Hairy drive ... with lemons

Woke up to a beautifully sunny day. The mountains opposite were covered in loads of snow so decided I ought to experience the white stuff for myself and drove up to Trevelez. It was also an excuse to try the jeep in the snow. Trevelez was, well, snowy but busy with visitors so did a U-turn and parked up at the foot of the valley which is one of my favorite spots. 

Trevelez

Trevelez valley

I can see my house from there and it's nice getting a different perspective.

Having decided to head home, I drove down the hill stopping to explore some tracks I'd seen previously but not been able to take in the van. Just before reaching Almegijar I saw a sign for some historic baths so I turned off and followed a track. Unbeknownst to me at the time the baths were right by the turning...

The track went on for miles and entered a pine forest. Still no sign of the baths and I ploughed on. The track got worse and worse and worse and I realised after a while that I was actually driving a footpath though there were signs of historic traffic. Had some severe hairy moments; not particularly dangerous just 'difficult' with me still getting used to the capabilities of the jeep. I could see from the satnav that I was heading towards Orgiva and was trying to work out in my head where I would cross the Trevelez river.

Eventually, I passed a house and then came to a dead end. There was a footbridge over the river but the ford was impassable. Putting two and two together, it dawned on me that the house I passed must have been the one in Driving over Lemons! I drove back to the house and called it to see if anyone at home and the author appeared! (I knew from the local papers what he looked like.) 

Having explained my predicament, Chris Stewarts' considered opinion was that it was too dangerous to cross the river in my jeep and the only way out was back the way I'd come. (I didn't invade his privacy by asking him if he was him!). 

For proof, here's a picture of his front gate and a view taken further uphill of the river mentioned in the book.

So, it was back up I went. Got stuck a couple of times but I've got a low ratio I can use on my four wheel drive and, with the odd whiff of burning clutch, I got out. Took just under an hour of slow careful diving to get back to the main road. Not a route I'd like to take in its entirety again but it did show to me what the jeep is capable of and I feel much more comfortable in it. Feels like the mad journey made us bond.