The Roulotte facilities
As I write to you, spring is waking up in Aragon, our favorite region of Spain. An opportunity for us to see and hear again the storks and their young, reminding us of Los Monegros (see previous article), the desert that we visited last winter. An opportunity also to test the arrangements made in Roulotte two weeks ago. Indeed, our goal this summer is to go to the south of Scandinavia for three months, except that according to many “vanlifers”, the cost of living there is very high. If we don't collect a minimum amount of food and gas, the budget will explode. Storage is strategic for this long journey.
For this, we have made some modifications to Roulotte; for example, transforming our current bed into a permanent bed that can be easily raised in order to use all the space available under the box spring.
A permanent liftable bed
In addition, we wedged the spare wheel under the bed of the caravan to increase the height of its underbody. This decision was made following an incident that occurred during one of our many escapades on a rutted dirt track. This is how, while thinking we are driving calmly, a sudden and worrying scraping alerts us! Immediately, the convoy stops. We rush out, anxious, alone, wondering what could have happened... Going around the vehicles, we discover the spare wheel dragging on the ground, under our traveling room. The retaining cage nut has broken. Using his tool kit, Jean-Paul fixes everything temporarily.
Screws that no longer hold
This aside, we also had to find solutions for other disappointments. Hinges that are falling apart, for example. Many screws have disappeared or fallen off due to vibrations when we go over bumpy trails. Annoyed, our handyman often railed and complained against the manufacturer. For what? Because we must always use tricks for the slightest repair that we would like to undertake ourselves, as if we believe that the brand voluntarily imposes its approved centers on us!
That said, Roulotte has however added four additional pegs for tea towels and three small shelves, only two of which are intended for me. Hum! Poor me, this man turns out to be intractable, doesn't he?
Destination Albarracin
After all these clarifications, I return to the beginning of my article. So we left for Aragon, with the dual objective of discovering Albarracin with its medieval city, and inflicting a severe crash test on Roulotte. The goal? Check her behavior to reach dream bivouacs with her.
On the road towards Valfarta for a first stage, Jean-Paul breaks out in a cold sweat on the national roads as he passes the various passes, because strong gusts destabilize our traveling room.
In fact, the caravan is much heavier at the rear with the new arrangements. Unfortunately, we had no choice. A specialist mechanic warned us; Roulotte was forcing too much on the drawbar with the two solar batteries at the front. It became urgent to better distribute the weight on the vehicle chassis. In the back, we put the spare wheel, a gas cylinder, canned goods and food.
Dream bivouac
However, on the road, the landscapes available to us make me relax. The ocher rocks elegantly outlined in the blue of the sky arouse our curiosity. We regret not knowing the geology to understand these strange formations and date them.
The clock on board reads 6 p.m. I realize that we have already driven more than 3 hours and that we will not arrive in Albarracin today. This is why we decide to escape by a solitary road, once again, in search of a quiet base camp out of sight. For this, we recommend a large open area ideal for unhitching.
After a good hour of exploration, we see on our right, a track which seems passable, but not too much. It winds through the cereal fields, tumbles towards a dry ford, then climbs through the scrubland dotted with crops to get lost in the distance...
Once we have covered a few kilometers without meeting any living souls and many climbs and descents, we leave the track for an abandoned path which, further on, stops abruptly in front of an abandoned sheepfold, near a wasteland.
Aragon, province of highlands
We then get out of the car to examine whether all the criteria are met for at least 4 nights of peace. A bouquet of scents seizes us, filling our nostrils with a warm and lively smell at the same time. Thyme perfumes the surroundings with its sunny note. A true olfactory wonder! And that's not all ! The landscape that stands before our eyes captivates us, colored with palettes of green and orange trees with its valleys and its cultivated plots up to the Sierra de Albarracin. The twilight light envelops us in a mysterious mantle. The young shoots of wheat glistening in the last light tell us that harvest time has not yet come. Sure, we won't be disturbed. No more time to hang around, we have to go find Roulotte. Jean Paul clears the ground by cutting a few thorn trees in the path of the convoy to avoid punctures. It's not easy to dislodge these bushes, the rebels defend themselves, well ensconced in the rocks.
Roulotte emerges victorious
Ah ha! the moment of truth has arrived. It is up to me to have the heavy responsibility of opening the caravan and taking stock of the situation. Did the adjustments hold up? Will we find the spare wheel and our essential boxes of peas and lentils in good order?
After an unbearable suspense, the answer comes without disguise; it's perfect! Everything is in place, the new door latches and retaining straps have played their role. Very happy and reassured, but in a hurry to set up camp, we hurry to prepare the soup before putting everything away to enjoy the last rays and finally... rest. In this season, and at this altitude, the cold comes surprisingly quickly on the Aragonese plateaus which often exceed 1,000 meters.
Tomorrow, will we cover the last ten kilometers that still separate us from the mythical city of Albarracin?
You will find out in the next episode... or by following us in the Flash News on the site's home page.
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See you soon dear visitors.
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