What’s Up With the Volcano?

Every geo-blogger on the planet is covering the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. Well I’m not going to do that, or rather, I’m taking an entirely different approach because you know it’s happening and there are others who can cover this event a whole lot more eloquently than I can. By now everyone is aware of the location of the eruption. Nonetheless I’ll dutifully repeat it because I’m feeling a bit lazy this evening.


So I have this rock

Volcanic Rock. Photo by howderfamily.com; (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

I picked it up at Landmannalaugar, a park in Iceland that’s about 25 miles north-northeast of Eyjafjallajökull. It came from one of the Hekla eruptions probably. But really, Iceland is one large volcano so that detail isn’t particularly important or useful. Hopefully I didn’t violate some cultural norm by taking an artifact from Iceland. I’ll gladly return it if Icelandair would be kind enough to provide free transport.

It’s feather-light and an odd light green color reminiscent of some nasty whipped jello desert you’d see at a Lutheran picnic. Continuing on the pseudo-food theme, it has a texture and density similar to “circus peanut” candies. You know, the light orange ones with the sickly banana flavor? None of you have any clue what I’m talking about, do you?

Yes, if anyone finds any of those spewing from Eyjafjallajökull, let me know. Those rocks are really cool.


On a More Serious Note

So I wonder if the eruption impacted any of our European readers. I already know of one friend-of-a-friend likely stranded away from his family for the duration. Hopefully that’s not the same for any of you. I remember when I got stranded more than a thousand miles from home on 9-11. It’s not a comfortable feeling. Godspeed if you’re in that situation tonight.

I remember the Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991. The only impact was great scenic sunsets for a number of months. Hopefully the same will be true here.


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6 responses to “What’s Up With the Volcano?”

  1. Randolph Clark Avatar
    Randolph Clark

    Of course I know what “circus peanuts” are! It’s hard to stump me when it comes to junk food.

  2. Craig Avatar
    Craig

    My Dutch friend was traveling with classmates in Norway and is now stuck in Oslo until at least Monday. I’ve suggested that he might consider train or ferry alternatives, but neither sounds like an affordable option.

    1. Twelve Mile Circle Avatar

      I’ve noticed that my ferry pages for the area are getting a lot more visitors than usual. Hopefully this will all resolve itself soon.

  3. Craig Avatar
    Craig

    I read today that the Dutch and Germans are running flight tests in Europe now to see how the equipment is affected. I’m sure many people are anxious for positive results.

    As an aside, when I checked ferry prices, they appeared to run about 100€+/-20€ from Oslo to Frederikshavn.

  4. Joshua Avatar
    Joshua

    My in-laws are on vacation in Barcelona, Spain. Wondering if they’ll be returning to Germany this week my plane.

  5. AlisonNetherland Avatar

    I have third cousin’s who’s main food source was the orange circus peanuts. I wonder if that’s what left them smelling like dirty laundry? lol

    I’m trying to find current information on volcanic activity in Iceland…I’m not seeing too much. I like to keep ontop of these things, I have a way of feeling earthquakes in advance, No idea why, I just seem to, and I feel another huge one coming on. When I get this feeling it’s usually imminent.

    Nice visiting you,
    -Ali

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