El Perro Negro

Grumpy old mountain man living in Spain

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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.

Connect with me/us on the Fediverse at:

Lots of fun had by our weekly hiking group on the new Via Ferrata at Cadiar. Thanks to Felipe for helping me out and making sure we were doing things in a safe manner. Recommended if you are in the area and have the correct equipment and, more importantly, know how to use it!

Some people are climbing up or rock wall equipped with ladders and are using cables for protection

A person is climbing up or rock wall equipped with ladders and using cables for protection. A persons foot (mine!) is at the bottom left of the photo standing on a ladder rung

A person swings from a tyrolean traverse zip line whilst others climb steep ladders up the rock wall opposite

Some people are climbing up or rock wall equipped with ladders and are using cables for protection

Strange winter so far. We have had 25c+ temps last few days and last night a fire ignited on the next hillside to us. This meant a long night monitoring the situation in case the wind changed direction. Fire stabilised this morning. We have only just been given permission to have burning fires and suspect the culprit didn't hose down and eliminate his burn before the high winds started in the afternoon. Anyway all ok now, thanks to the overnight firefighters!

A car passes along the road bottom right. Above, a wildfire burns yellow and orange on the mountainside

Amazing what can be done these days. The doctor today connecting via Bluetooth to my pacemaker/defibrillator and making small adjustments, some of which I could instantly feel the change. Although I'm very active, hike, climb mountains etc I am so very, very lucky to have this back up "system" in place. No idea why he rolled his trouser leg up though :sablobsmilehappy:

A doctor sits at a table looking at a computer screen while a patient's head is on a bed to the right

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I've read a lot about the early polar explorers, Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton etc. One that passed me by until recently was Douglas Mawson. "This Accursed Land" tells how Mawson declined to join Scott's ill-fated British expedition & instead lead a team to explore the far eastern coastline of the Antarctic continent. A gripping and well told story of his lone struggle for survival, starving, poisoned, exhausted and indescribably cold. Recommended reading.

A book cover which shows a figure pulling a sled across a snow filled white landscape

It may be cold and dark early but we do continue to get some wonderful sunset shows. Got to be quick though because they don't last long

The sky is covered with orange cloud tinged with yellow by the setting sun. Patches of blue sky still show through. Outline of some trees and to the bottom right the lights of a town are seen

3 Dec 2010. Patagonian Icecap. Probably my most difficult mountain day ever. I remember well the exhaustion and tiredness and also the relief when we were able to retreat the following day, albeit a touch snow blind.

"Blizzards, snowdrifts, gales, frostbite, snow-blindness, buried tents, floods, hardship, cold, sleepless nights. It must be summer then in deepest Patagonia 😀 "

Sad to hear of Shane's passing. Some lyrics from one of my favs

[Pre-Chorus] We walked him to the station in the rain We kissed him as we put him on the train And we sang him a song of times long gone Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again (Far away!)

[Chorus] I'm sad to say I must be on my way So buy me beer or whiskey, 'cause I'm going far away (Far away!) I'd like to think of me returning when I can To the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane

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Water in the Rio Lanjarón and Acequia Nueva yesterday. No tripod, so attempted to slow down the water by hand holding down to 1/8th second.

N.B An "acequia" " is an irrigation channel" that takes water from one valley to the next along the mountainside.

Water flows between rocks in a stream. Autumn leaves have fallen and dot around the sides of the stream

A narrow "acequia" "irrigation channel" takes water from one valley to the next along the mountainside.

White water gushes down an irrigation channel in the spanish mountains alongside a path

White water gushes down an irrigation channel in the spanish mountains. Small green plants line the bottom of the stream

@[email protected] They are very popular in the Italian Dolomites but Andalucia is becoming a bit of a winter alternative for this fast developing sport. Here's a few more shots from yesterday

2 people practice via ferratas in Andalucia. Steep ladders, cables and zip lines

2 people practice via ferratas in Andalucia. Steep ladders, cables and zip lines. Here entering a cave

2 people practice via ferratas in Andalucia. Steep ladders, cables and zip lines

2 people practice via ferratas in Andalucia. Steep ladders, cables and zip lines

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Sampled the delights of the new Via Ferrata at Cadiar today. A grade K3 and a grade K4 available. Wire bridge, tyrolean, pendulum and some steep, airy ladders perched in space. All very entertaining.

2 people ascend rungs of a via ferrata secured by chains and cables

A person crosses a tyrolean zip line across a gorge with some steps into the wall at the end

A person ascends rungs of a via ferrata secured by chains and cables

A person crosses a wire bridge across a gorge with some steps into the wall at the end