Lying on the road can kill.
I know – nevertheless I did.
Right after sunrise I left my tent and started to photograph the Tremola pass road. I wanted to catch the soft light on the beautiful pavé stones (cobbles) starting to shine in the early morning light before the numerous cars and motorcycles made my plan impossible.
“Every single stone, sublime and so much stronger than me, shines magnificently in the light of the sun, moon and stars. What a gift.”
Christian Speck. August 2020, 08:05 (from my zine “Tremola”)
The middle line of the road was marked with red cobbles. I lay down on the floor and placed my camera right on the middle line pointing to the sun. What a strange feeling, lying in the middle of one of the most famous roads of Switzerland, well known all over the world – without any traffic!
Thought-absorbed I was scared to death by a “fast and furious” e-bike bicycle pilot passing with incredible speed, rushing to the Gotthard hospice. A little scared now and pretty careful I first checked the traffic once again, then waved to the biker approaching so that he could see me before I started to photograph again.
My father must have passed this location as well when he was crossing the Gotthard pass on the old Tremola road in the early 1950s with his first car, the legendary VW Käfer (Volkswagen Beetle, Type 1).
Excerpt of my zine “Tremola”. Source (modified): Colnago
Tremola, the kingdom of pavé
The little Roubaix of the Alps, as someone called it, is located in Switzerland – a 13 km climb, almost all cobbles; 930 meters of altitude gain and a hint of times gone by.
This is the old road of the Val Tremola; simply “La Tremola” or “Tremola” for enthusiasts.
Built by the Swiss in the early 1800s, on what was before only a narrow mule track, it is a masterpiece of road engineering which links Airolo to the Gotthard Pass.
An incredible serpentina that climbs sinuously in 24 hairpin bends, up to 2091 metres, to the Gotthard hospice.
Cycling in the mountains on pavé is unusual and unsettling,a strange feeling for those who are not used to it, but the charmof this climb lies in those cobbles that run under the wheels, making us literally “shake” in the saddle. Just a little discomfort that can certainly not overshadow the experience of a unique and spectacular climb, which no cycling enthusiast should miss out on.The climb
Practically at the sole disposal of cyclists – considering motorized traffic is virtually all confined to the nearby motorway, the old Tremola road still largely features its original pavé surface, which despite everything is in excellent condition.“La Tremola” in detail:
Departure: 1159 m (Airolo)
Finish: 2091 m (hospice Gotthard Pass)
Length: 12.7 km
Altitude gain: 932 m
Average gradient: 7.4 %
Steepest gradient: 12 %
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