MY FIRST CAR
Mountaineer Alan Hinkes first car doubled as a motorhome during his earliest trips to the Alps – and he loved it.
“It was a Citroen Ami estate,” he said. “It had a big loadbay which I could sleep in. I did a few times before getting up and doing some mountain climbing.
“I was a teacher at the time and the Ami was actually quite a good car. It wasn’t quick or anything but it never let me down. I would pack it with my climbing gear and off I would go.”
Over the years Alan, 69, from Northallerton, has used various cars for his expeditions which made him the first British man to conquer the world’s 14 highest mountains – the peaks over 8,000 metres.
He has had many Land Rovers and other 4x4s. Now he has a Volvo and recently had use of a pick-up truck loaned by Isuzu. “The Volvo is good, it never lets me down. You get the feeling it will go anywhere, but I like the Isuzu too.”
He recently put an Isuzu through its paces for a mission to the Lake District. Alan’s trip began with an evening drive to Borrowdale.
“It was already dark, and the light bar and grille lights were fabulous,” he said. “It must have been 11.30pm by the time I put the tent up, but it was so easy, literally taking seconds. It’s exciting and you just want to get in it. Other seasoned campers could not believe it, as it is so streamlined and neat on the top yet opens up into a decent-sized tent”.
Alan began his mountaineering career whilst at Northallerton Grammar School. He progressed to the Alps, with ascents of many difficult mountains, including the notorious north face of the Eiger, eventually graduating to the Himalayan peaks. He works as an outdoor equipment technical consultant, writes for magazines and lectures on his exploits. He is an accomplished cameraman, photographer, author, motivational speaker, environmentalist and mountain guide.
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