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Pyrenees (2)
1. Wake up at the Pedró dels Quatre Batlles. It is cool but the view is gorgeous.
2. …
3. We take a spectacular trail to go down from the plateau.
4. View toward South.
5. Escarpment.
6. Flower in the limestone rockery.
7. Further, a narrow passage in which i had to fold mirrors. We crossed it in both directions, the trail having been washed out 1.5 mile further.
We found several trails closed by recently installed barriers, undoubtedly the price of the hordes of 4×4 which crisscross them more and more.
8. Nice boondocking spot.
9. Emile is always ready to play with his small cars…
10. Smal village in the mountain.
While we were stopped by a barrier at the entrance of a trail which should have lead us to discover a pretty mountain lake, Emile said “We just have to walk there”. I explain to him that the lake was at a 7 miles walk with more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain but he insisted. So I parked VivaLaVida and here we were for a day of walking. My little guy had bravely swallow the more than 14 miles round trip! A real mointain goat!
11. The lake we hiked.
12. Picnic in the shelter of a rock while the wind blows in gusts.
13. Before the way back.
Other discoveries in a few days…
Forced stop and start of the Pyrenees mountains
Today, we continue the road towards the Pyrenees.
After about fourty miles, I take VivaLaVida on the A6 motorway north of Orange. I take its cruising speed – about 65 mph – and I don’t have done 3 miles that a thudding noise intensifies quickly. No doubt, something is wrong with the chassis. I slow down immediately and pull over to the emergency lane. We are less than one mile away from a rest area and I slowly let VLV flow until there at 25 mph. As I go out to try to identify the source of the problem, amazement: 4 of the 8 studs on the left rear wheel are broken, the nuts having obviously disappeared! I take out the 21 socket and see that the 4 remaining nuts are really loose. As I tighten them, a fifth stud breaks. We really almost lost a wheel and I dare not imagine what the consequences could have been, as much for VLV as for other motorway users with an crazy wheel of three feet in diameter and approx. 100 pounds launched at 65 mph..!
This wheel tightened again, we drag ourselves to the next motorway exit 3 miles further. We go to a truck workshop and order a set of 32 studs and 32 nuts from the United States since they are specific to VLV’s 4wd conversion. Chris will send them to us the next morning by Express mail and they will finally arrive on Friday at 4 pm. In the meantime, we reach the “Manon” campgroung in Orang, where we will spend these 5 days of waiting. The swimming pool and the nearby town will somewhat entertain the crew stopped in its trip..!
1. Dinner in the campground…
2. Small compensation. 😉
3. The famous Orange roman theater and its stands.
4. We enjoy the swimming pool.
5. Distractions…
Once VivaLaVida has been repaired, we resume the trip to the Spanish Pyrenees. We get there at the end of the day on a Saturdayand it rains heavily. We stop at the trail that we will drive the next day when it is already almost dark.
6. Colored sunrise while Emile is still sleeping.
7. The trail which oscillates at about 6000 feet above sea level is gorgeous.
8. This is the opportunity to test the Isofix adapter that I made to install Emile’s seat in the front. He is in heaven! 😀
9. View of the plain, far South.
10. VLV is happy to be back on the trail.
11. We discover pretty villages…
12. …and a varied geology.
13. Another of these Pyrenean villages.
14. We reach a high plateau, the Pedró dels Quatre Batlles, after a climb where the 4×4 transmission have been very useful!
15. It blows a very strong wind. Is this why the vegetation takes the form of barkanes ?
16. The mood is beautiful as the sun goes down.
17. Last rays before sunset. The wind will shake us a good part of the night and it will only be 38 F in the morning.
See you soon for the rest.
Italian Alps (2)
1. After the Sommeillier, we reached the Pass delle Finestre. Arrived in late afternoon in a thick fog, we decide to sleep there in the hope of better weather the next day.
2. Early next morning, the fog fell slightly.
3. It gradually dissipates, giving a glimpse of the trail driven the day before.
4. Last switchbacks before the pass.
5. North side.
6. South side.
7. Backlight…
I wanted to continue by the Pass dell Assietta track but a municipal decree forbids access to vehicles from mid-June to mid-September. Undoubtedly the result of intensive attendance in recent years by groups of 10 to 20 4×4 mainly from Germany (these organized tours have become very popular with Germans who don’t have such mountains in their country). Therefore, we descent the southern side of the pass and do to Sestriere where we do some shopping to fill the fridge. Emile chose a succulent sheep’s cheese there after tasting it in the grocery shop!
We go then discover the superb Argentera Valley, still wild on its upper part since a 4×4 is needed to access there.
8. We find a great boondocking spot next to the river.
9. VivaLaVida in the distance.
10. Upper Argentera Valley.
It is already Friday and I decide to cross toward the Pyrenees to enjoy these other mountains, knowing that I will land Emile in Corrèze for the rest of his vacation in two weeks.
11. After half a day on the road, another boondocking spot in la Drôme.
12. Calm sunset atmosphere.
To be followed in the next article. 😉
Small handling error
Sorry if you received an email today announcing the publication of a new article. This is my handling error.
The rest of the story is coming soon. 😉
Summer trip 2021, start in France and Italy
Both Emile and I were eager to hit the road after two years without traveling in VivaLaVida. However, while we planned to leave on a Monday, trying to crank VivaLaVida the previous Thursday, no way to start it! I do the diagnostics and identify that it was the injection pressure regulator that was out of order. I ordered the part in the United States with express shipping and received it next Monday. The time to install it and check that everything was fine, we finally left on Tuesday at the beginning of the afternoon …
1. First stop at Fairies lake, in Beaufortain.
2. The next day, we go to the Iseran Pass, more than 9,000 feet elevation.
3. Emile building a kern.
4. View of the mountains where Isère takes its source.
5. Emile in front of an orientation table.
6. We find a place under the pass to boondock.
7. There is a torrent, Emile throws some stones at it!
87. All happy!
9. The sun hides behind the mountain until the next day…
10. The next day, direction Italy in the Rochemolles valley via Mont Cenis.
11. The pleasure of the first campfire of the trip.
12. Dinner!
13. The following morning, we go up to the Scarfiotti refuge and its small lakes. I give up going up to the Sommeillier Pass because you have to pay to take this dead end track and there was a lot of people.
14. Waterfall behind the refuge.
Continuation of the story in a few days… 😉
Long mechanical stop finally resolved…
It has been more than two years since I published anything here: VivaLaVida was at a standstill awaiting a solution to a mechanical issue hampering the hot start. It was only at the end of last year that I was able to organize myself to carry out this work.
1. Installation in the garage of my good friend Benji.
The problem arises from the high pressure hydraulic circuit that controls fuel injection. An o-ring seal deteriorates with vibration. This is a weakness of this engine as almost all present this problem between 200 and 300,000 miles. However, to replace it, the engine must be removed and that needs 40 hours according to the technical documentation.
2. Start of disassembly: you have to dismantle the entire front…
3. …because the engine is “buried” under the dashboard.
4. After 4 days of work, I can finally lift the engine with the crane.
5. And here is the guilty part.
6. I take advantage of the engine being out to install reinforced cylinder head studs, removing another potential engine weakness.
7. Reassembly of cylinder heads and timing.
8. After 6 days of work, the engine is ready to return to the vehicle.
9. You need a shoehorn to get it back in!
10. After 3 more days of work, it’s almost over.
These two weeks were followed, a few months later, by a frame treatment to stop the rust which was starting to redden the underside of VLV. Thus, it’s in great shape that VivaLaVida took to the road again last July to discover some places of the Italian Alps and the Spanish Pyrenees.
I will tell about that very soon. 😉
East fjords and end of the trip…
We are Tuesday, the ferry leaves tomorrow, so I have to end the route to the East.
1. A farm and its small church in the plain.
2. These plains are actually alluvial deltas (gravel bars) down the mountains that form the eastern fjords.
3. Short stop at the powerful Nykurhylsfoss waterfall, sometimes also called Sveinsstekksfoss.
4. VivaLaVida makes a small detour through the valley from which she falls, on a track that looks more like a river in places 🙂
5. This valley is a magnificent basalt staircase, each step of which creates a waterfall. Gorgeous ! Too bad not to have time to explore it longer…
6. With autumn colors now very present, it’s beautiful.
7. A little further, on a small pass, the fall of Folaldafoss.
8. VLV will take a chaotic path to find a beautiful Icelandic camp near a small lake, 2100 feet above sea level.
9. The night will be particularly turbulent, with winds to almost 70 mph and heavy rain. In the morning, the rain gives me some respite while the wind maintained.
10. As I have a few hours left before boarding, I decided to take the F936 trail and was surprised to discover it perfectly leveled, without washboard or potholes. After ten miles, I understand why..! I do not take the risk to pass and turn around.
11. So, VLV goes up to do a small exploration towards North…
12. … discover the beautiful church of Kirkjubaejarkirkja.
13. Details of door shutters.
14. Climbing a small pass, a large beach exposed to the Arctic Ocean revealed.
15. Small stop in a colorful side valley, obstructed by a wall of basalt.
16. Mineral colors.
17. Last picture of a rainy heath…
18. VivaLaVida finds back the Nöronna ferry for the return crossing cruise.
In conclusion of these few weeks in Iceland, I have some mixed feeling. The island is home to a wealth of incredible natural treasures for whom, like me, love desolate and wild Nordic landscapes. Combined with the omnipresence of sustained and often extremely recent volcanic activity, the cocktail is often breathtaking. On the other hand, because of tour operators eager to make money, this destination has become so touristy that the consequences of this mass tourism become visible almost everywhere. More and more frequent access bans, legislation seeking to limit the impact on the fragile nature, sites with often developed unsightly infrastructure and invaded by dozens of buses, mini-commercial campers rented by hundreds and, probably corollary, Icelandic not very affable and often even unfriendly with foreigners… Not to mention a exorbitant life costs : filling VLV was more than 400.- USD..!
Apart from the few indoor tracks that VivaLaVida allowed us to access off the beaten path, the pressure of this tourism really bothered me. And we were there at the end of the season, with significantly fewer people than in July or early August. Of course, I understand everyone’s desire to discover this raw nature. Yet there are other places on the planet, equally spectacular but less exploited by tour operators who still know how to preserve their country and are in my eyes much more pleasant to visit.
No regrets, however, to have had the opportunity to make discover to Isabelle – Emile is probably still too small to remember of later – this large island and its beautiful and so changing landscapes!
While the Nöronna ferry made a stopover in Torshávn on the way back, I was lucky enough to have some nice weather to offer you some new pictures of the capital of the Faroes.
19. This small town offers dozens of narrow streets with pretty houses that denote with the American-style pavilions of Iceland.
20. View on the city.
21. Marina.
22. The crossing to Denmark will be somewhat turbulent, with strong winds up to 80 mph and 18-21 feet waves.
23. Venting sinset…
The return to Switzerland was normal except for a turbo hose that dislodged, forcing VLV to drag on the last 350 miles…
Thanks to you for having followed the story of this Icelandic journey of VivaLaVida which will now be rebuilding a small health (axle simmering to change, kneecaps to replace, and complete frame check after more than 6000 miles traveled, of which probably more than a thousand on the various tracks borrowed. You can also view the route on the map “Europe” of this blog… 😉
And see you soon for following VivaLaVida’s new adventures! 😀
South-East coast
The ferry is waiting for VivaLaVida in two days and I still have several hundred miles to get to Seydisfjordur, so it’s time for me to move on. Without forgetting to stop at some new spots.
1. Same place same hour three weeks later and same rainbow… 😉
2. Short stop on another spot of Jökulsárlón Lake.
3. And another stop at Diamond Beach to shot some pictures especially for Isabelle! 😉
4. Further East, shortly before the Vestrahorn, another gravel bar in the rain.
The Vestrahorn Mountain, so often photographed, turns out to be a real tourist scam. In addition to the fact that it is next to a hugly military satellite antena, it has been appropriated by the owner of a camping-bar that charges for access! He even installed an automatic highway toll style barrier to control access. I am quite shocked by the fact that somebody can appropriate a piece of nature belonging to the state and refuses to lend me to this practice, preferring to go elsewhere. Travelers, keep away of that place, there are enough other beautiful sites in Iceland.
5. I sleep on a small pass along the old road. After a steady rain during most of the night, the morning offers me a nice sky.
6. And here is the Vestrahorn from the North-East, a less “conventional” view. 🙂
7. An example of the large sheep farms of the South coast.
8.After my disappointment at Vestrahorn, I spotted another less known site (but for how long ..?). The weather was not pleasant and I decided to explore the coast in search of cool compositions until it improves. Here is one first with this cove in the rocks.
9. The showers succeed one another, created by the strong wind that condenses the clouds on the mountain.
10. I take the opportunity to observe some ducks who hiding from strong wind behind the cape. Here a female.
11. And there a male who has just caught a crustacean.
12. He rinses it a little…
13. Before swallowing it!
14. In the foam…
15. I also go discover the large beach that runs to the West.
16. Vestrahorn in the distance.
17. Survival…
18. Finally, after 5 1/2 hours of waiting, a brief sunray of just a few minutes allows me to show you another composition.
Last article of this trip coming soon. 😉
F210 – F232
Before continuing the journey, it is time to wish you all Happy New Year 2019! full of new informative and rewarding adventures, beautiful encounters, unexpected discoveries. A special thought to a close friend who has been battling a serious cancer for many months without being able to overcome it yet and who I wish to see soon the end of the tunnel…
But let’s continue the story. II enjoyed some light at sunrise… 😀
1. First glow…
2. Mýrdalsjökull is really close.
3. There was some snow fall tonight.
4. Iron oxide colors some hills in red.
5. One of the many fords crossed.
6. Sand / foam / ice contrast.
7. At the end of the F210, I decide to take some height on the Maelifell, an old volcano in the middle of the plain. VivaLaVida stays down. 😉
8. As I go up, the immensity slowly reveals itself.
9. A flight of wild geese begining their migration goes through the sky…
10. I take the opportunity to show you a small sample of the main plants of these arid regions, starting with this sometimes almost fluorescent foam.
11. It shares the space with other species, creating colorful beds at this fall period.
12. …
13. …
14. …
15. Arrived at the top, the panorama is breathtaking! (panoramic assembly of 9 bracketed images –> 27 images for this softblending!)
16. View from above…
17. The mountain I just climbed.
18. Still contrasts…
19. VLV follows the less traveled F232 road now.
20. As we descend gradually towards the south coast, greenery becomes more present again.
21. The colors of autumn are also more and more present, for my greatest pleasure.
22. How beautiful ! I am in permanent contemplation…
23. A ford just above a waterfall
Here is the link of a short video of this ford for those who want to discover it… 😉
24. One of the glacial rivers, meltwater from the ice cap, digs its canyon.
25. Further down the trail, other waterfalls that look like small and less touristy “Godafoss”.
26. Backlight at the end of F232.
To be followed soon… 😉
Mýrdalsjökull – F261 / F210
As previously announced, to go back to East, VivaLaVida left the pavement to discover the back of the Mýrdalsjökul ice cap .
1. “Gravel Bar”.
2. The sky is clogging as I move away from the coast.
3. Backlight…
4. Last blue hole before the rain. In fact, these ice caps create their own micro-climate; the air passing over cools down and condenses “downwind” in rain or snow .
5. Surprise at a turn of the trail: the magnificent Markafljótsgljúfur Canyon (the first one that pronounces this right wins a sweet ! 😀 )…
6. … and the beautiful fall of the same name.
7. Sheep stable…
8. In places, the rivers must make their way through the basalt.
9. F210 trail.
10. VivaLaVida enters in another black sand desert.
11. Little canyon.
12. Volcanic desert in the rain…
13. …
14. The trail directly on the lava in places.
15. …
16. …
17. Wild camp in the middle of nowhere at nightfall…
Next to come about F210 and F232 in a few days…
D5 Creation