Iceland: The Miles We Kept on the Ring Road

If The Miles We Keep is about memories, then it felt only right to begin with Iceland. This trip wasn’t just about a destination—it was about movement, trust, and saying yes to the unknown. And just as important as the place itself was the person I shared it with.

One of my dearest friends, She is the kind of travel companion you dream of finding. The kind who doesn’t flinch at early mornings, long drives, unpredictable weather, or plans that change on a whim. The kind who’s always down for any adventure—and somehow makes the hardest days the most memorable ones.

There was no better person to circle an entire country with.

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Around the Whole Country, One Mile at a Time

We set out to road trip the entire country of Iceland, following the iconic Ring Road—a loop that wraps around the island and offers some of the most dramatic, otherworldly landscapes I’ve ever seen.

This wasn’t a “drive and glance” kind of trip. It was long days behind the wheel, spontaneous pull-offs when something caught our eye (which happened constantly), and the freedom to chase waterfalls, glaciers, and quiet moments whenever they appeared. There’s something deeply bonding about a road trip like that. Hours of conversation. Shared playlists. Comfortable silence. Trusting each other when the road stretches endlessly ahead and the weather decides to do its own thing.

Iceland has a way of making you feel small—in the best possible way.

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Glacier Hikes & Standing on Ancient Ice

One of the most unforgettable experiences of the trip was glacier hiking.

There’s nothing quite like strapping on crampons and walking across ice that has existed for thousands of years. The creaks, the deep blues carved into the surface, the knowledge that you’re standing on something both powerful and fragile—it’s humbling.

Moments like that remind you why adventure matters. Why it’s worth stepping outside your comfort zone. Why memories like these stay with you long after the trip ends.

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Diamond Beach & Nature at Its Most Unreal

If Iceland excels at one thing (and honestly, it excels at many), it’s contrast. One minute you’re surrounded by ice, and the next you’re standing on Diamond Beach, where chunks of glacial ice wash up onto black volcanic sand, glittering like crystals against the shoreline. It doesn’t feel real. It feels cinematic. Like nature showing off just a little.

We stood there longer than planned—watching waves carry ice in and out, knowing full well that photos could never fully capture it.Some places are meant to be felt, not just seen.

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Chasing Waterfalls (And Never Getting Tired of Them)

I lost count of how many waterfalls we saw—and that’s not an exaggeration.Every day brought new ones: towering, delicate, thunderous, tucked away, or right off the side of the road. Some required hikes. Some revealed themselves unexpectedly. All of them stopped us in our tracks.

Iceland doesn’t make you search hard for beauty—it places it everywhere and dares you to keep up.

And we tried.

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Why This Trip Felt Like the Right Beginning

This journey felt like the perfect way to open The Miles We Keep because it captured everything this blog is meant to be about:

• Saying yes to adventure
• Choosing experiences over convenience
• Trusting the road—and the people you’re on it with
• Letting places change you, even just a little

It was about miles logged on winding roads, but more than that, it was about the memories created along the way—the laughs, the awe, the shared moments of “Can you believe this?”

Those are the miles we keep.

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More to Come

This is just the beginning.

In future posts, I’ll share more about how we planned this trip, what I learned from road-tripping Iceland, and tips for making the most of a Ring Road adventure—from pacing to must-see stops to embracing the unexpected.

If you’re here for adventure, storytelling, and memories worth holding onto, I’m so glad you found your way here.

Here’s to Iceland, to friendship, and to the many miles to come.