1,2,3… clear everyone. Only few hours after the governor’s announcement of the reopening of Trentino-Alto Adige, I found myself in the car, speeding along the empty streets.
Finally the end of the lockdown had been announced and the long-awaited moment had arrived: Time to get back on the road. I spent Friday night watching the hairpins on Google Maps trying to choose the route that included as many of them as possible.
In fact, waiting for me in the Garage there was the new entry of the fleet: Jolisa – the Alpine A110 – small and agile sports car of the French company, Renault.
On this exciting day I would have liked to share this first drive with my Elise, however she was stuck in Padua where the lockdown was still persisting.
It was Saturday morning and as a mandatory ritual to get the weekend off to a good start I sipped my cappuccino in bed. Meanwhile my head had started to make a mental list of things to carry and prepare. Those who know me know that I don’t spend a moment without making a to-do list.
The lunch box was ready and drinks and camera could not be missing either.
Usually in my list of necessary things to take with me there are also hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, but unfortunately today the roof could not be opened.
Everything has stopped, but not nature and not us.
We got in the car and I was already fantasizing about drinking a good coffee once we reached Canazei. After several attempts we lost hope and accepted that nothing was open in Trentino. From that moment I also decided to drink very little during the day to avoid having to knock on strangers doors begging to use their bathroom.
Despite this alienating aspect that everything was closed and the streets empty and lonely, I must admit that it was definitely the perfect day to enjoy the landscape. Unimpressed by the lockdown, nature started flourishing and was all primeval. The lockdown had blocked everything for us humans. As in the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty in the Woods life had virtually stopped. Everything but nature. In fact when I was out and about the last time before the lockdown, I returned home with memories of cold and snow. Now I found nature again rife with flowers, birdsong and buzzing insects.
Climbing up the Sella Pass and then continuing the journey towards the Valparola Pass I saw colors and flowers never seen before. Maybe because usually the long parades of supercars that crowd these mountain passes don’t leave much visibility, or maybe I started to pay more attention at those things that I seem to have taken for granted before.
We were halfway there in a flash and driving down the Giau we were almost back to Canazei. Once again we found the city still like under a spell and nothing moved. Nobody out and about nothing going on in the streets, everything closed.
It is all about Delightful Driving
On the way back I kept thinking about how much I had missed all these emotions and feelings. Reach the top of the mountain still with a smile on your face inspired by the fun from negotiating these sensational curves we had just left behind. Then look down and realize the wonders that surround us. I also missed the impression of freedom like that carefree feeling that only driving can convey.
In the meantime, a little bit thirsty and heated, I felt like having some ice cream, so I remembered that the accelerator is still on the right side. So I decided for the final acceleration to go straight to Avalon, my favourite ice cream shop in Bolzano.
So the adventure was over, but I was happy because I knew that these were only the first 232km that marked the beginning of this driving season.
