When the Journey is More Interesting than the Destination.

Back in October we shared with you some photographs that Kevin Twomey took on a summer trip to Italy. He included a corresponding post reminding us the importance of slowing down. Well, Kevin’s trip also took him to St. Moritz. And, it was here that he tested out his newly healed arm after a break and hiked a hard to reach summit. He recently shared his experience with us and the beautiful photographs that he created.

“While on vacation in Italy, we took an overnight trip to St Moritz and I found the journey far more interesting then the destination. The first leg was from Oltre il Colle to Tirano, where we took the scenic route through windy roads and over the San Marco pass. We stopped at the pass to stretch our legs and take a few pictures. What I captured was one of my favorite images from the trip. I was drawn to the the modern day electric wires that followed over a road built in the 16th century. For me, it was about the layering of time.

I was told that the pass was built as a trade route between Bergamo (ruled by the Republic of Venice at the time) and cities to the north so they could avoid paying the high tariffs to Milan. The modern road over the pass is a favorite for many hardcore cyclists.

The second leg was a 2 1/2 hour train ride from Tirano to St Moritz. It was a gorgeous ride through the Alps with breathtaking scenery, where the tracks climb at a 7% gradient and stop close to Brenina Pass at an elevation of almost 7,400 ft. I can only imagine what this trip would be like in the winter!

There are 3 things to do in St Moritz; ski, shop and eat. Since I am not a big shopper, I was happy to just sit on the slopes of St Moritz (minus the snow), and enjoy my delicious cured meat and cheese sandwich while basking in the sun.

After returning from St Moritz, I decided to hike up to one of the lower peaks of the nearby Mt. Alben. On my way up, I met three lovely people who were on their way to the higher, more difficult-to-get-to peak and was invited to join them. The rock scrambling tested my arm (which I had broken 8 weeks earlier), but the payoff was worth it when we hit the summit. The weather was on my side at that moment with storm clouds in the distance to help give me the right atmosphere for my photograph, but far enough away so I cloud return home dry.