December, 2022
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Happy New Year 2023 !
It’s time to wish all of you who faithfully follow VivaLaVida’s journey, a very Happy New Year 2023 filled with positive discoveries and adventures!
Thank you for your loyalty in following this little blog. !
See you soon for the rest of the journey..!
Last outing of the year in the Doubs
While I was hoping to do another 2-3 weekends in VivaLaVida before storing her for the winter, a family celebration and an episode of gastroenteritis for Emile only let us make one last bivouac of the year on the last November weekend.
We went discovering two natural arches located in the Doubs department, south of Montbelliard in France.
1. Here we are not far from the first arch.
2. After a short climb, we walk along the cliff towards the arch…
3. … which soon appears through the fog.
4. Called Cave of Bisontin, the arch was created by the collapse probably several thousand years ago of the roof of a large cave created by infiltrations in the limestone rock.
5. The arch is quite impressive with a span of about hundred feet. It is the largest I have seen in Europe so far.
6. Emile gives the scale as the fog creates a particular atmosphere.
7. To reach the second arch, the path is steep as it follows a limestone ridge with cliffs on both sides. While the fog makes everything very slippery, I give up going there with Emile as a slip would certainly lead to a serious accident.
We go boondocking on a viewpoint above Maîche where we cook a good sauerkraut on our last campfire of 2022! It is also an opportunity to break a “Marmite de l’Escalade” (chocolate pot) a few days in advance, a Geneva tradition which commemorates the attempted invasion of 1602 by the Savoyards.
8. Chilly wake up…
9. … above the mist…
10. … with beautiful colors.
11. On the return trip, VivaLaVida crosses the symbolic bar of 300,000 km (186,000 miles). It’s not huge for a vehicle that drives in America – those with between 300 and 500,000 miles are quite common – but given the miles driven on trails – probably approx. 35,000 since I converted VLV to 4×4 – and the twisty roads of Europe, that’s already a respectable mileage. 🙂
After this outing, VivaLaVida went back to its winter shelter. I am already looking forward to the next adventures she has in store for us!
Thank you again to all of you who follow our modest peregrination on board. I already wish you Happy Christmas time. 😉
Last day before heading Home…
In the early morning, we go discover an altitude marsh spotted during our walk the day before..
1. A source there creates a stream that meanders on a flat.
2. At its end, a small pond formed.
3. We don’t hang around too long because it’s chilly this morning.
4. Change of place to discover the bottom of the valley of Vallouise Pelvoux, at a place called Le Pré de Madame Carle. We discover a sub-glacial zone where the floods of the river create a gravel bar like those visited in Alaska.
5. We are at the treeline altitude, which causes a certain alpine aridity at this place.
6. View from our lunch spot. They are worse, isn’t it?
7. On the way back, between Briançon and the Lautaret pass.
8. Thanks to the off-road capabilities of VivaLaVida, we find a nice promontory to boondock on the northern slope of the Galibier pass.
9. Out of sight of the road, our afternoon end is perfectly quiet there.
10. A last campfire for grilling some corns and meal.
11. And a last image of this short week of travel with pretty colors at sunrise Sunday morning…
Back at home, we plan one or two more weekend outings before VivaLaVida returns to its wintering place. I’ll tell you about those in a while.
Thank you for your loyalty to follow this little blog! 😀
D5 Creation