Not a Travel Blog: The Road of 52 Tunnels

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The Road of 52 Tunnels

We drove for an hour to this gorgeous place! I wish I would have taken a picture of the road that gave us all a little anxiety. We weren't in a small European car. We were in our Murican car which proved useful in that people backed up and moved out of the way for US! I'm thinking of going back just to get a picture because you would have died. It was the width of a walking trail. The saving graces were the small areas of larger width that allowed passage of two cars with their mirrors pulled in, and one side of tires either up against the mountain side or VERY close to the edge of a large drop. Cars honk as they go around corners to alert oncoming traffic of their arrival. We got smart and started doing the same on the way home.

It was worth it though!

A brief history (cause you know I'm all about them pics, bout them pics, bout them pics):

Construction on the road began in 1917 and was intended to substitute another road which was only passable in the summer and through enemy territory (WWI). This road was accessible by mule, not near the enemy and usable all year round. According to the sign at the beginning of the road with no attributable names, the completion of the road was defined as, "an enterprise of giants, that no other work equals along the entire European front" and, "a miracle of courage and work of unequalled greatness", and "a true and significant marvel in the grandeur of military engineering".

I couldn't agree more from what we saw and that was only a little bit. It was also hard not to think of the work and the effort and the history that was made while it was being built and after completion. I was in awe!

I think we made it to 10 tunnels? I'm not sure. At the very beginning of our hike, we saw a group of guys who were on their way back and who were clearly speaking English. David quickly said something to them so we stopped to chat for a minute. They had started in the early morning (it was around 3ish when we saw them) and I asked them if it was worth it. I remember the one guy saying, "Worth it? Yes. Would I do it again? No." We all chuckled and I'm sure his compadres agreed.

The kids did VERY well! I'm super proud of Genevieve who not only did it in her "Kids" (Keds) but also did it mostly on her own! David only had to carry her through the first few tunnels before she was brave enough to carry her own flashlight and use her own legs. The older two had a lot of fun. By the end and on the way back, Sadie didn't even want to use her flashlight. She was also very content to help carry the backpack.

For all the whining they do about wanting to stay home and not go anywhere, they sure do well once we get them out there.

Now the pictures (some of which you could probably have seen via Google although these ones are strictly mine. I can't help it, #ILovePhotography)