from a hot water source into a basin:

Then there's the "unusual", like hot cave springs:

Or volcanic calderas:

View attachment 499683

Looks like I would need to lose a few pounds for this trip.

 

[johnnybgood888]

Recommend that when we pick a date, that people who are on more of a budget consider renting and sharing a multi-bedroom apartment. Everyone can get their own bedrooms, it'll save money, and there would be a "common area" where people can meet up.

Also, once we're getting closer to the date, I think I'll invite local Tesla owners and investors to the meetup as well

Even better, if most if not all of us can stay at the same place or general area. I envision a lot of drinking and chatting deep into the evenings! Are there any bigger AirBnB's (10's of rooms) available in Reykjavik?

 

[KarenRei]

Is the cost of travel similar to Norway or Germany?

Yes. Like with rooms, for the more budget constrained we can probably pool vehicles. I'm not sure it'll be possible, but I'm hoping that we'll be able to get a sufficient Tesla supply for people to share. It depends how many Model 3s the local rental companies have purchased.

I don't know whether Tesla plans to get any of the non-Reykjavík Superchargers operational by this summer. We only have a network of 50kW chargers at present (thankfully, they're mostly at great locations, so there's lots of stuff to do while charging). Also, because our speed limit is low (90 kph / 56 mph), people get good range in the summer.

 

[KarenRei]

Even better, if most if not all of us can stay at the same place or general area. I envision a lot of drinking and chatting deep into the evenings! Are there any bigger AirBnB's (10's of rooms) available in Reykjavik?

Yep, AirB&B is very popular here. Tons of apartments for rent.

I figure we'll have like a "baseline meetup" - say, three days - and then an "extended" event after it for those who have more time to travel around the country (because it's quite diverse; not everything is near Reykjavík!); people can travel together or go off and do their own things