Mountains - Strada Delle 52 Gallerie

 So first story we found a shop near our house that sells incense, and so we have been buying it and burning it in the house and it makes the house so great its really awesome. 

Also this last week I didn't have time to do email because we went to the strade delle 52 gallerie and
it ended up taking almost all day! 

Here is a picture from the base of the valley where we started (we made it to the top by the end of the
day) and the bus left us in the bottom of the valley so we had to hike just to get up all the way to the beginning of the 52 tunnels hike! It was a little crazy. Here is one guy along the way who helped us with the directions. 

Valley Base for Strade Delle 52 Gallerie

directions

A man who helped us get to the Gallerie 52 

A view of me on the way to Gallerie 52

A big field we found 

A great view 

Me and the view

 During the First World War the front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through the Dolomites. Monte Pasubio was a crucial stronghold for the Italians. They had to hold the mountain, but their supply lines to the mountain were being shelled and were subject to avalanches [on one day, the 13th December 1916, known as 'White Friday', 10,000 soldiers were killed by avalanches in the Dolomites]. The answer to the Italian Army's problems was the Strada delle 52 Gallerie.

The Strada delle Gallerie [Road of Tunnels] is a mountain path cut into Monte Pasubio in the Dolomites in Italy. It was built in 1916 by Italian mountain troops and teams of miners. The Strada was started in March 1917 and finished by the end of the year.

Strada Delle 52 Gallerie under the sign at the start of the trail

Note from Mom from Wikipedia:

The road winds between Bocchetta Campiglia (1,216 m) and the Porte del Pasubio (1,934 m) crossing the southern slope of the mountain, outside of the range of Austro-Hungarianartillery, with its spires, deep canyons and sheer rock faces.

It was built from February 6, 1917 to November 1917. A masterpiece of military engineering and boldness (it was produced by the 33rd Company of the Italian Army with the help of six hundred workers), considering the conditions and the time it was built, and the speed of execution. Work began February 6, 1917 and was completed in November 1917.

Its implementation was of great strategic importance because it allowed communication and transfer of supplies from the base to the summit area of Mt. Pasubio. Key aspects of the road include year round access, located outside of enemy artillery range and accessible by mule. These were all problems with the similar road of Scarubbi which is only accessible with motorized vehicles, within the range of the Austrian guns, and only during the summer.

The start of the caves 

In front of the 52nd cave 

All of us at the end of the 52nd tunnel at the top! 

Here is us at the top, there is a little lunch place at the top where
we talked to an 18 year old Italian waiter and ate our sandwiches. And
of course, all of us under the 52nd tunnel

Here is another view thats amazing of the back path we took on the way down.

Flapjacks, Yes!