Melloblocco part 2 - Shit that would never fly in the USA

So here's more info about Melloblocco that I think is really cool.

This event takes place in a "Y" shaped system of valleys. The left branch of the Y is called Val Masino and the right branch of the Y is Val di Mello. The whole area is closed to automobile traffic during the 4-day event.

You can't drive up and down the valley? Why is that cool? Because of this: "The Municipality of Val Masino ... grants a free-of-charge network of minibus-shuttles."

Get it? Free bus rides to the different bouldering areas. For 4 days. What is really impressive is that this service is offered by the local government. Try making that happen here. It's hard enough just getting access to cool crags, much less a free ride.

It would be even more bitchen' if they use this bus:



Now I'm not one of those douche-bags who claim "everything is sooo much better in Europe". True, the food is better, most of them speak some kind of heavily-accented English, and you can drive really fucking fast on their roads. Other than that, it rains all the time and everything is too expensive.

But this kind of cooperation from a government really impresses me. They get it. For the public servants in the USA, this concept (promoting a local climbing area, which brings more visitors, which brings more money to the region) is as difficult and abstract as quantum physics.

Here's another one:



What's so cool about a couple old guys doing yardwork? The caption on this photo says "Cleaning of the brush by Comune di Val Masino workers".

Get it? The local government is actually PROVIDING THE SERVICE of cleaning new bouldering areas. And by the looks of it, this one is sick...



See you there!