The Sierra de Contraviesa with its head in the clouds
AS the celebrated Scottish poet Rabbie Burns scribbled in the year 1785: ???The best-laid schemes o??? mice an??? men gang aft agley/an??? lea???e us nought but grief an??? pain for promis???d joy.??? How true. In early July, amid the heat and dust of a Spanish summer, I made clear my intention to resume some serious mountain walking. Scarce had these words left my keyboard like chaff on the wind when the van broke down. It has been off the road ever since with a malady so incurable that four trips to the local mechanic have failed to address the problem. A shiny new set of spark plugs, replacement distributer cap, overhauled and retuned carburettor, and the testing of high-tension leads and various other parts, have failed to relieve its coughing and spluttering. Like Burns??? wee mouse it lies forlorn and incapacitated. But there is, at last, promis???d joy . . .
Every morning I raise my eyes to the mountains and yearn to be among them. Now the summer is drawing to a close, and the debilitating heat (more than 40C some days) has dissipated, fine walking weather can be sniffed on the breeze. Last week we had three days of rain, including a thunderstorm and hailstones as big as my thumb nail and as clear as glass. Seasons are changing.
I have a vague sort of plan to stroll up Cerro Salchicha, which at 1,546 metres (5,072ft) is the highest peak in the Sierra de la Contraviesa, and spend a night on its summit. I expect to enjoy uninterrupted views of the Sierra Nevada to the north, the Mediterranean to the south, and the Milky Way linking the two with its starry pathway. Sounds like an adventure. But, as I said, it???s a vague sort of plan and susceptible to the Burns factor.
The Sierra de Contraviesa from the summit of Sierra de L??jar
Almond blossom on the Contraviesa
Meanwhile, I have stripped the fuel pipes from the van and cleaned them (on the advice of friends), removed the petrol pump and banged it about a bit, and fitted a new fuel filter. This appears to have eased the problem, but I???ve ordered a new pump to be on the safe side, and once this has been bolted on I shall feel much happier.
Incidentally, I didn???t realise until typing these words that Burns??? oft-quoted line ???The best-laid schemes o??? mice an??? men??? and the wonderfully-crafted ???We, sleekit, cow???rin, tim???rous beastie/O, what a panic???s in thy breastie??? were integral parts of the same poem, To a Mouse. Apparently, he composed the poem in his head (or heid, perhaps), after cutting through a mouse???s nest while ploughing a field. An astute fellow indeed. If he was around today I???d ask him to take a look at the van.
Until the next time. Hasta luego.
It’s those hippy flowers you painted on the van wot’s killed it Alen!
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That’s the VW owners’ equivalent of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda throwing their wristwatches away at the start of Easy Rider.
Alen
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I’m sure Scooby and Shaggy could remedy the Mystery Machine and get you up the wonderfully named Sausage Hill! ????
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Ha ha. I didn’t realise that. Indeed, it does translate as Sausage Hill. I’ll have to take a sausage with me for supper.
Scooby and Shaggy could always push the van if the worst came to the worst (or the wurst).
Cheers, Alen
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Lol @ wurst! Nice one ????
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In 40 degree heat the petrol might be evaporating before it gets to the engine ! Try running it with the petrol cap off. Once took me weeks to discover a blocked breather pipe was stopping fuel flowing to the engine.
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Now that’s worth thinking about. I will certainly take a look into that. Thank you.
Alen
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Burns might well know what was wrong with the wee VW, but would you understand his diagnosis? Or buy a mule and a cart.
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Fair point, Chris. I’m sure he used to make up some of those words. I like the mule idea. It would be great to backpack in this area with a mule. But I haven’t a clue how to drive one.
Cheers, Alen
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That is a superb post – hope you get the van fixed soon and off to those mountains ????
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Hi James. Thanks for that.
Alen
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Hope that’s fixed it. I’m going to give up any kind of plans for the future as my hip finally appears to have had it and only works on occasional days. Will have to be spur of the moment stuff in future…
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Sorry to hear that, Carol. Sometimes spur of the moment stuff works well but the downside is you can’t plan ahead for those longer trips. Hope you get your hip sorted soon.
Alen
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It’s annoying Richard as he’s wanting to book up lots of trips with me
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Terrific pictures too.
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Ta for that, John.
Alen
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Great landscapes.
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Thanks for that.
Alen
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