The big news out of Iceland this week has been the eruption of a volcano near the capital, Reykjavik. Affectionately known as Fagradalsfjall, the volcano has let go for the first time in over 800 years.
Despite the large period of time since its last eruption, scientists have known of the impending explosion for quite a while, and this has allowed people to view the blast from a safe distance.
What has resulted is some amazing footage being captured on-site; most impressively, the clip shot by Bjorn Steinbekk's drone. In Steinbekk's footage, you can see rivers of lava flowing down the base of the volcano, as well as molten rock spewing out of the crater.
While volcanic eruptions always make for an interesting story, they don't seem to have much to do with the automotive world. This, however, is where you would be mistaken. There was a time when former Top Gear presenter James May traveled to Iceland for the sole purpose of collecting a volcanic rock.
While he could have simply gone to any gift shop across Iceland and paid 5 króna, he decided that this would not be sufficient. Instead, he traveled to the base of a spewing volcano with a vehicle, specifically, a Toyota Hilux.
Let's take a look at that time James May almost caught on fire for a piece of Brimstone.
The Truck And The Objective
The Toyota Hilux in question had actually been used on a prior Top Gear expedition to the North Pole. According to May, the truck was used by one of the film crews and had indeed made it all the way to the top of the Pole; unfortunately, it never got any of the glory. To remedy this, May wanted to be able to complete a task with the vehicle that no other car in history had ever accomplished before. The task at hand was to drive up to a volcano and collect a freshly expunged volcanic rock.
Driving up to an active volcano is no easy feat, as there are a number of factors one must consider. You have flying debris, molten lava, and rugged terrain to overcome; obviously, the Hilux was going to need some modifications. Included among the modifications would be a piece of aluminum above the windshield/roof (prevent flying debris from hitting the glass), chunky custom off-road tires, and a jury-rigged tire cooling system made of an oil drum and tubes.
Because the truck would be driving over extremely hot rocks on its way up to the volcano, the tires had to be able to be continuously watered to prevent them from catching on fire. Additionally, they had to ensure that the water would not freeze (it is Iceland, after all); to do this, they added vodka to the water.
Getting To The Volcano
The volcano James would journey to is located on Iceland's southern coast and is named Eyjafjallajökull. On his way to the area, May picks up a volcanologist who informs him that a massive blizzard has struck the area, and that this will make the journey even more difficult.
Sure enough, they are hit with massive winds and snow as they grow nearer to the volcano; this makes it almost impossible to see where they are going. Despite this, they continue to follow the glowing red orbs emitting from the tail lights of the camera car in front of them.
The windshield and wipers eventually get frozen over, forcing May to get out and break the ice off of the wipers. Unfortunately, in doing so, they lose the cameraman and are forced to continue completely blind.
Luckily, the storm eventually abates, and May is able to reach a small base-camp. From this area, the volcano is visible; bright orange lava can be seen, and the low rumblings from small eruptions can be heard. The volcanologist stays at the settlement while James pushes on.
Procuring The Rock
Continuing on with his journey, James finally makes it to the outer edge of the volcano. At this point, May tells the viewers his elaborate plan of how he plans on acquiring a fresh piece of slightly molten rock.
He will simply use a garden shovel attached to a telescopic pole to scoop up the rock and place it in a metal bin. With the plan established, the tire cooling system starts, and the truck lurches forward towards the very active force of nature.
As the Hilux trundles across the hot Earth, debris begins to rain down on the vehicle's roof. Being the brave soul he is, James stops the truck before he is able to start climbing the hill that leads to the crater atop the volcano (apparently, this is close enough).
Miraculously, a fresh, glowing piece of blistering rock lands next to the Toyota; it is time to start the mission. James rolls down the window and sticks the garden tool under the hot rock. He is able to successfully obtain the stone and put it in the bucket (slightly anti-climactic).
However, it appears he has sat still for too long, and the tire cooling system is unable to keep the underside of the front tires cool. As a result of this, the tires begin to catch on fire. Beating a hasty retreat, the truck is thrown into reverse and then driven away from the geologically active zone.
On his way to safety, James states, "I claim you for Queen Elizabeth and Top Gear". The screen cuts to black, and we are placed back in the studio. Here, James showcases his souvenir to Hammond, Clarkson, and the audience.