Snowboarding/Camping Road Trip

[kitesurfer]

Howdie.

Just got back from spending 3 weeks in my sprinter cruising around the french alps snowboarding. Drove the whole 2000miles there and back on waste vegetable oil and was able to free camp everywhere that i visited. In most cases parking right at the bottom of the ski run. :thumbup:
Got snowed in 3 times and had to use chains to get over one mountain pass. Highest altitude i camped at was 2100m and it got down to -30 degrees at night.
Great fun can't wait to repeat it next year but here are a few photos from the trip.

In the channel tunnel.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/17012010234.jpg

First stop over in the mountains.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/vaninnantua-1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1534.jpg

Mt blanc.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/26012010246.jpg

Camped up at the bottom of a ski run


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1503-1.jpg

On the road again with views of mt blanc.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/24012010244.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1525.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1526-1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1529.jpg

Another camping spot. Here i could board right upto the back of my van and also down to my first ski lift.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1535-1.jpg

View from the van in the morning.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1561.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1541.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1564-1.jpg



More views from the van, this time in the evening.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1577.jpg

My folks came out for my birthday and so i got to go snowboarding with my Dad. Not bad for a 65 year old!

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/meanddad.jpg

The view from the top of europes highest cable car station at 3842m.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1623.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/two_much_wind/IMGP1629.jpg

A hugely sucessful road trip with no problems other than getting searched at every border i had to cross. I mean come on its not as if i was travelling by myself in a van with blacked out windows looking scruffy and not smelling too good is it!

KS

[sikwan]

Thanks for sharing some wonderful pictures. :drool:

[glasseye]

Wow! Great pictures, great trip! It must have been cooooold on those morning getups. :shifty:

[kitesurfer]

Wow! Great pictures, great trip! It must have been cooooold on those morning getups. :shifty:

Just a little but i had considered this when i did the van conversion. I located the switch for the eberspacher within reach of my bed. I'd turn it on go back to sleep for 30mins and the van would be warm for when i got up! :rad:

KS

[mackconsult]

Nice .... I look forwarding to sharing on some of my upcoming trips in my WVO enabled sprinter. My pictures and content will be posted on my blog, and then I will post the URL in this forum.

[teamtexas]

Nice trip....makes me green:laughing: with envy!!!

Dan

[The Animal]

great photo's!

i just LOVE snow.

[Riptide]

Awesome trip. I just got back from a ski trip myself with my Westfalia Sprinter. It was like having my own mobile lodge with me. Nothing like coming back to a toasy warm cabin, firing up the stove, and be sipping hot tea or chocolate a few minute later...

I gotta get to Europe one of these years!

[Chandlerazman]

Awesome photos! Looks like an amazingly fun trip. Thanks for posting photos of your trip. I too enjoy seeing a little bit of Europe from my desktop :thumbup:

[davisdave]

man, i am jealous! i recently went skiing in utah and was chased out of the parking lot at 11pm by the local marshal:thumbdown: i was so looking forward to rolling out of the van and walking 100 feet to the lift. Beautiful pics!