China, the highway of vertigo

It is a black asphalt snake in the heart of nature more than 2000 meters high It is called the highway of the sky The Yaxi Expressway runs through Sichuan Province between Shichang and Ya'an It took a massive five-year project Along the kilometers 270 bridges span valleys and waterways The 5 tunnels pierce the mountain Breathtaking landscapes and especially difficult mountain passes which truckers must overcome to deliver their cargo Here are the main tasks of the day Liu Jirguang the head of the highway brigade The team briefs at 2400 meters altitude as every morning According to the forecast it is probably going to snow today During patrols it will be necessary to check the road temperature If a truck is having trouble climbing it will obviously need help Liu has about twenty men under his command Their traffic officers are the guardian angels of this new tea route It has been three years since Officer Liu has been stationed here and this mountain surrounded by the highway has captured his heart From this angle the road is truly beautiful Look there are 3 levels of highway with an elevation change of 400 meters in just 11 kilometers The architects have achieved an extraordinary feat This is the most beautiful road I have ever worked on When there is fog it feels like being in the heart of the clouds This is why this road is called the Highway of the Sky Here is the great pride of Officer Liu and the entire region We arrive at the famous Ganraize Bridge It is unique in China due to its structure but also because of where it is located It has the charm of a carnival and fair attractions It is a 2-kilometer-long metal bridge The geology of the area prevented the construction of concrete They had to install hollow steel tubes to reduce the weight of the structure 800 people were mobilized for 3 years at a height of 110 meters The Ganraize Bridge now impresses everyone who crosses it like Officer Liu Thousands of trucks drive here every day Liu and his team are actually in charge of the highest part Of this sky highway also the most dangerous The steep gradient over 7% and the length of the climb exhaust the machines and the drivers Zhu Lin's adventure here twice a week He transports fruits and vegetables to Chengdu The capital of the province is 600 km to the northeast The trip took me at least ten hours before the highway But now I can do it in 8 hours For us truckers that saves us a lot of time But that day Zhu Lin was uneasy He began his ascent that would take him to nearly 2 500 meters in altitude And the weather is getting worse It is starting to snow there When I left this morning I never thought it was going to snow The weather is unusual this year Generally it no longer snows at this time of year Look they're everywhere You can barely drive He will soon cross the famous 110-meter-high metal bridge Of course I'm afraid of slipping For the truth is in these circumstances I often think about my two young children But we have to keep driving even with this weather For hours Zhu Lin endures the weather and fatigue Snow significantly slows his journey He can no longer continue and must stop for the night We're going to have a little drink right I would really like some white alcohol This unexpected dinner is an opportunity to reunite with a colleague and taste the local specialty Sichuan hot pot Vegetables offal pork meatballs all in a beef broth Good evening gentlemen I bring you the condiments Turnip coriander garlic and chives Thank you thank you Do you want some hot pepper No can you pass me the ladle I'm so hungry It's a good dish there's a lot of meat Here try the meatballs We truckers spend almost our entire lives in the cab It's rare to have moments of relaxation like this When stuck on the road because of bad weather like today a good meal with friends is really appreciated A rare moment of conviviality for someone spending the week alone in his truck far away from his wife and two sons A solitary life not always comfortable For 550 euros per month the average salary in China I'm exhausted I won't be long in falling asleep The next morning Tiolin had already been on the road for two hours And the sun now illuminates his path A new challenge awaits the driver A very long descent But first an obligatory stop and Agent Liu is watching closely At this weigh station each truck is weighed The risk is that an overloaded vehicle may no longer be able to brake And that could have dramatic consequences Move forward From here the vehicles will descend for 51 km Their weight is displayed on that screen Then sometimes I also take the opportunity to look for dangerous materials I will inspect your cargo Tiolin is already late hoping that Officer Liu isn't too strict What are you carrying Watermelons Watermelons That's good Raise the barrier for this truck Go ahead The driver starts the descent along the mountainside Maximum speed 80 km/h Above all do not take any risks In fact the slope is not very steep But since it lasts for dozens of kilometers I need to be careful that the truck is not carried away by its momentum You know my truck isn't fully loaded today But I'm still worried about the brake discs They must be continuously cooled with liquid If there is no water or the hose is clogged then the discs may overheat and cause a fire 51 km and about ten accidents each year A daunting descent for nerves and for the mechanics I'm going to add a little water there It was about time to see the smoke coming from his brakes After the descent Jolin approaches the final straightaway of his journey this time in the valley Magnificent scenery for kilometers It is an artificial lake with a dam downstream You see the water level is not very high right now Otherwise it would be even more beautiful It's really the part of the road that I find the most beautiful What I like about this highway is that at every turn I discover a new landscape After delivering the cargo Jolin will leave the next day with a new shipment The famous Sky Road continues its progress this time heading west and to Tibet following in the footsteps of the old tea road And nothing stops this giant of concrete and asphalt not even the mountain regularly blown open Soon a new huge work will be completed here to facilitate the journey of truckers like Jolin A book where workers are currently balancing at 120 meters high This is the Dadurrué Bridge Down in the village of Xingfuping the elders have a hard time believing their eyes Liyin has lived here for 40 years Her house is somehow at the crossroads of history At that time the tea road carriers passed right here in front of my house If you follow the path you can still see their traces You can still see the footprints of the porters' canes on the stones They are over there at the base of the highway In a few months the future of the region and Ms Liyin will be decided by looking up this time with a heavy-duty aerial broom While the highway is being completed drivers have to make do with the national road As the road rises toward Tibet The trucks zigzag through this natural setting At the summit Zewuoshan 4 300 meters Nearly the altitude of Mont Blanc crossed by the 38 tons But China continues to look even bigger and stronger And perhaps one day the highway of the sky will come here colonizing the vast plains and disrupting the lives of the yaks and the people of this preserved region