Spring is here. Almonds highlighted in the evening sunshine
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Since Dec 2022 we have been running our own Mastodon & GoToSocial servers. What a breath of fresh air the Fediverse has been. We have made many hundreds of new friends from around the world, mostly related to our mountain, tech and nature interests.
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Spring has arrived so it's time to fire up the sun oven 🌞. Today we are slow cooking a traditional meal here in the Alpujarras ... "papas al pobre" a tasty mix of potatoes and green peppers
Deserts one day, high mountain snowshoeing the next. Today we have been above Capileira on our snowshoes. The snowshoeing is incredible at the moment, even though we had threatening storm clouds around it didn't start snowing until we had reached the cars on our return.
Short 1min 10 sec video
Some images from yesterdays hike in the badlands of Tabernas, Almeria. A cold day but this made the skies crystal clear of either the heat haze or the Saharan dust that normally plague this area
The Tabernas Desert Badlands today. Stunning scenery and nice 18C temps for hiking. I love it here!
Image from today's hike that make me think of lyrics ...
I dream of rain I dream of gardens in the desert sand I wake in vain I dream of love as time runs through my hand
Sweet desert rose Each of her veils, a secret promise This desert flower No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
Sweet desert rose This memory of Eden haunts us all This desert flower This rare perfume, is the sweet intoxication of the fall
(Sting)
Looking forward to the next couple of days hiking. Two very contrasting days too. Tomorrow I'm heading for the arid desert badlands of Tabernas, Almeria. On Tuesday it's high mountain snowshoeing in the Sierra Nevada. Packing is a bit of a nightmare 😀 Can't wait!
I can't quite believe how little this BRS 3000T backpacking stove weighs. Just 26 grams (0.9 ounces)! Generally excellent reviews too although not for simmering. If you just want boiling water it's seems pretty good. For only 20€ this is incredible value. Will be giving it some outdoor tests soon.
Yippeee! It's my "heartattackaversary". 6 years today. Who'd have thought time would pass by so quick. Very thankful for still being able to climb and enjoy the hills
Mulhacén 3482m this morning from the western side of the Barranco del Poqueira. Looking up the valley towards the Refugio Poqueira, the town on the right is Capileira.
The stormy weather here in Andalucia continues. And isn't it just magnificent!
A close call. We've had a lot of rainfall this past week. Whilst in a local restaurant this lunchtime a tree fell down over my old car and hit the cars opposite. No damage very luckily! 🤞
The clearest day for some time allowed for a glimpse of the Cerro de Caballo 3009m today. Lots of fresh snow, high avalanche risk and gale force winds mean the mountains remain out of bounds. More bad weather incoming too. Will be superb when it settles down and we can go up there
Enjoying reading "The Hand of Fatima" by Ildefonso Falcones. Follows life of Hernando, a young man of mixed heritage. Mother a Muslim, father a Christian priest. Born after the Morisco rebellion in the Alpujarras mountains, Hernando grows up caught between two worlds, facing discrimination & violence from both sides. The Moriscos (Muslims forced to convert to Christianity) are oppressed by the Christian rulers. Hernando becomes a symbol of the struggle for identity & survival.
I do use online/offline mapping systems all the time on my GPS, phone and other tech related gadgets. But, I have to say, there is nothing quite like getting a paper map arriving in the post.
I'm like a kid with a new toy and excited to see what lies within. I can dream of adventures to come better with a paper map than with online mapping systems.
Now to seriously plan our 7-10 day backpacking trip in the Pyrenees
Another poor, cloudy day in the high mountains so we headed south to the sunny slopes of Cerro Toro and Cerro Gordo, just north of Motril. Here we found solitude and some good hiking through forest tracks with some nice peaks to provide interest. Warm sunshine, t-shirts and shorts. Spring is in the air!
Granada Province constantly providing new hiking opportunities once again!
Bad news... Spain’s rewilding of Iberian lynx at risk after lobbying by hunters and farmers
Regional governments bow to pressure from agricultural industry, often amplified by far-right Vox party
Testing my sub €20 Lixada Solar Panel 7.8w. Charging up a Nitecore NB10000 quite quickly. Its a bit flimsy but at only 127 grams for the panel this is maybe to be expected. Hoping to use it on a multi day trek in the Pyrenees late spring.
Health and safety. I sometimes cringe when my Spanish neighbor and good friend comes round to help as he has no comprehension of danger. He thinks nothing of standing on a thin olive branch atop a dodgy ladder which I am vainly attempting to keep stable 🤣🤣
Macpac Men's Nitro Fleece Pullover & the OMM Core Hoody
Tested these garments for the past 6 months. Now, I don't leave home without one or the other in my pack.
Similar style of material. Macpac uses Polartec® Alpha® Direct & OMM PrimaLoft® ACTIVE. Both ultra-light insulating fabrics made for breathable warmth & pack-ability.
Weigh similar amounts too, 148g (large). I tend to utilize mainly as mid layer under an outer wind-shirt or as pull-on at rest stops.
