English
Italian
ROAMERS | The Spirit of the Swiss Alps
Words Alessandro Marrone / Photos Bruno Serra
Every journey that can be defined as such has a beginning and an end. Sounds obvious. But what shouldn’t be taken for granted is what lies in between, the quintessence of the on the road experience ready to represent a new benchmark. From that moment on, nothing will be the same and, whether we like it or not, the inevitable confrontation will always point the finger towards that incredible journey. That of September 2021 is a crystalline example. GPS set towards the Swiss Alps, what better occasion to celebrate the Mazda MX-5 100th Anniversary, the legendary Japanese roadster that redefines the concept of driving pleasure according to which there is no need for absurd powers to transform every kilometer into a sumptuous tribute to the essential relationship between car and driver.
These mornings the alarm rings early, much earlier than usual. The transfer that leads us to cross the border above Como and enter Swiss land at the first lights of dawn is the prelude that accompanies our expedition on a fresh late summer day. The uncertain weather doesn’t intimidate, to the point of allowing us to open the MX-5’s canvas top the precise moment we put our tires on the pebbles of the Gotthard Pass, clearly the old road that winds up convoluted on itself up to the summit, offering a breathtaking experience for the beauty of the landscape that surrounds its perfect hairpin bends. Switzerland is unmistakable and compensates for the annoying speed limits with an impeccable road surface and meadows so beautiful that may seem fake. Every corner is a postcard and it doesn’t matter if you climb more slowly than usual, since it’s an excellent excuse to enjoy the landscape and breathe the flavor of one of the most scenic roads I’ve ever driven on.
The fact of gripping the steering wheel of Mazda’s iconic two-seater is the added value that gives the possibility of perceiving every variation of the road surface still wet with frosty patches here and there. Eating the bends, we turn our gaze downwards, seeing a serpentine that brings together more and more curves, outlining an orderly and perfect porphyry casing. There’s us and some sporadic grazing cows chewing on the last blades of grass. The silence is total, yet I don’t have that feeling of being on top of some mountain, also thanks to the fact that in the distance we can see the new road that allows for a quicker – and certainly less exciting – crossing of the pass. The Strada della Tremola is a work of art and deserves to be experienced with due calm. It is one of those places that you will dream of for many nights after returning home, one of those destinations that are worth the trip, regardless of where you start from.
That trip to the Swiss Alps then continued, in honor of a column – the Alps Attack – which is not satisfied until you have to resort to the fingers of the second hand to keep count of the passes crossed in a few, very few hours. The sun enters the scene drying the asphalt of the Furka, Grimsel, Susten and Oberalp, but despite the panoramas that open as far as the eye can see and all those curves born to be photographed, nothing compares directly with the Gotthard, especially due to increased traffic which makes the adventure less intimate. The Tremola seems to be a place for those few enthusiasts who come here specifically for its curves, not for going from one side of the valley to the other. That day, not caring about the James Bond Strasse, the hairpin bends of the Grimsel and the valleys of the Susten, I would have stopped the shooting, in order to be back again in the middle of the Gotthard and breathe its absurd devotion for those who understand driving as a way to reach automotive nirvana until late in the evening, until the darkness of the night would have cast its dark veil over one of the most beautiful roads in the world.
Related tags to article
