Using a 4X4 for what it was designed for.

Sunset from the Top of the World: Photo by Lorna Carmichael


My son's first car is a Nissan 4X4. It is older than he is, and it's as tough as a fighting bull. We learnt to drive off-road over terrain we thought was impossible. We did that because he has a  love of the mountains. In fact, he is in training to become a certified mountain guide. For a young lad who was born in a country, Bermuda, that does have hills, but no mountains, this is a quantum leap forward from anything he would have done had he remained in Bermuda.

He invited his Mom and myself to see the sunset from the top of a mountain range. Naturally we agreed, and so we set off toward the evening. Along the way we found ourselves alongside many shiny 4X4's that would never go anywhere near a real mountain road. Such roads are not paved, are full of potholes, many with water in them, which means mud. Many people buy big 4X4's to make the school run. The best thing I can say about that is that they do provide good defense against other traffic, but otherwise they have no intention of going seriously off-road. 

On the run up to the top of the Sierra Calderona we switched to 4X4 mode, and the car rode over rocks and roots and big ruts with absolute ease. My son has made this run several times so he has his favourite spots where we closed all the windows for a run through the mudbaths. Of course, as occupants of the car we got thrown around a bit. You had to hold on tight, but finally we came to one of the many lookout points.

The view is truly breathtaking. From that point all Valencia city can be seen, as well as north along the coast and far south. Then, as promised, we took in this spectacular sunset across the top of our world. There are many people who were born in this region, who have lived all their lives in this region, and have never seen this sight. For us it was a real privilege.

It seems that there is a seperate and really special group of car owners who form a club of  adventurists who have found out how diverse Spain really is. That only becomes apparent once you get off the beaten track.

To discover the real Spain you may have to trek through the mud; to cross over a river or two; and to get high in the mountains, high above the crowd where the select group spend their time. Once in a while I get to see a 4X4 with a snorkel that is covered in mud, and I have to ask myself; I wonder where he's been? I bet he has some interesting stories to tell.

Copyright (c) 2014   Eugene Carmichael